Chamber and committees

It seems that we need to go in that direction, so I will take that further and link it to the bigger picture. The joint fisheries statement will require Scotland to develop more fisheries management plans. Does Scotland need an overarching fisheries plan in order to address systemic pressures on fish stocks and marine ecosystems and bring about a just transition to sustainable fisheries? If so, what should be the key principles in that plan? It is a big question, but I would really appreciate your perspective on that.

Is that because you have not done any research in that area?

Thank you for your statement. I will open the session for questions.

You mentioned future proofing. At the forefront of my mind is the on-going energy and cost of living crisis. Households are suffering because of energy prices and there is an urgent need to transform heating systems. Given that, how has the Scottish Government reviewed and consulted on the revised charter? Specifically, how have tenants been engaged?

How do you think that the charter needs to evolve, given the stated aim in the new deal for tenants consultation of developing a more unified rented sector with more consistent regulation?

It is good to hear that there is potential for overlap and connection between what we are doing in the committee with the social rented sector and the private rented sector proposals.

Thanks for that question, Willie. You have picked up on something that I was beginning to think about, which goes wider than the charter. There is certainly an opportunity with the Government looking at building 110,000 new houses, 70 per cent of which will be social housing. There is the parallel process that should influence that through the national planning framework, and we are talking about 20-minute neighbourhoods. It seems to me that social housing has an opportunity to influence, affect and shape those 20-minute neighbourhoods if we are talking about building that amount of housing. It is good to hear that you recognise that, although I understand that we are trying here to create a document that is accessible for tenants’ direct needs. At the moment, it is a matter of having homes where tenants feel safe and where they can get their immediate needs met.

Under item 4, the committee will consider a legislative consent memorandum on the United Kingdom Building Safety Bill. Members have received copies of the LCM along with a letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government. The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee’s report on the LCM was circulated to members as a late paper on Friday.

The Scottish Government considers it appropriate for the Parliament to consent to the LCM, and the cabinet secretary’s letter states that stakeholders are also supportive of a UK-wide approach. We therefore agreed in a previous meeting that there would be very limited value in taking evidence on the LCM, but we are still required to report our views to the Parliament on whether we recommend that it should be approved. Do members have any comments on the LCM and on whether we are content to recommend its approval?

Everyone is content. The clerks will arrange for a short report that sets out our recommendation to the Parliament to be published in the coming days.

At the start of the meeting, we agreed to take item 5 in private. As we have no more public business today, I close the public part of the meeting.

Good morning, and welcome to the seventh meeting in 2022 of the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee. I remind everyone to ensure that their mobile phones are on silent and that all other notifications are turned off during the meeting.

Agenda item 1 is a decision on whether to take item 5, which is consideration of the evidence that we have taken on the Scottish social housing charter, in private. Do we agree to do so?

Members indicated agreement.

Under item 2, we will take evidence on the Scottish social housing charter from the Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants’ Rights. Mr Harvie is joined by the Scottish Government officials Michael Boal, from social housing charter and regulation, and Anne Cook, who is head of social housing services. I welcome Mr Harvie and his officials.

The committee has received copies of the updated charter with changes from the previous iteration in 2017 shown in red. A Scottish Government briefing, a letter from the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government, and written submissions from Living Rent and the Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers were also included in the meeting pack.

Members should note that we will be invited to consider the Scottish Government’s motion on the charter at next week’s meeting, which Mr Harvie will also attend. I intend to allow up to around 90 minutes for this session. Before I open to questions from the committee, I invite the minister to make a short opening statement.

It is coming through clearly that a number of pieces of work around housing are being progressed over this parliamentary session. The charter is one piece, the new deal for tenants is another and there are lots of others. All those bits will, I hope, work together to make housing better for people in general.

I will bring in Miles Briggs with some questions.