Committee
Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee 29 May 2025
29 May 2025 · S6 · Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee
Item of business
Housing (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
Amendments 135B to 135E seek to support and, I hope, improve on Meghan Gallacher’s proposed private rented sector charter. I support the idea of a charter; Meghan’s comments indicate why it is so important. Tenants’ rights are often not clearly outlined, so it is welcome and important to have a charter that simply explains those rights and how tenants can ensure that they are met.
I recognise that Meghan will not move her amendments today. However, I will give the rationale behind the amendments that I have lodged. Amendment 135B would ensure that key standards were included in the charter—they would not be an optional inclusion. Amendment 135C is intended to ensure that the charter would support tenants’ rights as much as possible. Even if we were to vote on Meghan Gallacher’s amendments today, I would not move amendment 135C—as I previously discussed with Meghan, we can tweak its wording.
Amendment 135D would ensure that the charter was consulted on appropriately. The amendment is based on the process that has happened with the social security charter.
Amendment 135E would ensure that the charter was available in accessible formats, such as Braille, so that everybody could read and understand their rights.
13:45In the same item of business
The Convener (Ariane Burgess)
Green
Good afternoon, and welcome to the 17th meeting in 2025 of the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee. I welcome Collette Stevenson, who is attendi...
The Convener
Green
Amendment 507, in the name of Mark Griffin, is grouped with amendments 387, 508, 388 to 392, 509 to 512, 415, 513, 504 to 506, 514, 476, 476A, 517, 518 and 3...
Mark Griffin (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
Colleagues, I hope that you will bear with me as I go through the fairly lengthy and technical list of amendments in this group. I do not need to quote the ...
The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice (Shirley-Anne Somerville)
SNP
I recognise the intent behind many of the amendments in the grouping and I appreciate that difficulties are being experienced by some who are in the property...
Mark Griffin
Lab
I appreciate the cabinet secretary’s comments that the timescale might be restrictive, but residents who have been experiencing unsatisfactory factors have h...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
I appreciate the need for movement. As I mentioned at a previous meeting, the Government will work on a number of areas between stages 2 and 3, and we will b...
Emma Roddick (Highlands and Islands) (SNP)
SNP
Like you, I have had constituents get in touch and raise some pretty serious issues with factors. I am aware of many situations in which factors are simply s...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
That is an important point. As I said, I could feed in a number of my constituents’ experiences. It is important that, if they wish to do so, all members—not...
The Convener
Green
Thank you, cabinet secretary—
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
If I might continue, convener, as I am not finished—I nearly am. I turn to amendment 514, in the name of Mark Griffin. The current position is, rightly, tha...
The Convener
Green
I call myself to speak to amendment 504, in my name, and other amendments in the group. As we have heard from Mark Griffin and Emma Roddick, many committee m...
Mark Griffin
Lab
We have heard clearly from the cabinet secretary and other members that this is a common problem across Scotland. As the convener said, a quarter of properti...
The Convener
Green
The next group is on the private rented sector. Amendment 1, in the name of Willie Rennie, is grouped with amendments 2, 135, 135A to 135E, 275, 276 and 256.
Willie Rennie (North East Fife) (LD)
LD
Amendments 1 and 2 are designed to require the Scottish Government ministers to publish and review a private rented sector strategy. The purpose of that is t...
Meghan Gallacher (Central Scotland) (Con)
Con
Following on from what Willie Rennie said, the housing emergency and the introduction of emergency legislation through the Cost of Living (Tenant Protection)...
Maggie Chapman (North East Scotland) (Green)
Green
Amendments 135B to 135E seek to support and, I hope, improve on Meghan Gallacher’s proposed private rented sector charter. I support the idea of a charter; M...
Alexander Stewart (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
The purpose of amendment 256, in the name of Pam Gosal, is to gather data on how the bill will affect the rental market and to make that data public. During ...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
In his opening remarks, Willie Rennie mentioned that the private rented sector is part of the solution. I agree that it is an integral part of our housing sy...
Meghan Gallacher
Con
I understand and am pleased to hear that that work is moving in the right direction. However, will the cabinet secretary please keep the committee updated on...
Shirley-Anne Somerville
SNP
Certainly, on that particular matter, I will ensure that an update is given to the committee following the next board meeting, when we will discuss the updat...
Meghan Gallacher
Con
Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention?
The Convener
Green
We need to move on, because of time. I invite Willie Rennie to wind up and to indicate whether he wishes to press amendment 1 or to withdraw it.
Willie Rennie
LD
I am very pleased. The development of a strategy represents good progress, however we get to that point. That is a good thing. Doing that through the housing...
The Convener
Green
The question is, that amendment 191 be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.
The Convener
Green
There will be a division. For Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) MacGregor, Fulton (Coat...
The Convener
Green
The result of the division is: For 4, Against 3, Abstentions 0. Amendment 191 agreed to. Amendment 192 not moved. Amendment 462 moved—Maggie Chapman.
The Convener
Green
The question is, that amendment 462 be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.
The Convener
Green
There will be a division. For Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Against Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) Gallacher, Meg...
The Convener
Green
The result of the division is: For 1, Against 6, Abstentions 0. Amendment 462 disagreed to. Amendment 463 moved—Maggie Chapman.
The Convener
Green
The question is, that amendment 463 be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No.