The Scottish government is facing mounting criticism for its sluggish progress in removing unsafe cladding from buildings, a critical issue highlighted since the 2017 Grenfell Tower disaster, which tragically claimed 72 lives. Housing Minister Paul McLennan recently announced a £10 million fund aimed at expediting inspections and repairs related to unsafe cladding. However, opposition lawmakers have expressed frustration over the lack of a clear timeline for completion of the work, emphasizing that progress has been 'painfully slow'.
As of November 2024, the cladding remediation program reportedly has 107 entries, encompassing both individual buildings and multi-property developments. Alarmingly, no work has fully completed on these buildings, with only five having commenced remediation efforts. In contrast, the UK government's statistics for England indicate that remediation actions on unsafe cladding have either started or been completed on approximately half of the 5,000 identified buildings, with nearly one-third now fully remediated.
McLennan's parliamentary statement was part of a renewed plan to address cladding issues, coinciding with the government's publication of its response to the second phase of the Grenfell Inquiry. While he promoted the £10 million fund accessible to local councils, registered social landlords, and private individuals, critics noted that out of £97 million allocated from Westminster for remediation efforts, only £9 million has been utilized to date.
Scottish Conservative housing spokesperson Meghan Gallacher condemned the government's inaction, arguing that Scotland is lagging significantly behind UK efforts. She characterized the government's recent announcements as insufficient and disappointing for residents impacted by unsafe cladding. Similarly, Labour’s housing spokesperson Mark Griffin highlighted the irony that there have been more government statements about cladding than actual buildings repaired.
The government also faced scrutiny for recently released housing statistics, revealing a concerning drop in new home construction. In 2024, only 19,797 new homes were built—a 7% decrease—and private building activity reached its lowest levels since 2013, barring the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic. Social housing construction was similarly affected, with completions down 22% from the previous year, marking the lowest figures since 2017.
Despite targets set for delivering 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, the data shows that only 26,039 homes have been completed thus far. This leaves approximately 84,000 homes to be constructed in the next eight years to meet government goals. Both the Conservative and Labour parties have criticized the government for its inadequate response to the housing emergency, accusing it of negligence and incompetence.
In response, McLennan defended the government’s housing record, asserting that since 2007, more than 136,000 affordable homes have been built in Scotland, a figure that he claims exceeds the per capita rates in England and Wales. However, with ongoing issues related to cladding and a significant shortfall in homebuilding, many remain unconvinced about the government’s performance and future plans.
