Local MSP Derek MacKay has welcomed the news that the Government’s target of delivering 30,000 new affordable homes has already been exceeded.
As the Scottish Parliament holds a debate on housing yesterday, Housing Minister Margaret Burgess pledged to invest £3 billion in delivering a further 50,000 new affordable homes over the next five years.
It’s thought that the extra homes will support, on average, around 20,000 jobs per year and generate in excess of £10 billion in economic activity over the course of the Parliament.
Derek MacKay, MSP for Renfrew North and West said: “These are very welcome figures showing that the commitment of the SNP in government to delivering affordable housing is continuing to pay off.
“In spite of serious cuts to Scotland’s capital budget from Westminster, the SNP in government has delivered more social and affordable houses in the last seven years than were delivered in the seven years prior to that – and have now exceeded our own ambitious five year target of delivering 30,000 new homes by 2016.
“What a contrast to the record of the last Labour led administration in Scotland – who famously built only six new council homes in their last four years in office.
“Making sure everyone in Scotland has access to quality, affordable housing is at the heart of the SNP’s plans to make Scotland a fairer, more prosperous country – and these outstanding new figures make clear that we are well on the road to delivering on this aim for people across Scotland.
“But we are also clear that there is more work to do to continue Scotland’s progress – that’s why in the next parliament, a re-elected government under Nicola Sturgeon will invest £3 billion to deliver a further 50,000 new affordable homes over the next five years.
“It’s this ambitious, progressive vision for Scotland’s future – building on our record of delivery and success over the last eight years – which is seeing people continue to place their trust in us as we approach next year’s election, and rejecting a Labour party with a legacy of failure on housing.”