Housing minister faces grilling over 'slum'

THE leader of Scotland's largest local authority is to be quizzed on slum housing in Glasgow.

It was revealed yesterday that MSPs are to question Glasgow City Council leader Steven Purcell and housing minister Alex Neil on the issue. Residents of Govanhill in the city's south side have been calling for an inquiry into private landlords, poor quality social housing and the impact of "slum" living conditions.

They have taken their case to the Scottish Parliament's public petitions committee, which will question Mr Neil and Mr Purcell at an evidence session next week.

Representatives from Govanhill said overcrowding was so bad that there could be 15 to 25 people living in a two-bedroom flat and also complained of "mass infestations of cockroaches".