First Minister John Swinney has unveiled the creation of a new public body, More Homes Scotland, marking the Scottish Government's 132nd quango, established to confront what has been declared a housing 'emergency'. The announcement follows mounting criticism over the administration's perceived failure to adequately tackle persistent housing shortages across the nation.
Details and Costs Remain Unclear
Despite the high-profile launch, the Scottish Government has been unable to provide fundamental financial details regarding the new organisation. Basic figures concerning both the initial setup costs and the ongoing operational expenses have not been disclosed. Officials stated that these costs will be determined during the forthcoming design phase and reported to parliament "in due course".
This lack of immediate financial transparency arrives just months after SNP ministers pledged to reduce the annual corporate costs of Scotland's public bodies by a substantial £1 billion before the end of this decade. According to official statistics, the existing 131 Scottish public bodies currently incur estimated operating costs of approximately £6.6 billion each year.
Timeline and Operational Scope
The new body, which was designed by Housing Secretary Mairi McAllan in collaboration with local councils and the Scottish National Investment Bank, is set to commence initial operations in the 2027/28 period. However, it will not reach full operational capacity until the following year, 2028/29.
Mr Swinney outlined that More Homes Scotland will concentrate on enabling the delivery of housing across all types and tenures. Its remit is expected to include facilitating large-scale affordable housing projects, supporting the construction of homes in rural and island communities, releasing land for development, and undertaking crucial infrastructure work to unlock stalled housing projects. The body will also collaborate closely with the Scottish National Investment Bank to optimise the use of private finance within the housing sector.
Political Reaction and Industry Response
The announcement has drawn immediate criticism from political opponents. Scottish Conservative housing spokesman Meghan Gallacher voiced strong concerns, stating, "This cannot be another SNP talking shop that fails to deliver. Scotland is in the grip of a housing emergency because of the SNP's appalling failure to deliver the homes we have needed over the last two decades. Yet John Swinney's latest plan is to set up another quango that won't even be fully up and running for another two years."
In contrast, industry figures have responded more positively. Jane Wood, chief executive of Homes for Scotland, remarked, "The impact of this announcement and the Scottish Government's restated commitment to an all-tenure approach should not be underestimated." Similarly, Jonathan Guthrie, chairman of the Scottish Property Federation, described the commitment as "a positive and timely step towards addressing Scotland's housing emergency."
Work to finalise the operating model for More Homes Scotland is scheduled to take place in the coming weeks, with an update expected to be provided to Members of the Scottish Parliament in March. The First Minister and the Housing Secretary marked the announcement with a visit to a housing development, where they set out plans intended to accelerate homebuilding throughout Scotland.
In his announcement, Mr Swinney expressed his vision for the new body, saying, "It will deliver – for a new generation of Scots – new homes more quickly, more affordably, in more liveable, climate friendly communities."
