Seòmar agus comataidhean

It is for Paul Riley. Paul, you mentioned at the beginning of your remarks some of the challenges around equality of access and accessibility issues for people with disabilities. Some members of the committee visited Orkney recently as part of a separate inquiry and we got some insight into the issues that you mentioned. Will you elaborate on what that means, not just in Orkney but in relation to Scotland’s ferry fleet? What should we be looking at in our inquiry in relation to disabled access and accessibility issues?

That is really helpful—thank you.

Sam, we have just heard about the potential benefits of a multivessel service. Joe mentioned flexibility. I am keen to hear your thoughts.

Thank you. I am sorry—a window is banging behind me, which is a bit distracting.

I cannot see the rest of the witnesses on my screen. Would anyone like to add to what Margaret has said? Does anyone have a different view on vessel size? Just give a wave if you want to come in.

Joe Reade talked about crews and the number of staff on ferries. Do the panel members have a view about whether crews should live onshore, either at home or in staff accommodation, or on board their vessels? I would also welcome any other comments or views on workforce issues that the committee should consider.

I invite Laurence Odie to comment on that. We have not heard from him yet.

Thank you. That was really helpful, including the point about local recruitment. I see that no other witnesses wish to add anything, so I will hand back to the convener.

Good morning. The evidence so far has been very helpful and informative. A few of my questions have already been answered, but I go back to the issues of vessel size and capacity.

In its submission, Harris transport forum says:

“We are ... of the view that medium-sized vessels will provide a more resilient and more convenient service in the long term.”

Margaret, can you explain that further?

Thank you. Garry, do you want to add anything?

It is really helpful to get that on the record. I am sure that the committee will want to explore those issues and the points that other colleagues have made today about the fact that these are lifeline services that people need in order to access the national health service, healthcare and so on. The points that you have raised are really important.

Ross Greer is scaremongering. The measures will not contravene the ECHR, and Mercedes Villalba will address that point in more detail when she closes.

An emergency rent freeze is not radical or dangerous; it is reasonable and is the very least that we should be doing to make Covid recovery a reality for tenants.

I rather admired what the Scottish Greens brought to the table back in 2020. Their amendments were good. Amendments 72 and 73 today are very similar, but have been strengthened. Something has happened to the Scottish Greens that should concern us all. The Scottish Greens were invited into Government after proposing those amendments but have somehow managed to lose their way since they entered Bute house. That is indeed worrying.

I read a blog on social media today by the Green MSP Ariane Burgess, who led the charge against universal free school meals just a couple of weeks ago. She says that the amendments are not fit for purpose and talks them down, but she also says that the Greens are “blazing a trail” in Government. I am afraid that it is a trail of broken promises; it is not good enough.

Members have made not unreasonable points in expressing concerns about landlords. Mercedes Villalba has addressed those points. Her amendments are balanced and proportionate. We know that landlords in Scotland cannot evict tenants simply because they want to put the rent up.

Ross Greer might want to think about the comments made today by the anti-poverty campaigner Ashley McLean, who has taken to social media to say:

“As one of the people who helped write the housing section of the @scottishgreens manifesto, I’m hugely disappointed in their decision to vote down @LabourMercedes rent freeze proposals.”

Others have said that rent controls are desperately needed by 2025, but that tenants need protection in the interim.

Perhaps we need to have a referendum on a rent freeze. I think that Mercedes Villalba has brought competent, proportionate and reasonable amendments to the chamber. It will be more than a shame if we see a pattern developing in which the Greens leave their principles at the door, come into the chamber and frighten people by saying that the bar is too high or that they see a legal challenge.

I thank Living Rent for its campaign and the STUC for its briefing and for reminding us that the issue affects workers in all our constituencies. I thank Mercedes Villalba and I hope that colleagues will think for themselves today, look beyond their whip sheets and absolutely back the amendments.

I speak in support of amendments 72 and 73, because tenants, including those who live in my Central Scotland region, need urgent protection now. I am grateful to Mercedes Villalba for lodging amendments at stage 2 and for bringing revised proposals to the chamber today, because Government and Parliament should be taking every opportunity to protect tenants. That is what Mercedes Villalba is attempting to do, and thanks to her we all have the opportunity to vote for the workable and proportionate measures in front of us today.

Rent is one of the greatest costs facing our constituents. Renters are among the people who were worst hit by the pandemic, and they are now at the sharp end of the cost of living crisis. I am not sure what world Ross Greer is living in, but I point out to him that the emergency is not over—it is now on steroids.