Skip to main content

Language: English / Gàidhlig

Loading…

Seòmar agus comataidhean

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

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

Criathragan Hide all filters

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 23 December 2024
Select which types of business to include


Select level of detail in results

Displaying 491 contributions

|

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Allotments

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

Allotments

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

Allotments

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

Subordinate Legislation

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

Affordable Housing

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

Affordable Housing

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

Affordable Housing

Meeting date: 17 May 2022

Mark Griffin

No.

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Subordinate Legislation

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

Affordable Housing

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

Affordable Housing

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?