Scotland is building five times as many council houses as are being built in England, according to official statistics.

Last year, council housing building amounted to 19.4 homes per 100,000 people compared with 3.5 homes per 100,000 south of the border.

The Scottish government said its investment in the social rented sector would boost the construction industry.

It has pledged £720m to housing between now and 2015 and said its budget could generate about £3bn of economic activity and support up to 8,000 jobs per year, directly and indirectly.

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The recent UK Housing Review highlighted that housing expenditure, as a share of total government expenditure, has consistently been higher in Scotland than for the UK as a whole - their latest figure being 3.5 per cent in Scotland compared to 2.5 per cent for the UK.

Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment Alex Neil said: "We have made it a priority to support our construction sector by investing heavily in housing, helping to create jobs and stimulate economic growth.

He said the last three years had seen the Scottish Government subsidise the construction of 1,658 new council homes, generating £340m in economic activity and keeping 830 people in work.

Mr Neil continued: "At least two thirds of the 30,000 affordable homes delivered during this Parliament will be for social rent."

(NE)