(c) Allia
I know that much still needs to be done to eradicate homelessness in Scotland but from Scottish Housing News today:
‘New government statistics reveal there were 11,677 affordable homes approved in 2017/18, 14% more than the previous year and the third consecutive annual increase since 2014/15. This includes increases in affordable rent approvals (which have more than doubled, up by 1,433 homes), and affordable hom ownership approvals (up by 5% or 92 homes), with a decrease in social rent approvals (down by 2% or 124 homes).’
http://www.scottishhousingnews.com/21876/affordable-housing-approvals-up-14-to-11680-in-latest-year/
Back in January 2018, Scottish Housing News had been able to report:
‘Scotland has delivered a third more affordable homes per capita over the last decade than England, according to figures from the Scottish Government. In answer to a parliamentary question from Edinburgh North and Leith MSP Ben Macpherson, housing minister Kevin Stewart revealed that over the 2007-08 to 2016-17 financial years, the government’s supply of affordable housing per capita has been 33% higher than the UK government’s supply in England. According to the figures, 70,861 affordable homes have been delivered in Scotland in the ten years since April 2007.’
The SHN report also presented figures showing the performance under SNP government, increasing, notably, as the legacy of Labour underperformance faded:
Number of Affordable housing units delivered in Scotland and England, financial years from 2007-08
| Scotland | England | Percentage difference between Scotland and England per capita rates | |||
| Units delivered | Per capita | Units delivered | Per capita | ||
| 2007-08 | 5,670 | 110 | 53,180 | 104 | 6% |
| 2008-09 | 6,221 | 120 | 55,720 | 108 | 11% |
| 2009-10 | 8,092 | 155 | 58,290 | 112 | 38% |
| 2010-11 | 7,231 | 137 | 61,090 | 116 | 18% |
| 2011-12 | 6,882 | 130 | 58,330 | 110 | 18% |
| 2012-13 | 6,009 | 113 | 43,120 | 81 | 40% |
| 2013-14 | 7,012 | 132 | 43,030 | 80 | 65% |
| 2014-15 | 7,069 | 132 | 66,700 | 123 | 8% |
| 2015-16 | 6,518 | 121 | 32,630 | 60 | 104% |
| 2016-17 | 7,336 | 136 | 41,530 | 75 | 81% |
| Total over 2007-08 to 2016-17 | 68,040 | 1,285 | 513,620 | 967 | 33% |
Sources: Scottish Government Affordable Housing Supply Programme management information system and Ministry for Housing & Local Government live tables.
http://www.scottishhousingnews.com/19574/scotland-streets-ahead-england-affordable-housing-delivery/
Talking-up Scotland 
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2018/jun/13/fury-affordable-homes-redeveloped-sold-housing-associations
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Hi thanks for the useful table in the housing provision article but the column headings are very confusing and make it hard to compare the data – could you have a wee look at that please before I post it out (as I usually do), best wishes Ellen Renton
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Hi Ellen
The headings were chosen by Scottish Government Affordable Housing Supply Programme management information system and Ministry for Housing & Local Government live tables.
The table was published by http://www.scottishhousingnews.com/19574/scotland-streets-ahead-england-affordable-housing-delivery/
I’m not sure what you want me to do
However,
2016-17 7,336 136 41,530 75 81%
Means that per head of population in 2016/17, England built 75 affordable homes while Scotland built 136 resulting in an 81% better performance.
Best
John
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That guardian article shows how awful it is in London – social housing being privatised makes no sense, and housing associations operate in a certain area so ,,, how do they buy or develop properties in less expensive areas… ? I thought, but, but, they were banned from selling social housing,,, ahhhh, that must be only in Scotland.
On other news, not where you are, devolution has been wrecked, the Westminster government has consistently railroaded through their planned power grab and have now finalised it – the way they, the Tories, constantly harp on about independence implies that taking away the economic competencies of the Scottish government was purposefully done – Scottish economic growth better than than the non-Scottish parts of the U.K. and a successful economy seems to be one of the biggest arguments in favour of independence – so Westminster is desperately defanging scotgov so they can carry on asset stripping us with impunity.
On GMS at 8am, Gary interviewed Ian Blackford MP who made it clear what occurred in Westminster yesterday – their news headline quickly morphed into Westminster debating on Brexit stuff today and yesterday there was a to-do to do with devolution, morphing into SNP fury, morphing into nothing to see here. Mundell was interviewed soon after the 8am news, he claimed to be standing up for Scotland’s constitution – really? I would like to see some evidence of that. Or did he mean the NEW constitutional situation that the Tories have secretly agreed on amongst themselves. What caught my attention in his spouting of absolute fantasy of his own competence was that he mentioned that the Scottish Parliament have powers over social security and should focus on that – a tiny part of social security has been devolved, for a start, but it was that that made me realise the angle the Tories are working from – leave scotgov to administer the money-sucking areas and leave them without any power to effect the economy that could improve people’s lives. And we can be assured (given centuries of evidence) that Westminster will not improve anyone’s lot here in Scotland.
On GMS the phone-in, allowing people a say on current important issues, is on bullying in the workplace. No one has mentioned bullying in, and by, Westminster.
Well, I finally cracked, my principle of belonging to no political party just isn’t worth it, I joined the SNP – doesn’t cost much either. Wonder how many other people joined last night? They have my backing for making independence happen in the right way, at the right time – there is no sudden urgency (except the usual!).
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Thanks Contrary. On a tangential note, my wife is fighting snail attacks with broken shells around her flowers as advised by your mum, sister, wife, partner, Mary…..quite!
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Hi Contrary – WOW – Big Stuff. Well done you – and Welcome Aboard. I heard from a friend that over 1100 new members signed up yesterday by 7pm – so you are in great company. Even more significantly you seem to have brought Murray Foote – former editor of the Daily Record and author of The Vow with you on board the Indy Express. (Apparently he has penned an article in today’s Times explaining that the current situation has brought him to the conclusion that we NEED Indy now). So – things continue to bubble away. I’m convinced we are a step closer to our new and better Scotland following the Westminster scenario played out over the past couple of days. Hold the faith folks – it’s coming yet for a’ that.
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Contrary – you’ll have to join the SNP more often – saw somewhere on beeb pages that in the 24 hours between PMQs and FMQs the grand total of 5,085 new SNP members had been signed up!!!
Given all the hysterical britnat media stuff about political stunts and manufactured grievance it was interesting to see Lady Hermon’s comments (Independent Unionist MP from N. Down) re. the Westminster ‘debate’ on Devolution Power Grab (4 minutes on N. Ireland – 15mins on Scotland – with only the Minister called to speak): From beeb N. Ireland page:
North Down MP Lady Sylvia Hermon said that, in the absence of a functioning assembly in Northern Ireland, it was critically important that MPs had the opportunity to fully examine and discuss the key amendments relating to no hard border and to north/south cooperation.
“That term (North/South cooperation), Mr Speaker, is actually specifically defined in the Belfast Agreement and I’ve no doubt that government ministers will have read the Belfast Agreement in its entirety,” she said.
“And therefore it was important that we had time this afternoon to discuss whether the government had unilaterally amended the Belfast Agreement.
“It’s a really interesting point – we had no time to discuss it.”
Presumably the ‘scottish’ tories, Fluffy Mundell and the britnat media view Lady Hermon (elected Unionist) as manufacturing a ‘grievance’ along with the SNP?
Did you notice Lady Hermon’s delicious sliding of the political stiletto into the tory Westminster Immigration Minister (Caroline Nokes) who had recently had to confess that she hadn’t yet managed to read the Good Friday Agreement when called to give evidence to a Committee? (Yes – that was the same Caroline Nokes who recently told the Scottish Affairs Committee that the Westminster Govt viewed the Scottish Parlt and Govt as equal to Lincolnshire County Council in terms of Immigration policy. Interestingly, she hasn’t noticed that Lincolnshire doesn’t have a Secretary of State in the UK Cabinet – but – given Fluffy’s profile in the Westminster cabinet this confusion is, perhaps, forgivable?).
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Further good news re. delivering affordable housing and Community Ownership – the new and better Scotland actually taking shape in the here and now – from beeb Highlands page:
Crofting townships near Helmsdale in community ownership
Three thousand acres (1,214 ha) of land near Helmsdale in Sutherland are now in community ownership.
Garbh Allt Community Initiative Estate has bought out the Sutherland Estates’ crofting townships of Portgower, Gartymore, West Helmsdale and Marrel.
The Scottish government-funded Scottish Land Fund and an SSE community fund contributed towards the £250,000 purchase price.
New homes and rewilding are being considered for areas of the land.
Sutherland Estates approached local grazing committees, groups managing the raising of livestock at the townships, about its plan to sell the land.
The community buy-out took almost two years to complete.
Rewilding sees land returned to a more natural, wilder state.
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Haha, thank you Ludo, my influence has spread far and wide indeed! As if! Well, holding out as a matter of principle has allowed me do a very simple thing now to show my protest – and it seems a lot of others have had the same idea. All the chat about independence, leaving the EU, taking back control, trying to figure out who wants what in the convoluted mess of voters intentions, divide and rule, keep the masses ignorant and quiet – I believe the Tories forgot one important fact: that devolution is VERY popular across the board, and they have just threatened it’s very existence (and although not yet enacted have already put in motion its destruction). There is no way ever I would accept that without a fight, go back to the dark days pre-devolution? Go backwards??!
It looks like a lot of people feel the same way – will it be enough? Who knows, but you can see the SNP growing in confidence (hmm, was that just a touch of a smug smile from the FM in FM Questions today when she mentioned 5000 people signing up in 24 hours – is that a record? Does anyone know? ,,, I felt a wee bit miffed that I was too early to be one of those 5000 mind you. Maybe they fudged the numbers though eh).
Those people saying walking out of parliament was a stunt by the SNP are obviously deluded, you can’t orchestrate that within the confines of Westminster protocol – though maybe you can guarantee the disdain and dismissal by the Tory parliamentarians. I would have thought their ‘stunt’ was to have the division (vote) during PMQs – widest publicity they could get, what with the media giving zero coverage to this fundamental constitutional travesty – they could guarantee the PMs disdain, and it was all within the rules of the House. Who would have thought the speaker would go against his own rules? The SNP got better publicity out of it – quite rightly so, nearly everyone in the Broken Kingdom has no clue as to what has been happening – but that the main political parties cannot see that they brought it on themselves is beyond my understanding.
I really did think the Tories were just chancing their arm and wouldn’t go through with that ludicrous no consent means consent bill, and that surely the devolved powers would just be kept in Scotland – as they should – without the hysterical nonsense of ‘but they’d have veto powers!’ – jeez, it’s a union, why can’t it be like the EU then, Westminster rummages around with the beauracracy, Scotland runs Scotland, how hard could that be for them? I’m not advocating that mind, just saying that any option would have been better than their current course of action for getting us to put up and shut up. The PM’s answer to Ian Blackford’s challenge on why no debate on the devolved Brexit Bill, and why no respect for the Scottish Parliament, was to say they were getting 80 *extra* powers, and that should be enough. Where do they find the language? Extra? These are already devolved competencies and we would be missing the fundamental ones! Forget your low carbon targets and fully renewable power targets once the environmental bits are whisked away! (Etc). So Ian had every right to call a division at that time, and good for him being stubborn about it (with a few nudges from my own Patrick Grady?).
Ah I wax lyrical, sorry, I meant to comment on your other news Ludo, but have gone on too long. I did get a chance today, because the chat started on about headlines that were all about the SNP walk out, to ask some work colleagues if they understood WHY, and it was a resounding NO, and I had an audience of at least 4 who listened – and did not interrupt – through my convoluted a roughly hashed explanation, of consent, emphasising that devolution was a goner, and that the speaker in the House of Commons was in the wrong (‘nippy sweetie’ is a common phrase in the work, so you can guess the normal level of debate). Dunno what they took away from it, but they are now informed. I hope.
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P.s. Emphasising that devolution (the very popular devolution) was being trashed without recourse, to quietly make the point that we will NEVER be safe in the union with England. Can people make that connection without being told directly?
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