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McAllan to tackle housing emergency in Swinney reshuffle

PA Media Head shot of a smiling woman with blonde bobbed hairPA Media
Màiri McAllan had been on maternity leave since July last year

Màiri McAllan is returning to the Scottish cabinet with an instruction to tackle Scotland's housing problems.

She has been appointed housing secretary by First Minister John Swinney, with responsibility for all aspects of policy including heat in buildings.

McAllan, who is returning to government after maternity leave, replaces Paul McLennan in the housing portfolio. A statement said he requested to leave the Scottish government.

Gillian Martin, who stood in for McAllan, will now assume the climate action and energy role on a permanent basis.

Five people pictured on the sandstone steps of a building. One lady with grey hair in a middle parting is wearing a black and green dress. Next to her is a blonde lady wearing a pink top and a black tro suit. A bald man in a dark grey suit, white shirt and purple tie is in the middle. To his left is a blonde lady with a white top, black tros and a black and white patterned jacket. To her left is a man in a navy suit with a white shirt and blue patterned tie. He has grey hair combed in a side parting.
Swinney (centre) alongside (left to right): Maree Todd, Màiri McAllan, Gillian Martin and Tom Arthur on the steps of Bute House

Swinney also named Maree Todd as his new drug and alcohol minister, following the death of Christina McKelvie earlier this year. Todd will also maintain her sport portfolio.

After a morning of meetings at Bute House, the first minister's official residence, Tom Arthur was appointed as social care and mental wellbeing minister

Acting Climate Action Minister Alasdair Allan will leave government at the end of this week, having indicated that he only wished to serve on an interim basis.

The mini-reshuffle means, excluding law officers, the overall size of government decreases from 27 in May last year to 23.

Swinney said: "Màiri McAllan has been tasked with tackling the housing emergency, including ensuring we have energy efficient homes to help bring down bills and tackle the climate emergency.

"These are two of the biggest challenges facing people across the country and I want them to know they have a government firmly on their side and focused on delivering real change."

Last May the Scottish government declared a national housing emergency, which recognises the shortage of affordable, quality housing.

Last month businessman Sir Tom Hunter urged the government to "build baby build" in a bid to solve the crisis.

SNP vow to 'learn lessons'

The changes come a week after Scottish Labour's Davy Russell won an unexpected victory in McKelvie's Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse seat.

Swinney later defended his prediction that the contest would be a "two-horse race" between the SNP and Reform.

And he vowed the party would learn lessons from the result ahead of the Holyrood election next year.

McAllan served as the minister for environment, biodiversity and land reform from 2021 to 2023 and as the minister for transport, net zero and just transition from 2023 until February 2024.

She went off on maternity leave last July, with Gillian Martin stepping in to cover her net zero and energy brief.

McAllan is the second Scottish government minister to take maternity leave after Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes' pregnancy in 2022.

Both Scottish Labour and the Scottish Conservatives said the reshuffle was like rearranging the "deckchairs on the titanic".

Deputy Scottish Labour leader Dame Jackie Baillie also questioned Swinney's authority over his party.

She added: "The SNP lost the by-election in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse because they failed to listen to the priorities of people who have been badly let down by the government at Holyrood.

"If, after 18 years in power, the best John Swinney has to offer as an answer to the issues facing Scots is to shuffle his Cabinet around, then that is simply not good enough."

Scottish Conservative deputy leader, Rachael Hamilton said the reshuffle showed John Swinney and the Scottish government was "not only out of ideas" but "personnel too".

She said: "For the good of the country, we need to remove John Swinney and the SNP from power at next year's election."

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The first minister will no doubt be relieved to have Màiri McAllan back in government after her maternity leave.

He clearly views her as something of a protégée, a bright and capable woman, a potential future leader of the SNP.

McAllan is a good communicator and introduced John Swinney when he became leader of the party in May last year.

She was also entrusted with the introductions when the SNP unveiled their candidates a year out from the next Holyrood election.

Nicola Sturgeon faced criticism for not doing enough succession planning.

It seems John Swinney is determined not to make the same mistake and is eyeing up the Clydesdale MSP for future advancement.