Local Government and Communities Committee

Meeting date: Wednesday, November 21, 2018

Official Report 718KB pdf

Petition

Homelessness (PE1686)

Agenda item 4 is the first consideration by this committee of petition 1686, from Mr Sean Clerkin, which was referred to us last month by the Public Petitions Committee. I refer members to paper 3, which provides background information on the petition, and in particular to paragraph 22 at the end of it, which sets out possible options. Do members have any views?

The petition seeks to accelerate on paper the delivery of measures to eradicate homelessness, and I do not think that any of us would disagree with that. I note the evidence that has come in from various parties including the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations and the Glasgow and West of Scotland Forum of Housing Associations. In the petitioner’s submission, he is critical of them, stating:

“they only calculate what £40 million would give you in terms of new housing units namely 615 ... people can also be rehoused in empty properties that are refurbished at a cost of £25,000 each”.

Those empty properties need to be bought, though. People cannot just occupy private property.

We need to do as much as we can to invest in the housing first approach. I am not convinced that it is necessarily a good thing to spend £40 million of the £50 million in one year, and I would like to hear from the Scottish Government about how it proposes to allocate funds and whether it believes that there is scope to front-load more of them—although I have my doubts as to whether that is a wise course of action.

To be fair to the petitioner, I think that it would be useful to hear formally from the Government. The note that the clerk has prepared, which I think is in the public domain, contains some references to correspondence that has been received from the Scottish Government, but we need to be fair to the petitioners who come to this Parliament with petitions. I suggest that we write to the minister and ask him for his views on the desirability and practicality of front-loading to the extent that the petitioner suggests.

Does anybody have any other opinions or want to add to that?

I do not have a different opinion, convener—I think that what Mr Wightman has said makes perfect sense. I can see where the petitioner is coming from. The committee carried out an extensive inquiry into homelessness and recommended that the Scottish Government should follow the housing first model. Mr Wightman’s suggestion of writing to the minister is a good one. It makes sense, because a lot of money has already been allocated. We need to bear it in mind that the programme is on-going, so we should write to the minister and see what he has to say.

Do members have any other suggestions?

Members: No.

I am happy with that suggestion, too. We will write to the minister and ask for his views on the possibility of front-loading some more of the budget.