Scotland 2016 housing debate tackles housebuilding, LBTT and new towns

Scotland 2016BBC current affairs programme Scotland 2016 held a housing debate last night ahead of next week’s election for the Scottish Parliament.

The panel was made up of the SNP’s Alex Neil, Katy Gordon from the Scottish Liberal Democrats, Douglas Ross from the Scottish Conservatives, the Scottish Greens’ Maggie Chapman and Scottish Labour’s Ken Macintosh.

Chaired by Shelley Jofre, the debate was attended by a specially invited audience from around the social housing sector including Scottish Housing News, Shelter Scotland and Homes for Scotland.

Questions put to the politicians included:



  • Is Scotland currently in the grip of a housing crisis?
  • What will you do for young professionals who are locked outside the housing market?
  • Was it a mistake to cancel Right to Buy?


  • Why is it such a long, complicated process for the homeless to gain social housing?
  • Was the replacement of Stamp Duty with the Land and Buildings Transaction Tax radical enough?
  • Is it time for another New Town in Scotland, particularly in the Highlands or South West?


  • You can watch the debate again here.


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