Demolitions of socially affordable homes: FOI release

Information requested

Some time back you provided me with a list of affordable homes built since 2007 in each local authority area. Does the Scottish Government hold figures for those socially affordable homes that have been demolished in each local authority area?

Response

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. This is because the Scottish Government does not hold specific information on the number of demolitions of affordable homes or homes for social rent.

This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

Whilst we do not hold the specific information requested we can provide information on demolitions or closure of (a) Local Authority (b) Registered Social Landlord (RSL) and (c) private housing, which is requested from Local Authorities on an annual basis. However, the information provided to Scottish Government is incomplete and subject to various caveats. Figures on demolitions or closures of local authority housing stock are thought to be generally accurate, but authorities differ in their ability to provide information on other tenures. For some councils, the number of demolitions or closures of privately owned housing is not available. In addition, not all Local Authorities provide information split by RSL and private housing, so these categories are often combined. Published Excel tables containing the latest available figures on the number of demolitions up to the year 2018-19, released as part of the Annual Housing Statistics 2019 Key Trends publication, are available at: Housing statistics: Conversions and demolitions - gov.scot (www.gov.scot). We advise that these data should be considered as a minimum level of demolition or closure activity in Scotland.

More recent annual housing statistics publications have been delayed due to the impacts of COVID-19 on data provision and staff resourcing. The next set of annual statistics figures, covering demolitions across the years 2019-20 and 2020-21, will be released as soon as they are considered ready, under the guidance of the Chief Statistician. At this stage we anticipate this will be between October and December 2021.

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The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.