Exemptions and rebates 10 Exemptions and rebates (1) The Scottish Ministers may by regulations— 25 (a) specify the cases or circumstances in which the levy (or a sum equivalent to the amount of the levy) is not payable or may be reimbursed, (b) provide for the making of arrangements for the issuing of exemption vouchers to categories of visitors specified in the regulations who may enter into a chargeable transaction, for the purpose of demonstrating the application of circumstances in 30 which a chargeable transaction is not subject to the levy. (1A) Before making regulations under subsection (1), the Scottish Ministers must consult local authorities and such tourist organisations as Ministers consider appropriate. (2) Regulations under subsection (1) are subject to the affirmative procedure. 6 Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill Part 3—Introduction and administration of the levy P ART 3 I NTRODUCTION AND ADMINISTRATION OF THE LEVY Process 11 Scheme to impose levy 5 (1) A local authority may— (a) introduce a scheme or schemes to impose the levy for all or part of its area (referred to in this Act as a “VL scheme”), (b) modify a VL scheme, or (c) revoke a VL scheme. 10 (2) A VL scheme may make different provision for different purposes or different areas 1 within the local authority's area. (3) Two or more local authorities may act jointly to make a VL scheme. (4) In those circumstances— (a) they must continue to act jointly in relation to the scheme in all respects, and 15 (b) unless the context requires otherwise, a reference in this Act to— (i) a local authority, in relation to a VL scheme or to a proposed scheme, is a reference to the authorities acting jointly, (ii) the area of a local authority is a reference to the combined areas of those authorities, and 20 (iii) the local tourism strategy of a local authority is a reference to any tourism strategy prepared by an authority which is in effect in all or part of the area to which the VL scheme applies. 12 Prior consultation on scheme (1) Before introducing or modifying a VL scheme, a local authority must— 25 (a) prepare and publicise— (i) an outline of the proposed scheme or (as the case may be) the scheme as it is proposed to be modified (“the proposal”), (ii) a statement about the objectives of the proposal, including how the authority intends to measure and report on the achievement of those objectives, and 30 (iii) an assessment of the impacts of the proposal in the authority’s area, (b) consult— (i) such persons as the authority considers to be representative of communities, businesses engaged in tourism and tourist organisations in its area, (ia) if any part of the area to which the VL scheme relates has been designated 35 as a National Park, the National Park authority for that Park, and (ii) such other persons as the authority considers likely to be affected by the proposal, 7 Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill Part 3—Introduction and administration of the levy (c) prepare and publicise a report which— (i) summarises the consultation responses received, (ii) states whether or not the authority intends to proceed with the proposal (or the proposal as modified in light of the consultation), and 5 (iii) sets out the authority's reasons for whether or not it intends to proceed. (2) For the purposes of subsection (1)(a)(ii) the objectives must relate to developing, supporting or sustaining facilities or services which are substantially for or used by persons visiting...