Seòmar agus comataidhean

That is the end of our questions, but you said at the beginning that you wanted to cover certain areas. We have a little time, so, if there is anything that you want to highlight or make sure that we really hear, you are welcome to do that.

Certainly, what I have been hearing from you is that you are taking, in general, a very proactive approach and doing pre-emptive work, all of which is being effective, and you are going for a people-centred approach. I love the idea that, rather than being stuck with the process and following that to the end, you are actually looking for the solution for people and meeting that need. It is tremendous that that is beginning to work out.

Thanks for that. That sounds like a positive direction. I remember seeing promotion for the speak up week in October, so it cut through, even for someone who is very busy.

We turn to agenda item 3, under which we will take evidence on the Scottish Housing Regulator’s “Annual Report and Accounts 2022-23” from George Walker, who is the chair of the Scottish Housing Regulator, and Michael Cameron, who is its chief executive. I also welcome to the meeting Paul Sweeney MSP, who has joined us for this item.

I begin by inviting George Walker to make an opening statement.

Thanks very much—that was helpful.

Thanks very much.

How would you monitor the impact of the legislative change? Is sufficient data being captured to indicate, in the future, whether the change is having the intended impact of increasing the availability of housing?

Thank you very much for that.

There will be a division.

For

Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP)
McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP)

Abstentions

Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con)
Gosal, Pam (West Scotland) (Con)

The result of the division is: For 3, Against 0, Abstentions 2.

Motion agreed to,

That the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee recommends that the Council Tax (Variation for Unoccupied Dwellings) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2023 [draft] be approved.

Thank you very much for that introduction.

If we do not ask the right questions for the things that you want to get on the record, please make sure that you get them on the record anyway.

In your opening statement, you mentioned the volumes of complaints received. I am interested to learn a bit more about that. You have written to us about the unprecedented increase in public service complaint numbers so far in 2023. Do you have a sense of why that is? What trends are you observing?