Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:

To ask the Secretary of State for Housing, Communities and Local Government, whether he has had discussions with his Scottish counterpart on the experience of Rent Services Scotland to inform the development of (a) an alternative body and (b) mechanism to make initial rent determinations in cases of Section 13 rent appeals.

Officials in my Department engage regularly with a range of stakeholders, including officials working in Rent Services Scotland.

Subject to a final viability assessment, the government intends to establish an alternative body or mechanism to the First-tier Tribunal to make initial rent determinations. We will confirm further details in due course.