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The short answer is yes. As we have said, the work that needs to happen in order to address the situation that those people are in is the SBA process and the subsequent actions, where the assessments determine that that is necessary.

Following the work of the review panel, we are satisfied that the approach that we are taking will give adequate safety. If I recall rightly, the European Commission is working with colleagues to look at alternative approaches to large-scale testing. I suspect that practice will continue to develop with regard to how fire safety tests can be used. Until that work bears fruit, the approach that we are taking on implementing a ban is the one that will give confidence to building occupiers and the construction sector that their safety is guaranteed.

Thank you, convener, and good afternoon.

I am happy to address the committee to update members on the progress of the Scottish Government’s work on fire safety and energy regulations. I will first cover fire safety and then energy.

In late 2020, a fire safety review panel was convened to examine how to ban the highest-risk cladding materials from taller buildings and the role of BS 8414. Last week, the committee heard from Peter Drummond of the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland, who chaired the review panel. I am grateful for the valuable contribution that was made by all members of that panel.

The review process was rigorous and lengthy, and the panel needs to consider a range of issues thoroughly before we undertake a public consultation. The outcome of the review was that regulations have been made to ban the highest-risk metal composite materials from any further use as cladding or internal linings in all buildings. They also ban combustible cladding from residential and other high risk buildings that are over 11m in height.

We have also introduced regulations to ensure that all replacement cladding should meet the new standards. Those changes are the latest in a series of changes that have been introduced since the tragedy at Grenfell tower, including the introduction last year of sprinklers in all new flats, social housing and certain shared multi-occupancy residential buildings. We had previously set requirements for two staircases as well as effective floor signage and fire-service activated evacuation sounders in buildings over 18m.

As the convener mentioned, we are also taking action on unsafe cladding on existing buildings, on which the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government made a statement to Parliament last week. I do not intend to cover that in my opening remarks—if the committee wants to ask questions, I will try to deal with some aspects, but others may be for the cabinet secretary to deal with.

The energy improvements that we are introducing in October will deliver another step towards improved energy and emissions performance in our buildings, and new homes in particular, with a strong focus on a fabric-first approach and on practical ways to reduce energy demand. We will be going further on that in 2024, with more significant changes to require new buildings to use zero-emissions heating systems. The current changes support that intent by future proofing installed heating systems in advance of those further regulations.

I am also keen that we continue to understand how we can achieve outcomes that are equivalent to those resulting from very low energy standards such as passivhaus. Again, I acknowledge the contribution of the review panel on energy standards, which was chaired by Stephen Good of the Construction Scotland Innovation Centre. We had more than 170 responses to the energy consultation and, although some concerns were expressed about the pace of change, there was no doubt that there was overwhelming agreement that change is needed.

I am happy to take questions from the committee.

The Scottish Government, UK Government, Welsh Government and the Northern Ireland Executive are taking a similar approach to the definition of the materials that we are talking about. A degree of consensus seems to have emerged as each Administration has undertaken reviews since Grenfell, and there seems to be general agreement on the definition that is being used.

I ask Stephen Garvin whether that is being explored in those terms.

I ask David Blair to jump in again.

It is worth reinforcing the point that the 11m height does not apply to the most highly combustible cladding materials, which are banned from all new build. Other types are permitted up to 11m.

As I said in my previous response, the committee will be aware that the single building assessment process needs to be undertaken to identify where we believe changes need to be made. David Blair might want to come in here and say whether there has been any assessment of the numbers.

Again, as that is a highly technical matter, I will rely on officials.

Yes, although some of those issues were dealt with by the cabinet secretary in her statement to Parliament last week.

The single building assessment is intended to overcome a difference between the UK and Scottish tenure systems, in that in Scotland there is not a single building owner.

The committee will be aware that the single building assessment is about the safety of buildings and the people in them, and it includes a generic fire risk assessment as well as an external wall appraisal. It needs to be carried out in a professional and rigorous manner, and only by undertaking that work can we identify where changes to existing systems might need to be made. There is a fairly high degree of confidence that the majority of buildings will be found to be safe, so the mere conducting of an assessment should not give people cause for severe anxiety. However, the work needs to be undertaken to identify where those changes have to happen.

Training of surveyors to undertake the external wall appraisals is under way. We expect that to improve the capacity of the sector to deliver the assessments that are necessary. Reducing the level of competence of those who are undertaking the work is really not an option, so we have to work with the sector to increase the supply of competent professionals who can undertake that work. I think that the committee will understand the need to work with the sector to increase capacity but also to make sure that those assessments are conducted to the required standard.

It is also an important principle that the assessments come at zero cost to home owners, and the Government has ensured that they will.