The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.
All Official Reports of meetings in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.
All Official Reports of public meetings of committees.
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Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 13 June 2024
Collette Stevenson
That is okay.
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 13 June 2024
Collette Stevenson
We move on to theme 5, which is equalities issues and impact on rural areas.
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 13 June 2024
Collette Stevenson
Thanks very much. The last question is from Jeremy Balfour.
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 13 June 2024
Collette Stevenson
That concludes our evidence session. I thank you all for your contributions. I am conscious that we were not able to bring in everyone, and there are several questions that members might like to ask. We will write to you to seek a response. Thank you again.
I briefly suspend the meeting to allow for the set-up for our next panel.
10:20 Meeting suspended.Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 13 June 2024
Collette Stevenson
Would Maggie Brunjes or Jules Oldham like to come in on that?
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 13 June 2024
Collette Stevenson
Thanks very much. That is really helpful.
We will move on to theme 2, which is on the ask and act duty.
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 13 June 2024
Collette Stevenson
We move on to theme 3, which is on preventing homelessness sooner.
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 13 June 2024
Collette Stevenson
I do not know whether Maggie Brunjes would like to come in.
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 13 June 2024
Collette Stevenson
Thank you very much for your input, Jeremy.
In today’s session, we will hear from two panels of witnesses on the Housing (Scotland) Bill. I welcome to the meeting our first panel. Joining us in the committee room are Maeve McGoldrick, who is the head of policy and communications for Scotland at Crisis; John Mills, who is co-chair of the Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers—ALACHO—and head of housing at Fife Council; and Annika Joy, who is programme director for ending destitution at the Simon Community Scotland. Professor Suzanne Fitzpatrick, director of I-SPHERE—the institute for social policy, housing, equalities research—at Heriot-Watt University, is joining us remotely. Thank you all for accepting our invitation.
On the format of the meeting, please wait until I or the member who is asking the question says your name before speaking. Professor Fitzpatrick, please allow our broadcasting colleagues a few seconds to turn on your microphone before you start to speak and I ask that you indicate with an R in the Zoom chat box if you wish to come in on a question. I remind everyone to keep questions and answers as concise as possible.
We now move to questions. The first is a general question on the bill. To what extent do you agree with the Scottish Government’s overarching policy objective of the homelessness measures in the bill to shift focus away from crisis intervention to prevention activity? I will pose that question to Annika Joy first.
Social Justice and Social Security Committee
Meeting date: 13 June 2024
Collette Stevenson
I do not know whether John Mills would like to add anything.