Social Justice
Good afternoon, colleagues. The first item of business this afternoon is portfolio question time. On this occasion, the portfolio is social justice. I make the usual request that members who wish to ask a supplementary press their request-to-speak buttons during the relevant question.
Question 1 has not been lodged.
Transgender People (Support)
To ask the Scottish Government what action it will take to support transgender people following the recent Supreme Court ruling, in light of reported concerns from transgender people, and their friends, family and allies that it undermines the rights and risks the personal safety of transgender individuals. (S6O-04729)
Following the Supreme Court judgment, I met our LGBTQI+ stakeholders to discuss the concerns of the transgender community. The Scottish Government will continue to engage with LGBTQI+ stakeholders while the Equality and Human Rights Commission consults on its updated code of practice.
The Scottish ministers have consistently called for everyone who is engaged in the debate to be respectful and mindful of their tone. We have also repeatedly called for the consultation on the code of practice to be fully inclusive, and we have highlighted that to the EHRC.
I thank the cabinet secretary for that sympathetic response.
The real issue here is the fact that the increasing levels of violence and discrimination that trans people face are destroying their dignity. Which toilets people use is an utter red herring. We should focus on the root causes of the real violence and structural oppression that women and trans people face.
How will the Scottish Government engage further with the EHRC consultation on the final guidance to ensure that it does not further infringe on trans people’s dignity and rights, which they have successfully had for decades?
Mark Ruskell again rightly alerts the Parliament to the continuing violence, discrimination and abuse that members of the LGBTQI+ community—especially members of the transgender community—face, given recent events.
As I said in my initial answer, we have called for the code of practice consultation to be fully inclusive. In addition, the Government will continue to engage with the EHRC at official and ministerial levels, and we encourage everyone who has an interest in the consultation to engage with that process and ask the EHRC to support them in the manner that we would all expect.
Will the minister please expand on how the Scottish Government will continue to work with a range of third sector organisations to ensure that the voices of people with lived experience can help to improve outcomes for LGBTQI+ communities across Scotland?
In 2025-26, we are providing funding of more than £1.1 million to organisations that promote LGBTQI+ equality in Scotland, which are working to improve the lives of the communities and to increase their access to services. The work that is undertaken by the organisations that receive that funding includes policy development, training, research and engagement with the LGBTQI+ community.
The fear and toxicity that have been referred to are, of course, fuelled by hyperbolic assertions by those advocacy groups, which are amplified by people in positions of influence.
In the For Women Scotland case, the Supreme Court brought vital clarity: sex in law is not changed by self-identification or certification. Trans-identifying people deserve dignity and honesty, but women and girls deserve safety. What support is available for those who faced coercion, risk and harm under gender self-identification, and those whose health, wellbeing and livelihoods have suffered simply for defending the lawful human rights to sex-based protections for women and girls?
As I said in my original remarks, we have consistently called for everyone who is engaged in the debate to be respectful and mindful of their tone and of the implications if they choose to enter the debate in a disrespectful manner. That goes for absolutely everybody who is involved in the debate.
It is important, especially on sensitive matters, that we engage in debate respectfully and that we are mindful of the consequences of our tone and our conduct, both in the chamber and outwith it.
Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (Assistance for Homeowners)
To ask the Scottish Government what assistance it plans to provide to homeowners affected by reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete in their properties, in light of recent reports that offers from local authorities may result in unaffordable mortgage costs. (S6O-04730)
I recognise that it is a very difficult time for households that are affected by RAAC. Homeowners are generally responsible for maintenance costs. As a building and maintenance issue, it is the responsibility of building owners, including local authorities, to maintain their properties. Where a council is undertaking a voluntary acquisition, it is for the council and the homeowner to agree the terms of the offer.
Officials have been in touch with UK Finance to understand the support that homeowners can expect to receive from their mortgage lenders. UK Finance has informed us that any homeowners who are worried about their mortgage or making their payments as a result of RAAC issues should get in touch with their lender in the first instance.
The Scottish RAAC campaign group reports that families are living in homes that are literally falling apart. That has left people facing homelessness, rising debt and mental health struggles, as their homes become worthless. The Scottish Government opts to trade blame with Westminster. Will the Scottish Government now commit to providing financial assistance to homeowners who are left in an horrendous situation?
It is important to realise that when RAAC is found in a property, it depends on how extreme the situation is. I have been engaging with Aberdeen Council, Dundee Council and homeowners. Every case is different. We will continue to engage with local authorities and push the UK Government for financial assistance.
The previous United Kingdom Government promised to spend what it takes to remediate RAAC, but of course no funding was made available. What engagement has the minister had with the current UK Government on any plans to provide RAAC funding across the UK?
I have engaged with the UK Government consistently for support in addressing the issue of RAAC, including through making available new capital funds to allow any action that may be required. I will continue to press the UK Government to provide funding. So far, it has refused, and the latest response from the UK Government has made it clear that it does not intend to provide any funding. I will write to the UK Chancellor of the Exchequer ahead of the spending review to ask the UK Government to reconsider its position and make available a national fund, as RAAC is a UK-wide issue.
Child Disability Payment (Communication with Applicants)
To ask the Scottish Government what work Social Security Scotland is undertaking to improve its communication with applicants for child disability payment. (S6O-04731)
Social Security Scotland is committed to improving communications with child disability payment applicants. Applicants are asked to share their communication needs or preferences in application forms. Those are recorded and can be updated at any time. People can request letters in different languages and accessible formats, including Braille, easy read and large print. Email and text updates were introduced in 2024 to keep child disability payment applicants informed at key application stages. Social Security Scotland seeks feedback from stakeholders and clients to ensure that it communicates in a way that meets people’s needs with dignity, fairness and respect.
If I may provide some feedback, when Social Security Scotland was first established, we were promised that Scotland would be getting a benefits system that had the principles of dignity, fairness and respect at its core, yet I am regularly having to support constituents who, once they make their application for a child disability payment, get zero communications from Social Security Scotland for months on end, only getting feedback after the intervention of my office. That is unacceptable.
With the median average processing time for child disability payment increasing from 73 working days to 79 working days over the past quarter, that lack of communication is increasingly distressing for constituents forced to wait and wonder whether their application has been successful. There is no dignity in that approach, so does the cabinet secretary agree that that needs to change and that Social Security Scotland must improve both its processing times and its proactive communication with applicants for child disability payment?
As I have mentioned in the chamber on a number of occasions, we take the processing times for child disability payment and adult disability payment very seriously. A great deal of work has been undertaken to ensure that we are listening and learning, as the service develops. As I said in my original answer, some of the developments around that can include keeping people updated on their application, but we are also doing a great deal of work to ensure that the application forms and supporting information are collated in a way that allows the agency to make a decision as quickly as possible.
I assure the member that I take the issue very seriously and am in close contact with the agency, particularly on child disability payment. However, if he has particular concerns over constituency cases, I would be happy to look at them, should he wish me to do so.
I apologise for my late arrival in the chamber, Presiding Officer.
I very much welcome the child disability payment and the fact that, since its launch, it has provided more than £1.1 billion in support to eligible children and young people. Will the cabinet secretary speak to how the Scottish Government will continue to support our most vulnerable young people? Can she reaffirm this Government’s commitment to always providing welfare support to those who need it?
A very important part of the work that the Government will always do—not just in social security, although social security plays an important part in this—is protecting some of the most vulnerable people in our society through the devolved benefits. That includes low-income families; carers, including young carers; and disabled people. Many of the benefits, including the young carer grant, the job start payment and the Scottish child payment, are only available in Scotland, which is because of our commitment. That is an important part of our investment in the people of Scotland, which recognises social security as a human right.
Equality and Human Rights Commission (Meetings)
To ask the Scottish Government when it will meet with the Equality and Human Rights Commission regarding its recently published consultation on updating the code of practice for services, public functions and associations, following the recent Supreme Court ruling. (S6O-04732)
The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care and I were due to meet the Equality and Human Rights Commission on 24 April. However, that meeting was, unfortunately, cancelled by the EHRC. Scottish Government officials met the EHRC on 30 April, and it was agreed at that meeting that there would be further engagement when the consultation had been published. We are currently scheduling a ministerial meeting with the EHRC to discuss the consultation that is now open.
The consultation document says that the EHRC has updated the definition of sex throughout the code of practice to
“Legal sex is the sex that was recorded at your birth.”
If the cabinet secretary is clear about that definition, when will the Scottish Government implement the updated EHRC definition of sex when delivering guidance on the provision of single-sex spaces in public institutions such as schools, hospitals and prisons?
As I have mentioned in the chamber previously, the Government has already begun its work to ensure implementation of the Supreme Court judgment. I have talked previously about the important work that is being undertaken by the short-life working group that I asked the permanent secretary to stand up. That will ensure that the matter is looked at right across the Government in a consistent manner, and that work has already begun.
Scottish Child Payment (Impact on Food Poverty)
To ask the Scottish Government what research has been undertaken into any impact of the Scottish child payment on food poverty. (S6O-04733)
Research that the Fraser of Allander Institute published in May 2024 suggests that the Scottish child payment has led to statistically significant decreases in food bank use by single-parent households with children under five and households with children aged five to 16 without younger children. Our evaluation of the Scottish child payment includes testimony from recipients that, before the payment, they relied on food parcels, needed to use food banks or skipped meals to ensure that their children would eat. Later this year, we will publish a further evaluation of the five family payments, which will cover impacts on food bank use.
A family with two children aged under 16 that is able to access the Scottish child payment will receive £54.30 a week. That makes a big difference. I advise the cabinet secretary—corroborating what she has already said—that, during my recent visit to Peeblesshire Foodbank, I was told that it has had fewer calls for its resources as a direct result of the Scottish child payment.
I thank Christine Grahame for providing that feedback. It is good to see the impact that the Scottish child payment is having in her community and, indeed, right across Scotland. As demonstrated by the Trussell Trust’s report that was published last week, food bank use in Scotland has decreased—there was a 10 per cent drop in the number of parcels that were distributed by Trussell food banks in Scotland between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025. That is an important aspect that, once again, demonstrates the impact of the Scottish child payment.
However, I know that there is more to do, which is exactly why we will continue our work to mitigate the two-child cap, given the United Kingdom Government’s decision not to do so.
The cabinet secretary knows that we had very extensive engagement on the question of child poverty at this morning’s meeting of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee. One thing that came out of the meeting was the fact that there needs to be much greater use of data to ascertain the effectiveness of policy. Will the cabinet secretary provide assurance that there will be greater co-operation between the Scottish Government and local authorities to ensure that we get the right data?
Liz Smith’s question alludes to the committee’s discussion about the importance of data sharing and of using data at local authority, Scottish Government and, indeed, UK Government levels to ensure that we deliver the best services and provide support for people. I once again give Liz Smith reassurance that I think that data can play an important part in evaluating the impact of a policy, as we have discussed. It can also play an important part in ensuring that policies genuinely deliver for people by allowing us to target our support. For example, we can use data to know who is best placed to be eligible for the Scottish child payment or the other payments that are available through Social Security Scotland.
Housing Emergency
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what actions it is taking to end the housing emergency. (S6O-04734)
The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice made a statement to the Parliament on the issue on 22 May. Since the national housing emergency was declared, we have been working at pace to implement changes to address the current position and attend to the longer-term pressures. Actions include increasing the budget for the affordable housing supply programme to £768 million, bringing 1,000 homes back into use and committing £100 million for the mid-market rental sector. The programme for government reaffirmed the commitment to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032.
I thank the minister for that answer, but I cannot help thinking that there is no housing emergency plan after that. Following last week’s statement, I mentioned the issue of sites not being able to progress because they cannot get grid connections, and I want to quickly raise a couple of other issues. It can take as long as two years for developers to get permissions, and there can be up-front costs amounting to hundreds of thousands of pounds before any work can be done. What is the minister doing to unlock development by speeding up the system and making the process cheaper?
There are a number of points to make. We are undertaking work with Homes for Scotland on stalled sites, as well as on issues that have been mentioned previously, such as water and so on. We are working very closely with it and local authorities on that issue.
We are also working with the Royal Town Planning Institute and local authorities to recruit more planners into the system. Our approach is targeted at five local authorities, including those in Edinburgh and Glasgow, which are under pressure in relation to that particular issue.
We are also taking other actions. This morning, I visited a five-bedroom empty home in Glasgow, and we are looking at getting people into it as soon as possible. Investment of £3.7 million has brought 11,000 homes back into use, and an additional £2 million has been invested this year. We have also extended the rural housing fund, which we talked about yesterday. Yesterday, the cabinet secretary and I met registered social landlords to talk about their role in the matter, and the housing investment task force, which looks to bring more finance into the sector, will publish its report very soon.
I am happy to engage with Mr Simpson on any of the issues that he has raised.
A constituent who found themselves homeless and was allocated emergency accommodation sought my assistance after racking up considerable debt through exorbitant electricity costs while trying to keep themselves warm in a poorly insulated property. How can the Scottish Government support energy efficiency improvements for emergency housing accommodation and ensure that people who find themselves in need of such emergency housing are treated with dignity and respect?
I am happy to pick up with Beatrice Wishart the concerns of her constituent. We work with local authorities, which have a duty to provide affordable housing, and, importantly, the heating of such housing must be affordable. I am happy to pick up the specific constituent point that she has raised.
Immigration White Paper (Discussions with United Kingdom Government)
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions its population task force had with the UK Government regarding the proposals in the white paper on immigration, in advance of its publication. (S6O-04735)
A key strand of the Scottish Government’s migration strategy involves engagement with the United Kingdom Government to make the case for immigration system changes that will reflect Scotland’s demographic and economic needs. The Scottish Government issued comprehensive, evidence-based proposals to the Home Office during the development of the white paper on immigration, but there was no substantive engagement from the Home Office following that. The white paper includes none of the Scottish Government’s proposals and fails to account for Scotland’s requirements. The ministerial population task force will discuss the policy implications of the white paper at its next meeting in June 2025.
The minister will be aware that Inverclyde is one of seven areas in Scotland, and the only one in the central belt, to have seen its population decline between 2022 and 2023, according to the mid-year estimates. We have a reduced working-age population while our over-65 population has increased at a higher rate than the Scottish average, so those immigration proposals will have a detrimental impact on my constituency, especially because the demand for social care will only grow. Does the minister agree that, yet again, a one-size-fits-all policy from the UK Government is directly hampering areas such as Inverclyde from growing their working-age populations and supporting those who need care?
I absolutely agree with Stuart McMillan. The working-age population in his constituency is growing, but only because of migration. The one-size-fits-all policy approach, as outlined in the UK Government’s white paper on immigration, poses a significant risk to Scotland’s economy, our communities and our public services—not least to those in Inverclyde. That is why we are taking action where we can, including by providing £60,000 over two years to support delivery of a local authority-led strategy to address depopulation.
Ending international recruitment would have a profoundly negative and potentially catastrophic impact on the social care sector in many Scottish communities, including Inverclyde. The immigration system must reflect Scotland’s distinct economic and demographic needs and must not pander to the likes of Nigel Farage.