Liberal Democrat Housing spokesperson Jim Tolson MSP has condemned the Scottish Government for backtracking on its manifesto promise to bring in a grant for first-time buyers.

Commenting after a Ministerial statement on Housing, Mr Tolson said:

“Finally, the Scottish Government has come clean and admitted that it has dumped its promise to introduce First Time Buyers’ Grants. We’d suspected that this was the latest in a list of promises to be binned and the Minister didn’t let us down.

“Liberal Democrats have been campaigning for a radical overhaul of Right-To-Buy. I took the opportunity today to press the Government to make a clear commitment to bring forward legislation to change the law to ensure that Right-To-Buy no longer applies to new build housing and to devolve power over Right-To-Buy to local authority level.

“I am pleased that the Health Secretary pledged to consider my proposal about devolving power and that she confirmed the necessary legislation to restrict the sale of new build social housing would be forthcoming. It is, however, disappointing that she confirmed that no action would be taken until next year.

“This is not quick enough. Scotland is on the brink of an affordable-rented housing crisis and the Government must be quicker off the mark.”