05 October 2007
Communities Minister Stewart Maxwell has given an assurance that the new Scottish government is firmly committed to achieving a 2012 target for eliminating homelessness.
He told a Shelter housing conference in Glasgow on October 1 that ministers were going ahead with plans to help meet the target, which was set by the former Labour-Liberal Democrat administration.
Maxwell said: 'I believe increasing the supply of homes that are affordable, across all tenures, is one of the most important things we can do to prevent homelessness.'
A housing supply task force he had set up would tackle obstacles such as land supply and planning issues that prevented the building of enough new homes.
But he stressed: 'With a tight spending review upcoming, it is clear that there won't be easy answers. No government can simply turn on housing supply like a tap and we must operate within the constraints of our budget.'
And Shelter Scotland director Archie Stoddart warned: 'Without significant investment in affordable rented housing we will put the target under threat.'
PFoct2007
