The Scottish Government has said the country's rural communities are to benefit after an additional £3.5m was allocated to help with changes to housing benefit.

The extra funds from the Department of Work and Pensions follows Housing Minister Margaret Burgess meeting with lead UK Government advisor Lord Freud last week.

Speaking from her summer tour visits to Orkney an Shetland, Ms Burgess said: "I have made clear that the bedroom tax will not bring any benefits to Scotland and will, in fact, hit our poorest hardest. "When I met with Lord Freud last week I pushed again for Scotland to get a fair share of the additional funding for those affected by the changes to housing benefit, including the £5 million set aside for those in remote areas. Scotland has now been allocated £3.5 million of this money.

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"While this funding will help, it demonstrates the key point that Scotland is disproportionately disadvantaged by these plans.

"I have also made clear to Lord Freud that local authority owned supported accommodation, such as women's refuges, must be exempted from the bedroom tax.

"Families are anxious about the changes, which I believe do not reflect compassion and fairness, the core values of the Scottish people. This government will continue to press home the message that UK must do more to protect poor and vulnerable people.

"Today I have seen first-hand the work underway to help those most in need in Orkney and Shetland to protect people as much as possible from these reforms. However, only Independence will provide the Scottish Parliament with affect control over welfare matters. Being in charge of our own welfare system will mean fairer policies that protect the vulnerable and benefit the Scottish people."

(JP/CD)