Seòmar agus comataidhean

This does not relate to the charter, but is there anything that we can keep an eye on? If there was a deterioration, are there other indicators outwith the charter? For example, are there regular reviews, so that we can keep an eye on the views of individual tenants? I know that that is slightly outwith the charter, but it would be worth monitoring.

I refer everyone to my entry in the register of members’ interests: I am a serving councillor on East Lothian Council.

I have a couple of questions, one of which is about development in the countryside. We heard some evidence that current planning legislation possibly acts as a barrier to innovative development in the countryside, which is necessary for rural diversification and maintaining rural communities. I have spoken to Scottish Agritourism on the matter, too. It is keen to double the value of the sector to £1 billion. What are your comments on how NPF4 can facilitate such development?

I will ask another question before we bring in Fiona Simpson. What lessons on deliverability can we learn from previous frameworks that we can take into NPF4 to ensure that we maximise deliverability? It is important that we have the housing targets but it is vital that we learn lessons on deliverability from previous frameworks. What will we take forward from them?

The Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors spoke to us about how the infrastructure-first approach might be delivered. Could you expand on that? Also, the 2019 act mentioned the possibility of an infrastructure levy. Could you say a little about that, too?

Minister, you talked about connectivity in relation to the housing to 2040 strategy, the third national land use strategy and so on, all of which are important, although they have different timescales attached. The key thing for me is, how do we monitor that connectivity during the period of NPF4? We need to ensure that the connectivity that exists at the outset remains in place as NPF4 evolves. Obviously, the “Housing to 2040” strategy is vitally important.

That will be welcome. Heads of Planning Scotland specifically referred to the point. I look forward to seeing that guidance.

My final question is about connections not so much to policies but to other measures. The key ones are the minimum all-tenure housing land requirement figures and the housing needs and demand assessment. At a previous meeting, Homes for Scotland mentioned those figures, which set a context for the rest of NPF4 and specifically how we deliver the “Housing to 2040” strategy. Will you talk a little bit more about that? Homes for Scotland was keen to explore the issue with you. I do not know what discussions are already going on. Will you also say a bit about how progress will be monitored over the period of NPF4 and how we will deliver the figures in the strategy?

I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests. I am a serving councillor on East Lothian Council.

I will expand on the convener’s points in the first couple of questions. My question is about the different sections of the national spatial strategy in the draft NPF4. In comments that we have had so far, there has been concern that those do not carry through to national planning policies and that there seems to be a disconnect. Do you share that concern? If so, do you have any examples? What would be the best way to try to make sure that there is connectivity? I will go to Pam Ewen first on that and then to Sarah Shaw.

Do the national planning policies need to be reviewed more broadly? Are they reviewed piece by piece—policy by policy? I know that we had the planning review just a couple of years ago but, as you said, connectivity is important because of what we are moving forward to. I ask Pam Ewen and the rest of the panel whether we need a much broader review or whether connectivity across the policy sphere can be ensured through policy-by-policy review.

I will bring in Sarah Shaw and then open the discussion to the floor.

That leads nicely on to my next two questions, the first of which was just touched on. Do local authority planning departments have sufficient suitably qualified staff and funding to deliver the desired NPF4 outcomes? I think that I know what the answer will be, and I can see the wry smiles from witnesses already, so there will probably be a few who want to respond. Also, how can we best attract people into the profession in the coming years?

I will go to Jane Tennant first, then to Steven Heddle, and then open it up to the others. Jane will be first, as she has been in the industry only in recent times.