Chamber and committees

That would be helpful. It would also be helpful if you could update the committee on the timescale for the work.

What has changed with what the Government has lodged in the bill?

Thank you—that is helpful. Finally, I have a question that I put to the earlier panel. Looking internationally, at countries around the world where rent freezes or rent caps have been put in place, the unintended consequences, which the minister has said that he is aware of, are quite severe. They range from fewer private lets, a slump in building and construction of affordable homes, increased rents when properties come to market and more homelessness—in Ireland, there was a 30 per increase in homelessness. Is the minister at all concerned about what the rent freeze could do to the housing sector in Scotland, which is already in a very vulnerable position?

Good morning to you and your officials, Mr Swinney. Thank you for joining us.

I will carry further the line of questioning that Pam Duncan-Glancy started. Is cutting the EMA budget consistent with trying to improve uptake among those who move on from the Scottish child payment?

Thank you for that. It would be helpful if you could provide that information to the committee as well, so that we can see where things sit, because, for example, some of our work involves trying to encourage uptake.

I have a final question in this section. A lot of people are seeking clarity over how the change will trickle down to other services. Where are protections expected by ministers—for example, in schemes that support young carers—and what work is being undertaken on that?

In the two minutes that we have left, we probably cannot have a debate about the Barnett formula or budget negotiations between parties, so I want to ask about Social Security Scotland and the management of budgeting. Around £301 million of its budget is operational expenditure. What discussions is the Government having about projected future spend on running the organisation?

Thank you for that. I know that we have limited time, so, before I bring in Danny Boyle, my second question is about what engagement you have had with the Government in discussing those priorities. We, in the committee, have heard loud and clear your ask around people who have no recourse to public funds, but what sort of engagement have you had with the Government on that?

If Danny Boyle does not want to come in on that, I am happy to hand back to you, convener.

Thank you for joining us. Earlier, we heard the Deputy First Minister extolling the virtues of Ireland’s policy agendas. The impacts of the rent control policy in Ireland include a 30 per cent increase in homelessness, with a 38 per cent increase in Dublin alone. Do you think the Government has not looked at the unintended consequences of the rent freeze policy?

Going back to the rent control policy and unintended consequences, the Scottish Government has set itself a target of providing 110,000 affordable homes. We are now hearing from housing associations that they are not able to deliver that. Given what you said about the need for more supply, what impact do you think that the policy will have? Have you spoken to housing associations about it? They are really concerned about the very negative consequences that it will have on their ability to progress projects, which they might have to scrap.