The next new petition is PE1821, by Darren Cush, on renovating unused buildings to create homes for homeless people. The petition calls on the Scottish Government to fund the redevelopment of unused buildings to tackle homelessness in Scotland. The Scottish Government’s written submission outlines the work that it is doing to tackle homelessness and highlights policies that seek to repurpose unused buildings. The submission also highlights a number of policies that are currently being developed and states that the Government is encouraging participation by all stakeholders in its policy development.
It is an interesting petition. We all recognise that homelessness continues to be a real issue and that we are not talking only about rough sleeping. We recognise that giving people accommodation in itself is not sufficient, although we have seen during the pandemic that finding accommodation for some people who were rough sleeping has made a huge difference. The petition addresses an important issue. The Scottish Government has certainly given us a lot of information on what it is trying to do, including on its empty homes initiative, which is bringing buildings back into use. The use of empty or unused buildings will not, in itself, solve the homelessness challenge, because some of that challenge is about mental health, some of it is about addiction and some of it is about simply not being able to access accommodation. From the evidence that the Scottish Government has given us, I think that it has an understanding of that.
The petition has been helpful in giving us an opportunity to reflect on the issues, but we should probably close it at this stage. However, I ask members for their views.
Inaudible.—in the homelessness area. The Government has an obligation to get any empty building that is capable of use back into use. That might not necessarily be for homeless people, but it could add to the general housing stock. The petitioner has raised and identified an issue, but the Government is fairly clear that it is sort of on the right track, although it could do substantially more. However, our involvement would not necessarily make it go any faster. Therefore, it is appropriate to close the petition on the understanding that the Government is already progressing with the use of buildings where it can do so.
As a former councillor with Argyll and Bute Council, I am very aware of the issue of bringing buildings into use for people who are homeless or who need housing. Obviously, there is a move on that among local authorities in Scotland.
I agree with my colleague Tom Mason that we should close the petition on the basis that the Government is working on the issue, although we need to quicken the pace.
We are agreeing to close the petition under rule 15.7 of the standing orders, on the basis that the Scottish Government is continuing to develop measures to address homelessness and to redevelop unused buildings through the homelessness and rough sleeping action group, the housing to 2040 strategy, the empty homes policy, the fourth national planning framework and the town centre action plan. There is a question about whether the pace is right. We recognise the issue that the petitioner has raised as one area of work and we hope that the Scottish Government will pursue that.
We thank the petitioner very much for his engagement with the committee and remind him that if, in a year’s time, the progress that has been suggested is not evident, the petition can return to the committee. I thank the petitioner again for his involvement.
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