£9BILLION BONANZA

>> Call for SNP to use cash to get kids out of temp accommodation >> But Scottish Government says it's been short changed by £1bn

-  PAUL HUTCHEON and CHRIS MCCALL

JOHN Swinney has been urged to solve Scotland's housing crisis after he was handed a £9.1billion funding boost by Labour.

Holyrood will be given a record amount of money after Chancellor Rachel Reeves turned on the spending taps.

Alison Watson, of charity Shelter Scotland, was among those who demanded the SNP Government ring fence part of the cash for housing.

She said: "Building more social homes is the only way to tackle the housing emergency." Reeves yesterday set out how much Whitehall departments will receive over the next three years, with housing, the NHS and defence among the winners.

The spending review will also largely determine how much Holyrood has to spend until 2029.

The Treasury said the extra sum, on a cumulative basis, stands at £9.1billion.

Campaigners now want the First Minister to use the additional funds to tackle the housing crisis.

House building levels have fallen and over 10,000 children are living in temporary accommodation.

Homelessness is on the rise and young Scots are finding it hard to get on the housing ladder.

Sally Thomas, chief executive of the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations (SFGA), called on Holyrood to "seize this opportunity".

She said: "We expect the Scottish Government to seize this opportunity and chart a course out of the housing emergency by introducing a multi-year funding package for housing associations.