 The next item of business is the debate on motion 6898, in the name of Mark Griffin, on cost of living mortgage rescue scheme. I invite members who wish to participate to press the request-to-speak buttons now or as soon as possible, or put an RTS in the chat function if they are joining us online. Again, we are tight for time, so I encourage members to stick to their time allocations. With that, I call Mark Griffin to speak to the motion for around six minutes. Last month, the Parliament used its powers to support renters, struggling with the cost of living, freezing rents and banning evictions, providing a lifeline to thousands of families this winter. Because it is our job to prevent a tidal wave of repossessions, homelessness and financial misery, we are calling on the Government to support homeowners with mortgages to revamp its own mortgage to shared equity scheme. 30 per cent of all Scots, half of homeowners still have a mortgage. Prices for energy, food and fuel have gone through the roof for them just like anyone else, and now they face a Tory premium on interest rates too. The Government should not need convincing that more help to keep people in their homes is needed into its credit. The Scottish Government has kept open its mortgage to shared equity scheme, which could help. Citizens Advice Scotland evidence, which the Government cited in support of the Tenant Protection Act shows that, by June, views of what to do if you cannot pay your mortgage webpage increased by more than 1,600 per cent in a single year. It is not just people looking for advice when fixed rate deals come to an end either. For the estimated 200,000 Scottish homeowners on variable rate mortgages, that will have been a terrible year so far, and that pain is not over. Just last week, the OBR forecast the effective rate on existing mortgages would rise to 4.3 per cent by summer 2023. It is shared that, in crisis, it put the cost of rehoming a household at around £15,000, with the costs escalating for those with greater support needs. However, the cost of families livelihoods, their wellbeing and their mental health impact on children losing their homes, are far, far longer lasting. The existing mortgage to shared equity scheme is one of last resort. The final option for a family at risk of losing their home after all other options are exhausted where they can then ask the Government to take a stake in their home with just their monthly costs to be bought back when their families finances allow. However, it is just not delivering it. It does not serve homeowners in today's market. There has not been a successful application to that scheme since 2016. Property thresholds have not been updated since 2017. Applications to the sister mortgage to rent scheme took at least a year to process in the last financial year, with only 41 per cent of those successful. All the while, ministers have renewed budgets of millions that have gone unspent for years. It seems like a slush fund that is to be raided for wider budget pressures on a yearly basis. The Cabinet Secretary's amendment notes that the scheme is demand-led. That is absolutely true, but the scheme itself seems to be designing out-demand. We are proposing that the mortgage to shared equity scheme is overhauled to deliver a true safety net for those at risk. The member is well aware that we are currently reviewing the fund, including the eligibility rules for both mortgage to shared equity and mortgage to rent. The very issues that he is raising are already being looked at. Does he not accept that? I accept that there is a review. I will come on to talk to that in a minute, but I would suggest that it should be fairly simple. Since that review has been going on since the summer, it would be fairly simple for the Government to accept our proposals and expand that safety net for people. We are proposing that the mortgage to shared equity scheme is overhauled. It needs to be overhauled urgently to deliver a true safety net for those at risk of losing their homes amid the Tory economic crisis. When circumstances changed so much, the policy and those circumstances have most definitely changed. You just need to ask anyone out there and you would find out how stretched family budgets are right now. As an absolute minimum, the overhaul needs to cater to a wider group in today's market. You would be absolutely hard-pressed to find out a single property at Lodians Highlands, rural Scotland areas, with the highest price-to-income ratios that could get help under the current scheme. Firstly, property values must rise. They are far too low. The Government's existing thresholds, based on house size, are complex and we feel that if they cannot be revised quickly they should instead rely on median house price data for each local authority. Secondly, existing equity requirements exclude far too many. The current 20 per cent minimum would mean that just 58 per cent of mortgages would be eligible. A revised scheme must ensure that recent first-time buyers with far less equity who might be rolling off their very first fixed rate can still access support. Thirdly, the scheme must be a resource to be responsive, turning around applications in two months, not years. People have already lost their home by that time. No, the member is just winding up. I do feel that the cabinet secretary and her amendment misjudges the level of financial trauma that has already taken place across Scotland. It is not just households with lowest incomes who are struggling. The system needs to be ready for people's financial hardship. We know that there is a review under way that is being on-going for a number of months. I hope that the Government will set out the scope of that review, the deadline for implementing changes and to rule out a closure of the mortgage-de-shared equity scheme. The Tories absolutely need to fix the mess that they have made, but it is not enough for Government to just criticise from the sidelines. We need to use the powers that we have here in Scotland to help families to keep their own homes. I move the motion in my name. I apologise, as ever, with the debates. We are tight for time, so you will need to accommodate the interventions broadly within your speaking allocations. I call the minister to speak to and move amendment 6898.2 for up to five minutes. As Mark Griffin has alluded to, we are living through a cost of living crisis, exacerbated by the impacts of UK Government decisions and policies, including Brexit and the recent economic mismanagement through the summer, which are resulting in soaring inflation and interest rates, including on mortgages that are affecting many homeowners. It is in that context that we welcome today's constructive debate and that Labour has chosen to use their time for this. Our demand-led homeowner support fund is the only such scheme in the UK. It provides support to low-income house owners who have fallen behind on their mortgages and face repossession. The fund consists of the mortgage to rent and mortgage to shared equity schemes that are sitting alongside advice services and legal aid support for homeowners. For clarity, as has been mentioned, this is a scheme of last resort, and every application is carefully considered to offer tailored support and allows us to provide the most suitable option to homeowners experiencing financial difficulties. I am very grateful to the minister for giving way. Given that there has not been a successful application since 2016, is there any insight as to why that has occurred and any reflection from the Government on that point? We will cover that in the review that the cabinet secretary has mentioned. However, in order to maximise the support, we are currently undertaking those considerations and will conclude in the spring on the eligibility rules and property value thresholds. For clarity, as well, the scheme relies on co-operation from landlords, lenders and those undertaking convencing, which is really important with regard to Labour's suggestion of a two-month turnaround, because that is unachievable, regardless of resourcing or funding from Government, because it is relying on other partners, particularly, for example, the legal profession, which we know had high pressure on it in recent years because of the demand in the housing market. It is important for that wider context. Our priority is to help those most in need and help to buy evaluations showed that 80 per cent of participants would have been able to purchase a property that met their needs without financial assistance. Therefore, with regard to the Conservative amendment that we are urging Parliament to reject, cuts to financial transactions by the UK Government means reopening help to buy would have to be at the expense of delivering other affordable housing. That is not a choice that we are willing to make. What is more, we recognise the huge pressure that the cost crisis is placing on households who rent their home, which is why, of course, we took action as a Government through our emergency legislation that Parliament supported. As colleagues know, the cost of living tenant protection Scotland act provides a temporary rent freeze and moratorium on evictions. It protects tenants by putting in place measures to stabilise immediate housing costs and enable them to stay in their homes. Moreover, for many households who are struggling to meet their housing costs, of course, discretionary housing payments are a lifeline that this Government funds that provides £86.6 million to local authorities this year. That mitigates against the benefit cap and the bedroom tax. Mitigations we wish we were not having to undertake, but we are taking that action to support people and have done for several years when it is with regard to the bedroom tax. The fact that we need to invest this money at all shows that the UK Government's welfare system continues to be badly designed and wrong-headed, and that is why we continue to push for the UK Government to reverse those policies and to stop putting people at risk of homelessness. In contrast, Social Security Scotland is now successfully delivering 12 devolved benefits, including seven that are only available in Scotland and not available elsewhere in the UK, including the Scottish child payment. From next year, February 2023, our 13th benefit, our new winter heating payment, backed by £20 million, will provide around 400,000 people on low incomes, with a reliable annual £50 towards the costs of heating their homes in the winter. That is part of the allocation of almost £3 billion in this financial year to help to mitigate the increased costs of living, with more than a billion of that support available in Scotland. As a Government, we welcome today's debate and look forward to listening to the contributions from colleagues, so I move the amendment in the cabinet secretary's name. I thank the Labour Party for bringing forward the debate today to the chamber, because I always welcome the opportunity to debate housing policy. Given the housing crisis that we face in Scotland, it is clear that we need to see action from both the UK and Scottish Governments to support homeowners and those seeking the dream of home ownership as well. Like countries around the world, the UK is facing a profound economic challenge as a result of President Putin's illegal invasion of Ukraine and the recovery from the Covid pandemic. That seems to have been overlooked by both the Labour motion and the minister's comments, and I think that that is disappointing. However, as the fact is, the Scottish National Party Government has failed to address Scotland's housing crisis, which has made it harder for people to get on to the property ladder. Scottish Government's latest housing statistics has revealed that housing completions across all 10 years in Scotland are still below pre-Covid levels, so we are not building the homes that Scotland needs, and that is something that we should all be concerned about. At the same time, the Scottish National Party and the Green Ministers have now closed off two crucial support schemes for first-time buyers, with the scrapping of help to buy and the first home fund as well. First-time buyers in England can still access the support of shared ownership and get themselves on to the property ladder. I think that that is really important. Given the figure that Ben Macpherson used around 80 per cent of beneficiaries would have been able to purchase the property without Government support. Is Miles Briggs saying that we should take money out of the affordable housing supply programme, which helps people who could not afford either their own home or in terms of our rented home, to put it into help to buy instead? I think that we need clarity from Miles Briggs on that. Miles Briggs is quite clear who the Cabinet Secretary does not want to help, and it is who she sees as the super-rich like nurses, like police officers, like teachers in our country. They want support, Cabinet Secretary. I do not have time, but I have only got four minutes. That is where we need to see the Government looking at that, because they used to support wanting to help Scots to get on the property ladder, they have changed their mind and they have turned their backs on the very people they used to support. Scottish Conservatives want to make sure that home ownership is affordable for every Scot, and that is important. That is why we are proposing a rent-to-own scheme, which will help people to save for a deposit by giving them a percentage of their rent back when they decide and are ready to purchase their own home. It is clear that more and more potential first-time buyers across Scotland are being priced out of the market, especially here in the capital. Scottish first-time buyers must be at the heart of a Scottish Government housing strategy, and sadly we now see that the Scottish Government seems to have forgotten about them. That is why my amendment for today's debate calls on ministers to reinstate the help-to-buy scheme and develop a new rent-to-own scheme. We need a bold new initiative to help people to get onto the property ladder in Scotland and rent-to-own can do just that. A generation of potential first-time buyers are at risk of now being completely left behind by the Scottish National Party Green Government. That is not acceptable. It is clear also that we are starting to see the unintended consequences of the impact of the Scottish National Party Green Labour rent controls bill and how that is filtering through into our social rented sector. All of us are meeting with these sectors and seeing how they are redrawing their financial future plans. That will result in the scrapping of future business plans for new socially rented homes, which will ultimately result in fewer homes available. That will be the legacy of this Scottish National Party Green Government. I have not got the time, so I have only got a few seconds left. That is also why these benches believe that it is time to take forward new schemes to provide the support that our social rented and tenant properties need as well. For too long they have been neglected and the rent controls bill, we will see also fewer private rented properties. Here in the capital that will be a total disaster and something all parties in this chamber have supported that legislation must take responsibility for. To conclude, Scottish Conservatives have a robust plan to support our first-time buyers. It is time that SNP and Greens and the Labour Party match that ambition. Thank you very much indeed, Deputy Presiding Officer. I am pleased to rise for my party to speak in this important debate. I congratulate Mark Griffin for securing time for it. It is undeniable that the cost of loan crisis is having a huge impact on the budgets of households right across this country. The Conservative Government's disastrous mini-budget under trust and quarteng has brought utter chaos in the markets and exacerbated the crisis at the worst possible moment. It is left to ordinary people to pick up the pieces and pay the price. Presiding Officer, dreadful Conservatives' management of the economy has caused mortgages to absolutely skyrocket. Recent estimates that we have read today suggest that a typical family will see a staggering annual increase of around £3,000 in their mortgage payments when they come to renegotiate their deals. Struggling households face a crippling triple whammy in the form of rising food costs, energy bills and housing costs, in particular in mortgages. This month, a poll revealed that home owners are worried about defaulting on their payments or being forced to cut down on food bills, while one in four even feel losing those homes due to unpaid bills. It is hard to restate the toll that that sort of worry can have, and it must take. When people are struggling so much that some even face the threat of homelessness, it is appalling that we are yet again in the middle of an unwanted independence merry-go-round. Instead of making sure that vulnerable Scots make it through the winter with their homes and their health, intact this SNP and green government is yet again wasting its energy and our time, our focus on more failed attempts and efforts to break up our United Kingdom. That is tedious, it is arrogant, it is morally indefensible. People of Scotland are trapped between Tory incompetence at Westminster and SNP green disinterest at Holyrood. People need to know that they can heat their homes, feed their children, afford their bills. By extending the reach of the Home Owners Support Fund to ensure that it is fit to address inflation and the rising interest rates, we can offer them some help. I do not have much time, but Fulton MacGregor? Fulton MacGregor, briefly. I thank the member for the intervention. He is talking about independence here. I know that he does not like independence, he does not want to vote for independence, but will he not at least accept that independence gives people a choice to escape from these policies that he stood up to be uncriticised? Alex Cole-Hamilton I think that this is the great snake oil that the SNP is trying to sell us. That this is somehow an antidote to all the problems that we face. It would compound all of the misery and the economic cost to families, hard-working families across this country. While it is well past time, the UK Government brought in a proper windfall tax on the profits made by the banking sector. We successfully, along with others, dragged the UK Government to the point where they levied a windfall tax on the super profits made by oil and gas producers. So to now, must we look to the banking sector? At a time when people are at risk of losing their homes because the mortgagory payments acted on them by the banks that they are lended to or from, we see the UK Government initiating a tax break of £18 billion through the banking levy on those profits. That is unconscionable and should be reversed. That is how you pay for those measures. We have been calling for them since October last year, but the UK Government has not gone far enough. Instead of making sure that banks pay their share, they are happy to impose years of painful stealth taxes on ordinary families. People deserve much better than that. We in this Parliament are duty bound to ensure that our focus is squarely on the issues that make a material difference to the lives of those people whom we are here to serve. That is why Liberal Democrats believe that all those who have seen their mortgage payments increase by a significant amount should be able to access a welfare support fund for grants to help cover some of the cost of that rise. That would protect families from falling into arrears or losing their homes, and it is the right thing to do. We now move to the open debate. I call Firstly Paul Sweeney to be followed by Fulton MacGregor for up to four minutes, Mr Sweeney. We find ourselves again debating the cost of living crisis. I thank my own front bench for bringing the topic back to the chamber again today because it is so critical to people across Scotland. It is the most important topic of conversation bar none. It impacts on each and every one of our constituents, regardless of their financial circumstances, but there can be no doubt that the poorest and most vulnerable will be disproportionately affected. We have an economy that has flatlined, a Government that has run out of ideas, and a UK policy landscape that takes us back to George Osborne's austerity agenda. As we look set to embark on austerity 2.0, it is important that we consider what that will mean for our economy and for our people in the years to come. The Office of Budget Responsibility estimates that the measures outlined in the chancellor's budget last week will result in a 7 per cent drop in household incomes over the next two years, culminating in the biggest fall in living standards since records began. That is six decades. The OECD predicts that the British economy will contract by 0.4 per cent of GDP next year and is already in recession, with Russia being the only other advanced economy in the world predicted to perform worse. As the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has issued a start warning that next year some people in the UK could be up to £538 worse off than they are this year, we have also seen warnings that we could be about to witness unemployment surpassing half a million by the end of 2024, with the economic and social consequences that we will have for our communities. The worst part of all, is that we have already tried austerity economics. The Tories embarked on it in 2010 only for it to deliver flatlining growth, stagnating productivity, while eroding the wages and conditions of working people. We all know the human impact that it had too. We saw it first-hand in Glasgow, with recent research from the University of Glasgow and the Glasgow Centre for Population Health, concluding that over 330,000 excess deaths can be linked to the austerity programme pursued by the British Government over the 2010-2017 period. That is a grotesque failure of public policy and one that cannot be allowed to be repeated. Deputy Presiding Officer, we are also in the, frankly, perverse situation, where those who lauded the tax-cutting, high-spending mini-budget of trust in Quarteng, and now in the exact same people who are triumphantly applauding the tax, raising austerity and posing of some budget of Sunak and Hunt, is politicking at its most cynical and voters won't forget it. Labour has proposed a series of alternatives for our economy and a policy platform that stands in direct contrast to that outlined by the current Conservative Government. We want to see a publicly-owned energy generation company, something that both the Tories and the SNP have failed to implement, despite having over a decade to do so. We want to see the threshold for the top rate of income tax in Scotland drop from £150,000 a year to £120,000 a year, something that the Government has yet to agree to. We want to see a return of the mortgage to shared equity scheme that the motion refers to today. For all the reasons that we have discussed, many of which I think the majority of us agree on, we need tangible action both in the short and the longer term. For too long we have looked at our economy as though we are accountants, shifting money from one portfolio to that portfolio without any real understanding of the economic impact and the economic multiplier effect that some of our decisions have. We need a real focus on public sector investment that will produce long-term growth in the public revenues, drive growth in our economy and produce the innovation that is vital for our productivity. It is abundantly clear that more of the same economic austerity and the doom loop of decline that has been handed down to our communities for too long simply will not work. It has never worked and it will not be accepted while working people and it should not be accepted by this Parliament. It is time to say enough is enough. Fulton MacGregor, to be followed by Douglas Lumsden for in four minutes, Mr MacGregor. Once again, as I said, we are in this chamber to speak about a Tory-made financial crisis that is affecting people all across Scotland. The uncertainty and fear caused by the disastrous Brexit that Scotland did not vote for in the catastrophic Tory mini-budget has in numerous financial consequences across the UK. Inflation has now risen yet again to 11.1 per cent, which is up from 10.1 per cent last month. That is now the highest that has been in my lifetime. The Bank of England has raised the base rate of interest by 0.75 percentage points to 3 per cent, which is a single biggest increase in over three decades. The budget not only crashed upon sterling, but it put pensions at risk and, as we are here today to discuss, sent mortgage payments sky high. Not for the first time this Scottish Government have had to end that policy to mitigate ways in which the UK Government has hit the most vulnerable society, free prescriptions, free higher education, free concessionary bus travel that now includes under-22s, free school meals, and the recent Scottish child payments are all examples of Scottish Government policies that have helped those who need it most. The Scottish Government's homeowner support fund is another such scheme that is unique to Scotland. That fund helps those homeowners who run into financial difficulty and are at risk of losing their homes. The mortgage to shared equity scheme is one such method that the support fund by the Scottish Government buys a stake of up to 30 per cent of an individual's property, and that allows the homeowner to reduce their secured loan. The scheme is dependent on the applicant's eligibility criteria, but the Scottish Government, as the cabinet secretary has said, is looking at reviewing the fund, including that criteria. I do not think that I am going to have time, Mr Briggs. In addition to the support fund, the Scottish Government is investing an additional £12.5 million to provide free advice services to help people with income, maximisation and welfare in-date advice. In the short time that I have had so far, I have only scratched the surface of the ways in which the Scottish Government is doing everything that it can to help those affected by the cost of living crisis. Unfortunately, it is evident that Scotland does not currently have the independent fiscal powers that are required to address this crisis more appropriately. To build a more prosperous and fairer future for Scotland independence is not only desirable, but it is now essential. That is where I completely disagree with Alex Cole-Hamilton. I am not going to take any interventions just now, and the Supreme Court ruling today puts beyond any doubt that we had that we are in a voluntary union, something that many of us have been saying for a while. One of the reasons that I have not taken any interventions will see when I get to the end is because I want to spend the rest of my time paying tribute to some of the amazing local charities and individuals in my constituency who are working to help people deal with this Tory imposed cost of living crisis. It is important that we come to the chamber and do that. I thank Julie in her team at Cool School Uniforms, Angela in her team at the Coatbridge Food Bank in conjunction with the Severian Fathers, Mags in all involved at the Moody Spurme Food Bank and Father Cain in those involved in the Augustine Stay Connected project and the Pantry, and Willie in all the Kirchaws Neighbourhood Centre team and Trasar in her team at Glen Boyd Live Centre. Those services provide food, clothing, support activities and even warden hubs. All those organisations tell me that they are getting more and more referrals, but they are ironically less to nations. What is important in the context of that motion is that they are getting more and more people who have got mortgages, struggling with mortgages, and more and more people who are in employment and in poverty, working poverty. I appreciate that you will have many constituents who are struggling with a mortgage. Does the constituents who are struggling can wait until this review runs up until the spring to get any help? Fulton MacGregor I appreciate that you are bringing that motion forward, because I think that it is important. The Scottish Government is doing a lot. I have already listed just some of them. We are trying, but all this Parliament is doing at times of what it feels like, is mitigating what the Tories are bringing forward. Labour should really be standing beside us at every opportunity in calling out. That brings me to my final points. I want to thank all those organisations that I mentioned, but they should not need to do this. This Tory Government is taking us all for granted relying on this Scottish Government, councils and kind-hearted charities of individuals to pick up the mess that they have created. I will end exactly when my colleague before me did. Enough is enough. Thank you very much, Mr MacGregor, and I call Douglas Lumsden to be followed by Mary MacMayer for up to four minutes. Once again, we come to this Parliament to discuss this vital issue, and it is right that we are spending a great deal of time on it, as this is the matter that is uppermost in the minds of our constituents moving into the winter. I agree with much of the Labour motion today that something needs to be done, and this SNP-green devolved Government has not done enough to help those in Scotland. In fact, its latest rent freeze will add to this issue, as social landlords put their capital plans on hold. We would all much rather see the focus of this Government on this issue and not the grievance politics of independence. You can always tell our Government's focus by its budget priorities. In Westminster, we have a Government that is invested in health, education and capital projects. In Scotland, we have a Government that sets money aside for independence and fake foreign embassies. Our UK Government is focused on protecting the most vulnerable, protecting services and ensuring that the tax burden is shared among us all, but borne by the most highest earners. I welcome the measures in the autumn statement. I will over time later, Daniel. The key to helping mortgage payers in Scotland is to bring down inflation, to build growth and to ensure stability in our economy. That is what Rishi Sunak and Jeremy Hunt are focused on, and that is what the autumn statement demonstrates. Inflation is rising across the world. The UK's latest inflation rate is 11.1 per cent. That is lower than countries such as the Netherlands, where the inflation rate is 16.8. Belgium, where it is 13.1. Germany is 11.6. Italy is 12.6. In fact, the EU as a whole has an inflation rate of 11.5 according to the euro indicators that were published just last week. Of course, the nationalists do not like to hear that inflation is a global problem. It suits their separatist agenda to tell people that it is a UK problem, and only separation is the answer. I will give way to Daniel now. Daniel Johnson briefly. I am very grateful to the member for going in. He is right about the nationalists in the record, but he has to therefore acknowledge the consequences of guilt going up to 4.5 per cent. What that has done for Morgan's rates is a direct result of Liz Truss's decisions, who I believe he supported in the leadership race for the Conservatives. I accept part of that, Daniel, but what you have to admit is that interest rates and inflation rates are rising right across the world, so to try and lay the blame at the foot of Downing Street is just not on. Of course, part of the issue with rising house prices and rising rents is the Government's abject failure in ensuring an adequate supply of new housing in our communities. When I was leader of Aberdeen City Council, we launched the biggest council house building scheme in a generation, while the SNP Government missed their targets year after year. More must be done, and this devolved SNP Green Government has the powers to help, and after today's Supreme Court ruling, it has an extra £20 million in next year's budget to help. From its launch in 2013, the help to buy Scotland scheme was being used by thousands of new home buyers. In June 2020, only two years ago, the then-Housing Minister Kevin Stewart announced that the Scottish Government was pledging a further £55 million in order to assist a further £2,000 purchase. When the news broke that it was to be scrapped, Nicola Barclay, chief executive of Homes for Scotland, described the move as devastating. All we hear from this Government is blame politics. With its always been someone else's fault, apparently independence would solve all our ills and the cost of living crisis. This is living in cloud cuckoo land. This is a global issue that requires governments to work together to solve it. The looming crisis in our housing sector comes after years of neglect from the SNP Government. The failed SNP Green coalition of chaos must do more. It has to start investing in Scotland, investing in our housing stock, investing in our local communities, investing in our hard work in local government and investing in the future of Scotland as part of the United Kingdom. I have called Marie McNair to be followed by Ariane Burgess for up to four minutes, Ms McNair. I am pleased to speak in this debate about the Westminster imposed cost of living crisis. It is a time of great concern for many of my constituents who are struggling to get by and provide the basics for their families. The Tory's disastrous mini-budget that they called on the Scottish Government to copy has created a terrifying situation for many. It has made a difficult financial outlook even worse. As the motion points out, this is putting immense pressure on households with a mortgage. I spoke to a constituent recently who has a variable rate mortgage. She described the fear experienced each time a letter from a mortgage provider arrives. Of course, it is never good news in the letter, always bad and little options available to assist. We must do everything that we can to help those with mortgages. That is why I welcome that the Scottish Government is already reviewing the eligibility criteria of homeowner support fund. Also, the DWP scheme for support for mortgage interest loans does not provide adequate help to those on universal credit. It is welcome that, in the Westminster budget statement, it was announced that, for universal credit claimants, the waiting period before claiming will be reduced from nine months to three. The removal of the earnings bar to claiming is also welcome. However, none of that is due to happen until spring. It makes no sense to wait until spring to do this when homeowners need our help now. I call on Labour and Tory members to join me in calling for the changes to be brought in immediately, allowing help to be accessed now. I have actually got a lot to get through, so no. Also, the budget statement should have done so much more. It was a missed opportunity to provide the help needed to mitigate against the cost of living crisis. Instead, it kept the five-week waiting universal credit that is forcing people to go into debt. The two-child policy was a born rape clause. The bedroom tax and the benefit cap needed millions of pounds for mitigation. Instead, to give just one example, it should have matched our Scottish child payment with a child poverty action group saying, if the Scottish Government can make this kind of serious investment in protecting our children from poverty, then so can the UK Government. No, it was more of the same from the Westminster Government. No compassion, no radical game-changing policies. In fact, Thornton Bell from the Resolution Foundation said that Tories have delivered a budget statement with the policies of Gordon Brown. It is my party that is usually accused of saying that there is no difference between the Tories and Labour. We are seeing evidence that this may be true. We know that this cost of living crisis has been made worse by Brexit. This extreme Tory Brexit, now policy of the Scottish Labour Party, is an unmitigated disaster for our country. Scotland's economy has been hammered by it and is hitting people's pockets badly. MPs were told just last week by the member of the Bank of England, Murrinshire Committee, that Brexit has added 6 per cent to food prices. Back in June, the respected think tank, the Resolution Foundation, said that average worker was on course to suffer over £470 in lost earnings each year by 2030. That is what the Tories and the Scottish Labour Party have to offer on the cost of living crisis, further misery and hardship, fuelled by their Brexit policies. The UK economy is in crisis, the new age of Tory austerity is on its way, Scotland deserves better than that, and that is why Scottish independence is now essential. I now call Ariane Burgess to be followed by Alec Rowley for up to four minutes. Deputy Presiding Officer, the cost of home ownership is severely out of kilter with reality when it comes to the money people earn and the amount they are able to save. Over the last year, the Bank of England base rate has increased from 0.1 per cent to 3 per cent. The sharpest increase in a generation and the highest rate since the 2008 financial crisis. When interest rates were briefly 14.8 per cent in October 1989, also under Tory economic mismanagement, the average Scottish home cost around £35,000. It is now £195,000. Average weekly wages have barely doubled over the same period. At the same time, individuals who have inherited wealth or property have seen their net worth accumulate at pace without those property values being taxed, leading to ever higher prices despite depressed wages. That has embedded wealth, inequality and means in rural areas such as the Highlands and Islands, especially the prospect of owning a home or even renting one affordably becomes ever more distant for young people. For years, Labour and Tory Governments have insisted on fuelling buyer demand while failing to address the severe reality of the housing crisis by building more affordable homes, pushing house prices to record highs, adding in the inflationary effects of years of cheap buy-to-let mortgages, banking deregulation and the disastrous right to buy policy, thankfully now ended in Scotland, decimating social housing, and it is not hard to see why house prices have spiralled. Factor in inflation, low wage growth, wage inequality and rising rates, and the outlook becomes even more bleak. The pain caused by skyrocketing bills, soaring prices, record inflation and the reckless Brexit that both Labour and the Tory support is just starting to be felt in people's wallets when they go to the shops, consume energy in the home and fill up with fuel. It's bad now. It will sadly get worse. Sorry, I need to keep on. In Scotland, with Greens in government, we are choosing a different path, as well as the recently passed cost of living bill, which supports renters. We are addressing the housing crisis through discretionary housing payments to mitigate the financial triple whammy faced by those on low incomes, the unfair bedroom tax, reductions in housing allowance and the introduction of the benefit cap. We are also looking to the future with our ambitious commitment to build 110,000 homes by 2030, with 11,000 of those in rural areas and 70 per cent of the whole 110,000 set to be affordable, and to support homeowners to reduce their fuel bill through energy efficiency measures. I welcome the Scottish Government's review of eligibility for the fund, but we must all acknowledge the sad reality that, as more homers come to the end of fixed rate deals, the impact of the Tory Government's reckless behaviour and financial illiteracy will only increase. It's clear that Westminster is not working for Scotland or our economy, and without the full fiscal levers of an independent country, we can barely begin to challenge the enormous social inequality that the housing and fiscal policies of both Labour and the Tory Governments have created. I now call Alex Rowley to be followed by Alexander Stewart for up to four minutes. There are few misguided statements that I have heard in this debate today. Mary McNair attacks Labour, but she seems to forget that, when Labour was in power, it lifted over two and a half million children and pensioners out of poverty. If you go back and look at that record and look at the approach, there was a greater redistribution of wealth that took place over that period than had done at any time. It's easy to stand up here and make comments attacking other people without the facts, but we should focus on the facts. Out there in the real world, the big issue today is not the constitution of Scotland. The big issue is that people are sitting worried, terrified about how they are going to get through this winter and how they are going to get through the cost 11 crisis. Talking about being deluded, I would have to say that the deluded comments for Douglas Lumson is just to completely deny the situation that we find ourselves in. This crisis is created by the Tory party in Downing Street. First, a crash of the economy in terms of a budget that is clearly going to drive up interest rates, is driving up mortgages and is frightening people and why Labour is saying that we need action now, not in the future but now. Shona Robinson says that we are conducting a review, and Ben Macpherson refers to that as well. That's great. I hope that you will include other parties in that discussion, but we have not got months and months to wait on a review. What we need to do is take action now so that those people who are sitting terrified, if they reach the point where the only option for them is to lose their house, as Mark Griffin says, that's the point where we should step in. I was just going to say to Alex Rowley that the review is on-going. It has already been under way. What I'm saying is that it will be concluded in the spring, and it's important to get it right to make sure that it's going to actually help that wider group of people that may need help over the coming months. I agree that it's important to get it right, but I hope that the cabinet secretary will agree that there is a certain urgency to that. To the Scottish Tories, if you really want to do something to stand up for the poorest in Scotland, reject Tory austerity, because we will not go over the last round of Tory austerity, and that also leads to and led to many of the problems that we have in Scotland. He started his contribution looking for facts. The UK Government budget provides an extra £1.5 billion for Scotland's public services. Does he not acknowledge that that's additional money for the services that we all care about? The UK Government is a direct result of the crisis budget. Inflation has shot up to £180 billion immediately out of the Scottish budget, so we have that problem directly coming from failed Tory policy. However, I would say that we are talking about housing here. I would have to say that we are not building enough houses. Is it not heartbreaking? I am sure that I am not the only MSP in this chamber that has people coming to their office week after week after week and not able to get housing, so we need to build far more houses. We need a national house-build programme for Scotland, and that would be a position— No, Mr Rowley, you are winding up on my face. I would say that the Mental Health Foundation, in conclusion, sent a briefing that every MSP should read, that people are frightened, that people are concerned that we need this Parliament to come together, not to put counter-motions and amendments, but to come together. Let's start talking about what the immediate priority should be in Scotland, and it should be that nobody loses their house. Part of that, through Mercedes-Benz Viola's pushing for the rent freeze, has been put in place, but the next part of that is the proposal that Mark Griffin has put forward. Let's work together. Let's ensure that nobody in Scotland is evicted this winter and nobody loses their house because of failed Tory economic policies. I am sure to be followed by Colin Beattie for up to four minutes. Thank you, Presiding Officer. I'm grateful for the opportunity once again to debate the on-going cost of living crisis, and I support the amendment in the name of Miles Briggs. Today's motion talks about the challenges many people are facing, including higher mortgage repayments, social rented properties, first-time buyers and home support funds. It's also quite rightly points out that the Scottish Government should be using every lever of power that it has at its disposal to help those people through many of those challenges. Along with my colleagues on those benches, I have been clear that the cost of living crisis is a problem that must be tackled for all directions and is a responsibility for all levels of government. Last week we saw that the UK Government set its plans out on when it continues to support people through this crisis, and I am sure that, like all aside, the chamber would agree that this is an economic climate in which countries around the world are facing significant challenges and are having to take difficult decisions as a result. In spite of those challenges, last week's autumn statement showed us that the UK Government is continuing to do what it can to provide for the support. I thank Alexander Stewart for taking the intervention. I agree with him that the issue of inflation is certainly not going to help any housing that any registered social landlord has to build more homes. That is a problem that has been caused mostly by his Government in London. As we have already heard today, inflation is an international event, and you have already heard that inflation in other parts of Europe and across the world is higher than it is here in the United Kingdom. I am sure, as I said, that nobody will look at the significant challenges that we are facing and at the decisions that we need to manage. As I said, the autumn statement showed that the UK Government is managing forward. As my party spoke to me for older people, I echo comments made by Age Scotland as they were much to welcome within the autumn statement that pension triple lock is being much needed and security for householders. People rely on estate pension and income, and further cost of living payments to all pensioners' householders will be provided for key support. It should also be welcomed that the energy price guarantee has now been extended to April 2024. While the price of energy over the coming years remains somewhat uncertain, current estimates predict that extending support will ensure that the tune of around £12 billion. While that type of universal support is closely monitored, we have to see what will happen with the climate as we move forward. As the economic situation continues to develop, it will be important for the UK Government to keep an eye and support was under review. I look forward to ensuring that that is the case. I have already made it clear that the SNP Government should be using every power at its disposal to ensure that people receive support. It is much welcome that the Scottish child payment has been finally agreed, and that is eligible for any child up to the age of 16 at the new higher rate of £25 per week. That payment will be a great support to many families over the coming months, which is why we all supported that in the chamber. However, it is clear that more can still be done on the part of the Scottish Government. A further cost of living support fund for the most vulnerable families could be a great help for many over the winter, and that could no doubt be funded as part of the £20 million that is currently earmarked for what was an independence referendum. In conclusion, it is clear that the situation to the on-going crisis will be one that sees both of Scotland's Governments working together, and they need to work together to ensure that the Scottish Government has no shortage of powers to lean on. As we have seen today, there is no shortage of ideas when it comes to ensuring that individuals are supported. People across Scotland expect those powers to be used to tackle the issues that really matter to them, and it is high time that their expectations became a reality. I thank Mr Griffin for bringing this motion to Parliament. The issue is indeed an important one, but at the very beginning it seems a strange motion for the Labour Party to bring before the Scottish Parliament, which has no locus of our mortgage interest rates, which are, of course, a reserved matter, and they can only offer a very limited support to home buyers within a severely constrained budget. Perhaps the chamber would benefit from a quick refresh of the history of where this crisis really started. The current situation faced by mortgage holders lies in the disastrous financial crash presided over by the Labour Party in 2008-10. Gordon Brown, as a long-serving UK Chancellor of the Exchequer and later PM, followed a Tory-style lazy fare attitude to the nation's finances and allowed unbridled greed and naked capacity to run amok and unchecked. The result was inevitable, a financial crash that we, the taxpayers, bailed out at huge expense. In 2008, the national debt stood at £800 billion. By 2010, it had risen to £1.2 trillion. It now stands at £2.4 trillion. The Tories, of course, taking over from Labour, failed to focus on economic recovery. Since then, we faced tough austerity measures that many across the country have suffered from. However, let's be clear that the Tories have only built on the foundations that Labour laid. Economic incompetence has been prevalent under both Labour and Tory Governments to an extent that is breathtaking. That is why we are here today. That is why households are being pushed into poverty with sky-high mortgage interest rates. That is why households are having to make the tough decisions between heating and eating this winter. To emphasise to the chamber, Scotland does not have the full financial powers it needs, but it is still doing more than any Government in the four nations of the UK to offer the best support to low-income households and offers the only scheme of its kind in the UK, the homeowner support fund, to support those who face difficulties paying their mortgage or face reposition. I welcome the Scottish Government reviewing the fund, including the eligibility rules, in the light of the cost of living crisis. Just recently, the Scottish Government again led the way, increasing the Scottish child payment, only available in Scotland, increasing the payment to £25 per week for eligible households. Anti-poverty campaigners described that as a watershed moment for tackling poverty in Scotland and stated that the rest of the UK should take notice. Unfortunately, it appears that Chancellor chose to ignore those calls in his autumn statement, and this shows a clear choice not to help the most vulnerable households, which is an incredibly cruel decision. The Scottish Government has committed almost £3 billion this financial year to mitigate the burden of the cost of living crises on household budgets. Those measures have been taken at the same time as maintaining free prescriptions, free school meals and free concessionary bus travel, which this year was extended to under-22s. Households in Scotland benefit from the most generous social contract in any part of the UK. To conclude, Scotland should not have to suffer because of the damaging choices that Labour and Tory Governments have made over too many years. Only with full fiscal powers can the Scottish Government tackle this cost of living crisis fully. I think that it is clear now more than ever that Scottish independence is the only viable option to ensure that we put a complete end to the destructive path that the Tory Government is leading us down, ably assisted by the Labour Party Acolytes. I thank Labour for bringing this debate to the chamber, as I believe that the public really does want us as a Parliament to concentrate on the issues that matter most to them. The cost of living is undoubtedly the biggest priority, as was set out in the research from the David Hulme Institute published yesterday. I say that in the middle of a two-week period of parliamentary business, which I understand are being concerns expressed, on all sides about the lack of Government statements on crucial issues such as the teachers' strike, about ambulance staff, about the two-tier NHS, dental provision and, on a day where the focus has been yet again on the constitution. Even if we have vastly different political views from the Labour Party, we do support them in bringing this issue to the chamber. Several members have rightly expressed their concerns about the current state of affairs with regard to the economy. Just as the OBR has been blunt in its economic analysis of the fragility of the economy, particularly when it comes to the erosion of living standards and the projections of low growth and productivity, and the fact that, sadly, there is little optimism that the current situation will be short-lived. The Chancellor has been blunt in his analysis with an honesty that I welcome in relation to previous budget statements and clear that there has to be a completely different focus in terms of protecting those on the lowest incomes and placing greater tax burdens on those with broader shoulders. That is not easy to say as a Conservative, but I believe that it is the right thing to do. Alexander Stewart in his speech commented on the cautious welcome that was given to the focus in the autumn statement by age concern, particularly when it comes to the retention of the triple lock and the energy price guarantee being extended to 2024. It is fair. It was Fulton McGregor who made the point about the Scottish Government having the uplift in the child payment to address more issues. He is absolutely right, because that can be extremely helpful. When it comes to Labour's perspective in this debate, Alex Rowley in particular—I think that it was Mary McNair—the interest rate aspect of the cost of living situation is not solely down to problems with the UK Government. Problems, incidentally, which I acknowledged in the last cost of living debate, were part of the issue, but they are not the sole problem at all. They are down to global trends, which stretch back to the early part of 2021. When the central banks in many emerging markets make clear that they were not going to do anything other but raise their interest rates, that was followed by the more advanced economies in the latter part of 2021. I know that the member will have looked at the IMF analysis, which clarifies that point. It is not just solely down to the UK Government that we have this problem. This is a global situation, so I give way to the member. Daniel Johnson I am very grateful, but the member would have to acknowledge that the start of this year was at 1 per cent, spiked 4.5 per cent and that they have not yet come below 3 per cent for five years. That is a major component of the cost of mortgages, and that is exclusively an issue for the UK. I also acknowledge that in the previous debate that it is part of the issue, but it is not the sole issue. I think that it is incumbent on the other parties in the chamber to recognise that it is not the sole issue, because this is a global situation. If you look at all the economic analysis that Mr Johnson and I have plenty of opportunities to do in the finance committee, it is very clear that those inflationary pressures are not something that was made just in this country. That is not true at all. I think that I am past my time, am I? Ms Smith, it is past my time. I just want to finish on this point, Presiding Officer. This is a serious issue. I do believe very firmly that the public want us to be focused very much in this Parliament on this problem, but let us keep it in perspective in terms of the facts that are available and the economic analysis that we have to hand. This is not just a problem that has been made in the UK far from it, and I am very happy to support the amendment in the name of Miles Briggs. I call on Shona Robison. Let me first welcome this debate and welcome ideas across the chamber. Alex Rowley was quite right to call for us to work together where we can, and I will certainly attempt to do that whether it is on this issue or other issues. Let me start with the record on affordable housing delivery. The Scottish Government has, by all the facts available, led the way across the UK, with almost 113,000 affordable homes now delivered since 2007. That is important because all the poverty bodies that analyse those things say that it is the key reason that child poverty levels are lower in Scotland because of that affordable housing delivery. Over 79,000 have been for social rent, including over 19,000 council homes. A £3.6 billion package of investment this parliamentary term has been made available a while in a second towards the delivery of affordable homes so that we can continue that important work that we started in 2007. We have also helped 19,000 households into home ownership since 2007. I will give way briefly. I am grateful to the minister for giving way. I acknowledge the point that she makes about affordable housing, but the totality of house building across all sectors is still to recover from the 2008 crash. In terms of affordable housing, that overall supply is important, is it not? The overall supply is important. Daniel Johnson will be aware that part of the issue is the post-Covid recovery of the construction sector, inflation, interest rates, all impacting on all sectors of house building. That makes it really difficult to make sure that we get as much value out of that £3.6 billion, which of course is grown by RSLs and local authorities in making that package go further. However, it is an understatement to say that the Tories lack credibility in this area. With total denial of responsibility, clearly the briefing sheets for today's debate said something like, talk about global issues and global factors, shift the blame. The blame cannot be shifted because whether it is their responsibility for soaring interest rates and what that means for mortgage holders, or whether it is their own delivery in terms of the UK Tory Government's delivery on affordable housing, the truth is that they have no credibility on that. That is a Tory-caused cost of living crisis, and people will have to pick up the pieces. I will let you in once I have outlined what the Miles Briggs Government has been delivering on affordable homes. For the past four years, Scotland has seen 62 per cent more affordable homes delivered per head of population than in England, where the Tories are in power. Nine times as many social rented homes delivered per head of population, and that has led to some terrible cases being raised recently about appalling housing conditions in England. If Miles Briggs wants to explain why that is compared to the record of delivery here, I will let him in on that point. On appalling housing standards, I think that the cabinet secretary should start looking in the mirror. Here in the capital, we have the record number of children living in temporary accommodation on her watch. She should hang her head in shame for that alone. But let me tell you what has happened in the UK Government, because we have seen £1.5 billion in additional money for public services. We protected the triple lock. We are increasing benefits in line with inflation. We are raising the national living wage to £10.42 per hour, capping energy bills to 2024. That is a record to be proud of. I think that the cabinet secretary should start thinking about her own responsibilities. The UK Government has an appalling record on affordable housing delivery, and Miles Briggs shows it. As for investment, inflation has ripped £1.7 billion worth of investment out of the Scottish Government's budget availability. Miles Briggs talks about investment in affordable housing in temporary accommodation, but he wants to then take money out of the affordable housing supply programme and put it in to help the better off to purchase their homes. He needs to explain how he can explain to people in this city why he wants to do that at their expense. I must conclude, cabinet secretary. I am sorry that the cabinet secretary must conclude now. I am sorry that we are well over time. We must conclude. Okay. In conclusion, this cost crisis is impacting on everyone. Cabinet secretary, I must ask you to conclude. It is something that we will review, and we will be happy to work with others in doing that. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. At the beginning of this debate, I was reflecting my colleague Mark Griffin that this was a somewhat more tempered debate than the previous one, but it clearly livened up towards the end, and rightly so. There is no more important issue than housing, so much of what we are doing here ultimately hinges on access to affordable housing. I can think of no better contribution than point members to within that valid rally, which gave an impassioned statement of why this is urgent, because people are facing very real and, for many people, very new pressures. That is why we brought forward this debate, because the cost of living crisis is affecting all sorts of people and people who might not have expected themselves to be facing the challenges that they are doing. I have to say that that includes us. I have to say that I returned home yesterday to look at my smart meter at horror to see that it was registering at £12—it was my total utility charger—for the second day running because of the effect of the weather. I can afford that, but it is not pleasant. It is not something that I look forward to, but I can. That replicated all over this country. What does that mean in terms of people keeping a roof over their head? What we have is an opportunity here, a policy sitting on the books ready-made that can help people and is right now doing nothing, as Mark Griffin pointed out, that mortgage-to-equity scheme has not had a successful application since 2016. I appreciate the Government and its constructive comments, both from Ben Macpherson and from Shona Robison, about that as a proposition, but I ask them to act with more urgency. I say that for this simple reason. Over the next two quarters, approximately, based on Bank of England data, 60,000 Scots see their two-year fixes come to an end and have to remortgage. 60,000 people suddenly face the reality of increased utility bills and increased mortgage bills. We need that help urgently. For those people, they may not be able to wait until the spring. I absolutely need to read, but the review has been going on since the summer. We could make changes right now that might be able to help those same people. That is what we are asking here today. However, I do have to say to the Conservatives that, although I appreciate the candor of some of the comments, they really need to face a reality check. Listening to some of the members here banging on about inflation, yes, there are global issues around inflation, but let us, as Alex Rowley asked us, look at the facts. Guilts spiked by the largest single daily increase in yields for five-year guilts that they had since Black Wednesday. Those costs of borrowing directly impact the ability for mortgage providers to provide products. That is why we saw almost 1,000 mortgages get taken off the market on the day of the mini-budget. We have heard a lot about the autumn statement. We have not heard so much about the mini-budget. A little bit of contrition from the Tory benches would go a long way, because there are some things that I would like to hold up and praise them for. I think that Miles Briggs was absolutely right to talk about total housing supply. We have struggled to achieve the levels that we would achieve consistently in Scotland of around 27,000 to 28,000 completions per year prior to financial crash. We have quite simply never achieved that since. We saw some encouragement pre-Covid, but there were issues around housing supply pre-existed Covid. We have to look at the detail of the supply and happily give way to Miles Briggs. I thank the member for taking this intervention. He, like me, will be speaking to housing associations across the region that we represent. Due to the rent controls bill, they are now looking at their investment portfolios and taking affordable housing projects out of future capital projects. That will be fewer homes for our constituents. Does he not acknowledge that that is a mistake? Daniel Johnson It was vital that we had urgent action to protect rents, to protect those facing the affordability crisis who are renting their housing. Now, absolutely, we will need to look at the spring, because it is important. I think that I have acknowledged the point, but we need to take both urgent action but also have the long-term solutions in place as well. I have a minute left. Daniel Johnson I think that Fulton burger was absolutely right to raise those local charities in his constituency, because I have had those same conversations, whether it is with food banks or even local football clubs, who are seeking to provide the direct financial advice because they recognise that people need it. Quite often, people who have not had to seek that advice before so that it is urgent. However, I gently say to the SNP members that they are offering independence as a solution. What would happen if mortgages held in Stirling with a new currency facing an immediate devaluation in which their own advisers are saying that there is a very real risk? How does that help with the affordability of mortgages? We need realistic propositions, not fantasy ones, and we need action now, not in the spring. Thank you very much, Presiding Officer. Thank you. That concludes the debate on cost of living mortgage rescue scheme. It is now time to move on to the next item of business.