Shirley-Anne Somerville, pictured at the Scottish Parliament in Edinburgh on Tuesday, blamed «a decade and a half of Tory» austerity' for announcement Photo: Alami
SNP ministers have declared a «housing emergency» in Scotland after cutting the affordable housing budget by a quarter as Nicola Sturgeon's rent controls backfired.
Shirley -Anne Somerville, Scotland's Minister for Social Justice said there is a «national housing emergency» as housing shortages across the country are severe.
She blamed the statement on «a decade and a half of Tory austerity» and promised the Scottish Government would take «decisive action using the powers at its disposal».
But the statement did not prompt any action . special powers or increased funding, which prompted opposition parties to express concern that this was the political position of the Scottish National Party.
Scottish ministers previously declared a climate emergency and a drug deaths emergency but subsequently missed most of their net-zero targets and the country remains Europe's capital for drug deaths.
The move comes after the SNP cut its drug death rate this year. The affordable housing budget has increased by 26 per cent and rent controls introduced by Ms Sturgeon's government have backfired on renters, with Scotland seeing the biggest increase in the UK.
Last year a study found that 17 per cent of landlords have sold or are considering selling their rental properties, further limiting the supply of homes on the private rental market.
DJ Alexander, the country's largest lettings and estate agency, warned this week that the number of new ones being built homes have declined by almost 20 percent over the past 25 years. The Scottish National Party has been in power since 2007.
The number of new homes being built by housing associations is at its lowest level since 1988. Official data also shows that nearly 16,000 households are registered, including 1,000 children. , living in temporary accommodation.
Five Scottish councils, including Edinburgh, have declared a housing emergency in their areas, but last November the Scottish National Party voted against declaring a national emergency.
< p>They changed dramatically ahead of Labour's debate at Holyrood. a motion stating that «Parliament considers that Scotland is in a housing emergency.»
Ms Somerville said: “The housing emergency is one of the defining problems of a generation, caused by a decade and a half of Tory austerity, soaring inflation as a result of the UK Government's economic incompetence and almost nine per cent cuts to the Scottish budget. Government capital budget passed by Westminster.
“Despite one hand tied behind our back due to austerity measures at Westminster, we have taken decisive action on housing — and we can be proud of records showing «We have achieved significantly more affordable homes than in England and Wales and have taken decisive action to raise rents.»
She added: “Today I pledge that I will work constructively and in good faith with the UK Government and local authorities across Scotland to consider what more can be done to tackle the housing emergency.”
But Miles Briggs, shadow The Scottish Tories' housing minister said: «The SNP have had to be dragged kicking and screaming into this long overdue acceptance of reality.»
He added: “This situation is entirely of the SNP’s making. Shirley-Anne Somerville usually tried to blame Westminster, but the SNP received a record grant and it was they who shamefully cut £200 million from the affordable housing budget.
“They — along with Labor — also supported the Greens' illogical freeze policy rents, which instead hit tenants with skyrocketing rents and put much-needed housing construction on hold.»
The controls introduced by the Sturgeon government did not initially apply to new rental premises. , leading to landlords raising rents when their properties become vacant.
In March it was revealed that Scottish tenants had suffered the highest annual rent rise of any country in the UK — 11.6%, with in Edinburgh and Glasgow prices rose more sharply than in London.
Despite this, the Scottish government took action. published new housing legislation, including proposals for long-term rent control.
The Scottish Landlords Association warned the move would worsen Scotland's housing crisis, saying there would be «disinvestment and more landlords leaving the sector, leading to higher costs for tenants.»
Homes for Scotland ( HFS, the country's housing watchdog, said declaring a housing emergency would be «no more than a symbolic gesture» unless ministers addressed «existing policy and regulatory constraints».
Jane Wood, chief executive of HFS, said the bill needed to remove «unworkable» rent controls and shift the focus of the legislation to increasing supply.
Ms Wood said: “More than a quarter of all Scottish households need housing in one form or another, and housing construction and completions across all tenures are in free fall, repeating the same tired excuses about Brexit, cost inflation and Westminster being the main drivers of the housing crisis, just They don’t solve the problem.” /p>
She added: “The first step the Scottish Government could take to show that business means a fundamental review of the upcoming Housing Bill to make sure it is focused on increasing supply rather than creating a broken rent control system that is stifling investment in our housing system.»
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