Chamber and committees

We will move to questions from Miles Briggs.

Please wind up, Mr Ewing.

The result of the division is: For 5, Against 2, Abstentions 0.

Motion agreed to.

We have come to the end of the questions. I thank the cabinet secretary, Andrew Mott and Rachel Nicholson for their thorough evidence.

We move to agenda item 4, which is consideration of motion S6M-02265. I invite the cabinet secretary to speak to and move the motion.

Motion moved,

That the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee recommends that the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (Licensing of Short-term Lets) Order 2022 [draft] be approved.—[Shona Robison]

I invite members who would like to speak to the motion to put an R in the chat. We will start with Miles Briggs.

I believe that Mark Griffin has a supplementary on that question.

Thank you very much, cabinet secretary. It was great to hear you clearly set out the purpose of the proposed licensing scheme for short-term lets.

The committee has heard that there might be insufficient data about short-term lets in Scotland to support the introduction of a licensing system. What data did you have access to when developing the proposed licensing system?

Item 2 is consideration of whether to take items?6, 7 and 8 in private. Item?6 is an opportunity for members to consider the contents of the committee report on short-term lets, item 7 is a chance for the committee to agree its approach on the scrutiny of the Non-Domestic Rates (Coronavirus) (Scotland) Bill and item 8 is an opportunity for the committee to give further consideration to its approach to national planning framework 4. Do members agree to take items?6, 7 and 8 in private??

As no members object, we agree to take items?6, 7 and 8 in private.

Last week, we heard from witnesses who felt strongly that regulation of overprovision is required if the legislation is to have its intended effect and is to empower local authorities. If the control areas as outlined do not deliver, are you prepared to revisit the overprovisioning aspect of the regulations and, if so, when?

There will be a division.

For

Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP)
Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab)
McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP)
Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP)

Against

Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con)
Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)