Seòmar agus comataidhean

The next item on our agenda is to decide whether to take items 4 and 5 in private. Do members agree to take those items in private?

Members indicated agreement.

It is good to hear that that is being considered.

I will bring in Stephanie Callaghan next.

It is heartening to hear that more local authorities are taking on empty homes officers.

Before we end this part of our question session, I will come back to the Scottish house condition survey. Our papers note that ALACHO is concerned about the house condition survey data not being of sufficient quality to provide a true picture of the quality of Scotland’s houses. I raise that because of my experience of issues around damp and mould in my region and the seemingly low numbers that we are getting. I am concerned that, if we do not get a strong picture of the quality of Scotland’s houses, we will face issues down the line that are worse to deal with, including health issues.

What is your view on that? What could the Scottish Government do to make the Scottish housing condition survey more robust, so that it gives us a true picture that will enable us to serve people in Scotland and ensure that their homes are fit to live in?

It is good to hear that there will be a consultation. However, something that I would like to highlight is that, whatever standards we end up with, we must ensure that things are rural and island housing proofed. I do not know whether you have been across the issue of wood stoves and the regulation that came in recently, but we have heard previously that we absolutely need to take some action on it. If we are going to bring in a single set of standards for housing quality and accessibility, the fact is that, as you yourself have highlighted, we will need to take a nuanced approach across Scotland, because the issues facing island communities, and even mainland communities, central belt communities and so on, are different. Whatever the consultation is, it would be good to see it support all voices being heard.

I am glad to hear that you are aware of that.

I will move on to placemaking, which is another key strand in “Housing to 2040”. However, concerns that that ambition will not be achieved were flagged to the committee during our round-table sessions, partly because of the failure of the current planning framework to take into account the concerns and needs of local residents, as well as the focus on developing unaffordable private rented housing. You will also be aware that there have been challenges with local authorities not having the resources and skills to deliver on placemaking. To what extent do you think that the ambition is being realised? Can it be realised, given those circumstances?

Of course, it is important to ensure that not only the local development plans but the local place plans that communities are busy developing—although they may not be alive to it yet—will come on board and that the ideas that communities propose, which are often based on rich evidence and experience, are honoured and that communities start to see those things happening around them.

We have a few more questions to go.

In the case of rural and island communities, there are requirements around Government strategy on repopulation and maintaining population in the Islands (Scotland) Act 2018. There are lots of things to support us and ensure that we take a nuanced approach.

Good. I am glad that you have someone on board who has that kind of awareness of de-speculation.