UCATT welcomes shift in Scottish housing policy

Construction trade union UCATT, gave a cautious welcome to the Scottish Government announcement to provide greatly increased funding for councils to increase the building of social housing.

Harry Frew Scottish Secretary said:

UCATT looks forward to seeing the proposals from the Scottish government to address the shortage of decent council housing.

Workers and their families are crying out for good quality homes.

While we welcome this as a first step in developing an efficient housing strategy to support Scottish workers housing concerns, any programme of investment to build new council homes must also lead to a boost in apprenticeships and construction opportunities for youngsters in our local communities across Scotland.

“Councils should be building thousands more homes each and every year.

They are great innovators and must become the catalyst of resolving Scotland’s housing crisis.”

Commenting on the proposals to suspend the right to buy for new build council housing, Mr Frew said the policy did not go far enough:

“UCATT believes that the complete suspension of Right Buy of all council housing alongside councils being allowed to develop municipal built and municipal let properties would ease the shortage of affordable homes.”