Chamber and committees

The Mobile Homes Act 1983 controls the consumer rights of mobile home owners in relation to their pitch. The terms of the Written Statement, set out under the Mobile Homes Act 1983, include a number of provisions to ensure the transparency of fees and charges.

There is a requirement for site owners to provide documentary evidence in support and explanation of pitch fees, charges for gas, electricity, water or sewerage and other charges, costs or expenses. There is also a process set out for annual review of pitch fees which requires the site owner to issue a written notice setting out the proposed increase in pitch fees 28 days in advance of the review date. The notice must set out the services which are included in the pitch fee. The Written Statement also sets out what should be taken in to account in determining a new pitch fee, for example any sums expended on improvements since the last review date, and sets a presumption that the pitch fee does not increase or decrease by more than the rate of the retail prices index, unless this would be unreasonable.

Our priority at present is to work to change the basis of pitch fee uprating from the Retail Prices Index to the Consumer Prices Index under the Mobile Homes Act 1983. Once this is complete, we will work towards undertaking a post implementation review of the Residential Mobile Homes Site Licensing scheme.

The Scottish Government has no current plans to establish an independent body to oversee and regulate residential mobile home sites.

Local authorities are the licensing authority for permanent residential mobile home sites in their area and are responsible for setting the licence conditions and enforcing them if breached.

To ensure a degree of consistency, under section 5(6) of the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960, the Scottish Government publishes guidance (https://www.gov.scot/publications/guidance-local-authorities-licensing-system-mobile-homes-sites-permanent-residents/) to local authorities on how to operate the licencing system effectively. This includes a set of model standards (https://www.gov.scot/publications/model-standards-residential-mobile-home-site-licences/) for sites which covers issues such as site safety and maintenance, supply of utilities, roads, gateways and traffic routes as well as pedestrian routes. Different organisations have responsibility for enforcing the range of regulations for different services on sites.

Pitch agreements for permanent residential mobile home sites are regulated by the Mobile Homes Act 1983 which sets out the rights and responsibilities of site owners and mobile home owners. Disputes under the Mobile Homes Act 1983 are heard by the Sheriff Court.

Local authorities are the licensing authority for permanent residential mobile home sites in their area and are responsible for setting the licence conditions and enforcing them if breached.

To ensure a degree of consistency, under section 5(6) of the Caravan Sites and Control of Development Act 1960, the Scottish Government publishes guidance (https://www.gov.scot/publications/guidance-local-authorities-licensing-system-mobile-homes-sites-permanent-residents/) to local authorities on how to operate the licencing system effectively. This includes a set of model standards (https://www.gov.scot/publications/model-standards-residential-mobile-home-site-licences/) for sites which covers issues such as site safety and maintenance, supply of utilities, roads, gateways and traffic routes as well as pedestrian routes. Different organisations have responsibility for enforcing safety standards, depending on the service provided.

We can’t easily calculate an occupancy rate for the creche, as the overall capacity of the creche varies depending on the ages of the children using it and the required staffing ratios (i.e. 0-2 years requires 1 staff member to every 3 children, 2-3 years requires 1 staff member to every 5 children, 3-5 years requires 1 staff member to every 8 children). 

In terms of overall usage, in 2019/20 the creche had a total of 2759 bookings with average length of stay of 1hr 41mins. In 2020/21, 2021/22 and 2022/23, the creche service was closed due to the pandemic and the time required to set up a new service contract. In 2023/24, the creche returned with reduced opening hours (now only operating 3 days per week, rather than 5 day per week). There were 894 bookings in 2023/24 with an average length of stay of 2hr 13mins. The number of bookings in 2023/24 only reflect 10 months of opening, as the service was still being mobilised for the first 2 months of the year.

Our catering services contractor holds data from 2015 onwards:

We do not hold this information.

Our catering services contractor does not hold data on straws that were purchased prior to 2022. We do not procure plastic straws for use in the catering services, the table below shows the data held for paper and metal straws.

Window cleaning services at the Scottish Parliament are carried out by both Mitie Cleaning and Environmental Services Ltd (general cleaning contract) and TRAC International Ltd (High-level Building Maintenance Contract). We do not hold information in a format which allows us to identify the costs of cleaning windows. Payments made under both contracts do not distinguish window cleaning from other cleaning services undertaken by Mitie or as part of the work regularly done by Trac. Information about suppliers for each business area within the SPCB, including the provision of cleaning services is publicly available in the Contracts Register on the Scottish Parliament website.