Question reference: S6W-16384
- Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 29 March 2023
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Current status: Answered by Siobhian Brown on 12 April 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to extend the provisions of the Coronavirus (Recovery and Reform) (Scotland) Act 2022 relating to electronic (a) licensing and (b) registry services.
Answer
In relation to licensing, the 2022 Act contains permanent provisions which allow notice of some licensing applications under the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 to be given by publication on a website. It also made provision so that some licensing hearings and alcohol licensing hearings can be held through remote facilities, as well as in person, or through a mixture of both. There are no plans to extend the scope of these provisions of the 2022 Act.
On registration services, the 2022 Act put on a permanent footing the option of remote death registration and introduced permanently the option of remote birth registration. National Records Scotland are developing proposals so that the registers of life events which they operate are held electronically. There are no plans to allow couples to marry or enter a civil partnership remotely. The 2022 Act make permanent provisions for registration in property registers to proceed on a copy of a deed submitted to the Keeper of the Registers by electronic means. There are no plans to extend this further.