7 September 2010

On 23 June 2010 Rhoda Grant MSP wrote to the Rt. Hon Danny Alexander MP regarding the issue of the Highland Council’s Housing Debt and her suggestion that it be written off.

Ms Grant argued that the £15m annually spent to service it’s near £140m housing debt could be better spent on providing new homes for those on the waiting lists for housing.

On 9 January 2007, Danny Alexander is quoted in the Inverness Courier as saying " It does seem wrong headed that the Treasury will not allow the debt to be written off under all the circumstances and I will certainly be pressing them on that".

In his reply to Mrs. Grant, Danny Alexander stated " As you note in your letter, I have for a while recognised the pressures that Highland Council faces.

"However, the scale of the fiscal challenge that faces us and the need to get the public finances back in order, I am afraid I am unable to find the scope to write off its housing debt at this stage".

Rhoda Grant MSP said " This is clearly yet another massive ‘U’ turn by Danny Alexander saying one thing before the election and doing something completely different after.

"He is the man who has the power to effect this change and I call on him now to do so".

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