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Increased Access to Scottish Housing
The Scottish Government’s proposals to end Scotland’s housing shortage by putting forward a number of measures have been announced to increase access to housing in Scotland. Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon put forward the Government’s proposals in Holyrood on 31 October to tackle the housing crisis in Scotland.
Commenting, MSP John Swinney said: “One of the most frequent issues raised with me by my constituents is the difficulties they are experiencing in finding suitable housing, and the measures put forward today are a major step in tackling that issue.
He continued: “Scotland has come to a point where the escalating cost of purchasing housing is making it extremely difficult for people to get on the housing ladder in the first place. The Scottish Government has put forward proposals which, I am sure, will make inroads into Scotland’s housing crisis and allow people to break into the private housing market.”
“It is all too often that my constituents in towns such as Aberfeldy, Dunkeld and Pitlochry simply cannot find accommodation which is suitable to their needs, and this is particularly so when considering the lack of available council housing.”
The MSP added: “There is such a low turnover of council housing in Highland Perthshire that people can wait for a number of years before getting a house. By focusing on building 35,000 new homes each year by 2015 this Government has put in place the most radical measures to combat the housing crisis in a generation.
“At the heart of the Government’s moves is the need to balance a thriving private housing sector, by providing assistance for those who want to buy their own homes, and the need for a social housing sector which is fulfilling its role satisfactorily and providing a steady turnover of housing.”
He concluded: “The reforms put forward are a huge step forward both in the social and private sector and one which will no doubt benefit Scots for generations to come.”
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