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The recommendations from the Building Standards (Compliance and Enforcement) Review Panel and Building Standards (Fire Safety) Review will be presented to the Ministerial Working Group on Building and Fire Safety at their next meeting on 13 June 2018. Once Ministers have had the opportunity to review these recommendations, it is planned to consult over the Summer 2018 period.

Following the tragedy at Grenfell Tower last year, Scottish Government established an expert panel to review building standards. The panel considered the appropriateness and relevance of both current standards and guidance and the appropriateness of both British and European test methodology. The outcomes from this review will be shared with the Ministerial Working Group on Building and Fire Safety at its next meeting on 13 June and thereafter these recommendations will form part of a public consultation that will commence this summer.

Yes, the guidance to building regulations contained in the Building Standards Technical Handbooks considers products classified as B or lower under European Standards “reaction to fire” tests to be combustible.

The advice of Scottish Government is building regulations currently permit the use of any construction materials that can be evidenced as being suitable for their proposed use. Aspects such as the use and the height of the building are taken into account when determining the suitability of cladding and insulation materials.

The building regulations recognise that combustible construction products, including insulation, can contribute to the spread of fire in buildings. This is why the use of combustible materials is limited depending on various factors, such as the type of building, its height and the location of the combustible material.

As it is usually the furniture and fittings that are the initial source of fuel for a fire in a building, the smoke produced by these has most influence on dangerous conditions for occupants being reached. Experience shows that external or encapsulated building materials, such as wall insulation, do not usually significantly add to the production of toxic smoke within the building itself.

The following property factor was removed from the register of property factors (the register) under section 8(1) of the Property Factors (Scotland) Act 2011. It was considered that the property factor was no longer a fit and proper person to be a property factor (and was no longer a legal entity) and failed to demonstrate compliance with a property factor enforcement order as notified to Scottish Ministers by a Homeowner Housing Committee (now known as the First-tier Tribunal).

This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.

Yes. In line with our commitment, we will introduce the Fuel Poverty (Target, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland) Bill, which many will know as the Warm Homes Bill, by the end of this parliamentary term. As I indicated to the Local Government and Communities Committee on 16 May, the change in name ensures accuracy and neutrality of the Bill in line with Parliamentary rules.

The Bill is to be about all the fuel costs of a household, not just their heating costs – it is not considered to be acceptable for a family to have to make a choice between having the heating on and cooking their dinner, and the definition of fuel poverty in the Bill reflects this. This is therefore why the short title will be “Fuel Poverty” rather than “Warm Homes”.

This Bill will achieve three key things – it will set a new target for fuel poverty; introduce a new definition, recommended by experts, that will focus our support on those who need it most, no matter where in Scotland they live; and mandate the production of a new long-term fuel poverty strategy. These are all proposals that our expert advisers and relevant stakeholder groups have said are required.

On 2nd May the First Minister launched Energy Efficient Scotland, the Scottish Government’s long-term energy efficiency programme to remove poor energy efficiency as a driver of fuel poverty. The Energy Efficient Scotland Route Map sets out our vision for all buildings in Scotland – that by 2040 all our buildings are warmer, greener and more efficient – and how we will deliver on the National Infrastructure Priority for Energy Efficiency. We are seeking views on our proposals through the Energy Efficient Scotland consultation, including views on what legislation may be needed to support delivery of our energy efficiency programme and have committed to develop, if appropriate, a further Bill to support that later in this Parliament.

This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.

This question relates to operational matters that are the responsibility of the Scottish Court and Tribunals Service (SCTS) corporate body. The question has been passed to the Chief Executive of the SCTS who reply in writing within 20 days.