Meeting of the Parliament 30 September 2025
It is good to begin today’s housing bill proceedings on a positive note. I thank the previous cabinet secretary, Shirley-Anne Somerville, and Màiri McAllan for their work with me on amendment 111. I hope that it will give additional reassurance to survivors of domestic abuse that we are looking at all legislation to ensure that we are implementing measures that make it easier for people who have experienced, might experience or are currently experiencing domestic abuse.
Amendment 111 will amend section 32 of the Housing (Scotland) Act 2010 to enable Scottish ministers, when setting standards and outcomes in the Scottish social housing charter, to include standards and outcomes relating to the support that social landlords should provide to tenants who are affected by domestic abuse. It also inserts a cross-reference to the definition of “domestic abuse” in the Domestic Abuse Protection (Scotland) Act 2021.
I understand some stakeholders’ concerns that work is already set to be undertaken in relation to the social housing charter next year. However, when it comes to issues such as domestic abuse, I believe that, if the opportunity to do so arises through the bills that we are discussing in Parliament, we should look at ways in which we can strengthen the charter and other pieces of legislation to ensure that we are protecting people who need protection and that survivors of domestic abuse hear the message, loud and clear from across the parties, that we are looking at all pieces of legislation in order to support them.
I will not speak to the rest of the amendments in the group, because they have already been spoken to. I will leave my remarks there.