Housing (Scotland) Bill Island Communities Impact Assessment Results

Consultation and engagement

The Bill content has been informed by significant public and stakeholder engagement, including but not limited to engagement with tenants; private and social landlords; housing investors; third sector organisations; local authorities; and public bodies. Policy proposals within the Bill have also been informed by engagement with six working groups; three public consultations^[12]; and a ‘Landlord and tenant engagement questionnaire on rented sector reform’^[13]. A number of the responses to the public consultation A New Deal for Tenants - draft strategy: consultation^[14] highlighted issues in relation to island/rural communities as set out in the Rental sector reform: island communities screening assessment^[15]. Further information on our engagement is also set out within the Policy Memorandum^[16].

In relation to Homelessness Prevention, data has been gathered through public consultation and engagement events during the period 2021-2023, and before that, during the consultation process which informed the Prevention Review Group (“PRG”) recommendations for legal duties on Scottish local authorities and wider public bodies to prevent homelessness^[17]. The PRG consulted with over 100 organisations from a variety of sectors, and no particular impact on the islands was highlighted by any of these organisations.

The Scottish Government carried out a public consultation^[18] on the Mobile Homes proposals from January to April 2023 which received 171 responses. The consultation included a question about the impact of the proposed changes on individuals and on organisations. Responses did not suggest that the legislation would have a different impact on island communities compared to other communities on the Scottish mainland.