The Scottish Government is making clear progress on delivering its key housing plans, Housing Minister Keith Brown said today.

He emphasised that investment in infrastructure had been prioritised by the Scottish Government, which set out it its 10 year strategy and action plan for housing in Scotland by publishing Homes Fit for the 21st Century last year.

He also pointed to the Government’s commitment to deliver 30,000 affordable homes during this Parliament, at least two-thirds of those for social rent.

Mr Brown highlighted investment in council and housing association new-build, shared equity schemes, mortgage to rent, and the National Housing Trust initiative.

He also underlined the additional £87 million invested in affordable homes bringing capital spending over the next three years to at least £710 million.

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The Minister applauded the innovation and partnership working going on across the sector and the Chartered Institute of Housing Scotland (CIH’s) role in promoting that.

Addressing the CIHS annual conference in Glasgow, Keith Brown said: "We continue to invest in new affordable homes despite facing unprecedented challenges in meeting growing demand with fewer resources.

"We must continue to work together to get the most from our resources and ensure that we deliver our vision that everyone should have a safe, warm home which they can afford.

"I am encouraged by recent statistics which show fewer people in Scotland are being made homeless, representing a ten year low.

"The dramatic decrease in applications is likely to be a consequence of an increased focus on preventing homelessness and the growth of the housing options approach, which has brought real dividends for those councils that have grasped it."

“The Chartered Institute of Housing Scotland and other organisations also worked tirelessly with the Scottish Government to help try and defeat the UK Government’s flawed welfare reform plans," he continued. "Welfare reform is another example of how independence would allow us to put in place a system that worked for tenants and landlords. That is why we are consulting on the referendum about Scotland’s constitutional future."

(GK)