Committee
Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee 28 May 2014
28 May 2014 · S4 · Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee
Item of business
Housing (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee’s 16th meeting in 2014. I remind everybody to switch off their mobile devices, because they affect the broadcasting system. Agenda item 1 continues our stage 2 consideration of the Housing (Scotland) Bill. I welcome Margaret Burgess, who is the Minister for Housing and Welfare, and her officials. I remind members that the officials are here strictly in a supporting capacity and cannot speak during proceedings or be questioned by members. I hope that everyone has a copy of the bill, the third marshalled list of amendments and the third list of groupings. There will be one debate on each group of amendments. I will call the member who lodged the first amendment in the group to speak to and move the amendment and to speak to all other amendments in the group. I will then call the other members who have amendments in the group; they should speak to their amendments and to the other amendments in the group, but should not move their amendments at that point. Finally, the member who lodged the first amendment in the group will be asked to wind up the debate and to press or withdraw their amendment. Members who have not lodged amendments in the group but who wish to speak should catch my eye in the usual way. If a member wishes to withdraw their amendment after moving it, I must check whether any member objects to its being withdrawn. If any member objects, the committee will immediately move to a vote. If any member does not want to move their amendment when it is called, they should say, “Not moved.” Any other MSP can move the amendment, but I will not specifically invite other members to do so. If no one moves the amendment, I will proceed to the next amendment. The committee is required to indicate formally that it has considered and agreed to each section and schedule of the bill, so I will put the question on each section and schedule at the appropriate point. Section 72—Tenement management scheme
In the same item of business
The Convener (Maureen Watt)
SNP
Good morning, everyone, and welcome to the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee’s 16th meeting in 2014. I remind everybody to switch off their mob...
The Convener
SNP
The first group of amendments is on the tenement management scheme. Amendment 149, in the name of Sarah Boyack, is grouped with amendments 153, 154, 150, 151...
Sarah Boyack (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
I am grateful for the opportunity to speak to my amendments. I will run through them in the order in which they appear in the groupings. As members will be ...
The Convener
SNP
Jim Eadie will speak to amendment 7 and the other amendments in the group.
Jim Eadie (Edinburgh Southern) (SNP)
SNP
I welcome the opportunity to speak to amendment 7, which is one of a number of amendments that I have lodged that arise from extensive discussion between mys...
The Minister for Housing and Welfare (Margaret Burgess)
SNP
Amendment 149 seeks to have the owners’ share of tenement management scheme costs calculated as the local authority thinks reasonable, but with the principle...
Sarah Boyack
Lab
I am very disappointed by the minister’s overall response, because the amendments address issues that have been raised through the consultation processes for...
Margaret Burgess
SNP
We have accepted a number of non-Government amendments at stage 2, and we have lodged a number of Government amendments following discussions at stage 1. I ...
The Convener
SNP
Sarah, are you pressing or withdrawing your amendment?
Sarah Boyack
Lab
The first set of amendments that I proposed—
The Convener
SNP
We are talking about amendment 149.
Sarah Boyack
Lab
I will not press it at this point. Amendment 149, by agreement, withdrawn. Amendments 153 and 154 not moved. Amendment 150 moved—Sarah Boyack.
The Convener
SNP
The question is, that amendment 150 be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.
The Convener
SNP
There will be a division. For Fee, Mary (West Scotland) (Lab) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Against Eadie, Jim (Edinburgh Southern) (SNP) Ingr...
The Convener
SNP
The result of the division is: For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0. Amendment 150 disagreed to. Amendments 151 and 7 not moved.
Jim Eadie
SNP
May I just say a word by way of response to the minister? I am grateful for the minister’s response, in particular her recognition that my amendment 7 refle...
Sarah Boyack
Lab
I have a strong view about the 30-years issue. It is not the right period of time to set. Therefore, I move amendment 152.
The Convener
SNP
The question is, that amendment 152 be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.
The Convener
SNP
There will be a division. For Fee, Mary (West Scotland) (Lab) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Against Eadie, Jim (Edinburgh Southern) (SNP) Ingr...
The Convener
SNP
The result of the division is: For 2, Against 5, Abstentions 0. Amendment 152 disagreed to. Amendment 35 not moved. Section 72 agreed to. After section 72
The Convener
SNP
The next group is on discharge of costs notices applying to owners of properties. Amendment 117, in the name of the minister, is the only amendment in the gr...
Margaret Burgess
SNP
Amendment 117 proposes changes to the Title Conditions (Scotland) Act 2003 and to the Tenements (Scotland) Act 2004 to aid the conveyancing process in a part...
The Convener
SNP
The next group is on the home maintenance framework duty. Amendment 9, in the name of Jim Eadie, is the only amendment in the group.
Jim Eadie
SNP
I am pleased to speak to and move amendment 9, the purpose of which is to require owners to prepare a maintenance plan to cover common repairs, with a view t...
Margaret Burgess
SNP
I thank Jim Eadie for raising this issue because it gives me an opportunity to set out some of the existing powers and duties in this area. Under section 8 o...
Sarah Boyack
Lab
The minister’s comments are illustrative. Although powers and requirements exist, none of them is being implemented, which leads to a problem. I have questi...
Margaret Burgess
SNP
There are existing powers. Where there is a problem, officials will want to discuss with local authorities why they are not using the powers and how they can...
Jim Eadie
SNP
Amendment 9 has the City of Edinburgh Council’s support and is designed to tackle an issue that it identified as requiring to be addressed. I appreciate the ...
The Convener
SNP
The next group is on maintenance plans: areas. Amendment 56, in the name of James Kelly, is the only amendment in the group. Mark Griffin will speak to and m...
Mark Griffin (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Amendment 56 would clarify the position on premises and gardens. The 2006 act refers to premises, which we feel could be interpreted to mean simply buildings...