First up this afternoon is portfolio questions.

This week education and skills ministers are in the hot seats.

Image source, Getty, Thinkstock, Undiscovered Scotland, BBC

First up in the chamber this afternoon we have portfolio questions as education and skills ministers take the hot seats.

Environment and Climate Change minister Roseanna Cunningham will then give a statement on air quality.

The government will then lead a debate in support of Paisley's 2021 and Dundee's 2023 culture bids.

After decision time SNP MSP Jenny Gilruth will lead this evening's members debate on the Levenmouth Rail link.

We'll be back at 2pm.

That concludes the Local Government and Communities Committee.

The Committee will consider the following negative instrument:

• The Charities Accounts (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2017 (SSI 2017/284).

Mr Wightman asks if there should be changes so that a landlord cannot evict a tenant just to sell the property.

Ms King says she would have to come back on the committee on that.

Committee convener Bob Doris thanks the witnesses and that ends this evidence session.

Jules Oldham from Homeless Action Scotland says she was in Dundee yesterday where there is a scheme working on a one to one basis with landlords to help ensure they can get all the paperwork right.

Ms Oldham says it is such a simple solution.

She says the right communication from landlords and having them know they have the support

Image source, BBC Scotland

During last week's Local Government Committee evidence session Thomas Lyon said everything with his flat was fine until his landlord was made bankrupt.

Mr Lyon said he always paid his rent and then was made homeless.

Green MSP Andy Wightman asks the witnesses to reflect on Thomas Lyon's evidence last week where he was made homeless because his landlord was evicted.

Mr Wightman asks if some of the rights being discussed should be tackled by looking at landlord rights and if landlords should be able to evict someone because they want to sell the property.

Fiona King from Shelter Scotland says tenants are being put on a more rights based footing but landlords would still be able to evict a tenant if they want to sell and any change to that may be problematic.

Ms King says getting more information to private rented tenants is important.

She says Thomas Lyon's was a difficult situation and questions why his landlord being made bankrupt resulted in 10 years of chaos for him through no fault of his own.

Ms King says the response and support he got was not good enough.

Image source, bbc

Dr Neil Hamlet from NHS Health Scotland says he is delighted the committee took evidence from experts by experience last week.

Dr Hamlet says folk that have been through the experience are right up for providing very solid evidence based advice.

Bridget Curran from Glasgow Housing Options says she is pleased to see the first minister's announcement on action group.

Crisis chief executive Jon Sparkes is to chair the Scottish government’s homelessness and rough sleeping action group.

It was announced by Nicola Sturgeon a part of the programme for government, with the aim of eradicating rough sleeping completely.

Fiona King from Shelter Scotland says it is hard to understand fully the different forms of rough sleeping.

Ms King says there are a range of reasons why people may not engage with authorities or institutions.

She says that the reality is that there are some people approaching authorities and being turned away.

"It could definitely be helped if more temporary accommodation could be made available," she says.

Ms King says this would allow authorities to offer something to a person that has been brave enough to approach them and restore faith in the system.

Image source, bbc

Jules Oldham from Homeless Action Scotland says she agrees it is wrong Christian charities are having to step in to help the homeless, but says they are still needed.

Ms Smith says these charities are steeping into a breach that should be filled by the state.

Ms Oldham says there needs to be a long term focus.

She says don't close the night shelters this winter but hopefully in the future they would not be needed.

Jules Oldham from Homeless Action Scotland says there is still the situation where people are being told by local authorities that there is nothing.

Ms Oldham says there are people that are being offered something but would rather be on the street.

She says if someone is feeling at their most vulnerable they may not want to be in a building where there are other people.

Ms Oldham says it may be that the person is trying to get over an addiction and does not want to be around others with addiction.

Image source, bbc

Labour MSP Elaine Smith says she was a homelessness officer thirty years ago and there was talk of moving away from temporary accommodation then.

Ms Smith moves to the issue of rough sleeping and the "gate keeping issue".

The deputy committee convener asks if it is appropriate that it is Christian organisations like the Bethany Trust and Glasgow City Mission that are providing emergency hostel accommodation.

Ms Smith asks if more of that accommodation is needed.

Fiona King from Shelter Scotland says the outcomes of Housing First have been "fantastic".

Ms King says, if the committee took anything from the evidence session last week, she would hope that it would see that housing support must improve.

She says "there is a real resource question" because there is not housing available.

Image source, bbc

Committee convener Bob Doris says the he and his fellow MSPs will be going to Finland next week to look at the best practice there.

Jules Oldham from Homeless Action Scotland highlights Housing First and says her organisation is wholly behind it.

She says Housing First is only for a number of people who fit the model requirements for it to have the affect it should have.

In Finland the Housing First principle, originating from the U.S., has become a challenger to the traditional "staircase" or the "continuum of care" housing service approaches.

It is a question about the "change of paradigm" in tackling homelessness.

According to the HF-principle housing is a basic need, which is not bound to health or lifestyle and rehabilitation is not a precondition for housing.

Dr Neil Hamlet from NHS Health Scotland says there should be a review of housing support and that this should be more holistic.

From the Scottish government website:

Five regional Hubs containing the majority of the 32 local authorities were established to promote a housing options approach, external to homelessness prevention.

The development of each Hub was taken forward by the local authorities themselves and they work to approved action plans to deliver their aims.

The Hubs focus on developing the Housing Options through a combination of sharing practice, commissioning joint training and research.

• Regional Hub details, external

Image source, Getty Images

Hubs Evaluation

The Local Authority Housing Hubs Evaluation was published on 31 May 2012. The research, carried out by Ipsos MORI on behalf of the Scottish Government/COSLA 2012 Joint Steering Group, shows that the Housing Options Hubs have positively progressed the development of the Housing Options approach and assisted local authorities to work together on joint projects and the sharing of best practice.

• Full Report, external
• Research Findings, external
• Best Practice Guide, external

Fiona King from Shelter Scotland says every housing service must be tailored to a local area.

Ms King understands whey there was not a consistent roll out of Housing Options.

Fiona King from Shelter Scotland says the interplay between statutory duties and the Housing Options approach is complicated.

Ms King says, for some people, there may not be any other choice but to make a homelessness application.

"Prevention is the key to addressing homelessness," but for some people there is no other option but to make that application, she says.

Image source, bbc

Bridget Curran from Glasgow Housing Options says the West of Scotland Hub has been critically important.

Ms Curran says she believes the Housing Options approach has made a significant progress in reducing homelessness.

She says there are higher homeless applications than there are in Scotland.

Ms Curran says in Glasgow they have had to work with RSLs (Registered Social Landlords) and she stresses the importance of partnership working.