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Just FOUR homes approved so far under SNP scheme to boost key workers in rural areas

Humza Yousaf pledged to buy up empty homes for NHS staff and police officers - but only four in Orkney have been earmarked so far.

Humza Yousaf pledged to buy up empty homes for NHS staff and police officers - but only four in Orkney have been earmarked so far.

Just four homes have been approved so far across Scotland under a flagship SNP scheme aimed at boosting the number of rural NHS staff and police officers.

Humza Yousaf promised his government would buy up empty properties to make it easier for key workers to relocate to more remote areas during his leadership campaign last year.

Up to £25 million was set aside to be spent over five years as part of the programme.

But the Scottish Government has now confirmed only four homes – all located in Orkney – have been earmarked so far.

Earlier this week new First Minister John Swinney listed fixing rural housing as one of his key priorities now he’s in power.

Humza Yousaf made the pledge during his leadership campaign. Image: PA.

In January, a top Highland doctor said patients in less populated parts of Scotland faced a growing “disparity” in accessing healthcare.

Dr Iain Kennedy, chair of the British Medical Association in Scotland, says a “big rural problem” exists in terms of recruiting staff.

He said there were “huge vacancies” in health boards such as Shetland, Orkney, Western Isles, Highland, and Grampian.

Dr Iain Kennedy. Image: DC Thomson.

In February, it was warned a new charge being imposed on police housing risked driving officers out of rural areas.

SNP housing minister Paul McLellan said the government was “engaging closely” with local councils to earmark more houses.

But Tory MSP Miles Briggs said: “The continued failure of this flagship SNP housing scheme is another classic case of them overpromising and under-delivering.

“Humza Yousaf leaves office having delivered a pitifully low number of homes to attract key workers to live in rural Scotland.

Tory MSP Miles Briggs. Image: Fraser Bremner.

“It is further evidence of how the central-belt obsessed SNP government has abandoned our rural communities and failed to deliver the housing they require.

“That has a deeply damaging knock-on effect for our rural economy and crucial sectors are missing out on the workers they need.”

On Wednesday, Mr McLellan was quizzed in parliament over the low number of homes approved up until now.

He insisted the needs of rural communities remained a “priority”.

He added: “We have made a number of interventions with local authorities to ask them to ensure that they are working strategically with key partners to deliver the demand-led service.”

Last year, we reported that the SNP promised to spend £30 million from separate funds to tackle the rural housing crisis were still well behind schedule.

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