First Minister should be ashamed of South Lanarkshire Housing record

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Mon 30th Jun 2008

Glasgow Liberal Democrat MSP Robert Brown has blasted the Scottish Government's housing record when he quizzed First Minister Alex Salmond at First Minister's Questions in the Scottish Parliament.

Mr Brown demanded an independent review to identify what progress the Scottish Government was making towards meeting its target to end unintentional homelessness by 2012.

He pointed out to the Parliament that in the last year of the previous administration when Liberal Democrats were in Government, 8027 housing units were built, but the SNP Government only plans to build 6,070 in its first year.

He singled out the reduction in new affordable houses for rent in South Lanarkshire as an example of the effects of the SNP's housing policies.

Robert Brown said:

"The First Minister continues to try and divert attention away from the SNP's dismal aspirations by manipulating the housing figures.

"But, the facts speak for themselves.

"In the last year of the previous administration, Liberal Democrats built 8027 units, but the SNP Government plans only 6070 in its first year.

"In South Lanarkshire, the previous administration planned 260 homes under the Affordable Housing Investment Programme and built 334 homes. In sharp contrast, the SNP Government has only planned to build 175 new homes in South Lanarkshire in its first year.

"The First Minister should be ashamed of the SNP Government's housing record to date. How on earth can he imagine that such figures will allow the implementation of the radical 2012 homelessness target set by the previous administration?

"The First Minister must now accept the view of key housing bodies like Shelter and Glasgow Homelessness Network that there is a compelling case for an external and independent evaluation of progress and challenges on the homelessness target. The target is only 4 years away. The Government must commission a review."

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