Chamber and committees

Agenda item 2 is an evidence-taking session on affordable housing provision in Scotland as part of this year’s pre-budget scrutiny. We are joined in person by Professor Ken Gibb, who is director of the UK Collaborative Centre for Housing Evidence, at the University of Glasgow; Aaron Hill, who is director of policy and membership at the Scottish Federation of Housing Associations; and Fionna Kell, who is director of policy at Homes for Scotland.

We are also joined online—I think that I can see you all—by Ailsa Raeburn, who is the chair of Community Land Scotland; Sherina Peek, who is acting policy manager at the Association of Local Authority Chief Housing Officers; Mike Callaghan, who is policy manager in the communities team of the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities; and Gary Fairley, who is director of corporate services at Midlothian Council, who is also appearing on behalf of COSLA. I welcome you all.

I will open the session to questions from members and will begin by asking about national targets and outcomes, which I am interested to hear from the panellists about. Before I dive in, however, there is a little bit of housekeeping to do with regard to how I will run the session. Because of time constraints, members will possibly direct their initial question to one of you, but if anyone else wants to come in, please indicate that to me or the clerk. Those who are attending online should indicate as much by typing an R in the chat function.

On national targets and outcomes, do panellists think that the Scottish Government targets for housing needs and outcomes are clear? Furthermore, do the targets need to be revisited? I will start with Mike Callaghan and then bring in Professor Gibb and Sherina Peek.

Ken Gibb, what are your thoughts on the targets?

Thank you very much. Over to Sherina Peek.

Thank you. We will move on, although the next question relates to some of what has already come up.

In response to our call for evidence before this meeting, a few councils suggested that the current subsidy system does not allow them to fully meet the housing needs of people with particular needs, including wheelchair users. Is anyone aware that some housing needs are not being addressed? If so, how could that be improved?

Thank you. You have made an important point about regarding housing as infrastructure and that the draft NPF4 was a missed opportunity to do that. Did you put that in your response to the consultation? That document was a draft and we never know what might come through in a few weeks’ time.

Thank you. I will go to Fionna Kell.

Thank you for that. When SMEs come to you to express that challenge of delivering, is it about the usual things that we have started to hear over and again, such as the lack of labour and people with the required skills, as well as the material costs?

Ailsa, can you hear us? Did you hear the question?

No one has picked up that levelling-up fund business yet. It is something that is coming towards us soon.

Willie Coffey wants to ask a question about pension funds. I believe that Aaron Hill was talking about the need for a scale-up in that regard.

Good morning and welcome to the 22nd meeting in 2022 of the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee. We have received apologies from Annie Wells and Mark Griffin. I ask all members and witnesses to ensure that their mobile phones are on silent and that all other notifications are turned off during the meeting.

Agenda item 1 is a decision on taking business in private. Do members agree to take in private item 3, which is consideration of the evidence that we will hear on the affordable housing programme during our pre-budget scrutiny, and item 4, which is consideration of our approach on the Levelling-up and Regeneration Bill’s legislative consent memorandum?

Members indicated agreement.