That the Parliament recognises the large number of homeless people in Scotland, people in temporary accommodation and people on social housing waiting lists; shares concern at all people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, which is why tackling homelessness is a national priority through the joint Scottish Government/COSLA Ending Homelessness Together action plan; acknowledges that a Temporary Accommodation Task and Finish Group, co-chaired by Shelter Scotland and the Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers, has been established with the aim of reducing the number of households in temporary accommodation; notes that the Scottish Government has delivered 115,558 affordable homes since 2007, of which, over 81,300 were for social rent, including 20,520 council homes; notes the Scottish Government’s intention to legislate on both homelessness prevention and the right to housing in this parliamentary session; regrets that the UK Government’s mismanagement of the economy has caused increased inflation and significant rises in energy and basic day-to-day living costs, which has led to a cost of living crisis affecting most households that has a disproportionate impact on those on the lowest incomes, and calls on the UK Government to use all the powers at its disposal to tackle the cost of living crisis on the scale required, remove the so-called bedroom tax and benefit cap, increase the Local Housing Allowance, which, as of 2023-24, has been frozen for the third year, and change the no recourse to public funds rules to allow all people, regardless of their nationality, to access homelessness support.
Supported by:
Sharon Dowey
Result 69 for, 55 against, 0 abstained, 5 did not vote Agreed
Scottish National Party
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Scottish Labour
Scottish Green Party
Scottish Liberal Democrats
No Party Affiliation
That the Parliament recognises the large number of homeless people in Scotland, people in temporary accommodation and people on social housing waiting lists; expresses particular concern at the number of vulnerable people in these categories, such as veterans, children and disabled people, and calls on the Scottish Government to declare a homeless emergency and to prioritise finding suitable accommodation for people in need.
Submitted by: Shona Robison, Dundee City East, Scottish National Party, Date lodged: Tuesday, January 24, 2023
Supported by: Patrick Harvie, Ben Macpherson, Christina McKelvie
Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, January 25, 2023
Result 69 for, 55 against, 0 abstained, 5 did not vote Agreed
Submitted by: Mark Griffin, Central Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date lodged: Tuesday, January 24, 2023
Supported by: Paul Sweeney
Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, January 25, 2023
Result 53 for, 71 against, 0 abstained, 5 did not vote Disagreed