SNP ministers have been slammed for a “pitiful lack of progress” after it emerged they have spent a paltry two per cent of the money provided by the UK Government for the removal of combustible cladding from high-rise buildings.
Back in 2021-22, the Scottish Government received £97m in so-called Barnett Consequentials from the UK Government to improve safety in the wake of the Grenfell Tower fire, which killed 72 people.
However, to date, just £1.8m of that has been spent – in a handful of councils – on ridding high-rise properties of dangerous cladding, according to the Scottish Government’s own figures.
Shadow housing secretary Miles Briggs urged SNP ministers to “get their act together” and ensure the money was spent urgently on essential remedial work that would give peace of mind to high-rise flat residents.
Scottish Conservative shadow secretary for social security, housing and equalities Miles Briggs MSP said: “These deeply alarming figures highlight the SNP Government’s pitiful lack of progress in removing dangerous cladding from high-rise buildings.
“It’s inexcusable that SNP ministers have failed to deliver the surveys needed, or distribute this money, which is essential to ensuring Scottish tower blocks are made safe.
“SNP ministers seem, inexplicably, to have taken their eye off the ball on cladding. It’s six years since the Grenfell Tower tragedy, and the highly combustible material that contributed to it has been banned.
“Residents in Scotland’s tower blocks need the peace of mind of knowing their homes have been stripped of it. The resources have been made available, so ministers to need to get their act together and deliver.”
Notes
The UK Government has provided £97 million to assess and remove dangerous cladding from buildings in Scotland. In 2021-22, the UK Government provided the SNP Government with £97.1 million in Barnett consequentials, to remove highly combustible and thus dangerous cladding from buildings. A further £300 million is also expected to be provided for this purpose. (The Scottish Government, 12 May 2022, link).
Less than £2 million has been spent to assess and remove dangerous cladding from Scottish buildings. The SNP Government’s Single Building Assessments (SBAs) were introduced in March 2021 with the goal of identifying and removing highly combustible cladding in multi occupancy residential buildings. As of the end of the fiscal year 2022-23, only £1,826,610.51 had been spent for this purpose. (The Scottish Government, 26 May 2023, link).