Published 5th June 2015 SP Paper 749 4th Report, 2015 (Session 4) Web Only Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee Annual Report 2014-2015 Produced and published in Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body by APS Group Scotland. All documents are available on the Scottish For information on the Scottish Parliament Parliament website at: contact Public Information on: www.scottish.parliament.uk Telephone: 0131 348 5000 For details of documents available to order Textphone: 0800 092 7100 in hard copy format, please contact: Email: [email protected] APS Scottish Parliament Publications on 0131 629 9941. ISBN 978-1-78568-797-6 © Parliamentary copyright. Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Information on the Scottish Parliament’ copyright policy can be found on the website – www.scottish.parliament.uk Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee Annual Report 2014-2015, 4th Report, 2015 (Session 4) Contents Introduction 1 Legislation 1 Housing (Scotland) Bill Harbours (Scotland) Bill UK legislation Inquiries 2 Freight inquiry 2012 homelessness commitment Other evidence sessions 3 Transport Housing Scottish Water Broadband Budget processes 4 European issues 5 Petitions 5 Equalities 6 Innovation 6 Subordinate legislation 6 Meetings 6 Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee Annual Report 2014-2015, 4th Report, 2015 (Session 4) Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee To consider and report on infrastructure, capital investment, transport, Scottish Water and other matters falling within the responsibility of the Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities, and matters relating to housing and digital infrastructure. www.scottish.parliament.uk/infrastructure [email protected] 0131 348 5229 Follow the Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee on Twitter Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee Annual Report 2014-2015, 4th Report, 2015 (Session 4) Committee Membership Convener Deputy Convener Jim Eadie Adam Ingram Scottish National Party Scottish National Party James Dornan Mary Fee Scottish National Party Scottish Labour Alex Johnstone Mike MacKenzie Scottish Conservative Scottish National Party and Unionist Party David Stewart Scottish Labour Note: The membership of the Committee changed during the period covered by this report, as follows: James Dornan and Mike MacKenzie joined the Committee on 27 November 2014, replacing Gordon MacDonald and Maureen Watt (Scottish National Party) David Stewart joined the Committee on 8 January 2015, replacing Mark Griffin (Scottish Labour) Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee Annual Report 2014-2015, 4th Report, 2015 (Session 4) Introduction 1. This report covers the work of the Infrastructure and Capital Investment (ICI) Committee during the parliamentary year between 11 May 2014 and 10 May 2015. Legislation Housing (Scotland) Bill 2. The Housing (Scotland) Bill was introduced in the Parliament on 21 November 2013. The Bill made a range of provisions related to housing in Scotland, including the abolition of the right to buy social houses, the management of social housing, the operation of the private rented sector, regulation of letting agents, the licensing of sites for mobile homes and private housing conditions. The ICI Committee conducted scrutiny of the Bill at Stage 1 between January and March 2014 and published its Stage 1 report on 3 April 2014. The Committee agreed to the general principles of the Bill. 3. The Committee considered the Bill at Stage 2 at its meetings of 14, 21 and 28 May 2014. Harbours (Scotland) Bill 4. The Harbours (Scotland) Bill was introduced on 18 March 2015 and the ICI Committee was designated as lead committee for scrutiny of the Bill at Stage 1. 5. The Bill has two purposes. First, to remove Scottish Ministers’ powers to require trust ports (over a certain annual turnover threshold) to prepare privatisation proposals. Second, the Bill removes an administrative requirement for six copies of a draft harbour revision or empowerment order to be submitted along with the application for the order. In addition, it reduces the requirement to submit six copies of a harbour reorganisation scheme to Scottish Ministers seeking confirmation of the scheme, to one copy. 6. The Committee’s Stage 1 scrutiny was limited to a single oral evidence session with the Minister for Transport and Islands and the Scottish Government bill team on 29 April 2015 and to consideration of written submissions made in response to its call for evidence. UK legislation 7. The Committee considered one Legislative Consent Memorandum (LCM) in the course of the parliamentary year. This related to the Deregulation Bill (UK Legislation), the purpose of which was to provide for the removal or reduction of 1 Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee Annual Report 2014-2015, 4th Report, 2015 (Session 4) burdens resulting from legislation on businesses, individuals, public sector bodies or other organisations or individuals. 8. Following consideration, the Committee agreed with the Scottish Government’s view that the Scottish Parliament should consent to the UK Parliament legislating in this areas, and recommended this approach in its report on the LCM. Inquiries 9. The Committee undertook the following key pieces of inquiry and scrutiny work during the parliamentary year. Freight inquiry 10. The Committee agreed in October 2014 to undertake an inquiry which would seek to identify and understand some of the challenges facing the freight transport industry in Scotland. It agreed that this should include domestic and international links as well as the interconnectivity of rail, road, air and sea freight services and to identify key areas for development, improvement and change. 11. The Committee took evidence from a range of stakeholders with an interest in the various aspects of freight transport and from the Minister for Transport and Islands between February and April 2015. 12. To help inform its inquiry, the Committee visited the ports of Aberdeen, Cairnryan and Grangemouth, as well as key freight facilities at Coatbridge, Falkirk and Daventry. The Committee was also keen to identify examples of good practice in freight handling in other European countries and members made visits to the Binnenstadservice, an urban freight consolidation centre in Nijmegen and the Port of Rotterdam, both in the Netherlands; and the Skaraborg Logistic Centre, an intermodal rail terminal in Falköping, and the Port of Gothenburg, both in Sweden. 2012 homelessness commitment 13. The Committee undertook a short, follow-up inquiry into the 2012 homelessness commitment in Scotland, which entitles all unintentionally homeless people to accommodation. The Committee undertook its first inquiry on this issue in 2011/2012, reporting to Parliament on 20 March 2012. In its report, the Committee agreed to monitor the implementation of the commitment for the remainder of the parliamentary session and address any areas of concern which might emerge. 14. The Committee took evidence from key stakeholders and from the Minister for Housing and Welfare between June and October 2014. Following this work, the Committee wrote to the Scottish Government in November 2014, welcoming the positive impact of the implementation of the commitment. However, it outlined its concern that the legislation which abolished ‘priority need’ might be behind a rise in intentionally homeless decisions being made by local authorities. It therefore 2 Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee Annual Report 2014-2015, 4th Report, 2015 (Session 4) asked the Scottish Government to report on the reasons behind the variation in intentionally homeless decisions being taken by local authorities as a matter of urgency. Other evidence sessions Transport 15. Following the Scottish Government’s purchase of Prestwick Airport in November 2013, the Committee has sought regular updates from the Cabinet Secretary on the acquisition and the development of plans for its operation under public ownership. It took evidence from the Cabinet Secretary on 12 November 2014 on the Scottish Government’s Strategic Vision for the airport; future revenue generation; operating and maintenance costs; and governance issues. The Committee will continue to monitor developments in relation to these matters. 16. The Committee continued to monitor progress on the construction of the Forth Replacement Crossing and associated infrastructure. It took evidence at its meeting on 18 February 2015 from the project team. Prior to this session, the Committee engaged with local community groups and used information provided on the impact of the construction and related activities on residents to question the project team. 17. The Committee also obtained an update on current transport infrastructure projects jointly from the Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure, Investment and Cities and the Minister for Transport and Islands on 3 December 2014. These included the next Scotrail franchise; high speed rail; major trunk road projects; the Forth Replacement Crossing; the Borders rail project; Edinburgh trams; and the Scottish Government’s walking and cycling strategies. Housing 18. On 14 January 2015 the Scottish Housing Regulator (SHR) appeared before the Committee to discuss its second annual report and accounts as an independent regulator for 2013-2014. In advance of this session, the Committee took oral and written evidence from organisations representing Registered Social Landlords