Scottish Conservative and Unionist MSP Murdo Fraser has slammed the SNP Government for failing to spend less than half of a £25 million fund to support rural housing projects.
Mr Fraser says SNP Ministers have once again let down rural communities in Mid Scotland and Fife after only spending £11.3 million of the Rural Housing fund since it was launched in 2016-17.
The spending failure was uncovered by Scottish Conservative MSP Donald Cameron in a Parliamentary Question to SNP Housing Secretary Shona Robison.
Mr Fraser says the SNP Government must guarantee this funding will now be delivered at a far quicker pace to help communities in Mid Scotland and Fife recover from the devastating effects of the pandemic.
Commenting, Mr Fraser, who represents the Mid Scotland and Fife region, said: “This is typical of the SNP Government. They announced this Rural Housing Fund to much fanfare but have failed miserably to deliver the funding required to support housing projects in Mid Scotland and Fife.
“Yet again, the SNP have let down our rural communities. SNP Ministers are too obsessed with the central belt and simply aren’t meeting the demand for housing in our rural areas.
“This funding has been released at a snail’s pace which simply isn’t good enough. As our communities in Mid Scotland and Fife recover from the devastating effects of the pandemic. It is imperative that there is good quality housing in this region in order to ensure people want to live and work here.
“SNP Ministers must guarantee that this funding will now be delivered at a far quicker pace than it has been so far, where any progress in recent years has been woefully slow.”