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Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 8 January 2025
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Displaying 1153 contributions

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Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 28 February 2023

Miles Briggs

I do not know whether the Scottish Government has live data on this that the minister could share with the committee. Especially as we approach the September date, it is important to see how potential changes and the decisions of individual landlords will impact. That may be the critical point.

I return to the question that the convener asked about the setting of a 3 per cent cap and the Scottish Property Federation’s suggestion in its evidence that it should be closer to 5 per cent. Given inflation and what the minister has outlined, why was the private rented sector figure not closer to that, or to the 6 per cent average for the social sector?

09:30  

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 23 February 2023

Miles Briggs

That would be helpful.

As I said in the chamber, I welcome that you have written to councils to ask them to highlight what support is available. Do you know whether that has been undertaken?

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 23 February 2023

Miles Briggs

I was not going to ask this, but we have had a very political argument, which I do not think necessarily puts Scotland’s true finances into context. I wonder whether the minister wants to put on record the fact that the Barnett formula provides an additional £2,000 per head in Scotland compared with the other parts of the UK, which is allowing us to take the decisions that he refers to. There is also the global impact. The minister very briefly talked about the war in Ukraine; on Friday it will be one year since that illegal invasion began, and it has had a global impact. I am not pretending in any way that we have been cushioned from it, but reality needs to be taken on board when we are talking about these issues. There is also the fiscal position, in which our country has spent £8 billion more—the Barnett formula allows us to do that. Does the minister recognise that?

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 23 February 2023

Miles Briggs

In pure economic terms, however, that was £8 billion less than we spent.

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 23 February 2023

Miles Briggs

On the back of those questions, what assessment has there been of the impact of the late or delayed payment to people, especially in rural Scotland? Have you reached out to any fuel poverty charities to find out what impact it has had, especially for people off grid?

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 21 February 2023

Miles Briggs

That is a good point.

To go back to other points that have been raised, for the tenants associations that I have met in Edinburgh recently, the backlog of maintenance is also a key part of their concerns. A lot of people have issues that they were hoping would be resolved, but they are now being told that it is unlikely that there will be budget to do that. There is that wider concern.

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 21 February 2023

Miles Briggs

It might be worth monitoring the issue, because the description that is being provided seems to be quite varied across council websites. I take your point about the signposting of fire exits, but different details are provided on council websites, given that 32 variations are being applied.

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 21 February 2023

Miles Briggs

Thank you.

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 21 February 2023

Miles Briggs

Yes.

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 21 February 2023

Miles Briggs

Thank you.