Housing is critical to all aspects of people’s lives and is a human right, yet homelessness in Scotland has been increasing and some local authorities are unable to fulfil their duties to house people.
On 15 May 2024, the Scottish Parliament agreed to a motion supporting the declaration of a national housing emergency. Thirteen local authorities have also declared a local housing emergency, beginning with Argyll and Bute Council in June 2023, and most recently East Lothian Council on 12 November 2024.
The Committee agreed it was important to scrutinise how the housing emergency is being tackled by the Scottish Government and local authorities, and at the same time explore what a properly functioning housing system would look like. Members agreed to hold a short inquiry focusing on some key questions:
The Committee issued a call for written views from a number of organisations, with 26 responses received.
See the responses under 'correspondence'.
Members of the Committee visited Argyll & Bute Council in November 2024 to explore their response to the housing emergency.
Report of the Committee’s visit to Argyll & Bute Council
The Committee held two meetings in November to hear directly from local authorities, academics, and organisations representing tenants and landlords.
It then heard evidence from the Minister for Housing at a meeting in January.
The Committee’s report was published on 15 May 2025, a year after a national housing emergency was declared. The report summarises the evidence it received and made recommendations. You can read the report at the following link:
The Committee received a response from the Cabinet Secretary for Housing on 1 July 2025.