Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 04 October 2022
04 Oct 2022 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
I thank the minister for allowing me to make my first intervention. I am sure that, as a Glasgow MSP, Mr Harvie will be aware that the mere mention of the bill has seen a significant contraction in the size of the rental market, which is directly affecting students, especially at the University of Glasgow, where people have been reported as being instructed not to even enrol if they cannot find accommodation.
Does the minister agree that the real impact of the proposals will be to make it harder for students to rent flats, which will create another barrier to Scotland’s deprived young people from disadvantaged backgrounds attaining a university education?
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone)
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-06178, in the name of Patrick Harvie, on the Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Bill at stage ...
The Minister for Zero Carbon Buildings, Active Travel and Tenants’ Rights (Patrick Harvie)
Green
I am very pleased to open the debate on the introduction of the Scottish Government’s Cost of Living (Tenant Protection) (Scotland) Bill. In doing so, I expr...
Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
One of the impact assessments that have rightly been published is the child rights and wellbeing impact assessment, which mentions the particular impact of t...
Patrick Harvie
Green
The impact assessment aims to capture those points, but I will perhaps take the opportunity, if I can, to address that in my closing speech. I will now go t...
Roz McCall (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
I thank the minister for allowing me to make my first intervention. I am sure that, as a Glasgow MSP, Mr Harvie will be aware that the mere mention of the bi...
Patrick Harvie
Green
I welcome Roz McCall to the chamber—I have not had the chance to say that on the record. However, I strongly disagree with her suggestion that the situation ...
Liam Kerr (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
Will the minister take an intervention?
Katy Clark (West Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
On that point— Miles Briggs rose—
Patrick Harvie
Green
I will take an intervention from Katy Clark and will try to come to Miles Briggs later.
Katy Clark
Lab
When it comes to what happens after 31 March, is the minister giving consideration to whether it might be possible to get rent control legislation and a temp...
Patrick Harvie
Green
We are working at pace to get this legislation in place within weeks, and we are working in close dialogue with the social rented sector. Already, good and c...
Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con)
Con
Will the minister take an intervention on that point?
Patrick Harvie
Green
I will make a little progress on eviction measures and will let members in in a moment or two. Again, it is vital that the emergency legislation reflects a ...
Jeremy Balfour
Con
I ask the minister to clarify the situation for me. If university students do not pay their rent but cannot be evicted, the normal process is that they are n...
Patrick Harvie
Green
I am aware that concerns have been expressed that some tenants—a minority, it should be suggested—might be tempted to stop paying rent even if they can affor...
Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con)
Con
The money that the tenant grant fund issues is a loan. Do ministers intend to provide that as a grant that would not be paid back?
Patrick Harvie
Green
Originally, under the initial coronavirus measures, there was a tenant hardship loan fund. There is now a tenant grant fund. That has been the case for some ...
Liam Kerr
Con
Will the member take an intervention?
Patrick Harvie
Green
I am going to have to move on, I am afraid. I have taken a number of interventions. As a result of changes that Parliament approved back in June, any evicti...
Liam Kerr
Con
Will the member give way?
Patrick Harvie
Green
I am afraid that I need to finish up in the next minute or two. The power will be subject to affirmative procedure, ensuring that appropriate parliamentary ...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Please conclude, Mr Harvie.
Patrick Harvie
Green
The bill demonstrates our determination to use all the powers that we have to protect the people of Scotland from the harshest of times. Let us hope that all...
Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con)
Con
From the outset of the debate and during the passage of the bill through the Parliament, I recognise that the Scottish Government’s intention is to look at h...
Patrick Harvie
Green
I am sure that the member will appreciate that, although many landlords would not have behaved in this way, if the information had come out that we were inte...
Miles Briggs
Con
I am not sure that the minister understands his own bill, because it is backdated to September and the extensions that he has outlined mean that there is the...
The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government (Shona Robison)
SNP
Does Miles Briggs think that the rise in interest rates, which is a direct effect of his Government’s mini-budget, which has set mortgage rates spiralling, m...
Miles Briggs
Con
The cabinet secretary needs to look at inflation across the eurozone. More specifically, just a few months ago, both the minister and the cabinet secretary—...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
Could you resume your seat for a second, Mr Briggs? We have a bit of time, so anybody who wants to make an intervention should stand up and ask to do so rath...
Miles Briggs
Con
Just a few months ago, Scottish National Party and Green ministers—including the minister and cabinet secretary who are sitting on the front bench—described ...