28 June 2010

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP Rhoda Grant has written to Chief Secretary to the Treasury Danny Alexander MP asking him when he is going to write off Highland Council’s housing debt.

Highland Council currently has to pay around £15million each year to service its near £140million housing debt and prior to the General Election Mr Alexander had called on the Treasury to wipe out the debt.

Mrs Grant said in her letter to Mr Alexander: " On 9 January 2007 you were 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 circumstances and I will certainly be pressing them on that".

"Now that you are the Chief Secretary to the Treasury, and therefore in a position to remedy the situation, I was wondering what the timescales are for the elimination of the entire Highland Council housing debt."