Chamber and committees

Following the appointment of Lord Cameron of Lochiel as Parliamentary Under Secretary of State in the Scotland Office, I wrote to him on 17 April 2024 seeking an update on the proposed Order under section 104 of the Scotland Act 1998.

Alister Jack, the then Secretary of State for Scotland, wrote to me on 15 May 2024. In his letter, Mr Jack apologised for the delay. He said he was satisfied that a section 104 Order under the Scotland Act 1998 was the appropriate legislative vehicle, and he was content to provide his in-principle agreement to this Order. He indicated that his officials in the Scotland Office would shortly be setting up a working group of officials to consider the work plan for the Order, including timescales and Parliamentary requirements.

The UK General Election was then called on 23 May and took place on 4 July. Given the change in the UK Government, I wrote to the new Secretary of State, Ian Murray MP, on 12 August 2024 seeking his in-principle agreement to proceed with the section 104 Order. I have not yet received a reply.

Historic Environment Scotland will continue to consider all options available to sustain and enhance the sites across its estate as it develops its Properties in Care strategy. However, it is important that we recognise climate change effects have been accelerating, and the increased rainfall and variations in temperature have continuing impacts on both Scotland's natural and built heritage.

I have asked Historic Environment Scotland to write directly to the member to update him of the position.

The price for HMP Highland is set in the construction contract which was awarded in April 2024. While there remains a risk of extension of time (and associated costs) due to extreme weather or other unforeseen circumstances, it is expected that the agreed price will be the price paid.

The Scottish Government does still plan to publish the recommendations of the Transmission Network Short Life Working Group (SLWG).

Alongside this, we will also publish the Terms of Reference of the Transmission Steering Group (TSG), which have recently been finalised by the group. The TSG has been established in order to implement priority actions in the SLWG Report and monitor their progress.

Both documents are currently being assessed for accessibility compliance and are currently due to be published on the Scottish Government website in the week commencing 30 September 2024.

Assessments of revenue impact will be taken in the course of the Scottish Budget using up to date data relating to the non-domestic rates tax base and inflation. Indicative revenue changes of the result of a 1p change to the basic, intermediate and higher property rates were published in Scottish Tax – changes for 2023 to 2024 ready reckoners which can be found here : Summary - Scottish Tax - changes for 2023 to 2024: ready reckoners - gov.scot (www.gov.scot).

The Scottish Fiscal Commission’s forecasts from December 2023 estimate the cost of Hospitality Relief for Islands and Specified Remote areas to be £4 million in 2024-25. An Island Communities Impact Assessment, published alongside the Non-Domestic Rates (Islands and Remote Areas Hospitality Relief) (Scotland) Regulations 2024 which deliver this relief, considers the impact of this relief.

It is not practical to estimate the behavioural response of businesses to any change in the Higher Property Rate that may arise from restoring parity with the English Standard Multiplier in order to assess the economic impact robustly.

It is however possible to assess the financial impact of changes in liability for an individual business. The median rateable value for properties liable to pay the Higher Property Rate in Scotland is £191,000. The additional gross non-domestic rates liability for a property with that rateable value in Scotland in 2024-25 is £2,483.

The upcoming Disability Equality Plan, however, will set out an intention to improve disability-specific evidence in collaboration with Disabled Peoples Organisations.

The Scottish Government recognises the importance of analysing, collecting and publishing disability data alongside other equalities breakdowns. This is set out in the Equality Evidence Strategy 2023-2025.

There is currently no plan to repeat this publication.

The Practitioner Advisory Group was set up in March 2024, and has met three times since, and is due to meet again in November 2024.

The Group acts as a sounding board for the Scottish Government in developing its proposals for changes to the compulsory purchase system. As indicated in the Programme for Government 2024-25, the Scottish Government will issue a package of proposals for public consultation, which is due in autumn 2025. This will pave the way for a comprehensive bill in the next Parliament.

Further information on the Practitioner Advisory Group, including the minutes of their meetings (once agreed by the Group), can be found at: https://www.gov.scot/groups/compulsory-purchase-practitioners-advisory-group/ .

Further information on compulsory purchase reform programme can be found at:

https://blogs.gov.scot/planning-architecture/2024/07/09/compulsory-purchase-reform/.

The Scottish Government remains committed to maximising the important contribution forestry makes in tackling the climate and biodiversity crises, despite the most challenging budget settlement from the UK Government since devolution.

As announced in the Programme for Government in 24-25 around 10,000 hectares of new woodland, including around 4,000 hectares of native woodland will be created. Putting this in context, it will still allow Scotland to create more woodland than the rest of the UK combined.

To support this work Scottish Forestry continues to develop the Woodland Carbon Code, which provides an alternative revenue stream for land owners to support woodland creation. Scottish Forestry have already exceeded the target to increase the woodland carbon market by 50% by 2025. This year Scottish Forestry are piloting a new funding scheme allowing applicants to access a reduced public grant alongside Woodland Carbon Code funding, which will allow greater woodland creation to take place with reduced public funds. SF are also in the process of rolling out improvements to systems and processes to make the woodland creation application process more efficient and transparent, these are captured in a new Woodland Creation Route Map which will be published shortly.