Scottish Parliament
No scheduled business
UK Parliament
Today’s business includes:
Legislation: Pension Schemes (Conversion of Guaranteed Minimum Pensions) Bill – second reading
Legislation: British Sign Language Bill – second reading. Lord Bruce of Bennachie is scheduled to speak in this session.
Aberdeenshire Council
A meeting of the Local Review Body is scheduled today.
Aberdeen City Council
A meeting of the Pensions Committee and Pension Board is scheduled today.
News/Funding/Consultations
- Final Deadline: Friday, March 25 at 5pm - Taxi and Private Hire Driver and Operator Support Fund 2022. The Taxi and Private Hire Driver and Operator Support Fund 2022 will provide a one-off payment to eligible drivers and operators who have been affected by the coronavirus (CV19) restrictions in December 2021 and January 2022. From March 7, 2022, the fund will open to all drivers and operators (including those who did not originally receive funding through the Taxi and Private Hire Driver and Operator Support Fund launched on June 7, 2021). Further details can be found here.
- Events Industry Support Fund 3 – event recovery. The Events Industry Support Fund 3 is for businesses in the events industry that have not previously received event-related CV19 business support funding. Businesses must still be trading and operating and must have suffered a financial loss due to the cancellation or restriction of events in Scotland between 8 December 2021 and 31 March 2022 due to the Omicron restrictions. This fund closes at 5pm on Thursday, March 31. Further information can be found here.
- Omicron business support fund – tourism recovery. This fund supports businesses which were not eligible to receive previous CV19 recovery funding through the 6 original tourism funds available in 2021. It was established to provide support for businesses operating in the six sectors identified as having been most affected by Omicron, following feedback from the industry and in recognition of a funding gap for a small number of tourism businesses in Scotland. The eligible sectors are coach operators, day tour operators, hostels, inbound tour operators, marine/outdoor and visitor attractions. This fund closes at 5pm on Wednesday, March 20. Further information can be found here.
- Tied Pubs – Scottish Pubs Code – part 2. This consultation seeks your views on the Scottish Government's proposals on the Scottish Pubs Code for tied pubs. It seeks your views on what else the Scottish Pubs Code should contain beyond Market Rent Only leases and guest beer agreements (which were subject to a separate Scottish Pubs Code Consultation – Part 1 earlier this year). This consultation includes proposals for information to be provided to new tenants and at lease renewals, proposals on rent reviews and rent assessments, dilapidations and repairs. The consultation covers proposals for determining the maximum financial penalty which the Adjudicator can apply when a pub-owning business has failed to comply with the code. The consultation also seeks your views on when tied pub tenants should pay arbitration fees and expenses (the Act already deals with the responsibility of pub-owning businesses for arbitration fees and expenses). For further information or to respond to the consultation, please visit: Tied Pubs - Scottish Pubs Code - part 2 - Scottish Government - Citizen Space (consult.gov.scot)