Anas Sarwar calls for housing minister Paul McLennan to be sacked

Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar has called for housing minister Paul McLennan to be sacked after recent statistics put homelessness at a 10-year high.

Speaking at First Minister's Questions on Thursday afternoon, Sarwar said McLennan can "simply not continue" in the role because the government's failure to build enough social housing was a key contributor to the housing emergency.

First Minister John Swinney said his government had built more houses on average per year than the Labour government of the early 2000s. 

He said: "There is a housing emergency. This government recognises that and is taking action."

The latest government figures, published on Tuesday, showed 40,685 homelessness applications were made in 2023-24, up four per cent from the year before and the highest since 2011-12.

The number of households living in temporary accommodation reached record levels, standing at 16,330 at the end of March, up nine per cent from the year before.

And the number of children in temporary accommodation is also the highest in the series, increasing five per cent over the year to 10,110. 

Sarwar accused the government of having its “head in the sand” over the issue, after McLennan said there was a “strong track record” of housebuilding.

He said: “Housing in Scotland is completely the responsibility of this SNP government. But after 17 years, when will they take responsibility rather than always looking for someone else to blame?

“For the housing minister to claim they have a ‘proven track record’ on tackling homelessness, when it is at record levels, is not just inept, it is shameful. Paul McLennan simply cannot continue.

“Will the first minister recognise that he has a choice: put up with more failure or get to grips with the housing emergency, sack this housing minister and change direction.”

Swinney said while housing policy is devolved, his government was limited by UK Government’s decisions on its the capital budget.

He added: "Under this government, we’ve built on average 7,750 affordable homes each year compared to when Mr Sarwar’s party was in charge – when the money was so abundant they couldn’t actually spend it – they only managed to build 5,548 houses. That says to me that this government is getting on with the job.”

Douglas Ross, taking part in his last FMQs as party leader, raised concerns about the police investigation into the murder of Alistair Wilson in Nairn 20 years ago.

He said the handling of the case "clearly falls below any standards we should expect" and pointed to comments from the Wilson family that chief constable Jo Farrell had been "callous".

Swinney welcomed the fact the Lord Advocate had ordered a fresh investigation into the murder.

But he refused to be drawn into commenting further because of the live investigation, adding Police Scotland was operationally independent.