MSP for Central Scotland, Graham Simpson has slammed “disgraceful” new figures highlighting the number of children in North Lanarkshire on social housing waiting lists.
Responses to Freedom of Information Requests submitted by the party to Scotland’s 32 local authorities have revealed that 103,732 children are currently on social housing waiting lists.
The true figure is likely to be even higher as one council – West Dunbartonshire Council – failed to respond the FOI request.
In North Lanarkshire a total of 10,419 children are currently on social housing waiting lists.
The party’s FOI requests also revealed that over 300,000 people across Scotland in total are on social housing waiting lists including 29,420 in North Lanarkshire.
Mr Simpson says the figures “completely expose” the failure of the SNP-Green government to build enough affordable homes in the region.
He also blasted the SNP-Green coalition for slashing £160 million from the housing budget in cash terms in 2023/24.
He added that it should be a “source of shame” for SNP-Green ministers that so many children in North Lanarkshire are waiting for social housing.
MSP for Central Scotland, Graham Simpson said: “These figures are a disgrace and wholly unacceptable.
“It should be a source of shame for SNP-Green ministers that 10,419 children in North Lanarkshire are on social housing waiting lists.
“The findings completely expose the failure of SNP-Green ministers to build enough affordable homes in the region.
“Typically, their rhetoric has been good on housebuilding, but they have been miles off delivering the homes needed in North Lanarkshire.
“These figures should act as an urgent wake-up call to ministers”.
