Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government does not measure the environmental impact of the release of non-native gamebirds but Scottish Natural Heritage do so where there is a statutory requirement, for example if the release may impact a designated protected area.

The Scottish Government remains committed to ensure that the tenancy deposit schemes aim to reduce the number of unclaimed deposits.

The Schemes target students at peak times with marketing and awareness campaigns including social media and local events at educational establishments. The schemes continue to contact tenants at the end of their tenancy to return deposits but this becomes more difficult with overseas students post-graduation.

Given the recent legislative changes within the sector, we are currently exploring ways to continue to increase tenants’ awareness of their new rights. This will include targeted awareness raising with students in relation to unclaimed deposits.

The Scottish Government continues to monitor the performance of the tenancy deposit schemes to ensure that the original objectives are achieved -

• to reduce the number of unfairly withheld tenancy deposits;
• ensure that deposits are safeguarded throughout the duration of the tenancy;
• ensure that deposits are returned quickly and fairly, particularly where there is a dispute over the return of the deposit, or proportion of it, to tenant or landlord.

The Scottish Government meets regularly with each scheme and receives formal interval reports which provides assurance that each scheme continues with efforts to minimise the number of unclaimed deposits.

Unclaimed deposits must continue to be reserved in the designated accounts of each scheme.

S5W-24609 answered on 21 August 2019 provides further information on unclaimed deposits.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx

The Review of Tenancy Deposit Schemes in Scotland shows that one-fifth of tenants did not receive their deposits back on time. However, this figure is likely to be affected by the significant nonresponse bias for the review. Key performance indicator reports provided by the tenancy deposit schemes to the Scottish Government each month show that most deposits are returned on time.

The Scottish Government continue to work with a range of stakeholders in order to raise awareness of rights and responsibilities within the private rented sector. Most recently we have:

• undertaken a social media campaign and developed a website of private renting resources, in partnership with Young Scot, specifically targeted at young renters aged 16-24; and
• issued a comprehensive summary of renters new rights and responsibilities via all three of the tenancy deposit schemes, reaching a potential target audience of just under 65,000 landlords, around 4,000 letting agents and all their respective tenants.

We will continue to explore new opportunities to raise awareness levels amongst both tenants and landlords.

The Scottish Government will continue to work with the tenancy deposit schemes and other key stakeholders such as local authorities to raise awareness of matters affecting private landlords, including on letting agent regulation. This will supplement the landlord specific guide on letting agent regulation that has already been published.

Information on the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland is widely available. In addition the Easy Read Notes that must accompany every private residential tenancy include wide-ranging information about the First-Tier Tribunal for Scotland. As private residential tenancies increase in number and tenancies from the old tenancy regime diminish awareness amongst landlords and tenants is expected to improve significantly.

The First-tier Tribunal has recently reported in its annual report 2018-19 that 353 applications were received over the last year for an order for payment of a sanction where the landlord has failed to comply with the duty to pay a tenancy deposit into an approved scheme. It also reports a dramatic increase in access to justice since the dispute resolution for deposit protection cases transferred from the sheriff court.

The review of the tenancy deposit schemes concludes that there is a broad consensus that the Regulations continue to provide a robust regulatory framework for the protection of tenants' deposits and the conditions for the operation of the schemes.

Scottish Ministers developed The Tenancy Deposit Schemes (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2019 to respond directly to minor issues raised in the review and update the regulatory framework to bring it into line with recent private rented sector reforms. These draft regulations are due to come into force on 1 November, following affirmative scrutiny by the Scottish Parliament.

The tenancy deposit schemes are required to provide revised operating procedures for approval by Ministers.

The Scottish Government has regular communications with the tenancy deposit schemes and receives formal interval performance reports and audited accounts. The low interest rates have not affected the ability of the schemes to operate within the regulatory framework and continue to achieve the original objectives as outlined in the answer to question S5W-24609 on 21 August 2019.

All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at: http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx .

The following tables detail the annual results of the Heads Up for Harriers project. The names of estates have been redacted to protect their identity, which was a condition for their participation in the project. Those used as driven grouse moors have been marked with an asterisk (*).

Housing co-operatives form a distinct and valued part of the social housing sector in Scotland. The Scottish Government and the Scottish Housing Regulator provide a legal, regulatory and financial framework within which housing co-operatives can operate and grow. The Scottish Government do not promote any particular constitutional model over another, this is a matter for each individual organisation. The role of promotion is one better undertaken by the co-operative movement itself.