Committee
Communities Committee, 05 Oct 2005
05 Oct 2005 · S2 · Communities Committee
Item of business
Housing (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2
In speaking to the amendments on the single seller survey, I predict that I will be as successful as almost every other member of this committee who has attempted to change the bill.The single seller survey pilot began in July 2004. By November, the take-up was minimal, to say the least—a point that I raised with the Minister for Communities. The target of 2,000 surveys was changed to 1,200. It was certainly not on course, but there were still several months for the Executive to take action to ensure that a viable database of information and experience was available on which to base policy. It is incredible, therefore, that the Housing (Scotland) Bill was published five months later, with the aim of making single seller surveys mandatory, when the take-up was 74 surveys.The decision came as a shock to members of the steering group, who were given no say in the final decision. However, we now have an evaluation of the single seller survey pilot, another five months after the bill was introduced, that seeks to make single seller surveys compulsory. The excellent piece of work by Arneil Johnston consultants states:"from the limited evaluation possible … Single Survey is not considered by sellers to improve the marketability of properties".The report had nothing authoritative to say about the experiences of purchasers, it was inconclusive about the influence of the single seller survey on non-purchasers, and it stated that the single seller survey had an inconclusive impact on selling agents. The report also concluded that"the majority of surveyors … strongly believe that the Single Survey will not have a positive impact on improving the condition and energy efficiency of private sector housing in Scotland",yet the whole rationale behind the single seller survey was that it would improve the fabric and energy efficiency of Scotland's houses.Not only was the single seller survey pilot a failure, there was a failure in the consultation process when the steering group was not consulted on the decision to make the single survey mandatory. In the eyes of buyers, sellers, surveyors and selling agents, the single seller survey has been a failure and it has failed to encourage repairs and energy efficiency. Quite frankly, if there were a handbook on how not to legislate, the single seller survey would appear as an example in the leading chapter.I move amendment 75.
In the same item of business
The Convener:
Lab
Item 2 is the Housing (Scotland) Bill. This is day three of our consideration of the bill at stage 2. I welcome Johann Lamont, the Deputy Minister for Commun...
Section 95—Duty to have information about a house which is on the market
The Convener:
Lab
Amendment 75, in the name of Mary Scanlon, is grouped with amendments 76 to 96.
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
In speaking to the amendments on the single seller survey, I predict that I will be as successful as almost every other member of this committee who has atte...
The Convener:
Lab
Do other members wish to speak to the amendment?
Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
Regretfully, I support much of what Mary Scanlon has said. I support the single seller survey in principle, but the process and the practicalities of single ...
Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab):
Lab
People cannot have it both ways: they cannot agree with a proposal in principle but then disagree with it because of the impact it will have in practice.Let ...
Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP):
SNP
I agree with the single seller survey in principle and will not support Mary Scanlon's amendments. The proposal has been Scottish National Party policy for a...
Mr John Home Robertson (East Lothian) (Lab):
Lab
The last thing I want to do at this time in the morning is fall out with Mary Scanlon, but I am afraid that I must say that her amendments seem to be wreckin...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green):
Green
Scott Barrie is largely right. He seemed to suggest that one of the reasons the pilot was not entirely successful is that it was a pilot and that, to see the...
Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab):
Lab
I agree entirely with the views that Scott Barrie expressed. It is important that we introduce the single seller survey. I speak from experience of represent...
The Convener:
Lab
I invite the minister to respond to the points that have been raised.
The Deputy Minister for Communities (Johann Lamont):
Lab
Thank you, convener. I thank Mary Scanlon for lodging the amendments in this group. They have given us the opportunity to have a further debate on the subjec...
Mary Scanlon:
Con
I thank my colleagues for contributing to the debate, which has been helpful. The minister's response has also been helpful.Christine Grahame asked to whom t...
The Convener:
Lab
The question is, that amendment 75 be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Members:
No.
The Convener:
Lab
There will be a division.
ForScanlon, Mary (Highlands and Islands) (Con)AgainstBarrie, Scott (Dunfermline West) (Lab)Craigie, Cathie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab) Harvie, Patrick (G...
The Convener:
Lab
The result of the division is: For 1, Against 7, Abstentions 1.
Amendment 75 disagreed to.
Section 95 agreed to.
Section 96—Duty to provide information to potential buyer
Amendment 76 moved—Mary Scanlon.
The Convener:
Lab
The question is, that amendment 76 be agreed to. Are we agreed?
Members:
No.
The Convener:
Lab
There will be a division.
ForScanlon, Mary (Highlands and Islands) (Con)AgainstBarrie, Scott (Dunfermline West) (Lab)Craigie, Cathie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab) Harvie, Patrick (G...
The Convener:
Lab
The result of the division is: For 1, Against 7, Abstentions 1.
Amendment 76 disagreed to.
Section 96 agreed to.