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MSPs due to scrap council tenants' 'right to buy' | MSPs due to scrap council tenants' 'right to buy' |
(about 7 hours later) | |
The right of council tenants to buy their homes in Scotland is due to be abolished by the Scottish Parliament. | The right of council tenants to buy their homes in Scotland is due to be abolished by the Scottish Parliament. |
The Conservatives will make a last-ditch attempt to block the move at Holyrood. | The Conservatives will make a last-ditch attempt to block the move at Holyrood. |
But the government proposal is set to be backed by a large majority of MSPs. | But the government proposal is set to be backed by a large majority of MSPs. |
The right to buy was brought in across the UK by Margaret Thatcher's government in 1980, with almost half a million homes being sold under the system. | The right to buy was brought in across the UK by Margaret Thatcher's government in 1980, with almost half a million homes being sold under the system. |
Right to buy has driven-up home ownership in Scotland. But it has also contributed to an acute shortage of social housing. | Right to buy has driven-up home ownership in Scotland. But it has also contributed to an acute shortage of social housing. |
That is why the Scottish government has said it wanted to end the right in 2016. | That is why the Scottish government has said it wanted to end the right in 2016. |
Housing Minister Margaret Burgess has already told Holyrood: "With 185,000 people on waiting lists for council and housing association houses, we can no longer afford to see the social sector lose out on badly needed homes." | |
She added: "By ending right-to-buy in two years we will protect up to 15,500 social houses from sale over a 10-year period and safeguard social housing stock for future generations." | |
But the Tories have said ministers are kicking the housing ladder away from those on modest incomes who aspire to home ownership. | But the Tories have said ministers are kicking the housing ladder away from those on modest incomes who aspire to home ownership. |
Housing spokesman Alex Johnstone said: "This move by the SNP is motivated by nothing more than political dogma and is nothing to do with protecting the housing stock. | |
"Right-to-buy has been the most effective single measure to enable a whole generation on modest incomes to take pride in owning their own property." | |
In a separate move, Labour is trying to make last-minute changes to the housing bill to cap rent rises. | In a separate move, Labour is trying to make last-minute changes to the housing bill to cap rent rises. |
The Scottish government said it was keeping that issue under review. | The Scottish government said it was keeping that issue under review. |