Highlands and Islands MSP Donald Cameron is calling on the SNP-Green Government to double the budget of the Rural Housing Fund in this week’s Scottish Budget.

The Scottish Conservative MSP is urging the SNP-Green coalition to commit to spending £50 million over the course of this Parliament on supporting housing in rural communities across the Highlands and Islands.

Mr Cameron previously revealed through a Parliamentary written question that the Scottish Government had only passed on half of the current £25 million funding to local authorities over the last five years.

Donald Cameron MSP said: “We will not retain our young people unless we can provide them with decent jobs and housing.

“It’s very disappointing that the SNP announced a new Rural Housing Fund to much fanfare over five years ago but still haven’t spent half of the budget they promised to.

“Meanwhile, many remote and rural communities in my region are facing the prospect of depopulation with falling school rolls and pressure on services due to a lack of working-age people.

“We badly need to see the Scottish Government start governing on behalf of all Scotland rather than just the Central Belt and they could make a start by actually doing something about rural housing.”