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So the idea would be to put in rent controls in areas such as freeports.

I agree that you have to meet different party representatives, but we want to get the information so that people who are watching this meeting understand what you are trying to do with the bill.

Willie Coffey has a brief supplementary question.

We may take a bit longer: it will depend on how long your answers are.

We are aware that there is a new housing national outcome. I would be interested to hear how the bill fits in with that and how you plan to monitor the impact of the bill, so that we can judge its impact on the housing sector and on tenants’ and landlords’ lives.

Thank you. I will go back to the First Minister’s announcements on amendments that will seek to attract more investment. We are interested in understanding the Government’s plans for amendments to this part of the bill, and in knowing whether one of the potential proposals is inflation-linked increases. You are maybe exploring that area. I think that one of the issues is how attracting more investment can be brought about without allowing more profit to be extracted from tenants and thus continuing to make housing ever more unaffordable. I appreciate that you have a balancing act here, but it is quite an important issue.

Emma Roddick, would you like to come in?

Good morning, and welcome to the 23rd meeting in 2024 of the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee. I remind all members and witnesses to ensure that their devices are on silent. The first item on our agenda is to decide whether to take item 4 in private. Do members agree to take the item in private?

Members indicated agreement.

The next item is to take evidence on the Housing (Scotland) Bill from the Minister for Housing, Paul McLennan MSP. Mr McLennan is joined by Scottish Government officials Catriona MacKean, who is deputy director in the better homes division; Craig McGuffie, who is a solicitor; Charlotte McHaffie, who is the private rented housing sector team leader; and Yvette Sheppard, who is the head of the housing legislation and reform unit. I welcome the witnesses to the meeting and invite the minister to make a brief opening statement.

Before Emma Roddick goes on to her next question, Mark Griffin has a supplementary. I have to ask that we corral the focus back to the bill. It is good to get into the detail, but we have a lot of questions to get through. I will bring Mark in very briefly, and then I will come back to Emma.

A number of times this morning, you have mentioned conversations that you have had with colleagues outside of this room, but it would be helpful if we could respect the fact that this is public scrutiny. It would be good if information and answers could be shared here for the benefit of the whole of the committee.