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Housing (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill

The Bill will amend the Housing (Scotland) Act 2010.

This is a Government bill

The Bill became an Act on 6 July 2018

Introduced: the Bill and its documents

Overview

The Bill will amend the Housing (Scotland) Act 2010. This will affect the amount of influence that the Scottish Housing Regulator and local authorities have over Registered Social Landlords (RSLs).

The Scottish Housing Regulator will still monitor social housing landlords. The Regulator can appoint a manager to:

  • sort a failure which the Regulator has identified
  • achieve a standard or outcome that the RSL have failed on
  • manage its finances
  • suspend officers or agents responsible for any failures

It will let the Scottish Government limit the influence of local authorities. For example, the right to appoint members to RSLs boards.

Why the Bill was created

The Scottish Government has committed to build 50,000 affordable homes in this session.

They plan to finance over £3 billion towards house building. As RSLs are classed as public sector bodies, all their borrowing is included in the Scottish Government’s borrowing limits. The cost to the Scottish Government for delivering 50,000 affordable homes would rise to £4.5 billion.

If RSLs are classed as private sector bodies, the amount they borrow isn't added to Scottish Government limits. The changes in the Bill will allow RSLs to be classed as private sector bodies. These changes will benefit social housing development in Scotland.

Bill as Introduced

Housing (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill as Introduced (203KB, pdf) posted 20 October 2020

Accompanying Documents

Explanatory Notes (474KB, pdf) posted 21 October 2019

Policy Memorandum (264KB, pdf) posted 21 October 2019

Financial Memorandum (132KB, pdf) posted 21 October 2019

Delegated Powers Memorandum (178KB, pdf) posted 21 October 2019

Statements on legislative competence (67KB, pdf) posted 21 October 2019

Financial Resolution

The Presiding Officer has decided under Rule 9.12 of Standing Orders that a financial resolution is required for this Bill.

Research on the Bill

The Scottish Parliament's Information Centre (SPICe) prepares impartial research and analysis to assist MSPs in their examination of Bills and other parliamentary business.

Research briefing on the Housing (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill

The Bill was introduced on 4 September 2017

Stage 1: general principles

At Stage 1, the Bill is given to a lead committee. This is usually the committee whose remit most closely relates to the subject of the Bill. The lead committee will consider and report on the Bill. Other committees may also examine the Bill and report to the lead committee. Finally, there is a debate and vote by all MSPs on the general principles of the Bill. If the general principles are not agreed to, then the Bill ‘falls’ and can’t become law.

Lead committee examines the Bill

The lead committee for this Bill is the Local Government and Communities Committee.

Call for views (closed)

The deadline for sharing your views on this Bill has passed.

Read the responses

Who spoke to the lead committee on the Bill

Stage 1 report by the lead committee

Work by other committees

Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee


Meetings

Stage 1 Debate and decision

A Stage 1 debate took place on 29 March 2018 to consider and decide on the general principles of the Bill.

  • Motion title: Housing (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill
  • Text of motion: That the Parliament agrees to the general principles of the Housing (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill.
  • Submitted by: Kevin Stewart
  • Date lodged: Tuesday, 27 March 2018
  • Motion reference: S5M-11350
  • Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, 29 March 2018

See further details of the motion


Parliament agreed the general principles of the Bill

The Bill ended Stage 1 on 29 March 2018

Stage 2: changes to the Bill

At Stage 2, MSPs can propose changes to a Bill. These are called 'amendments'. Any MSP can suggest amendments but only members of the Stage 2 committee can decide on them. 

First meeting on amendments

Bill as amended at Stage 2

Revised Documents

Supplementary Explanatory Notes (139KB, pdf) posted 21 September 2020

Supplementary Delegated Powers Memorandum (142KB, pdf) posted 21 October 2019

The Bill ended Stage 2 on 9 May 2018

Stage 3: final changes and vote

At Stage 3, MSPs can propose further amendments (changes) to the Bill. These are debated and decided on in the Debating Chamber. At this stage, all MSPs can vote on them.  There is then a debate on whether to pass the Bill. If the Bill is not passed, it ‘falls’ and can't become law. 

Final version of the Bill

Final debate on the Bill

Once MSPs have decided on the amendments, they debate whether to pass the Bill.

  • Motion title: Housing (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill
  • Text of motion: That the Parliament agrees that the Housing (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill be passed.
  • Submitted by: Kevin Stewart
  • Date lodged: Tuesday, 29 May 2018
  • Motion reference: S5M-12483
  • Current status: Taken in the Chamber on Thursday, 31 May 2018

Result 114 for, 0 against, 0 abstained, 15 did not vote Vote Passed

See further details of the motion


Parliament decided to pass the Bill

The Bill ended Stage 3 on 31 May 2018

Bill becomes an Act

If the Bill is passed, it can receive Royal Assent and become an Act.

This Bill was passed on 31 May 2018 and became law on 6 July 2018.

Read the Act

Housing (Amendment) (Scotland) Act 2018