This week saw the First Minister deliver the final Programme for Government (PfG) of this parliamentary session before the election in May 2026. Although the PfG is usually announced in September, it has been brought forward this year to allow for more time to get things done before parliament dissolves next March ahead of the election. Because of the shortened parliamentary year, it was a pared back PfG compared to previous years with just six new bills set out in the Government’s legislative programme.
As we approach the one-year anniversary of Parliament declaring a national housing emergency, we don’t think the PfG sets out the strategic vision needed to end the emergency nor the actions to get us there. The headline announcements made by the First Minister include moves to make it easier to get a GP appointment and tackle the ‘8am lottery’; a 6-point Export Plan in response to global tariffs; and the scrapping of peak rail fares. There was also a commitment to consult on and publish a Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan for 2026-31.
Commenting on the PfG, SFHA Chief Executive Sally Thomas said: “The First Minister is right to acknowledge the concern of people unable to find affordable housing: this is an issue that is rapidly rising up the public agenda. With nearly a quarter of a million people across Scotland currently on a waiting list for a social home, and a housing emergency declared almost a year ago, it was vital that today’s Programme for Government set out coherent action to increase the provision of affordable rented homes. The measures announced today are welcome, but don’t go far enough to tackle Scotland’s dire situation on housing. A warm, secure, affordable home is the foundation of all our lives, and while this Programme for Government recognises that, there is an urgent need for quicker, bolder action if we are to end the national housing emergency.”
Prior to the statement, we had written to the Government on the importance of prioritising housing and the key actions needed to support the sector this year. We continue to call for multi-year funding for the Affordable Housing Supply Programme, an exemption for Mid-Market Rent (MMR) homes from private sector rent controls, a fair, affordable and deliverable Heat in Buildings Bill and Social Housing Net Zero Heat Standard, and support for affected members for cladding remediation which is fair to social tenants.
For the Scottish Government to have any chance of reaching their target of building 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, they must quickly set out multi-year funding commitments so that members can plan with confidence to build much needed homes. We are still waiting on the Government to set out a commitment to this, as we await the outcome of the UK Government’s spending review in June.
It is reassuring to see commitment to a Heat in Buildings Bill, which will set targets for clean heating by 2045, but we need a fair approach to the standards required of every housing tenure, including home ownership and private rent. We also need certainty on the targets our members will need to meet and a funding package which does not leave social tenants to shoulder the burden. In a similar vein, we had urged the Government to provide a clear pathway to funding on removing unsafe cladding to ensure the burden does not fall on social tenants, but this was not forthcoming.
We are disappointed that there is still no commitment from Scottish Government to exempt Mid-Market Rent homes from private sector rent controls as part of the Housing Bill. We are continuing our lobbying efforts on this with the Government and MSPs as the Housing Bill progresses through Parliament and are building cross-party support for the exemption.
A full briefing has been shared with member CEOs this week.
If you’d like to discuss anything in the PfG in more detail or any of our parliamentary work then please get in touch with SFHA External Affairs Co-ordinator Tom Ockendon.
