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.
Displaying 491 contributions
Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee
Meeting date: 31 May 2022
Mark Griffin
Thanks. My final question is about how waiting lists operate. We have spoken about the immense benefit of allotments to physical and mental health and their contribution to reducing household bills through food growing. Is it appropriate that a waiting list should operate on a timed basis, or should we be looking at an allotment allocation policy that is based on need rather than time?
Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee
Meeting date: 31 May 2022
Mark Griffin
Can anyone else shed any light on that? Do we have an idea of general numbers of people waiting for an allotment? Could the Government or local government do more to co-ordinate a national or local authority level register to assist with waiting lists and gauging demand?
Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee
Meeting date: 31 May 2022
Mark Griffin
My first question is for Richard Crawford. We have touched on waiting lists. Do you have any idea of how many people across Scotland are currently on a waiting list for an allotment?
Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee
Meeting date: 17 May 2022
Mark Griffin
That is reassuring. We heard from witnesses last week about concerns that manufacturers might try to game the system, so it is helpful to know that that will be kept under review.
We have heard concerns about the application of BS8414 as a route to compliance for cladding on buildings. I know that the situation has changed so that any application to use it must be notified to the Government’s building standards division. Is that robust enough, given the concerns? Does the minister have concerns about BS8414 being used as a route to compliance?
Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee
Meeting date: 17 May 2022
Mark Griffin
I am not sure. Do any of the witnesses have experience of innovative construction methods being used at their sites?
Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee
Meeting date: 17 May 2022
Mark Griffin
Thank you. Does Donna Birrell want to talk about the balance between investment plans, including how they have been funded, and the affordability of rents?
Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee
Meeting date: 17 May 2022
Mark Griffin
No.
Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee
Meeting date: 17 May 2022
Mark Griffin
Will you outline why the ban on using highly combustible metal composite material is limited to material with a thickness of up to 10mm or a gross calorific value of more than 35 megajoules per kilogram? Will you set out why those values were chosen?
Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee
Meeting date: 17 May 2022
Mark Griffin
I will move on to affordability of rent, if that is okay. I know that it has been touched on already. Are investment programmes essentially funded by rent rises? As we see the cost of units far outstripping the grant allocation from the Government, is it unsustainable to fund new builds through rent rises? What impact is that having on affordability levels for your tenants?
Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee
Meeting date: 17 May 2022
Mark Griffin
I want to ask about the sites that are currently under development. What role do modern methods of construction play at those sites? For example, how are modern construction methods being employed to reduce unit costs or to increase efficiency in order to reduce costs for the eventual tenants? What is the Scottish Government’s role in pushing out that innovation in order to reduce costs for developers and tenants?