Rhoda Grant MSP

Speech in the Scottish Parliament debate

Housing

6 October2011

I very much welcome the debate.

Housing is arguably one of the most important issues that we deal with.

It is a basic human right to have a warm, dry home to live in.

Our housing affects our health and wellbeing and, indeed, our future choices.

Many members have talked about that.

Jim Hume, in particular, talked about the effect on young children of being brought up in inadequate housing.

Spending on that issue, above most others, would prevent future costs to our social services, our health service and many other services that have to pick up the pieces when children are failed at a young age.

The debate was interesting, and thoughtful in many places.

There are genuine views and interest in the area and members made many good points.

However, it was disappointing in some ways, because we heard the normal rhetoric as well.

I cannot start my speech without going back to the SNP's manifesto pledge of 6,000 social rented houses a year.

The SNP knew what the spending position was when it made that pledge to the Scottish people.

We need it to confirm that it will stand by the pledge and indeed deliver 6,000 social rented houses per annum.

It had the figures, so it cannot pull away from the pledge.

We need to make a start for the benefit of the many people who need social rented housing.

As Margaret McCulloch said, the building of those houses will also kick-start our economy, giving a genuine boost to the small and medium-sized businesses that will build them.

We also need to look at our economy and provide energy efficiency.

Again, that will be a boost to SMEs and ensure that, while we are providing housing, we are boosting the economy as well as saving for the future.

First-time buyers are a huge concern, as are young people in all areas of the housing market.

The Government previously said that it would commit to our first foot scheme and indemnify first-time buyers for part of their capital investment in the house—the up-front payment—but we have not heard any more detail on that.

I would welcome some detail on the scheme.

Young people tend not to have access to housing lists because they do not score enough points. We heard that the number of 18 to 24-year-olds who are assessed as priority homeless is increasing.

Indeed, it increased by 40 per cent between 2007 and 2009.

As Siobhan McMahon pointed out, the housing that is put in place for them is not permanent and it is not adequate.

We need to look at that to ensure that young people have a good start in life.

Another issue that is hugely important when we are speaking about housing is fuel poverty.

I agree with what members said about the energy companies and the hike in energy bills.

The companies have a social responsibility to look after those who are in fuel poverty.

However, it is also the Government’s responsibility.

The existing homes alliance Scotland points out that, in 2012-13, the warm homes fund will have a meagre budget of £6.5 million, only part of which will go to initiatives to tackle fuel poverty.

The alliance says that the budget falls short of the step change in investment that is necessary. It will not even meet emissions targets, far less eradicate fuel poverty.

I was concerned yesterday to hear that the Scottish Government intends to review the definition of fuel poverty.

I seek a reassurance that the definition will not be watered down.

We must not move the goalposts in order to meet the targets that have been set.

I hope that the cabinet secretary will address that when he sums up.

I also hope that he will answer the question that I asked yesterday, about whether carers will have access to the energy assistance package.

He said that it would be those on carers allowance and that there will be a rolling programme of 7,000 carers a year, but there are almost 600,000 carers who do not qualify for carers allowance.

Will they have access to the package as well?

I would welcome any move to include them because they are extremely vulnerable.

The fact that they do not get carers allowance means that they lose out on much funding that should be available to them.

A number of members mentioned housing association grant.

The SFHA has said that the most serious issue facing housing associations and co-operatives is that the overall budget for housing supply is falling so steeply, and that the £40,000 subsidy will not fund affordable rented housing while keeping rents genuinely affordable to low-income households.

The minister, Keith Brown, intervened earlier and said that the £40,000 is a benchmark.

However, he said a couple of weeks ago that the grant would be increased only when absolutely necessary.

In the rural area that I cover, it would be almost impossible to plan and build a house from start to finish for £40,000.

Indeed, for small units of two houses, the amount of money that is required is probably closer to £120,000.

The minister has said in the past that bids will be looked at in the round, but housing associations are being asked to put in competitive bids, and if the benchmark is £40,000 I do not see how they can spend money on working up a bid for £120,000 and expect to get it.

There are 9,000 people on the Highland housing register.

Those 9,000 people need homes, many of them in remote rural areas.

I read recently in the papers that Albyn Housing Society has put in a bid for 50 properties but only 14 will be supported with funding.

Albyn talked about its concerns about building in rural areas.

Aileen McLeod said that the provision of affordable housing in rural areas has always been challenging. It is becoming even more challenging.

We need to ensure that money is ring fenced for such areas, so that housing associations do not have to bid competitively and so that we can provide much-needed housing.

Maureen Watt made clear the Government's policy towards housing associations when she confirmed our suspicions that the Government is looking to raid housing associations. reserves.

Housing associations, for the most part, have charitable status, which depends on their having reserves that cover the cost of maintaining their houses in a good state of repair.

If the SNP raids those budgets, its legacy will be poor-quality, dilapidated housing in Scotland and the demise of our charitable housing associations.

Rhoda Grant: Housing associations. reserves are there to ensure that their houses remain in a fit and proper state, not just this week or this month but into the future.

Associations must show the charity regulator that they can maintain the houses into the future.

There are 160,000 people on waiting lists and we need action.

We need affordable, good-quality houses in the right places.

The building of 6,000 social rented houses a year would be a start.

Will the SNP keep its promise to the Scottish people and deliver those houses?

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