Swinney urged to sack housing minister amid ‘rough sleeping emergency’

Scotland’s housing minister is “missing in action” in the midst of a “rough sleeping emergency”, Labour have claimed.

Minister Paul McLennan came under attack after Scottish Government figures showed a 72% increase over the last three years in the number of Scots who were forced to sleep on the streets the night before seeking help.

In the period July to September 2021, a total of 326 households making a homeless application had at least one member who had slept rough the previous night.

But figures published earlier this week showed that figure had risen to 631 for July to September 2024.

Meanwhile, the number of households where someone had slept rough in the three months leading up to a homeless application being made went from 593 to 939 over the same period – an increase of 58%.

In the wake of the figures, Labour urged John Swinney to “step up and set out a real plan to deal with this scandal” – insisting the First Minister should start by sacking his housing minister.

Labour is calling for Paul McLennan to be sacked as housing minister PA Media

Labour housing spokesperson Mark Griffin said: “There is a rough sleeping emergency unfolding in Scotland but the SNP has been missing in action.”

He added: “Behind every single one of these figures is a person suffering the most painful consequences of the SNP’s housing emergency.

“Far from acting to tackle the housing emergency, the SNP worsened it with cuts to affordable housing and local government.”

Griffin continued: “Paul McLennan has failed as housing minister and he cannot stay in the job.

“John Swinney must step up and set out a real plan to deal with this scandal – starting by getting rid of Paul McLennan.”

McLennan said: “The draft Budget will provide record funding of more than £15 billion to councils.

“That will help to deliver a range of services such as homelessness prevention programmes.

“An additional £4m will also be made available to support local authorities and frontline services to pilot and scale up homelessness prevention best practice across Scotland.

“We have a plan to tackle rough sleeping. Labour should stop sitting on their hands and vote to support the Budget that delivers the cash to back it up.”