Chamber and committees

Our Programme for Government published in September 2023 recommitted to the introduction of a Housing Bill this parliamentary year, to include the introduction of long-term rent controls for the Private Rented Sector.

The Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Act 2022 sets out that upon the ending of the emergency rent cap, we will introduce temporary measures to support an appropriate transition in order to prevent tenants potentially facing unmanageable rent increases from 1 April 2024.

Over and above this, it is important to bear in mind that prior to the introduction of the emergency measures, private tenants in Scotland already benefitted from some of the strongest protections in the UK. This included landlords only being able to increase rents once in a 12 month period, and the requirement that tenants’ be provided with at least three months’ advance notice of that increase, giving them time to prepare and make necessary arrangements where appropriate.

It is vitally important that tenants are made aware of both the temporary transitional measures that will be put in place, and existing rights afforded to them by the Private Residential Tenancy. Therefore, a key part of our work in advance of the emergency Act coming to an end, will be to raise awareness of those rights with private tenants as we support a transition away from the temporary rent cap and look towards the introduction of long-term rent control via the next Housing Bill.

Of the 105 entries on the Pilot Programme, sixteen Pilot Building Assessment reports have been returned to the Scottish Government for those that are Government led. Remediation of the External Wall System has been completed on one building. No buildings have been removed from the pilot and work is continuing to ensure that all 105 entries in the pilot are on a pathway to an SBA by June 2024.

We do not hold information on which local authorities operate Demand Responsive Travel Schemes or how they monitor the success of such schemes. The provision of local authority Demand Responsive Transport schemes is a matter for individual local authorities taking into account their local transport needs.

The Department for Transport publish a bus fares index for each region within the UK, which tracks changes in ticket prices. This is used in the Scottish Transport Statistics publication, and the Scottish Government currently has no plans for further monitoring of bus fares.

The Department for Transport publishes data and statistics about the local bus sector in Great Britain, which includes passenger journey numbers. This is used in the Scottish Transport Statistics publication, and the Scottish Government currently has no plans for further monitoring of passenger numbers.

The Scottish Government does not assess the commercial viability of individual bus service routes, Local authorities have a duty to identify where there is a social need for particular bus services and can seek additional information from bus operators to support that identification in cases where services have been varied or withdrawn.

No analysis has been carried out in respect of housing or other specific future land uses for unquantifiable potential surplus land and estate disposals. The Scottish Government is required by the Scottish Public Finance Manual to demonstrate best value. In doing so, it continually keeps its estate requirements under review to ensure that staff have the right places to work delivering services to the people of Scotland. Where any Scottish Government owned land or estate is released all options for demonstrating best value in doing so are considered on a case-by case basis.

The Scottish Government does not hold this information. Local authorities are responsible for enforcing the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 and accordingly they undertake inspections and issue licences.

Information on the number of inspections undertaken and licences issued related to animal welfare establishments and organisations engaged in rehoming activities may be requested from individual councils.

Scottish Government officials regularly meet all Health Boards including NHS Western Isles to discuss any challenges impacting services and to provide any necessary support.

Funding provided to NHS Boards is aligned to their NRAC shares of funding, which considers the population share of each Board adjusted for the demography including the relative health needs due to morbidity and life circumstances, and the excess cost of delivering healthcare to rural and remote areas.

NatureScot has received eleven applications to-date for a Hunting with Dogs licence for either (a) preventing serious damage to livestock, woodlands, or crops, or (b) environmental benefit. Of these eleven applications, six have not yet been processed as they are either ongoing or NatureScot has requested additional information from the applicant.

The following table relates to five applications which have been deemed to be processed in that they have been received, determined, and the decision letter issued. The time taken to determine the decision may include time that NatureScot were waiting for further information from the applicant.

Applications Granted