Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee
This annual report covers the work of the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee from 13 May 2025 to 8 April 2026.
During this period the following membership change took place—
On 19 June 2025 Evelyn Tweed replaced Emma Roddick as a member of the Committee
The Committee held 34 meetings over this period. Of these, 27 included a mixture of public and private items, six were entirely in public, and one entirely in private.
Items taken in private generally involved consideration of evidence heard earlier in the meeting, consideration of draft reports and approaches to inquiries and other work programme issues.
The Committee considered three Bills during the period covered by this report. These are summarised below.
The Housing (Scotland) Billi was introduced by the Scottish Government in March 2024. Its contents covered topics including rent controls and tenants' rights.
The Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee was the lead committee for scrutiny of the Bill at Stage 1 and Stage 2. The Social Justice and Social Security Committee also considered certain aspects of the Bill with a particular focus on homelessness prevention.
Stage 2 proceedings took place over seven meetings during May and June 2025. Six of these sessions took place in the period covered by this report.
The Visitor Levy (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill was introduced by the Scottish Government on 6 January 2026.i
The Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee was designated the lead committee for consideration of the Bill at Stage 1. During Stage 1, the Committee issued a call for written views, and received 63 responses from individuals and organisations.
The Committee took oral evidence on the Bill during January and February 2026 from representatives of local government, the tourism sector and the Scottish Government.
The Committee published its Stage 1 report on 11 February 2026, supporting the general principles of the Bill.ii The Scottish Government published its response to the Stage 1 report on 17 February 2026.iii
Stage 2 proceedings on the Bill took place on 4 March 2026.iv
The European Charter of Local Self-Government (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill was passed on 16 March 2021, during Session 5 of the Scottish Parliament.i The Bill proposes to incorporate the European Charter of Local Self-Government into Scots law.
Following Stage 3, the Bill was referred to the UK Supreme Court, which ruled that aspects of the Bill were outwith the competence of the Scottish Parliament.
In January 2026, the Scottish Government shared draft amendments to the Bill to address the Supreme Court Rulingii and on 4 February 2026, the Parliament voted to reconsider the Bill.iii
At its meeting of 27 January 2026, the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee agreed to write to stakeholders to seek their views on the proposed amendments.iv Six responses were received and the Committee considered and noted these at its meeting on 24 February.v
Reconsideration stage took place and the Bill was approved on 3 March.vi
The Committee considered one Legislative Consent Memorandum during the period covered by this report.
The Pension Schemes Bill was introduced in the House of Commons on 5 June 2025.i The Bill contains provisions that will bring significant changes to different kinds of pension schemes.
Provisions in the Bill granted powers to the Secretary of State to make regulations for Local Government Pension Scheme funds in England and Wales. Following exchanges with the Scottish Government, amendments to the Bill were tabled to maintain parity of powers between the respective authorities responsible for making regulations to the Local Government Pension Schemes in England and Wales, and Scotland.
The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government lodged a legislative consent memorandum (LCM) and it was referred to the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee for scrutiny.ii
The Committee sought the views of stakeholders on the LCM. It received nine written responses, one of which was received following the publication of its report.
The Committee published its report on 26 November 2025 and recommended that the Scottish Parliament consent to the UK Parliament legislating for the relevant provisions in this Bill.iii
The Committee considered 38 Scottish Statutory Instruments (SSIs) during the reporting year, of which 10 were affirmative instruments, 23 were negative instruments and 5 were laid only/no procedure.
Further information on the Committee's scrutiny of the 10 affirmative instruments is set out below.
The Climate Change (Local Development Plan) (Repeals) (Scotland) Order 2025 [draft] was laid before the Scottish Parliament on 19 June 2025.i
The purpose of the Order is to remove requirements on planning authorities regarding greenhouse gas emissions from new buildings as those requirements are considered to now be unnecessary as a result of new policy and building regulations.
The Committee considered the Order on 16 September 2025, recommending to the Parliament that it be approved.ii
The Energy Performance of Buildings (Scotland) Regulations 2025 [draft] were laid before the Scottish Parliament on 10 October 2026.i
The Regulations reform the operation of the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) system and EPC assessor market. EPCs are required whenever a property is sold, let or constructed. They are also displayed in certain large buildings. The purpose of reforming the system is to provide clearer and more comprehensive information including details of the energy efficiency of buildings, the type and performance of a building's heating systems, and the running costs.
At its meeting of 30 September 2025, the Committee took evidence from stakeholders on reform of EPCs, ahead of regulations being laid.ii
The Committee considered the Regulations on 11 November 2025 recommending to the Parliament that they be approved.iii
In January 2026, the Scottish Government laid three draft affirmative regulations in the Parliament related to the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024 ("the 2024 Act"):
Visitor Levy (Local Authority Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2026 [draft]i
Visitor Levy (Reviews and Appeals) (Scotland) Regulations 2026 [draft]i
Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024 Amendment Regulations 2026 [draft]i
The Visitor Levy (Local Authority Assessment) (Scotland) Regulations 2026 [draft] set out the process for local authorities to make an assessment of the amount of visitor levy payable where no return has been made, or where an inaccurate return has been made.
The Visitor Levy (Reviews and Appeals) (Scotland) Regulations 2026 [draft] establish a statutory framework for reviews and appeals relating to decisions made by local authorities under the 2024 Act.
The Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024 Amendment Regulations 2026 [draft] expand the categories of person for whom a visitor levy scheme must provide an exemption or reimbursement.
The Committee considered the Regulations on 3 February 2026, recommending to the Parliament that they be approved.iv
The Council Tax (Variation for Unoccupied Dwellings) (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2026 [draft] were laid in the Scottish Parliament on 28 January 2026.i
The Regulations establish a default rate for council tax premiums for second and long-term empty homes of 100 per cent, and give local authorities the discretion to vary that rate to meet local housing challenges.
The Committee sought written views on the Regulations from local authorities and received eight responses (including one that was received after the Committee had considered the instrument).
At its meeting of 17 February 2026, the Committee took evidence from stakeholders on the Regulations.ii
The Committee considered the Regulations on 24 February 2026, taking evidence from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government.ii Following a division, the Committee recommended to the Parliament that the Regulations be approved.iv
The Private Housing Rent Control (Exempt Property) (Scotland) Regulations 2026 [draft] were laid in the Scottish Parliament on 29 January 2026.i
The Regulations introduce specific exemptions for mid-market rent and build-to-rent properties from the rent control provisions introduced by the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025.
At its meeting of 17 February 2026, the Committee took evidence from stakeholders on the Regulations.ii
The Committee considered the Regulations on 24 February 2026, taking evidence from the Cabinet Secretary for Housing.ii Following a debate and division, the Committee recommended to the Parliament that the Regulations be approved.iv
In February 2026, the Committee considered two instruments related to appeals under the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Act 2024:i
First-tier Tribunal for Scotland Local Taxation Chamber and Upper Tribunal for Scotland (Composition and Rules of Procedure) (Miscellaneous Amendment) Regulations 2026 [draft];ii and
First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Allocation of Functions to the Local Taxation Chamber) Regulations 2026 [draft]ii
The regulations allocate functions relating to visitor levy appeals to the Local Taxation Chamber of the First-tier Tribunal for Scotland. They also amend the composition and rules of procedure of the Local Taxation Chamber and the Upper Tribunal for Scotland to support the hearing and determination of visitor levy appeals.
The Committee considered the regulations on 24 February 2026, taking evidence from the Minister for Public Finance.iv The Committee recommended to the Parliament that the Regulations be approved.v
The Investigation and Commencement of Repair (Scotland) Regulations 2026 [draft] were laid in the Scottish Parliament on 5 February 2026.i
This Regulations introduce new duties on social and private landlords to investigate reports of damp and mould, and commence any required repairs within a set timescale, unless, for reasons beyond the control of the landlord, the landlord is unable to do so.
The Regulations are commonly referred to as Awaab's Law, named after two-year-old Awaab Ishak who died in 2020 after prolonged exposure to damp and mould in his home in Rochdale.
At its meeting of 17 February 2026, the Committee took evidence from stakeholders on the Regulations.ii The Committee also received written submissions from stakeholders.
The Committee considered the Regulations on 10 March 2026, taking evidence from the Cabinet Secretary for Housing. The Committee recommended to the Parliament that the Regulations be approved.iii
The Scottish Government published its fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) in February 2023.i The Committee agreed that it would review on an annual basis whether NPF4 was achieving its intended ambitions.
In June 2025, the Committee undertook annual scrutiny of the NPF4, holding two evidence sessions with stakeholders, followed by an evidence session with the Minister for Public Finance.iiiiiiii
The Committee subsequently wrote to the Minister with its conclusions, highlighting themes including:
resourcing of planning departments;
implementation;
enforcement;
local development plans;
local place plans;
the housing emergency;
accessibility of NPF4; and
assessment.v
The Minister for Public Finance replied to the Committee on 20 October 2025.vi
In September 2025, the Committee undertook scrutiny of the Proposed National Good Food Nation Plan.i This work focused on the role of local government, particularly through procurement, and aspects about allotments and community growing.
The Committee held an evidence session on the proposed plan with stakeholders, followed by an evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands.iiiii
The Committee published its report on 24 September 2025, with a response from the Scottish Government received on 7 October 2025.ivv
In December 2024, the Scottish Government announced the establishment of an Independent Review of the Process for Determining Electoral Boundaries in Scotland.
The Committee wrote to the Chair of the review, Andrew Kerr OBE, on 5 September 2025, to contribute evidence to the review, particularly focusing on concerns around the issue of Parliamentary scrutiny of electoral boundaries.i
The Committee wrote to the Chair again on 14 November 2025, following sight of the draft report of the review.ii
The final report of the Independent Review of the Process for Determining Electoral Boundaries in Scotland was published on 9 December 2026.iii The Committee considered the report at its meeting of 10 March 2026, and subsequently wrote to the Scottish Government to express its views on the outcome.ivv
The Verity House Agreement, signed in 2023, sets out the Scottish Government and Local Government's ambition to “work together strategically to advance public service reform”.i
For its Pre-Budget Scrutiny for 2026-27, the Committee agreed to explore how the Scottish Budget supports this ambition.
The Committee conducted Pre-Budget Scrutiny at meetings throughout September, with oral evidence from witnesses representing local authorities, the Accounts Commission and Audit Scotland, and UNISON.iiiiiiii
The Committee took further oral evidence on 28 October 2025 from representatives of COSLA, the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) and Solace, followed by evidence from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government.iii
The Committee wrote to the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government setting out its conclusions and recommendations on 14 November 2025.vi A response was received from the Cabinet Secretary on 16 January 2026.vii
The Committee took evidence on the Scottish Government's Budget for 2026-27 from the Cabinet Secretary for Housing (20 January 2025) and the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government (27 January 2025).iiiiii The Convener participated in the Committee debate on the Budget on 21 January 2026.x
The Committee has continued its oversight of building safety and maintenance issues:
cladding on high-rise buildings; and
the use of RAAC (reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete) in homes
Following the Grenfell tragedy in 2017, the Scottish Government put in place a cladding remediation programme to identify and remove the dangerous cladding from high rise buildings which had caused the fire at Grenfell.
During the course of this session, the Committee has monitored progress with that programme.i
Following an evidence session with the Minister for Housing in April 2025, the Committee agreed to request quarterly reports from the Scottish Government on its progress with the cladding remediation programme.iiiii
In October 2025, the Committee took evidence from the Cabinet Secretary for Housing on the first two quarterly updates received by the Committee.iv The Cabinet Secretary provided a further updates in November and December of 2025.v
The Cabinet Secretary for Housing provided further evidence during her appearance at the Committee on 20 January 2026.vi
During the course of this session, the Committee has monitored progress with the issue of use of Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC) elements in public buildings and housing across Scotland.i
On 7 November 2025, the Cabinet Secretary wrote to the Committee noting guidance being prepared by the Institution of Structural Engineers was expected by the end of the year. She further noted the work of the RAAC in Housing Leadership Group.ii
On 6 November 2025, the Scottish Government laid a draft Climate Change Plan (CCP) before Parliament, setting out how it intends to meet emission reduction targets for the period 2026-2040.i
Scrutiny of the draft CCP was a cross-parliamentary effort involving several committees, reflecting the fact that mitigating climate change affects all sectors.
In its scrutiny, the Committee focused on the contribution that residential and public buildings can make to achieving emission targets, and the wider implications of the plan for local authorities in Scotland.ii
The Committee held two oral evidence sessions with a range of stakeholders during November and December, with several organisations also contributing written evidence.
On 13 January 2026, the Committee took evidence from the Cabinet Secretary for Housing.iii On 20 January 2026, the Committee took evidence from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government.iii
The Committee published its report on 6 February 2026.v The Convener participated in the Committee debate on the draft Climate Change Plan on 5 March 2026.vi
The Committee has a role in scrutinising the performance of the following bodies who are accountable to the Parliament:
The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO);
The Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland (also known as the Ethical Standards Commissioner — ESC);
The Standards Commission for Scotland (SCS); and
The Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR).
A summary of scrutiny of each of these bodies is provided below.
The Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) is responsible for regulating Registered Social Landlord and local authority housing in services in Scotland. The organisation is directly accountable to the Scottish Parliament, and each year has been invited to provide oral evidence to the Committee.
On 9 December 2025, the Committee took evidence from the Chair and Chief Executive of the Scottish Housing Regulator focusing on the organisation's annual report and accounts for 2024-25.i
Following the evidence session, the Committee sought further written evidence from the SHR .ii
The Scottish Public Services Ombudsman (SPSO) has four distinct statutory powers:
the final stage for complaints about most devolved public services in Scotland;
specific powers and responsibilities to publish complaints handling procedures, and monitor and support best practice in complaints handling;
independent review service for the Scottish Welfare Fund (SWF); and
Independent National Whistleblowing Officer for the NHS in Scotland (INWO)
The SPSO laid its draft Statement of Complaint Handling Principles in April 2025. The Committee considered this at its meeting of 3 June 2025, recommending that the draft be approved.i
The Committee took evidence from the Ombudsman at its meeting on 2 December 2025 with a focus on the organisation's annual report for 2024-25.ii
The Ethical Standards Commissioner works to encourage fairness, good conduct and transparency in public life in Scotland. The Commissioner investigates complaints about the behaviour of MSPs, local authority councillors, and board members of public bodies and about lobbyists, and look into how people are appointed to the boards of public bodies in Scotland.
The Committee took evidence from the Ethical Standards Commissioner at its meeting of 25 November 2025.i
The Standards Commission is an independent body whose purpose is to encourage high ethical standards in public life through the promotion and enforcement of Codes of Conduct for councillors and those appointed to the boards of devolved public bodies.
The Committee took evidence from the Standards Commission at its meeting of 25 November 2025.i
To inform its consideration of the draft Climate Change Plan and anticipated legislation on heat in buildings, the Committee held a private online discussion with two groups of people who have experience of retrofitting and decarbonising their homes, and people who have attempted to do so. A report from the event is available .i
On Tuesday 4 November 2025, Members of the Committee visited the Midlothian Energy Centre, a large-scale heat network development delivered by Vattenfall Heat UK and Midlothian Council. The Centre captures low carbon heat from a local Recycling and Energy Recovery Centre.
We have included consideration of equalities in our work this year.
When undertaking our annual review of the NPF4 we questioned how gender sensitive planning was accounted for in the implementation of the plan. We were pleased to hear of ongoing work in that area and that it is embedded in NPF4.i
We included a chapter on understanding barriers to participation in local politics in our annual tracker report in December 2025.ii This is an issue we have considered throughout the session and last year considered regulations to increase councillor remunerations in line with recommendations of the Scottish Local Authorities Remuneration Committee (SLARC). We have suggested that ongoing work to monitor this, and wider recommendations of SLARC which are being considered by COSLA, could be taken forward in the next session by a successor committee.
We have done extensive work on housing this year, concluding an inquiry on Housingiiiand the housing emergency, as well consideration of the Housing (Scotland) Bill at Stage 2. Stakeholders made clear that having a safe and affordable home is vital in addressing inequalities. We have continued to seek updates from the Cabinet Secretary for Housing this year following the publication of our report.
We have participated in collaborative scrutiny of the draft Climate Change Plan (CCP) this year. We looked at the buildings chapter and the role of local government in delivering the plan. As part of this, the issue of fuel poverty has been prevalent, and was cited by the Scottish Government as a reason for delaying introduction of an anticipated bill on heat in buildings.iv Links in the draft CCP between improving the energy efficiency of homes and reducing fuel poverty were welcomed by stakeholders. In our report, we recommended that greater clarity was needed on the pathway to decarbonising homes and buildings in Scotland.v
As part of work within the Parliament to monitor and widen the diversity of voices participating in parliamentary scrutiny, the Committee took part in a pilot survey. All witnesses who were invited to attend the Committee were asked to complete an optional witness diversity form. Initial results show this has led to an increase in response rates. The trial will be evaluated by the end of the session with a view to making recommendations for the successor Convener Group to consider in the new session.vi
Each year the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee publishes a tracker report highlighting progress on issues it has considered throughout the year and throughout the session. This allows the Committee to assess progress against its recommendations to the Scottish Government.
The Committee agreed its Tracker Report for 2024-25 at its meeting on 2 December 2025i. The final report was published on 5 December 2025.ii