Chamber and committees

This information is not collected centrally.

The Scottish Energy Efficiency Office (SEEO) is in contact with local authority energy managers and with CoSLA to ensure that all authorities are aware of how the climate change levy will affect them and what they can do to mitigate its impact. Seminars; press articles; and the SEEO website are also being used to disseminate information on the CCL, including advice on how electricity from qualifying renewable energy sources and good quality Combined Heat and Power schemes will be exempt from the levy.

As part of an ongoing programme, the Scottish Energy Efficiency Office (SEEO) is endeavouring to make Scottish businesses aware of how the climate change levy will affect them and what they can do to mitigate its impact. Information on the CCL is being disseminated by way of seminars, other business events, press articles, the SEEO website, and the Enterprise Network. The SEEO is also working with the major energy suppliers in Scotland with a view to sending information on the CCL to their business customers. Included in the information being disseminated is advice on how electricity from qualifying renewable energy sources and good quality Combined Heat and Power schemes is exempt from the levy.

All three water authorities have made assessments of the impact of costs of the climate change levy. At this stage, their estimates are as follows:

East of Scotland Water Authority: £400,000 per annum

West of Scotland Water Authority: £900,000 per annum

North of Scotland Water Authority: £475,000 per annum

The climate change levy will apply to all business in both the private and public sectors, and is an instrument designed to encourage energy efficiency, reducing energy consumption and the emission of greenhouse gases. It would therefore not be appropriate to attempt to mitigate its impact. The monies raised will be returned to the business sector in full through a reduction in National Insurance Contributions and through support for energy efficiency measures.

It has not been necessary in the operational work of the office to have a working definition of "donated income". The income of charitable organisations can come from private individuals, the private sector, grant-giving trusts or by way of grant from public funds held by both local and central government authorities.

The Scottish Charities Office has received 921 complaints since its establishment in 1992. The precise information on sources of complaints and disposal thereof is not readily available and cannot be obtained except at disproportionate cost. The majority of complaints to the Charities Office come from members of the public. Other sources are officials of charities themselves and the police and Government departments.

No such guidance has been issued by the Charities Office.

The operating costs of the Scottish Charities Office form part of the budget of the Crown Office and the Procurator Fiscal Service. The provisional figure for the year to 31 March 2000 is £290,000. The final figure will be published in the annual report of the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service which will be issued in the autumn.

The timing is a matter for the Charity Law Review Commission.

This is not information which is essential to the operational work of the Scottish Charities Office and it is not appropriate for the Charities Office to make any assessment of the total amount of donated income received by charities.