Chamber and committees

I will be happy to give way, as there is a lot of interest in the subject, if there is time, because I have a lot to cover.

Will the member take an intervention?

Ah dinnae think that Ah am lettin anybody doon, actually. I am coming to the issues that we want to address. I think that it is very clear that there are actions that could be taken.

In the SPICe briefing that I received, options were available. There are various funding sources. The Scottish Land Commission even has its “handy table” of funding sources on its website, including for public sector bodies. In summary, local authorities can issue to a property owner, lessee or occupier a wasteland notice that requires them to take specific actions to improve the condition of their building or land. If that responsible person refuses, the local authority can carry out the work itself and claim back the cost from the owner under the Town and Country (Planning) (Scotland) Act 1997.

Would the member possibly take a wee intervention?

Thank you—I really appreciate the member taking an intervention.

We agree that the George hotel is a total eyesore, and it is fabulous that we are highlighting that in a debate in the chamber. Nonetheless, would Finlay Carson agree that action has finally been started to address that building and to have the community decide what it wants to do wi it?

The Treasure Cave building on English Street, which Colin Smyth mentioned, was the only one in relation to which I received a response from the owner. From that, we were able to engage with and seek support from the local authority so that it could proceed with the demolition of the building. Getting engagement from the owner of that site was an interesting challenge, but something has now been done.

Thanks for that intervention. Ah am no a cooncillor—so I am laying out what I see from the research that I have done for the past year, so that we can help to inform and educate, and to have people understand that there are actions that can be taken. I would like to proceed. Thank you.

The local authorities can do things such as issue a wasteland notice to the property owner—I have said that. If the responsible person refuses, the local authority can carry out the work itself, through the Town and Country (Planning) (Scotland) Act 1997. Also, under the Building (Scotland) Act 2003, councils can issue a dangerous buildings notice. The local authority or community can, under the Land Reform Act 2003, make a compulsory purchase of a building or land, to take action on it.

With regard to owners, I have written to the owners of many derelict sites, and I have had a single response, which is kind of disappointing. The Land Commission has recommended that we improve how we identify owners of vacant and derelict sites, such as through a public register, which I would support.

I also support the introduction of compulsory sale orders, as has been recommended by the Scottish Land Commission. I would welcome an update from the Government on progress towards bringing forward legislation to enable CSOs.

I therefore ask the minister how we can better enable local authorities—for example, through national planning framework 4—to use current legislation to transform our vacant, abandoned and derelict sites. I also ask the minister how communication with the owners of derelict sites can be improved.

One of the other common misconceptions that I would like to highlight in dealing with derelict buildings is historic-building listing. People perceive that no action can be taken on some derelict buildings due to their listed status at grade B or C for historical or cultural reasons. That is my experience with the former factory in Dumfries, which is a grade B listed site of historical architectural significance.

However, local authorities have the ability to seek removal of, or change to, a site’s current listed status. In effect, they can de-list a property. That process is governed by Historic Environment Scotland, and it is an option that can take only eight weeks if there is a strong case to back up the change to the listed building’s status. Local authorities, developers and communities must become more aware of that option so that action is taken on derelict sites.

The issue of derelict sites and buildings is complex, and I would need more time to explain, and give specific examples of, the work that I have done over the past year, including work on contaminated land with assistance from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency. I have also been working with Heathhall community council in Dumfries to petition Dumfries and Galloway Council to act on the total eyesore that is the Interfloor factory site—and that is just the start.

The issue of transforming Scotland’s vacant, abandoned and derelict land is central to health and wellbeing and to community empowerment, and it is vital that we pay attention to it. I look forward to hearing colleagues’ contributions.

I thank my committee colleague for taking an intervention. People who gave evidence to us said that the universal credit uplift should be reinstated—that is one of the things that came out in the report. If the member is saying that we should do more to help people in Scotland, that is one of the things that could help. I am interested in knowing why the Conservative members did not support the report’s recommendation on that uplift.

I thank everybody who was involved in the inquiry. I am a member of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee. The health inequalities inquiry, as we have heard, has involved numerous parliamentary committees and it has shown us one crucial factor—that the Scottish Government is doing everything that it can to tackle the root causes of poverty and associated poor health. However, it has one hand tied behind its back in not having control over the relevant reserved powers.

Tory policies at Westminster are having negative and long-lasting consequences that directly impact on the health of low-income households here in Scotland—that is clear and it is based on evidence. Game-changing policies such as the £25 per week Scottish child payment can only do so much when the Tories continue to inflict harm on the most vulnerable people in our society—namely, those who rely on the state safety net. That safety net is being systematically dismantled by the Westminster Government.

I am continuing with my evidence; I will run out of time if I take another intervention.

The United Nations poverty envoy, Olivier De Schutter, has warned that another wave of austerity might violate UK human rights obligations and increase hunger and malnutrition. Matthew Taylor, chief executive of the NHS Confederation, said:

“The country is facing a humanitarian crisis. Many people could face the awful choice between skipping meals to heat their homes and having to live in cold, damp and very unpleasant conditions.”

Since Matthew Taylor stated that, we have seen the reality of eating versus heating. It is not a choice any more, because folk are not heating their homes and they are missing meals—families are omitting their meals.

Gillian Martin mentioned that the inquiry shaped the committee’s many recommendations in employment, education, housing, social security, public services and health—many portfolios are covered. Fundamentally, the recommendations call for urgent co-ordinated action across all levels of government in the UK to tackle health inequalities in Scotland.

The committee was particularly concerned that the rising cost of living will have a more negative impact on those groups that are already experiencing health inequalities, including those living in poverty and those with a disability.

One of the key findings is that there is no overarching, national strategy for tackling health inequalities in Scotland, but the evidence submitted to our inquiry showed many instances where the design and delivery of public services may exacerbate inequalities rather than reduce them.

It is clear from our report that many causes of health inequalities lie with policies made at Westminster, so I welcome the Government’s commitment to accept the majority of the committee’s recommendations, and we will work together to tackle health inequalities in Scotland.