Seòmar agus comataidhean

In recent months, the First Minister, the Cabinet Secretary, the Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism and I have visited key Scottish manufacturers of low emission vehicles, electric vehicle batteries and other alternative fuels.

We welcome the recent announcement by the Technology Strategy Board of the success of Allied Mobility and its consortium partners in securing £1.8 million to trial electric vehicles in Glasgow, and congratulate all involved. We believe that Scotland has great potential to take advantage of the commercial opportunities for job and wealth creation within the global market for low carbon vehicles, and we will continue to do all that we can to support this industry.

Our detailed policy is being developed and will informed by evidence gathered from a number of sources. We will launch our consultation at a key stakeholder conference taking place on 29 June at the Glasgow Royal Concert Hall.

Targeted media and marketing campaigns are also promoting the benefits of more sustainable and active transport - for example, eco-driving, cycling and  walking - while the Smarter Choices, Smarter Places transport demonstration projects underway across Scotland will provide best practice evidence of sustainable travel planning in towns and communities.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21476 on 21 April 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21476 on 21 April 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-21476 on 21 April 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.

If dangerous climate change is to be averted it is imperative that ambitious commitments and actions to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions are agreed at the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change conference in Copenhagen in December.

The 80% emissions reduction target in our world-leading Climate Change Bill is consistent with the best available scientific advice on the level of global reductions required to avoid dangerous climate change.

There is no recent research to ascertain the number of properties operating in Edinburgh as holiday lets. However, the Edinburgh and the Lothians Visitor Accommodation Audit 2006 identified 646 self-catering properties in Edinburgh.

The full audit report is available at the VisitScotland website at:

http://www.visitscotland.org/about_us/local_network_offices/edinburgh_and_lothians/tourism_accommodation_audit.htm.

The Scottish Housing Quality Standard (SHQS) was introduced in 2004 to give Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) and Local Authorities a minimum standard to aim for in improving housing stock. All social landlords are expected to produce Standard Delivery Plans indicating how they will bring their properties up to the standard by 2015. From April 2008 the Scottish Housing Regulator is responsible, on behalf of the Scottish ministers, for monitoring landlords'' progress towards achieving the SHQS.

Responsibility for enforcing standards in private rented accommodation lies with local authorities. Mandatory landlord registration and licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) set minimum standards for private rented housing and give local authorities a range of enforcement powers to tackle bad landlord practice. We would encourage all councils to use the full range of their powers to tackle the minority of landlords who can give the sector a poor reputation.

From September 2007, the Housing Act (Scotland) 2006 gave tenants in most types of private rented accommodation the right to apply to the Private Rented Housing Panel (PRHP) where they feel that the landlord has not complied with the duty to ensure that the house meets the repairing standard. The PRHP has the power to make Repairing Standard Enforcement Orders, and ultimately rent relief orders, if mediation is not appropriate or fails. Under the 2006 Act councils also have powers to act earlier when a house is falling into poor condition.

The City of Edinburgh Council has confirmed that it does not consider antisocial behaviour amongst tenants of holiday lets to be a widespread problem in the city and that it considers existing powers to tackle noise nuisance sufficient for dealing with disturbances caused by occupants of holiday lets.

However, the Scottish Government is aware of the council''s concerns that the definition of an HMO (house in multiple occupation) may not be sufficiently closely drawn and that in some cases landlords may be evading HMO licensing requirements by claiming that properties are being let on a short-term basis, and that residents have principal residences elsewhere.

We will be considering the options for implementing the HMO provisions in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 later this year. The issue of short-term lets and what types of accommodation require to be licensed under those provisions will be part of our discussions with stakeholders. However, the Scottish Government has no plans to extend HMO licensing to genuine holiday lets.

The statutory definition of overcrowding is contained in Part VII of the Housing (Scotland) Act 1987. Local authorities have various powers and duties in relation to overcrowded houses and their occupants, including carrying out inspections to identify overcrowded houses and taking levels of overcrowding into account in the preparation of local housing strategies.

The Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Houses in Multiple Occupation) Order 2000 was introduced to protect tenants whose principal or only residence is a multiply-occupied house. Local authorities are responsible for identifying unlicensed HMOs and ensuring that conditions of licences are complied with, including the number of occupants allowed.

The Scottish Government is aware of concerns that some landlords may be evading HMO licensing requirements by claiming that properties are being let on a short term basis, and that tenants have principal residences elsewhere. In doing so, some landlords may be putting tenants at risk of overcrowding.

We will be considering the options for implementing new HMO provisions in the Housing (Scotland) Act 2006 later this year. The issue of short term lets, and what types of accommodation require to be licensed under those provisions, will be part of our discussions with stakeholders.

I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-22158 on 30 March 2009. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament''s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/Apps2/Business/PQA/Default.aspx.