The Scottish Executive has refused to rule out ending the right to buy for new tenancies as part of its review of the controversial policy.

The executive is set to begin its review early this year and will report to parliament in 2006.

It is estimated that, by 2008, more than 50,000 homes will have been sold under the current right-to-buy policy. Only 16,500 new homes will have been built in that period.

A spokesman for the Scottish executive said the review would be carried out with an 鈥渙pen mind鈥�. He said: 鈥淲e don鈥檛 believe many people would support removing the right to buy from those who already have it, but with regard to new tenancies we will take a look at the situation.鈥�

The Scottish Federation of Housing Associations slammed separate plans to extend the right to buy to housing association tenants.

David Orr, chief executive of the SFHA, said: 鈥淭he extension of the right to buy to housing association properties will, almost overnight, remove the same number of affordable rented homes as we build.鈥�

Source

Housing Today

Postscript

Edinburgh council is planning to move homeless people housed in bed-and-breakfast accommodation into private flats in an attempt to halve its 拢2.4m B&B bill. The council intends to sign leases 鈥� lasting three to five years 鈥� on about 1000 furnished properties in the city. Edinburgh has about 100 households in B&Bs.