8 May 2019

Labour will progress plans to introduce rent controls in Scotland next week.

Richard Leonard announced the plans to progress the Mary Barbour Bill after questioning Nicola Sturgeon about the private rented housing sector at First Minister’s Questions.

Richard Leonard revealed that 60,000 children in the private rented sector are living in poverty.

Labour’s Mary Barbour Bill would cap rent increases for private sector renters.

Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard said:

“We have seen the return of private landlordism and rents have soared whilst wages have stagnated.

“According to the Scottish Government’s own figures, over forty per cent of all children, living in the private rented sector are now living in poverty.

“That is 60,000 children.

“Next week Labour will take the next step in the parliamentary process with our Mary Barbour law. “We think that private rent rises should be capped and controlled. So Nicola Sturgeon has a choice, will she take the side of rogue landlords and a broken housing market – or she can back Labour’s plans, and back our Mary Barbour Bill."



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