Hansard

09:30

The Convener Green

The next item on our agenda is to take evidence on the draft Investigation and Commencement of Repair (Scotland) Regulations 2026. We are joined by the Cabin...

The Cabinet Secretary for Housing (Màiri McAllan) SNP

Good morning. I thank you and the committee for the opportunity to speak to these draft regulations.As I set out in a statement to Parliament in September la...

The Convener Green

Thank you very much for your opening statement. We have questions across four themes: the scope of the regulations; compensation for social rented tenants; r...

Màiri McAllan SNP

I will take those questions in turn, and I might bring in my colleagues as well. I will first cover the point about temporary accommodation, because I unders...

The Convener Green

On that point, do you anticipate that we will be looking at primary legislation for that during session 7?

Màiri McAllan SNP

We will have to do the work. Councils have a statutory obligation to note the types of tenancy agreements that they use. Once we have collated all of that in...

Sarah Woolman (Scottish Government)

Social landlords provide temporary accommodation in a number of different ways. For Awaab’s law, the regulations that we have drafted encompass tenancies suc...

The Convener Green

Okay—there are ways to catch things. Seasonal workers’ accommodation might involve a number of different agreements, but we do not have a full picture of wha...

Màiri McAllan SNP

The Government is asking itself whether a bespoke standard is required to cover such accommodation. Once that has been established, we will try to work out e...

The Convener Green

Mark Griffin wants to ask some supplementary questions on the issue.

Mark Griffin (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab

Good morning, cabinet secretary. Given that the Government’s ambition seems to be for the new regime to eventually cover all temporary accommodation, is it s...

Màiri McAllan SNP

What I have said is not a comment on the adequacy of the tolerable standard. The tolerable standard provides a base, but Awaab’s law sits on top of it and gi...

Mark Griffin Lab

Does the Government have any idea about which other types of temporary accommodation will not be covered by the regulations?

Màiri McAllan SNP

The issue relates less to the type of accommodation and more to the type of occupancy agreement. We have rehearsed the three types that the regulations cover...

Mark Griffin Lab

Has the Government set a timetable for the scoping exercise to understand how that can be done and a timetable for when tenants in such accommodation can get...

Màiri McAllan SNP

Things are moving at different paces. I mentioned the work that we are doing on guidance for Gypsy Traveller accommodation. Nichelle Gill can correct me if I...

Mark Griffin Lab

Obviously, we are debating and discussing the introduction of the regulations because of the tragic case of Awaab Ishak. We know that almost 10,500 children ...

Màiri McAllan SNP

First, it is very important that I set out that all temporary accommodation that is provided in Scotland should meet the tolerable standard. After the regula...

Mark Griffin Lab

I appreciate that, but I was asking whether the Government knows, or has asked, how many children in temporary accommodation will not be covered by the regul...

Màiri McAllan SNP

That is exactly the work that I just described.

Mark Griffin Lab

You did not give me an assurance that you would provide that information to the committee.

Màiri McAllan SNP

You did not ask me to provide that information to the committee.

Mark Griffin Lab

I asked whether the Government knew, and you did not say that you do not know. Could you provide that information as soon as you know?

Màiri McAllan SNP

We are working to get the regulations to apply to those who are covered by short Scottish secure tenancies. We are working with local authorities on all the ...

Mark Griffin Lab

Can I get an assurance from the Scottish Government that it—not necessarily through you—will provide the committee with information on how many children in t...

Màiri McAllan SNP

I would rather the Government came to confirm to the committee that everybody in temporary accommodation in Scotland is covered by the regulations—or by Awaa...

Mark Griffin Lab

That would be my hope, too. However, we know from the evidence that we have received that not everyone is covered. It would be good for the committee to unde...

Màiri McAllan SNP

I cannot help but think that we are going round in circles here, Mr Griffin. I have told you that we want Awaab’s law to apply across the board, and we are d...

The Convener Green

We will include the issue in our legacy report to ensure that whichever committee has that remit in the future will keep an eye on that work.We move on to th...