A COALITION of leading housing and anti-poverty organisations have accused the Scottish Government of “proceeding with business as usual” amid a housing crisis.
Housing minister Paul McLennan delivered a statement in Holyrood today, June 20, in which he outlined the Scottish Government's ambition to reduce the number of children living in temporary accommodation.
In his ministerial statement, McLennan said the Scottish Government “cannot achieve everything at once”, and confirmed the introduction of a tenure-neutral housing standard would be “rescheduled”.
The Housing Minister said a public consultation on legislation would be introduced in 2025 rather than launching the legislation at that time.
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The proposed legislation would introduce a housing standard to cover all homes with no margins of tolerance, no exemptions and no “acceptable levels” of substandard homes.
In Holyrood, McLennan (below) said: “I recognise that we cannot achieve everything at once and we must focus on activity which will reduce harm, particularly that experienced by households with children.
“We decided to reschedule work on a new tenure-neutral housing standard. Rather than seek to introduce legislation in 2025 we intend to publish a public consultation on this matter by 2025.”
However, a coalition of leading housing and anti-poverty organisations have expressed their disappointment at the minister’s statement.
The coalition has said it wants the Scottish Government to restore its cuts to the Affordable Housing Supply Programme.
It has also called on the First Minister, John Swinney, to make changes to the existing housing structure as it “simply cannot deliver the response Scotland needs”
In a joint statement issued by the coalition it said: “It’s extremely disappointing that, despite having declared a housing emergency, the Scottish Government has made clear today that it intends to proceed with business as usual.
“This morning, this unprecedented coalition of leading housing and anti-poverty organisations, which includes members of the Scottish Government’s own Housing to 2040 Strategic Board, urged ministers to change course.
“We made clear that restoring the brutal cuts to the Affordable Housing Supply Programme would be an important place to start.
“Our call has not been heeded.
“Current plans have the right aims, but they’ve been fatally undermined by spending cuts at both Holyrood and Westminster, an absence of accountability for delivery, and a lack of political will.
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“If the First Minister isn’t willing to invest his political capital into a new approach, then existing structures simply cannot deliver the response Scotland needs.
“We would urge the First Minister to meet with us, urgently, so that we can discuss how he and his government can change course and build more homes for the 10,000 children in Scotland who need one.”
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