Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 17 March 2016
17 Mar 2016 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Bill
In 1999, only 5 per cent of households in Scotland lived in the private rented sector but, by 2014, that figure had increased to 14 per cent. Clare Adamson is right to talk about the sector’s growing importance, given that the Government has encouraged local authorities to meet housing need through the sector. If the aim is for more people’s needs to be met through the private rented sector, it is only right that the tenancy is strengthened and that tenants have more security of tenure.
There are a number of reasons why the needs of more people are being met in the private rented sector, including the lack of affordable housing to buy, the lack of affordable finance and worsening wages and employment. However, the key reason is the residualisation of public sector housing. We have seen that with the national housing trust houses that have been built in Dundee, where the tenancies are short assured tenancies, not Scottish secure tenancies.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott)
Con
Pressing swiftly on, the next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-15944, in the name of Margaret Burgess, on the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland...
The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Communities and Pensioners’ Rights (Alex Neil)
SNP
For the purposes of rule 9.11 of the standing orders, I advise the Parliament that Her Majesty, having been informed of the purport of the Private Housing (T...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Con
I call Margaret Burgess to speak to and move the motion. 17:19
The Minister for Housing and Welfare (Margaret Burgess)
SNP
I thank everyone who contributed to the development of the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Bill, including members of all parties and all stakeholders...
Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab)
Lab
It is good to reach the stage in a bill where the arguments have all been made and the amendments have been won or lost. Whether or not the bill will do ever...
Jim Eadie (Edinburgh Southern) (SNP)
SNP
Hear, hear.
Ken Macintosh
Lab
Thank you, Mr Eadie. Secondly, I thank the alliance that is the living rent campaign, which is led by the National Union of Students Scotland and includes m...
Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
I have reached an interesting point in the passage of the bill. I said at stage 1 that it was not possible for me to support the bill then but that I could e...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith)
Lab
We move to the open debate. I can give members up to five minutes at this stage. 17:42
Clare Adamson (Central Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I associate myself with the comments that have been made about the bill team and the clerks to the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee, who have ...
Alex Johnstone
Con
I remind the member that I took a very careful position on the matter and, despite expressing concern, did not vote against it.
Clare Adamson
SNP
I thank Mr Johnstone for that clarification, because this is a very important issue. After all, the family home is at the heart of what we are doing today. ...
Lesley Brennan (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
In 1999, only 5 per cent of households in Scotland lived in the private rented sector but, by 2014, that figure had increased to 14 per cent. Clare Adamson i...
Jim Eadie
SNP
Does the member recognise that the greatest contribution to what she rightly calls the residualisation of public sector housing was the right to buy, a pract...
Lesley Brennan
Lab
The right to buy stripped away properties, but the fact is that not enough houses were built in addition. The two things are not incompatible; people were ve...
Clare Adamson
SNP
There is certainly no member in my group who does not see merit in what Mr Macintosh brought forward, and who does not think that a charter would be possible...
Lesley Brennan
Lab
There may have been challenges, but the hurdles were not insurmountable. We need to improve the standard across the sector. Many non-HMO rented properties ne...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Can you begin to close, please?
Lesley Brennan
Lab
Tenants have to chase landlords for repairs and annual gas safety checks, so we need to make sure that we put a charter in place. If more people are living i...
Jim Hume (South Scotland) (LD)
LD
I remind members of my registered interests in this debate. My colleagues and I are supportive of the bill. We want to see the more than 330,000 households...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Given the way that you started your speech earlier, Mr Hume, I am delighted that you did not start that one with a high five. 17:57
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green)
Green
The pressure is on me, then. I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in the closing stages of the debate on an important bill. I am particularly pleased ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Draw to a close, please.
Patrick Harvie
Green
Either way, there will be continuation of that gradual incremental change and of constantly fighting to catch up with wider changes in the economy that we ar...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
Many thanks. I ask the next two members to stick to a maximum of five minutes. Jim Eadie will be followed by Siobhan McMahon. 18:02
Jim Eadie (Edinburgh Southern) (SNP)
SNP
Thank you. I welcome the opportunity to speak at stage 3 in support of the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Bill. The Infrastructure and Capital Invest...
Siobhan McMahon (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
As I said at stage 1 of the Private Housing (Tenancies) (Scotland) Bill, I welcome a lot of what the Scottish Government and, in particular, the minister, Ma...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
Lab
On behalf of the Parliament, I thank you for your service and wish you all the best, particularly with the imminent arrival. We move to the closing speeches...
Alex Johnstone
Con
I will keep this short and simple. I explained in my opening remarks that I feel that we could have done better and that the bill at stage 1 was better than ...
Patrick Harvie
Green
Will the member give way?