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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Body 'shakes up' housing sector | Body 'shakes up' housing sector |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| A body charged with tackling Scotland's housing shortage will drive change in the sector, ministers have said. | |
| The housing supply task force, which has met for the first time, will take a head-on approach rather than "producing reports", the government has claimed. | |
| Chaired by Communities Minister Stewart Maxwell, the task force comprises representatives from councils, house building and housing associations. | |
| Demand for homes is not being matched by adequate supply, ministers said. | |
| Average house prices rose by 72% between 2002 and 2006, but only 2% more homes were built in 2006 than in 2002, according to the Scottish Executive. | |
| Waiting lists | Waiting lists |
| Mr Maxwell said: "The Scottish government wants to see an increase in the number of homes that are being built across all sectors. | |
| "I want this task force to shake up the current systems. Its focus will be on driving action where change is needed, rather than producing reports." | "I want this task force to shake up the current systems. Its focus will be on driving action where change is needed, rather than producing reports." |
| Group member Archie Stoddart, director of the housing charity Shelter Scotland, claimed there were 87,000 empty homes in Scotland. | Group member Archie Stoddart, director of the housing charity Shelter Scotland, claimed there were 87,000 empty homes in Scotland. |
| "Hundreds of thousands of families are on waiting lists, or in temporary accommodation, and yet homes lie empty up and down the country," he said. | "Hundreds of thousands of families are on waiting lists, or in temporary accommodation, and yet homes lie empty up and down the country," he said. |
| "Giving local authorities a power to bring empty properties back into use would help to meet housing need." | "Giving local authorities a power to bring empty properties back into use would help to meet housing need." |