Wilson and Hannah Chowdhry’s petition being considered by the Scottish Parliament’s Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee for the first time. The petition has already received strong cross-sector support, with several MSPs, MPs, and building-safety organisations submitting evidence in favour of its proposals. Livingston MP Gregor Poynton has also recently confirmed that he will be making an additional supporting submission.
Growing Concern Over Chaotic and Selective Engagement by Scottish Housing Minister in RAAC Crisis
Serious concerns are being raised by RAAC-affected homeowners in both West Lothian and Clackmannanshire over what they describe as disorganised, inconsistent, and politically selective engagement by Housing Minister Mairi McAllan, her team within Better Homes, and associated Scottish Government officials.
Over recent months—and especially in the past two weeks—residents have repeatedly faced contradictory communications, unexplained changes to meeting arrangements, selective invitations, and last-minute online meeting requests that demonstrate little regard for the severity and complexity of the RAAC housing crisis. These failures are now causing real frustration, anxiety, and a growing sense of distrust among affected homeowners.
Chaotic Scheduling and Last-Minute Online Meetings
Alongside the planned local meetings for homeowners, a separate meeting between the Scottish Government and the UK RAAC Campaign Group leadership was always expected. However, every request made by Wilson Chowdhry for this meeting clearly stated that it must include Housing Minister Mairi McAllan, and ideally First Minister John Swinney, given the national significance of the crisis.
Instead, officials have now attempted to schedule this separate engagement as a last-minute MS Teams call, offering only two slots with less than 48 hours’ notice, and—critically—without the Housing Minister or the First Minister present. This approach directly contradicts the long-standing requests for ministerial attendance and fundamentally undermines the purpose of the meeting itself. It is all the more inexplicable given First Minister John Swinney’s televised statement expressing his willingness to meet RAAC-affected homeowners. The government’s actions simply do not match its public assurances.
Officials were already aware that online meetings are extremely challenging for Wilson Chowdhry due to his Asperger’s, something he has explained repeatedly. Face-to-face engagement, with supportive individuals physically present, is essential for him to process complex discussions clearly and calmly. Despite this, rushed online meetings continue to be pushed, disregarding both accessibility needs and the seriousness of the issues at stake.
Wilson was clear in his response:
“To place the burden of rushed online meetings on people already living through a prolonged housing crisis is unacceptable. Respectful engagement requires planning, clarity and genuine partnership – none of which we are currently seeing.”
— Wilson Chowdhry, Chair, UK RAAC Campaign Group
The last-minute nature of these invites mirrors the earlier fiasco surrounding the cancelled Clackmannanshire Council meeting in September, further amplifying concerns about professionalism and good faith.
Inconsistent Invitations and Political Selectivity
Residents in West Lothian report equally troubling behaviour. Local leaders were told by councillors that a meeting was being arranged for 20 November, only to later discover that the Scottish Government had separately told Kerry Macintosh—West Lothian lead and UK RAAC Campaign Group Vice Chair—that a meeting would be held on 3 December instead. This created confusion, duplication, and the clear impression that officials were making parallel plans without transparency.
This feeds into a wider pattern. Two Dundee representatives were invited to ministerial meetings in Aberdeen, but neither Wilson nor his daughter Hannah—both of whom own RAAC-affected property in Aberdeen and have been central to national advocacy—were invited to attend despite requests.
Kerry Macintosh summarised homeowners' feelings bluntly:
“Communities who have fought side-by-side for two years will not allow themselves to be divided now. If the Government wants trust, it must stop choosing who is ‘allowed’ to speak.”
— Kerry Macintosh, Vice Chair, UK RAAC Campaign Group
Homeowners Unite Against Attempts to Divide Communities
Both West Lothian and Clackmannanshire residents have made it absolutely clear that attempts to restrict, filter, or politically manage attendance at these meetings will not be tolerated. Those affected want parity—especially given that government officials regularly bring attendees from outside the local area.
Homeowners across both regions have stated unequivocally that they will stage walkouts if either Wilson Chowdhry or Kerry Macintosh are denied entry to the meetings scheduled for 19 November (Clackmannanshire) or 3 December (West Lothian).
Furthermore, a public protest is now planned outside the Kilncraigs Council Offices in Clackmannanshire ahead of the Minister’s 10:00am meeting on the 19th, signalling just how seriously residents view this issue.
Key Role of UK RAAC Campaign Group Continually Overlooked
Beyond local representation, Wilson’s national advocacy has been indispensable to the progress of the RAAC homeowners’ campaign. He:
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Wrote the UK Parliamentary Petition on behalf of affected homeowners.
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Co-wrote the Scottish Parliamentary Petition with his daughter, Hannah.
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Ensured both petitions gained substantial national attention, keeping the RAAC crisis on the agenda of MSPs, MPs, and the wider public.
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Submitted a detailed response to the Scottish Government’s Building Safety Consultation, large parts of which appear to be reflected in the Housing Minister’s recent policy position—yet without acknowledgement of his or the campaign’s contribution.
Homeowners across Scotland credit these efforts with ensuring that the crisis could not be quietly parked or politically minimised. It is unsurprising, therefore, that attempts to sideline or exclude him are causing deep suspicion and anger among those he represents.
Residents Demand Transparency, Respect and Genuine Dialogue
The pattern now emerging—last-minute scheduling, inconsistent messaging, selective invitations, exclusion of national representatives, and a lack of clarity regarding ministerial attendance—has left homeowners in both regions questioning the Scottish Government’s commitment to transparent and fair engagement.
In communities already displaced from their homes, living with financial fear and emotional strain, these administrative failings are not minor issues—they are further injury.
Residents are calling for:
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Clear, consistent scheduling with reasonable notice.
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Guaranteed attendance of Wilson Chowdhry and Kerry Macintosh at all meetings involving their regions.
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Ministerial presence, as committed in writing.
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An end to selective engagement, which is eroding community confidence.
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Respectful, transparent, community-led meetings, not stage-managed sessions.
Join the Fight
If you or someone you know is affected by RAAC, or if you want to support our campaign, follow us on social media and get in touch. Together, we can make sure no one is left to face this crisis alone.
Sign our petitions:
📧 Email: wilson@aasecurity.co.uk
📢 Twitter/X: https://x.com/WilsonChowdhry
#RAACScandal #Petition2113 #ScottishParliament #SupportRAACVictims #EndTheSilence
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