Social Justice
The next item of business is portfolio question time. The portfolio this afternoon is social justice.
Asylum Right to Work Pilot Proposal
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on its discussions with the United Kingdom Government regarding the asylum right to work pilot proposal, in light of the Home Office reportedly stating that it is unable to commit to exploring the feasibility of the proposal. (S6O-04824)
I wrote to the UK Government in November 2024, urging it to engage with us following the publication of our asylum right to work pilot proposal. In January 2025, it responded that it was unable to commit to exploring the proposal. Following further exchanges, the UK Government has agreed to meet to discuss it. I have accepted that offer, but a meeting date has not been scheduled yet. I remain very keen to discuss the pilot and would also like to discuss improvements to the current policy for granting permission to work for people seeking asylum.
Without the right to work, people who are seeking asylum in Scotland are being forced into poverty. Although the architect of this hostile environment is undoubtedly the UK Government, we need to use all of our powers here in Scotland to counter that. The Scottish Government has promised to roll out free bus travel to people seeking asylum, who are, of course, unable to work. However, we have been waiting and talking about that for two years, and we are yet to see any progress on its delivery.
The excessive cost of transport directly contributes to poverty. I know that the minister knows that. Free bus travel would remove that financial strain and help to reduce poverty. As the launch of that scheme is now anticipated, will the minister confirm that it will be delivered before the end of this parliamentary session?
Mr Ruskell makes the case for the scheme well. After the 2025-26 budget was passed in February, we were able to confirm plans in the programme for government for a £2 million national pilot to support free bus travel for people seeking asylum this financial year. In May, Transport Scotland reconvened a working group with the third sector and local authorities to help inform how that can be delivered. That included consideration of how to maximise value and benefits from the funding. Scottish ministers previously committed to exploring the extension of concessionary travel for people seeking asylum by the end of this parliamentary session. That exploratory work will continue in parallel with the design and delivery of a pilot.
Tenancies (Domestic Abuse)
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to ensure that women who share a lease in a social or private tenancy with their abuser are not left homeless if they are forced to flee due to domestic abuse. (S6O-04825)
As part of the measures to prevent homelessness in the Housing (Scotland) Bill, we will introduce a duty on all social landlords to develop and implement a domestic abuse policy. That should set out how they will support their tenants if they are experiencing such abuse. The duty will include keeping the tenant in their home and removing the perpetrator if that is what the tenant wants. We will update the definition of domestic abuse as it applies in housing so that it takes into account an increased understanding of what constitutes domestic abuse.
The bill will also introduce a duty on social landlords, before any legal action to recover possession of a property on account of rent arrears can be progressed, to fully consider domestic abuse and to support individuals who are experiencing it if that abuse is causing any financial arrears.
Given that domestic abuse is the leading recorded cause of women presenting as homeless in Scotland—it accounted for around 23 per cent of female-headed households’ homelessness applications in 2023-24—will you tell us what further specific steps have been taken to ensure that safe, stable and immediate housing options are available to survivors?
Always speak through the chair.
James Dornan is correct. I stress that supporting victims and survivors of domestic abuse is a priority for this Government and, personally, I am very committed to that. I mentioned some of what the Housing (Scotland) Bill provides in that regard.
We continue to work towards bringing into force part 2 of the Domestic Abuse (Protection) (Scotland) Act 2021—by December this year, I hope. The measures in the 2021 act mark a critical shift in preventing women’s homelessness in the first place by giving social landlords greater control to transfer tenancies to a victim/survivor.
As I say, I place great priority on protecting the housing rights of women, children and those suffering from domestic abuse, so I am always open to new ways in which we can do that.
During stage 2 proceedings on the Housing (Scotland) Bill, I lodged amendments that sought to strengthen the Scottish social housing charter. The amendments looked specifically at the relationship between social landlords and individuals who they believe may
“have experienced, are experiencing or are at risk of domestic abuse”.
Given that the charter was created in 2010, this is an opportunity for the Housing (Scotland) Bill to strengthen support for women, especially if they are at risk of being homeless. I was pleased to hear the cabinet secretary say that the Government will lodge amendments at stage 3, but I hope that she will work with members who lodged the related amendments at stage 2 to make sure that they are agreed at stage 3.
On the latter point, I will absolutely pick up the work with members in respect of decisions that were made to work together between stages 2 and 3. I will be glad to speak with Meghan Gallacher. She mentioned the charter. I think that the bill is just one way in which to strengthen it, but I will be very pleased to discuss that with her.
Question 3 has been withdrawn.
Housing (Orkney Islands)
I apologise, Presiding Officer, to you and those in the chamber for my late arrival to portfolio question time.
To ask the Scottish Government what engagement it has had with Orkney Islands Council regarding any support needed to allow development projects to be taken forward to tackle the reported growing demand for housing in the islands. (S6O-04827)
Since January 2025, the Scottish Government has had 10 formal meetings involving Orkney Islands Council to discuss affordable housing, the most recent of which were with development partners on 5 and 12 June. In January, March and May, the Scottish Government attended housing market partnership meetings with the local authority, key delivery partners and local contractors to discuss the housing strategy and its delivery. To help to meet housing need, we are providing £3.6 million for the Orkney Isles through the affordable housing supply programme in this year’s budget.
I thank the cabinet secretary for that answer confirming the engagement that there has been with Orkney Islands Council, which I very much welcome. As the cabinet secretary will be aware, this is a key stage for progressing projects. In that context, I would very much welcome her agreement to visit Orkney to meet not just Orkney Islands Council and its partners but those who are taking forward many of the community housing projects that the previous minister, Paul McLennan, saw at first hand when he visited Orkney last year—I pay tribute to him for that engagement. This is a critical time and, as I said, I would welcome that commitment from the cabinet secretary.
I agree with Liam McArthur. I have stressed the engagement that has already taken place, and I understand that, since the start of this parliamentary session, 144 homes have been completed across Orkney, supported by about £11 million in grant through our affordable housing supply programme. That has been supplemented by 30 homes through the rural and islands housing fund. However, I recognise the on-going challenges and the demand that requires to be met. I will be very glad to discuss that with Liam McArthur and to visit him and others in Orkney when I am able to.
ILGA-Europe Rainbow Index
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the recent ILGA-Europe rainbow index of LGBTI equality laws, which shows that the United Kingdom, including Scotland, has fallen from first place in 2015 to second worst this year. (S6O-04828)
The Scottish Government is a progressive Government that has equality at the heart of our policies and actions. We are disappointed that the United Kingdom has fallen in the recent ILGA-Europe rainbow index of LGBTI equality laws. The Scottish Government remains committed to delivering equality for all people in Scotland, including the LGBTQI+ community.
Although much of equality law is reserved to the UK Government, our 2025-26 programme for government committed to
“Creating safe spaces for the LGBTQI+ community—funding work that tackles discrimination and upholds the human rights of this group, including through the Equality and Human Rights Fund, and progressing actions within the Non-Binary Equality Action Plan”,
as well as taking forward our commitment to ending conversion practices. We continue to work closely with LGBTQI+ stakeholders as we progress that work.
ILGA-Europe and Scottish LGBTQ+ organisations are calling on political leaders to lead by example. What steps is the Scottish Government taking to improve the lives of LGBTQ+ people in Scotland?
I thank Evelyn Tweed for the opportunity to reaffirm the Scottish Government’s commitment to advancing equality for LGBTQI+ people and to promoting, protecting and realising the rights of every LGBTQI+ person in Scotland.
We are providing funding of more than £1.1 million to organisations that work to promote LGBTQI+ equality in Scotland in 2025-26. That supports a range of projects to tackle inequality and realise the rights of LGBTQI+ people across all areas of Scottish life. We are working to implement our non-binary equality action plan and take forward our commitment to ending conversion practices, including those on the basis of gender identity.
We will continue to work with a wide range of third sector organisations to ensure that the voices of those with lived experience can help to improve the outcomes for LGBTQI+ communities across Scotland.
Question 6 has not been lodged.
Tenants’ Rights (Aberdeen)
To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting tenants in Aberdeen to protect and enhance their rights to a safe, secure and affordable place to live. (S6O-04830)
The First Minister has been clear that housing is a priority for this Government. Having been appointed Cabinet Secretary for Housing, I am firmly committed to that and, as part of it, to supporting tenants’ rights.
The Government has already started to take a range of actions to support tenants, including those in Aberdeen. That includes investing £768 million in affordable housing this year alone, introducing measures in the Housing (Scotland) Bill—some of which I have mentioned—in support of the introduction of longer-term rent controls, strengthening tenants’ rights and tackling disrepair in homes.
The impact that inadequate and unaffordable housing has on child poverty levels is clear. Can the cabinet secretary outline what action the Scottish Government is taking now and in the immediate future to work towards eradicating child poverty through improvements to housing?
We know how central housing is to tackling child poverty. That is why, as I indicated in my original response, we are investing £768 million this year to support the delivery of more than 8,000 affordable homes, with £16.3 million being made available in Aberdeen.
Since the national housing emergency was declared, we have helped an estimated 2,669 households with children into affordable housing in the year ending December 2024. We introduced amendments to the Housing (Scotland) Bill that will broaden ministers’ powers to impose timeframes on social landlords to investigate disrepair, such as damp and mould, and to start repairs, ensuring that homes are fit for purpose for families. That is before we even touch on the work that the Government has done to support the cost of living and to prevent homelessness in the first place.
Question 8 has not been lodged.
That concludes portfolio question time. Before we move on to the next item of business, there will be a short pause to allow front-bench teams to change position.