Minister ‘unaware’ of benefits impact

Housing minister Keith Brown has suggested his UK counterpart does not fully understand the impact changes to the benefits system will have on homelessness in Scotland.

Mr Brown said he wrote to UK housing minister Grant Shapps over several months, but when they met, he was not “fully cognisant” of the Scottish Government’s issues with the Welfare Reform Bill.

Speaking at a Holyrood committee yesterday, Mr Brown lamented the parliament’s limited devolved powers to borrow money to build houses, highlighting the “absurdity” of local authorities being able to borrow more than Holyrood.