Current status: Answered by Des McNulty on 13 March 2003
To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure an adequate supply of good quality social housing.
We have enhanced the strategic planning role of local authorities by giving them responsibility for producing local housing strategies which will lead to a better analysis of the need for the provision and improvement of social housing across Scotland. Delivery against those needs will be assisted by the development programme of Communities Scotland (including resources which may transfer, in due course, to local authorities), the New Housing Partnership and Community Ownership programme and the housing programmes of local authorities operating, from 2004-05, within the prudential framework for capital expenditure. We have also announced that all social housing providers will, in due course, be required to ensure that their housing meets the proposed Scottish Social Housing Standard. This standard will set out the minimum quality standard that social landlords should be expected to provide.