Chamber and committees

Absolutely.

I want to raise a couple of issues with the minister. First, I think that we would accept that the approach has been useful for current tenants. However, with regard to people seeking tenancies, do you have any views on the facts that we now have among the highest-ever homelessness rates and numbers of children in temporary accommodation, and that councils are saying that they are unable to put together sustainable tenancies with the private rented sector? Do you understand that consequence of the policy?

I want to move on to the impact on small and medium-sized enterprises. The Scottish Government cannot actually tell us how many SMEs are currently operating in the area. Some of the schemes that have been introduced are welcome. For example, the mobile heat pump training centre, which the Government has introduced, is a welcome step forward in providing training opportunities. However, for most small businesses, losing one individual for training can completely upset their programme of works.

How can the Scottish Government ensure that SMEs are provided with the support that they will need to transition? Charlotte, I do not know whether you have done any work on that and what that looks like, but I will bring you back in and then anyone else who wants to contribute can come in.

Good morning, minister, and good morning to your officials. I return to the impact that the proposals will have on rural and island communities. What work has been undertaken to consider that point? Does the Scottish Government accept that the cost of implementing energy efficiency measures will be higher to developers and home owners in rural Scotland?

This is perhaps for another day, but we should look in more detail at the rural uplift for landlords and how that will help.

We face two challenges in this country: climate change and the housing crisis. We heard earlier that Homes for Scotland estimates that there is a shortfall of around 114,000 houses and that the Scottish Government has a target of building 10 per cent of those in rural and island communities. The Government does not know how many SMEs currently operate in the sector, so how will that be tracked to ensure that they do not withdraw from it? The challenges that SMEs currently face are obvious, and we have discussed them previously. What work is being undertaken on supply chains, workforce and the potential impact of not bringing forward developments, which are often small-scale individual units?

As with the other extensions that have been proposed, we in the Conservative Party will oppose the motion in the vote.

The committee has received evidence about landlords’ increased costs, which have been impacted on by rising interest rates in recent months. What is the Government’s view on the case for increasing the rent cap from 3 per cent to 6 per cent for prescribed property costs?

Thank you. I will come back to my other questions later.

You have said that you do not want to create a cliff edge, but from my reading of the legislation, every landlord in Scotland will be able to seek a review in March without the further extension that the Government is outlining. My concern is about what that will mean for the housing tribunal, the backlog that it already faces and the resources that it will need. Has the Government considered what that will look like?

Thank you.