Committee
Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee 20 May 2025
20 May 2025 · S6 · Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee
Item of business
Housing (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
The second item on our agenda is consideration of the Housing (Scotland) Bill at stage 2. This is day 4 of our consideration of the bill at stage 2.
I welcome to the meeting the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and her officials. We are also joined online and in the room by other MSPs who are present to debate amendments to the bill that they have lodged.
Members who wish to speak should indicate that by catching my attention or that of the clerk. Voting is by a show of hands, and it is important that members keep their hands raised until the clerk has recorded their name. That is especially important for colleagues who are online. I will let you know when we have counted your vote.
We will not dispose of any amendments beyond the end of part 3 of the bill today. At previous meetings, we have explained the procedure that we will be following, so I propose that we move straight to consideration of amendments.
Section 19: Setting and variation of rent
In the same item of business
The Convener
Green
The second item on our agenda is consideration of the Housing (Scotland) Bill at stage 2. This is day 4 of our consideration of the bill at stage 2. I welco...
The Convener
Green
Amendment 218, in the name of Rachael Hamilton, is grouped with amendments 219, 565, 220, 138, 161, 201, 494 to 496, 139, 238, 497 to 499, 140, 239, 162, 202...
Alexander Stewart (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
Amendment 218 is consequential to amendment 219. Amendment 219 introduces flexibility to adjust rent mid-tenancy in response to significant changes in circum...
Mark Griffin
Lab
Amendment 565, in my name, exempts mid-market rent properties from the rental increase frequency proposals. I appreciate that the Government has a consultati...
Emma Roddick (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
SNP
My amendments seek to rebalance the skewed nature of where power lies in the tenant and landlord relationship. Amendment 138 seeks to extend the time that a ...
Maggie Chapman (North East Scotland) (Green)
Green
One of my hopes for the bill is that it raises tenants’ awareness of their rights significantly. As Emma Roddick has already alluded to, there is a lot of op...
The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice (Shirley-Anne Somerville)
SNP
As are the members who lodged the amendments in this group, the Government is determined to bring forward a system of rent control that supports the stabilis...
Graham Simpson (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
I have been listening very carefully, as I always do, to the arguments that have been put forward by Emma Roddick and Maggie Chapman. Emma Roddick suggests i...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
I will reflect on that exact point imminently, Mr Simpson.
Graham Simpson
Con
Very good.
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
Emma Roddick and Maggie Chapman have set out very strong points on that. Amendment 138, in the name of Emma Roddick, and amendments 161, 162, 201 and 202, i...
Meghan Gallacher
Con
Is the Government still reaching out to people who will be impacted by the consultation and actively engaging with all stakeholders to ensure that they respo...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
Absolutely. Mid-market rent and build to rent are among the areas of key focus for other stakeholders, in particular tenants and their representatives, that ...
Maggie Chapman
Green
I have a quick question. One of the concerns is that the rent that is adjudicated could be higher than the amount that was asked for. That surely cannot be w...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
I am happy to carry on having these conversations with Maggie Chapman in the run-up to stage 3 if she thinks that there is a flaw in what is being suggested ...
The Convener
Green
As no other member wishes to speak, I call Alexander Stewart to wind up and press or withdraw amendment 218.
Alexander Stewart
Con
I have listened to the cabinet secretary’s comments, and I am sure that Rachael Hamilton will reflect on them, but I would still like to press amendment 218.
The Convener
Green
The question is, that amendment 218 be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.
The Convener
Green
There will be a division. For Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife...
The Convener
Green
The result of the division is: For 3, Against 4, Abstentions 0. Amendment 218 disagreed to. Amendment 219 moved—Alexander Stewart.
The Convener
Green
The question is, that amendment 219 be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.
The Convener
Green
There will be a division. For Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife...
The Convener
Green
The result of the division is: For 3, Against 4, Abstentions 0. Amendment 219 disagreed to. Amendment 35 not moved.
The Convener
Green
The next group is on repairs and standards. Amendment 257, in the name of Maggie Chapman, is grouped with amendments 442, 231, 231A, 231B, 443, 221, 222, 444...
Maggie Chapman
Green
I will focus my comments on my amendments in the group; I know that my colleague Ariane Burgess will speak to others. My amendments are designed to focus on...
Meghan Gallacher
Con
Does Maggie Chapman agree that the EPC system is completely out of date? It should have been reviewed long before now. Given the current EPC system, it is di...
Maggie Chapman
Green
Yes, absolutely, the EPC system is out of date and the review is urgently needed. We anticipate that the system will change, which is why we have not referre...
The Convener
Green
I will speak to my amendment 442 and other amendments in the group. My amendment 442 is on a “lettable standard”. Currently, we have different regulations ...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
I thank all members who have lodged amendments in the group for the discussions that I have had with them in the run-up to today, which have informed the Gov...
Meghan Gallacher
Con
I understand the cabinet secretary’s point about the existing powers, but can we have a little more explanation of why those powers have not been used up unt...