Politics  All Scotland February 09 2010 11:45

Shelter Scotland Responds to Scottish Government Announcement Cash for Council Homes

Graeme Brown, Director of Shelter Scotland, the housing and homelessness charity, said:

"Last week John Swinney failed to address the £204 million hole in the housing budget (1) that could have kept construction workers across Scotland on sites building homes next year.

“Whilst today’s announcement does not include new money it will keep a number of sites going during this difficult time but more needs to be done to deliver for the 200,000 people on housing waiting lists across Scotland and the thousands of construction workers facing a bleak 2010.

He added: “Shelter Scotland continues to campaign for 10,000 new affordable homes to rent. Reports from Homes for Scotland today (Tuesday) that private house building is facing its worst housing crisis since World War Two adds to a worrying picture. Low levels of new private builds, the lowest levels of social housing stock since the 1950s, and yet hundreds of thousands of families in Scotland are in need of a home. Politicians must put housing at the centre of the political agenda."

1. Shelter Scotland’s response to Scottish budget.

http://scotland.shelter.org.uk/media/press_releases/press_release_folder/2010/scottish_budget_missed_opportunity_for_homes_and_jobs