Scottish Labour has joined with the Scottish Liberal Democrats, the Green Party and independent Margo MacDonald to table a Holyrood motion condemning the Scottish Government for failing to provide adequate protection for vulnerable home owners.

The cross-party group represents a majority of MSPs in the Scottish Parliament. We are calling on ministers to "facilitate the introduction of a Scottish equivalent to the pre-court protocol introduced in England to ensure that repossession is genuinely a last resort."

Shadow Health Secretary Cathy Jamieson said:

"I am deeply disappointed that Nicola Sturgeon is choosing to disregard a cross-party consensus that more should be done to help vulnerable home owners avoid repossession. Her attitude smacks of arrogance and complacency.

"The number of people losing their homes has doubled as a result of the global economic crisis. We know that the introduction of pre-court protocols would help prevent families from being thrown onto the street.

"Ministers should listen carefully to the views of those who are dealing with repossessions on a day-to-day basis. Their message is that the Scottish Government's refusal to act on this issue is simply unacceptable."

3 December