A PETITION signed by around 10,000 people calling for new legislation to secure a legal right to a home is to be delivered to the Scottish Parliament.
Scottish celebrities Annie Lennox, Robert Carlyle and KT Tunstall are among the signatories, along with crime writer Val McDermid.
The latest Scottish Government figures indicate there were 36,465 homelessness applications in 2018/19, which is up 3% on the previous year.
The petition is part of housing and homelessness charity Shelter Scotland’s Are You With Us campaign, launched in August, which has gathered cross-party support and the backing of 71 MSPs.
Research by YouGov for Shelter Scotland published when the campaign was launched found 76% of 1005 respondents supported a new law being created to ensure adequate housing for all.
READ MORE: Austerity, food banks, poverty ... why we need human rights laws
Graeme Brown, director of Shelter Scotland, said: “Around 10,000 signatures within three months proves what our research told us – that the people of Scotland are behind us and want the right to a home to become a legal right.”
He added: “We hope that the Scottish Government will move quickly to strengthen the human right to housing in Scotland.”
Stewart said the Scottish Government’s priority is to ensure “everyone has a safe and secure home”.
He added: “Scotland already has some of the most progressive housing rights in the world, and we are working hard to end homelessness and rough sleeping through investing in providing the right services and support for people when they need help.
“Our Ending Homelessness Together Action Plan clearly demonstrates our commitment to housing as a human right and sets out the practical actions we are taking to ensure everyone has a home that meets their needs, backed by £50 million.”
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