In his first major statement to Parliament, the First Minister said three missions, centred on the themes of equality, opportunity and community, will be central to his government.

The accompanying publication, Equality, opportunity, community: New leadership – a fresh start, also sets out housing-related commitments such as:

• Deliver affordable homes across the country, the majority of which will be for social rent.
• Publish a Remote, Rural and Island Housing Action Plan, setting out the approach to rural housing delivery, including support for community housing trusts, and actions to allow empty homes to be purchased or leased for use as affordable housing for residents in rural areas, including key workers.
• Introduce legislation on A New Deal for Tenants, including a national system of rent control for the private rented sector, greater rights for tenants to personalise their homes and keep pets, and a new homelessness prevention duty.
• Reduce the number of people living in temporary accommodation, including consideration of the recommendations published by the Temporary Accommodation Task and Finish Group.
• Tackle unsafe cladding in medium and high rise residential buildings.
• Support people fleeing from Ukraine and other displaced people in line with the New Scots Strategy.
• Deliver human rights legislation protecting economic, social and cultural rights.
• Continue to support the transition of one million homes to net zero by 2030.
• Introduce land reform legislation to improve transparency of ownership, ensure large scale land holdings deliver in the public interest, and empower communities to own their own land and have a say in the use of land in their area.
• Consult on the introduction of additional Council Tax charges for second homes to support the supply of affordable housing.

Reacting to the announcement, Callum Chomczuk, national director at CIH Scotland said: “It is encouraging to hear the recommitment to the delivery of affordable and social housing and to new prevention of homelessness duties both of which are crucially important to improve the housing system for everyone. However, beyond these specific policy measures, the announcement of three central missions: tackling poverty, building a green economy, and improving public services all highlight the key role housing can and must play over the course of this Parliament.

“We can’t address poverty unless everyone has a safe affordable home, we can’t build the green economy without investment and leadership from the housing sector and we can’t improve public services without making high quality housing a key tenant.

“We look forward to continuing to work with the Scottish Government to ensure there is the appropriate leadership and funding at national and local level to achieve our shared ambition for the housing sector.”

The First Minister said: “Scotland is a land of opportunity, I’m very proud of that fact, I’m proud to be a product of that.

“My grandparents came to this country in the 1960s, barely speaking English, little money in their pockets. Despite the challenges they faced, and at times hostility they faced, due to their background, they overcame those barriers and provided a life for their children, and for their grandchildren that I will forever be grateful for.

“It is my responsibility to ensure every family in Scotland has that equality of opportunity, regardless of their background or where they live in Scotland.

“I am optimistic we can achieve that equality of opportunity, and the three missions that I have set out today, will determine the priorities of the government that I lead for the rest of this parliamentary session, and help us to achieve that.

“Together, we will be focused on the delivery, we will ensure that we have affordable, ambitious measures in place, which protect our environment, which protect business prosperity, they improve people’s well-being, and they reduce poverty.

“They will ensure the actions we take over the next three years, stand Scotland in good stead for the next decade to come. And they will use our present, very significant, strengths to deliver a fresh start for Scotland.”