Chamber and committees

The Scottish Government collects and publishes quarterly statistics on proposals and appeals against non-domestic rates revaluations. The publications present the position up to the end of each quarter (end of June, September, December and March).

As a result, the Scottish Government does not yet hold information on the number of appeals against non-domestic property valuations that have been lodged following the most recent (2026) revaluation. The first statistics relating to the 2026 revaluation (providing the position as at 30 June 2026) are currently planned for publication in Autumn 2026.

The value of each property for the purposes of non-domestic rates is assessed by the local independent Scottish Assessor, and referred to as its “rateable value”. There is a right of appeal against the Assessor’s determination of rateable value.

Following recommendations of the independent Barclay Review of Non-Domestic Rates, from 1 April 2023, a new two-stage appeals process was introduced with an initial evidence-based proposal stage. Proposals can typically be made within four months of a revaluation or 31 July in a revaluation year. Ratepayers may then, in prescribed circumstances, appeal against the outcome of the proposal to the Local Taxation Chamber, first-tier Tribunal.

Appeals are reported when they are first notified to the Assessors by the Scottish Tribunals. As a consequence of the lodging and disposal deadlines, it is unlikely that any revaluation 2026 appeals will have been received by 30 June 2026.

Statistics on proposals and appeals against non-domestic revaluations are routinely published (updated quarterly) on the Scottish Government website and are available at: Proposals and appeals against non-domestic revaluations.

Scottish Government issued a consultation on ‘Reforming the non-domestic rates system: proposals, the draft valuation roll, content of valuation notices, etc.’ in 2021. Views were sought on a range of changes to the system including the introduction of a disposal deadline for revaluation proposals on 31 July of a revaluation year, or four months after the valuation notice is received, whichever is later.

A full consultation analysis is available on the Scottish Government website. The Scottish Government published a ‘We asked, You said, We did’ in 2022, available at: Consultation on reforming the non-domestic rates system: proposals, the draft valuation roll, content of valuation notices, etc. - Scottish Government consultations - Citizen Space.

The suggested time period for lodging a revaluation proposal was adopted on the basis that this provides proprietors, tenants and occupiers with a period of eight months to scrutinise their rateable value and consider whether they want to lodge a proposal - four months between the publication of their draft rateable value (30 November the year before revaluation) and revaluation (1 April), and four months after revaluation (1 April to 31 July in the year of revaluation).

The timeous lodging and resolution of proposals is paramount in a three-year revaluation cycle which was introduced at the 2023 revaluation following a recommendation by the independent Barclay Review of Non-Domestic Rates.

As our national development agency, Scottish Enterprise is responsible for delivering the Scottish Government’s economic development priorities as set out by ministers.

The Scottish Government recognises that the availability and quality of business premises is a key enabler of economic growth across the South of Scotland.

Our National Planning Framework states that Local Development Plans should include a suitable range of business sites that meet current market demand, location, size and quality, and that planning authorities should support the delivery and reuse of business premises in line with need.

We have committed £15 million through the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal to deliver modern, fit for purpose business units at the Borders Innovation Park in Tweedbank, and a further £8 million through the Borderlands Growth Deal to deliver new industrial and business premises at five sites across the south.

Our dedicated enterprise agency for the region, South of Scotland Enterprise (SOSE), works with partners to improve the supply, suitability, and sustainability of business space as part of its wider support for place-based economic development.

SOSE commissioned a comprehensive survey of employment and business properties across the South of Scotland in 2020, covering property size, condition, location and local market dynamics. This analysis was refreshed in 2022 to reflect post-COVID impacts.

The survey findings - alongside current market intelligence and engagement with businesses and partners - have informed work to develop and enhance business premises where there is clear evidence of need and economic impact.

SOSE has, for example, worked with partners to support regeneration activity in the Midsteeple Quarter in Dumfries, where vacant town centre buildings are being brought back into productive use, including for commercial and business purposes.

I refer the member to the answer to question S7W-00442 on 5 June 2026. All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers.

The £144m East Kilbride Enhancement Project electrified 22.4km of railway line and saw the relocation of Hairmyres station. Brand new, fully accessible stations were built at both East Kilbride and Hairmyres, including a transport interchange at Hairmyres. This work was completed in December 2025.

There are no current plans for improvements to the station at Thorntonhall, the station has step free access to the platforms and offers a waiting area for passengers.

Timetable development is a complex and iterative process and primarily a matter managed by ScotRail working in collaboration with Network Rail and other passenger and freight operators. Network Rail considers key constraints such as headways (safe spacing between trains), junction margins, and platform availability (headways, junction margins, and platform availability can be particular constraints on the approaches to and inside in busy stations such as Glasgow Central). Transport Scotland ensures that Scottish Government policies and strategies inform service planning decisions.

It is the Scottish Ministers who determine applications made under sections 36 and 37 of the Electricity Act 1989. The Energy Consents Unit administers these applications on their behalf.

Details of decisions made by the Scottish Ministers about battery energy storage system (BESS) applications are as follows:

Consented 62

Refused 0

The Scottish Government supports the development of integrated smart ticketing across bus and rail, including in the Strathclyde area, as part of its wider commitment to improving public transport.

As set out in the Smart, Digital, Integrated Ticketing and Payments Delivery Strategy (2024), the Scottish Government’s vision is To increase the use of sustainable public transport by providing smart and integrated ticketing, payment, and journey planning data enhancements, contributing to a healthier, fairer and more prosperous Scotland.

In the Strathclyde area, multi-modal flexi-tickets, including one-day capped tickets based on the zones travel will take place in, are already available through Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT). These are available to download onto any compatible smartcard and covers travel by ScotRail, Subway and most buses in the SPT area.

At the national level, the National Smart Ticketing Advisory Board (NSTAB), established in 2023, brings together operators, local transport authorities and passenger representatives to provide strategic advice to Ministers on smart ticketing, including the technological standard for smart ticketing.

NSTAB will also support improvements to smart ticketing and progression for development of options for a new national integrated ticketing system, reflecting passengers’ desire for integrated contactless payment and digital ticketing. Its first recommendations were laid before Scottish Ministers in October 2025, in the form of the STAR (Standards and Technology Advisory Report), which was approved at a strategic level by Ministers in January 2026.

The delivery of a Scotland wide integrated ticketing system is, however, dependent on future funding allocation and any legislation that may be required.

Thanks to investment from the Scottish Government, the East Kilbride line has recently been electrified, with the majority of services now operated by modern electric trains - delivering enhanced reliability, comfort and excellent value for money for passengers, further strengthened by our decision to remove peak fares for good and a 12-month ScotRail fare freeze from 1 April 2026.

This investment also included double tracking of part of the line which enables the resilient delivery of 4 trains per hour in the peaks.

The current timetable provides 2 trains per hour throughout the day, all week, increasing to 4 trains per hour in the peaks. Since December, the evening service has been increased to 2 trains per hour, taking it back to pre-Covid levels. The current provision meets passenger demand well.

ScotRail monitors patronage on individual routes on an ongoing basis and adjusts services accordingly, where resources allow.