- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 March 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 22 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how it is monitoring whether the average housing association rent increase will be around 6.1% on average across the country in 2023-24, as referred to in the Scottish Government and Housing Associations' Statement of Intent on Tackling the Cost of Living Crisis 2023-24.
Answer
We have worked intensively with social landlords to develop an agreement on below-inflation rent increases for the next financial year. The Scottish Housing Regulator has published details of the rent increases which Scottish social landlords will apply in 2023-24 for social housing tenants. The report shows average rent increases by social landlords will be 5%. Rent increases by Scottish social landlords 2023/24 - March 2023 | Scottish Housing Regulator
These increases, based on consultations with tenants, will strike an appropriate balance between protecting tenants and ensuring that landlords can maintain a balance between affordability and sustainable investment in social housing for public good.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 March 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 22 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government which registered social landlords have consulted on an above-average rent increase, as referred to in the Scottish Government and Housing Associations' Statement of Intent on Tackling the Cost of Living Crisis 2023-24.
Answer
The Scottish Government does not collect information on what rent increase options individual social landlords consulted their tenants on. The Scottish Housing Regulator report on the rent increases social landlords will apply in 2023-24 Rent increases by Scottish social landlords 2023/24 - March 2023 | Scottish Housing Regulator includes details of actual rent increases applied by each landlord.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 14 March 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Patrick Harvie on 22 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it will publish in full the data shared with it by individual housing associations on their planned rent increases that "indicates that the average rent increase will be around 6.1% across the country" in 2023-24, as referred to in the Scottish Government and Housing Associations' Statement of Intent on Tackling the Cost of Living Crisis 2023-24, and whether it will provide a list of any notified rent increases, broken down by housing association.
Answer
The Scottish Housing Regulator rather than the Scottish Government is the body which collects data on planned rent increases as part of their role to monitor social landlords performance against the Scottish Social Housing Charter. They have published details of the rent increases which Scottish social landlords will apply in 2023-24 for social housing tenants. The report shows average rent increases by social landlord's will be 5%. Rent increases by Scottish social landlords 2023/24 - March 2023 | Scottish Housing Regulator
The survey report, based on returns from 136 RSLs and the 29 local authorities that have housing stock, includes average percentage increase applied by landlords, the median rent increase and actual rent increases applied by each landlord.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Tuesday, 07 March 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Humza Yousaf on 21 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has approved the strategic assessment for the National Treatment Centre in Cumbernauld.
Answer
The strategic assessment for NHS Lanarkshire’s National Treatment Centre was submitted to the Scottish Government Capital Investment Group (CIG) in November 2022. As with all strategic assessments, this was noted by the CIG, and NHS Lanarkshire have been asked to move to the next stage in the planning process and to develop an initial agreement for the new facility, which is now underway.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 20 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many single building assessment reports have been (a) completed and (b) shared with the respective homeowners to date.
Answer
Our Single Building Assessment programme includes 105 buildings. 27 buildings have started the Single Building Assessment process and 22 Single Building Assessment surveys have been commissioned. Remediation works have started linked to one of those Single Building Assessment.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 20 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government how many (a) homeowners have disputed and (b) buildings have been the subject of disputes of, the findings of a single building assessment to date.
Answer
No disputes have been raised in relation to completed Single Building Assessments.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Thursday, 23 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 20 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what discussions it has had with the UK
Government's Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities regarding any
potential impact in Scotland of the proposed legislation that would give the
Secretary of State powers to prevent developers from operating freely in the
housing market if they fail to sign and comply with the UK Government's
remediation contract; whether the powers in the proposed UK legislation would
need to extend to the Scottish Ministers to achieve the same objective in
Scotland, and, if not, whether Scottish Parliament legislation could create
similar powers for ministers to prevent developers from operating freely in the
housing market if they fail to sign and comply with the Scottish Safer
Buildings Accord.
Answer
Scottish Government has regular meetings with the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities on cladding remediation. The provisions in the Building Safety Act which impact on the ability of developers to obtain planning approval or building control approval apply to developers operating in England and do not extend to Scotland. We are determined to ensure that buildings in Scotland with potentially unsafe cladding are remediated and developers step up and meet their responsibilities. Our focus has been on securing that commitment from developers through a voluntary agreement but we are clear, if we need to then we will legislate to safeguard residents and homeowners.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 20 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what the proposed membership (a) number is and (b) qualification requirements are of the technical panels that will considers disputes regarding the findings of a single building assessment; when these panels will be established, and how many experts have been appointed to date.
Answer
I refer the member to the answer to question S6W-14904 on 20 March 2023. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Friday, 10 February 2023
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 20 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government what reimbursement will be made available to members of the technical panels that will consider disputed findings of a single building assessment.
Answer
The composition and appointment terms relating to technical panels is under development and is being informed by negotiations with leading developers as part of the Scottish Safer Buildings Accord. Panels will act to ensure that Single Building Assessments are commissioned, quality assured and completed in a timely and efficient manner. They will act to provide assurance that findings are compliant with relevant standards and assessment guidance and that recommendations are reasonable and acceptable to multiple stakeholders with an interest in a building.
- Asked by: Mark Griffin, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
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Date lodged: Monday, 06 March 2023
Submitting member has a registered interest.
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Current Status:
Answered by Shona Robison on 20 March 2023
To ask the Scottish Government whether its review of the adaptations system has begun; what the scope of the review is; when the review is expected to conclude and report, and whether it will provide a full list of consultees.
Answer
The review of the adaptations system has begun. Adaptations are an integral part of support for independent living for older and disabled people. The scope of the review is to identify and overcome the barriers to a streamlined and responsive system where adaptations are planned for, funded and delivered in a timely and appropriate manner.
Officials have met with a number of stakeholders and will continue engagement with the newly formed Accessible Housing and Independent Living Stakeholder Group to ensure all those who have an interest and those with lived experience are able to contribute to the review. As the review is ongoing the list of consultees has not been finalised.
The initial review findings and recommendations are expected in the Summer.