An MSP has hit out at homelessness figures in West Dunbartonshire blaming SNP ministers for the increase.

Pam Gosal, MSP for West Scotland says that the SNP took 'far too long to agree' that there was a housing emergency in the council area.

She added that 'brutal cuts' of almost £200 million to the housing budget have had a 'devastating effect'.

The number of households assessed as homeless or threatened with homelessness is at its highest level since 2011-12, with 40,685 homelessness applications recorded across Scotland last year.

In West Dunbartonshire, a total of 1,095 homeless applications were recorded, while 455 homelessness cases remain live.

Pam Gosal said: "The levels of homelessness in West Dunbartonshire are scandalous. The SNP took far too long to agree that there was a housing emergency in West Dunbartonshire and right across Scotland.

“Their disgraceful inaction has led to shocking levels of homelessness being recorded.

“Most shockingly it is children who are often being impacted by being stuck in temporary accommodation which is wholly unsuitable to live in.

“The SNP decided to deliver a brutal cut of almost £200 million to the housing budget and these figures highlight the devastating effect that has had in West Dunbartonshire. It is especially shocking that no social housing was built in the council area in a year.

“These figures should be a wake-up call for SNP ministers to finally deliver the resources that will guarantee everyone in West Dunbartonshire has a permanent place to call home.”

Marie McNair, MSP for Clydebank, hit back at the claims saying 'everyone needs to work together' in order to tackle homelessness.

She said: “Most people in Clydebank won’t have a clue who Pam Gosal is. But when they find out she is a Tory parliamentarian they will know her comments on homelessness are seeking only to score political points and provide no answers to this extremely challenging issue.

"They will be astonished at the audacity of her attack when they know she sat quietly while the Tories decimated the capital budget that would help fund more housebuilding in Scotland. A cut that needs to be reversed by the New Labour government.

"She sat quietly when the Tories failed to fully uprate the local housing allowance and introduced the bedroom tax and benefit cap that increased the risk of homelessness.

"It is widely accepted that the current situation is the result of a combination of factors, many of which remain out with the Scottish Government’s powers. Despite these limitations, the Scottish Government is committing millions this year to affordable housing, and over £90 million to Discretionary Housing Payments to assist with housing costs.

"Despite the challenges, the Scottish Government builds on a strong record in affordable and social housing provision. Since 2007, SNP-led governments have provided over 128,200 affordable homes across Scotland, and over 90,600 of the completions across Scotland have been socially rented council or housing association homes.

"This is the strongest provision of affordable housing in the UK – indeed, it is 40% more per head of population than in England and 70% more than in Wales.

"So I call on all political parties to bring resolve and maturity to the debate about how we tackle homelessness. We need the best possible solutions and that needs everyone working together and not juvenile political posturing”