Chamber and committees

That is helpful. As the bill progresses, there might be quite a few amendments that seek to ensure that the bill is aligned in that way, so it would be helpful to see how things are being taken forward elsewhere.

One issue that I have raised consistently and about which I am quite concerned is that the bill relates only to residential buildings in Scotland. There are many other buildings that potentially include flammable cladding where people sleep, such as care homes, student accommodation and hospital settings. Why are those buildings not covered by the bill? Why are no provisions made for non-residential buildings that could potentially have unsafe cladding?

Do you expect non-residential buildings to be included in the register that you mentioned?

My question relates to councillors as well as officials in councils. Over the past year, I have spoken to councillors from all parties who have expressed concerns about what they think is the code of conduct being used against them by officials. Often, they cannot name those officials when they talk about incidents. However, they have been concerned that simply discussing an issue has been used against them in complaints raised.

What research have you done on that and what conversations have you had about it? I have been acutely aware that that is a real concern for councillors over the past year, and I think that that has led them to feel that they cannot do their job properly.

That is helpful. To return to Willie Coffey’s line of questioning, I note that the Public Services Ombudsman stated last week that it would like legislation to change to grant it own-initiative investigative powers. Are you content with your powers as they currently sit? What opportunity might you have to strengthen them?

I also note that some of our conversation today has concerned unfounded or spurious complaints about elected members and whether there is an opportunity to state earlier in an investigation whether you can investigate such complaints, especially with regard to social media.

Okay. Many organisations that have influenced our work still have a lot of questions about the buildings that are not being included and about how that will be dealt with as the bill progresses.

One aspect to consider when undertaking remedial work is economies of scale. Will work to retrofit buildings be co-ordinated to try to ensure that economies of scale can be realised?

I have raised concerns with the previous minister, Tom Arthur, about charging points that are attached to buildings. Specific concerns have been raised with us with regard to electric bikes and electric cars. That is not covered in the bill currently. Are you mindful to look at the issue and include that aspect in the bill, given some of the incidents that have happened?

That is helpful.

I would hope that individual council officials need to be held to account in very few cases. However, the code has given them additional protection so that councillors feel that they cannot raise concerns. Maybe it needs to be reviewed to look at that. It might be useful for you and the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland to speak to councillors who have raised those concerns so that you can see why they feel that the code is holding them back in their scrutiny role.

That is helpful. My line of questioning was also about whether any work has been done to consider whether similar bodies in the United Kingdom and Europe have a different model or other countries are using a better set of powers to govern some of that.

That is great. Thank you.

You have already touched on my question, which is on a review of the regulatory framework. What were the results of the review of communications with stakeholders, and what changes are you looking to make in that regard?