Housing charity Shelter Scotland today (Friday) urged the Scottish Government to build on its expanded council house programme with a serious cash injection for housing in this years Scottish Budget.

Graeme Brown, Director of Shelter Scotland, housing and homelessness charity, said: 'Nicolas Sturgeon's announcement today (Friday) will mean more homes more quickly. The Scottish Government have acted to accelerate the construction of new homes and we must go further.

'With hundreds of thousands already in need of a house, and the recession likely to cost many more their homes, the Scottish Government must go further. Building more council houses is only part of the solution. To house Scotland's people and meet our internationally acclaimed homelessness legislation there must be a significant hike in cash for housing in next Scottish Budget.'

He added: 'The UK Government has a real chance to invest in the economy and housing through next weeks Budget.

'Shelter has submitted a fiscal stimulus package to the Treasury that could mean a Barnett formula spin-off of £600 million extra for housing in Scotland. This would build 6,000 homes, get dormant sites working again and sustain over 10,000 jobs [1].

'The Scottish Government has given a clear indication that additional money from the UK Budget would be spent on housing here, which we welcome.'

Notes to editors

1.    Building homes and protecting jobs: the case for a fiscal stimulus through additional housing investment in Scotland.