The Local Government and Communities Committee reports to the Parliament as follows—

The Regulation of Social Housing (Influence of Local Authorities) (Scotland) Regulations 2018 [draft] was laid before the Parliament on 20 August 2018 and was referred to the Local Government and Communities Committee for consideration.

This instrument is subject to affirmative procedure (Rule 10.6) and it is for this Committee to recommend to the Parliament whether the Regulations should be approved.

These Regulations make provision to reduce the amount of local authority influence over registered social landlords (RSLs). These powers are made under Section 9 of the Housing (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2018, on which the Committee was responsible for scrutiny. Its report was published on 1 February 2018.

The Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning wrote to the Convener of the Local Government and Communities Committee on 15 August 2018 to inform the Committee that he intended to introduce draft regulations to reduce the influence local authorities can exercise over RSLs. The Minister had previously outlined his intention to do so during his evidence to the Committee at Stage 1 of the Housing (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill.

In the letter, the Minister confirms that these draft regulations have been brought forward expeditiously to allow commencement prior to the next meeting of the Economic Statistics Classification Committee (ESCC) of the Office of National Statistics. The Minister explains that this would allow the ESCC to take a judgement on reclassifying Registered Social Landlords back to the private sector in the UK National Accounts.

The Minister's letter is available on the Parliament's website at the following link:

http://www.parliament.scot/S5_Local_Gov/General%20Documents/20180815HousingAmendmentSSI.pdf

The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee considered this instrument at its meeting on 4 September 2018 and determined that it did not need to draw the attention of the Parliament to the instrument on any grounds within its remit.

At its meeting on 12 September 2018, the Local Government and Communities Committee took evidence from—

Kevin Stewart, Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning, Scottish Government.

Following the evidence session, Kevin Stewart moved S5M-13767—

That the Local Government and Communities Committee recommends that the Regulation of Social Housing (Influence of Local Authorities) (Scotland) Regulations 2018 [draft] be approved.

The motion was agreed to without debate or division.

The evidence taken and debate held at the meeting on 12 September 2018 on this instrument can be found in the Official Report at the following link (available from 14 September 2018).