Questions and answers

Question reference: S5O-04278

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Wednesday, 11 March 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 18 March 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what steps it is taking to promote fair trade.

Question reference: S5F-04011

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 02 March 2020
Current Status: Taken in the Chamber on 5 March 2020

To ask the First Minister what the Scottish Government’s response is to Citizens Advice Scotland’s statement that council tax is the “number one debt issue” it deals with.

Question reference: S5W-27149

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Monday, 27 January 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 24 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-22988 by Kevin Stewart on 16 May 2019, in light of the minister's comment that "work to finalise the revised code will take place over the course of 2019", whether it will confirm by what date it will publish the revised code of conduct for property factors.

Detailed work and engagement with stakeholders to improve the property factor code of conduct was undertaken in 2019 and has continued into this year. We are continuing work with stakeholders to focus on ensuring that the revised code is effective and proportionate. Due to other urgent priorities, the code will be published later than anticipated but we expect it to be laid before the Parliament during Autumn 2020.

Question reference: S5W-27255

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 18 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the impact that the introduction of a licensing system for short-term lets will have on the number of such lets in Scotland.

There is currently a shortage of reliable information on the precise number, location and nature of short-term lets in Scotland. One of the benefits of introducing a licensing scheme will be to gather this information, which will enable us to see how short-term let activity changes over time.

The top priority for the licensing scheme will be to help ensure the safety of visitors, hosts and local communities. However, local authorities will have the discretion to put in place further conditions to tackle littering or overcrowding of properties, for example. The licensing scheme, taken together with new powers to introduce short-term let control areas, and the Scottish Government’s review of their tax treatment, will give local authorities the tools they need to manage short-term let activity appropriately within their areas.

Question reference: S5W-27252

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 18 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government, further to its consultation on a regulatory framework for short-term lets, how many local authorities have requested the introduction of a licensing system.

Sixteen of Scotland’s local authorities responded to the consultation on a regulatory framework for short-term lets in Scotland. Fifteen of those sixteen noted agreement that there should be minimum safety standards for short-term lets, with most agreeing that this should apply to all short-term lets. The majority of local authorities responding supported some form of registration or licensing scheme.

Question reference: S5W-27256

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 18 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government how many house in multiple occupation (HMO) licenses have been granted by each local authority since their introduction, and what the cost of administering this licensing system has been.

Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMO) statistics are publicly available at: http://www.gov.scot/publications/housing-statistics-houses-in-multiple-occupation/ . The statistics are provided by local authorities each year through the Housing Statistics Annual Return and include: applications received, applications refused, applications granted, licenses revoked or suspended and licenses in force.

The Scottish Government does not hold information on the cost of administering HMO licensing. Whilst the Scottish Government set out the legislative framework for the licensing of HMOs in Scotland, local authorities have full responsibility for it’s operational delivery at a local level.

Question reference: S5W-27251

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 18 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government whether people (a) letting out a spare room in their primary residence and (b) occasionally letting out their entire primary residence will be subject to the proposed licensing regime for short-term lets.

Question reference: S5W-27254

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 18 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what estimates it has made of the resource implications for local authorities and related bodies to introduce, administer and monitor a system of licensing for short-term lets.

We intend that local authorities will be able to charge a fee to cover the costs of administering the licensing scheme in their area. We will work with stakeholders as we develop the detail of the regulations for the licensing of short-term lets to prepare a full Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA), which will accurately reflect the costs to participants. The BRIA will accompany the draft regulations when they are laid at the Scottish Parliament.

Question reference: S5W-27253

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 18 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the total cost of a licensing system for short-term lets to (a) owners of short-term lets and (b) local authorities.

We intend that local authorities will be able to charge a fee to cover the costs of administering the licensing scheme in their area. We will work with stakeholders as we develop the detail of the regulations for the licensing of short-term lets to prepare a full Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA), which will accurately reflect the costs to participants. The BRIA will accompany the draft regulations when they are laid at the Scottish Parliament.

Question reference: S5W-27257

Asked by: Graham Simpson, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
Date lodged: Tuesday, 04 February 2020
Current Status: Answered by Kevin Stewart on 17 February 2020

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of the total cost to local planning authorities of the introduction of short-term let control areas, as set out in Section 17 of the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019.

Section 17 of the Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 was inserted by a non-Government amendment at stage 3 of the Scottish Parliament’s consideration of the Planning (Scotland) Bill.

At this stage no such assessment has been made. The Scottish Government is currently drafting proposals for regulations to implement the provisions of section 17 which will be subject to public consultation shortly. The supporting documents, including a draft Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment, will be published as part of the consultation and open to comment.

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