Comment on Keith Brown’s statement during today’s housing debate
6 October 2011
Commenting on Keith Brown’s statement during today’s housing debate, in which he reaffirmed the Scottish Government’s commitment to building 30,000 affordable homes and stated that at least 20,000 will be for social rent, Graeme Brown, Director of Shelter Scotland, says:
“We welcome the fact the Scottish Government has now increased its target for new socially-rented homes to at least 20,000 during the lifetime of this Parliament.
“In our joint submission ahead of John Swinney’s recent budget, the Chartered Institute of Housing Scotland and Shelter Scotland identified that a minimum of £200million additional investment would be needed to deliver 20,000 new socially-rented homes. We look forward to seeing the detail behind today’s new target.”
Graeme Brown added: “This is still significantly short of the promise made in the SNP manifesto to build 30,000 council and housing association homes for rent, but it’s a step in the right direction.
“We hope that John Swinney will use the new money announced this week in the Barnett consequentials to plug the gap between this latest target of new socially-rented homes and its manifesto pledge.”
