Government accused of having ‘head in the sand’ over homelessness

The Scottish Government has been accused of having its “head in the sand” over the country’s homelessness crisis, as the First Minister was urged to sack the housing minister.

This week, homelessness applications reached a record high in new figures, with more than 10,000 children forced to live in temporary accommodation.

John Swinney was challenged on the issue at First Minister’s Questions on Thursday by Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar.

Mr Sarwar asked if he accepted there was a housing emergency in Scotland – which had been declared by Holyrood earlier this year, to which the First Minister said he did, adding that the Government was “taking action” to fix the issue.

“I welcome that the First Minister recognises there is a housing emergency, but the broader answer demonstrates a government with its head in the sand and oblivious of the struggles of thousands of Scots facing homelessness as we speak,” Mr Sarwar said.

The Scottish Labour leader, who attacked the drop in affordable home building in Scotland, asked the First Minister if he would “change course” on housing, but Mr Swinney compared his Government’s record with the last Labour administration which led Scotland between 1997 and 2007.

The SNP-run government, Mr Swinney claimed, built an average of 7,750 affordable homes a year, compared with Labour’s 5,448 when they governed as part of a coalition with the Lib Dems, adding that the Scottish Government was “getting on with the job”.

“The First Minister wants to talk about a time when I was 16 years old, not a time when 10,000 children are homeless in Scotland right now,” Mr Sarwar added.

Turning to housing minister Paul McLennan, Mr Sarwar said: “For the housing minister to claim they have a proven track record on homelessness when it is at record levels is not just inept, it’s shameful.

“So Paul McLennan simply cannot continue.

“Will the First Minister recognise he has a choice: Put up with more failure or get to grips with the housing emergency, sack this housing minister and change direction?”

Responding, the First Minister criticised Mr Sarwar’s attack on his minister.

“I would just point out to Parliament that, as usual, Anas Sarwar, when he is faced with facts that rebut his argument, always plays the man and not the issue,” he said.

The clash comes as the Scottish Government announced a further £100 million of funding to build 2,800 mid-market homes, with Mr McLennan saying “bold decisions” are needed to fix the crisis.

Asked following First Minister’s Questions if Mr Swinney has confidence in Mr McLennan, a spokeswoman for the First Minister said: “Yes.”