UK: the UK RAAC Campaign Group has called on the Scottish Government to take immediate and decisive action to support families affected by the RAAC (Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete) crisis. In an open letter addressed to First Minister John Swinney and Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy Màiri McAllan, campaign chair Wilson Chowdhry demanded formal engagement with Westminster to unlock stalled reforms and de 
liver real solutions for Scottish homeowners. 

The letter follows a disappointing response from UK Minister Alex Norris MP, who claimed that building safety is “a devolved issue” — effectively placing the burden back on the Scottish Government. 

“While I firmly reject this characterisation — given that my proposals clearly fall within the scope of reserved matters including finance, taxation, product safety, and insurance — I now call on you, as leaders of the Scottish Government, to formally engage with the UK Government in order to secure meaningful action for Scottish residents affected by the RAAC crisis.” 

The letter lays out four urgent policy areas that require UK-wide collaboration and reform: 

Amendments to UK legislation — including financial and insurance laws — to provide fairer support for RAAC-affected homeowners. 

New product safety legislation for housing, holding developers accountable for materials like RAAC and unsafe cladding. 

Mandatory home-buying surveys that include structural risk assessments to prevent future disasters. 

A UK-wide compensation or rebuilding fund, with co-funding and leadership from the Scottish Government. 

Chowdhry also criticised the previous housing minister, Paul McLennan MSP, for his lack of engagement with affected homeowners, particularly in areas not dominated by the SNP. 

“Your administration must now show the decisive leadership that has so far been absent,” the letter urges. 

The RAAC Campaign Group is now requesting a direct meeting with the First Minister and Cabinet Secretary to present evidence and discuss a joint approach to solving the crisis. Without Scottish Government leadership, the group warns that UK-wide reforms will remain blocked — leaving hundreds of Scottish families in limbo, displaced from unsafe homes and without meaningful support. 

If the UK Government insists it cannot act without input from devolved administrations, then it is now up to Holyrood to take the lead.