Monday, March 4, 2024: Today's political diary

Scottish Finance Secretary Shona Robison has urged Jeremy Hunt not to cut taxes in Wednesday's budget amid rumours that a further national insurance cut is being considered.

The deputy first minister told BBC's The Sunday Show that more tax cuts would be "unaffordable", asking the Chancellor to reverse the £1.6b cut to Scotland's five-year capital budget to be reversed.

Last week, the Office for Budget Responsibility (OBR) delivered worse-than-expected economic forecasts, putting Mr Hunt's reported desire to cut personal tax by 2p into doubt.

Ms Robison says she shares the view of both the OBR and the International Monetary Fund.

"All of these organisations have said the same, that tax cuts are unaffordable and, indeed, it is the investment in public services that are needed.

"I agree with that and I really hope that Wednesday will see a change in the direction that Jeremy Hunt takes, particularly on investment on capital so we that we can invest in our infrastructure, things like affordable housing.

"I have said it is the number one issue that I want to address if I get that additional capital from the Spring Budget on Wednesday."

But Ms Robison's comments were criticised by opposition, as Scottish Conservative finance spokeswoman Liz Smith said: "It's ridiculous of Shona Robison to be giving the UK chancellor advice on growth, when the SNP's dire record led to her savage tax-and-axe budget that means Scots will be paying more to receive fewer and worse services.

"It's even more absurd for her to call for housing investment, when she has just cut Scotland's housing budget by 26%, and Shelter Scotland say the SNP are 'gaslighting' the public on the subject."

Scottish Parliament:

No scheduled business

UK Parliament:

Today’s business includes:

Oral Questions: Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (including Topical Questions)

General debate: General debate on Farming

Oral Questions (Oral Questions): Extending visas for Ukrainians which are due to expire after 3 years

Oral Questions (Lords): Recent forecast by the Office of National Statistics that between 2021 and 2036 the UK population will grow by 9.9 per cent to 73.7 million persons

Oral Questions (Lords): Ensuring the families of the sub-postmasters affected by the Horizon scandal have access to appropriate psychological support services

Treasury Committee – Private meeting

Scottish Affairs Committee – Oral evidence session on Science and Scotland

Aberdeenshire Council:

No scheduled business

Aberdeen City Council:

No scheduled business

News/Funding/Consultations:

• NEW: Consultation: Development plan amendment regulations. The Scottish Government are seeking views on their proposed approach to regulations on the processes for amending the National Planning Framework and Local Development Plans. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 22^nd May.
• NEW: Consultation: Masterplan consent area regulations. The Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 introduced MCAs, which will have expanded powers building upon Simplified Planning Zones. They will allow planning authorities to take a place leadership role, by proactively consenting the type and quality of development they wish to see in their places. Planning authorities will be able to prepare a MCA ‘Scheme’ setting out what they are giving consent for, through the scheme. MCAs allow for frontloading scrutiny and streamlining consents, as MCAs will be broader in scope than SPZs, being able grant planning permission, plus roads construction, listed building and conservation area consent – where provided for in the particular MCA scheme. MCAs will help to facilitate investment in places, by providing certainty and direction to investors. Once the MCA is ‘made’ (adopted) development could be brought forward without the need for an application providing it is in line with the scheme. The 2019 Act established the principle for establishing MCAs, and the Scottish Government is now consulting on the proposals for the detail of the regulations. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 22^nd May.
• NEW: Consultation: Investing in Planning: a consultation on resourcing Scotland’s planning system. The Scottish Government recognise that there are no simple answers to the challenge of resourcing planning. We live in financially constrained times and even if money was to be found, there is a complex set of circumstances to address. This consultation explores a range of solutions to support resourcing of the planning system. It sets out options which have the potential to improve the capacity of the Scottish planning system, in particular in planning authorities, in the coming years. It responds to current and future challenges, with a view to identifying a set of short and medium term actions that could improve the capacity of the planning system by helping build resilience and strengthening cross sector collaboration. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 31^st May.
• Consultation: Restricting promotions of food and drink high in fat, sugar or salt – Consultation on the detail of proposed regulations. The Scottish Government is consulting on the detail of proposed regulations to restrict HFSS (high fat, salt or sugar food) promotions including: targeted foods within the scope of restrictions; price promotions within the scope of restrictions, including meal deals and temporary price promotions; the approach to placement restrictions of targeted foods in store or online; the qualifying businesses within the scope of restrictions, including the proposed exemptions; and the proposed approach to enforcement and implementation. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 21^st May.
• DEADLINE APPROACHING: Consultation: Draft Environmental Protection (Single-use Vapes) (Scotland) Regulations 2024. The Scottish Government are proposing to introduce a prohibition on the sale and sale of single-use vapes in Scotland. As part of this process, they are inviting public comment on the draft regulations. For more information, or to comment on the proposed regulations, please click here. The closing date for comments is the 8^th March.
• Consultation: Options for Defined Benefit Schemes. The aim of this consultation is to introduce reforms to the private sector Defined Benefit pensions system that jointly benefit scheme members, sponsoring employers and the wider economy. Although pension schemes are in surplus, under current legislation it is difficult and costly for many scheme trustees to share this upside with employers and scheme members. This consultation proposes a number of new measures intended to balance enhanced options for trustees with prioritising the security of member benefits. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 19^th April.
• Consultation: Provisional registration for overseas-qualified dentists. This consultation seeks views on The Dentists Act 1984 (Provisional Registration of Dentists) (Amendment) Order 2024 (‘the draft order’) that aims to give the General Dental Council (GDC) the necessary powers and duties to provisionally register dentists who have qualified overseas and have not yet satisfied the GDC’s requirements for full registration. Provisional registration would allow an overseas-qualified dentist to practise in any dental setting, including high street dental practices, under the supervision of a dentist who has full registration on GDC’s dentists register. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 16^th May.
• LAST CHANCE TO RESPOND: Consultation: Transmission license exemption for array systems connecting to offshore substations. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero are seeking views on a proposed exemption from the requirement to hold a transmission licence for array systems connecting an offshore windfarm to an offshore substation. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 5^th March.
• Consultation: 'Not for EU’ labelling for retail products across Great Britain. This consultation seeks views on the government’s proposals to implement ‘not for EU’ labelling requirements for goods across Great Britain. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 15^th March.
• Consultation: Empowering drivers and boosting competition in the road fuel retail market. The Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) undertook a year long market study into the road fuel sector. It concluded by recommending that the government should create a statutory open data scheme for fuel prices and an ongoing road fuels price monitoring function. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero are now consulting to understand views on the best way to design and implement the open data scheme and elements of the monitoring function that are not outlined in the Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Bill, and have set out their proposals in this consultation. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 12^th March.
• Consultation: Alternative routes to market for new nuclear projects. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is seeking views to understand how government can support investment in advanced nuclear technologies and enable high value projects to be taken forward. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 4^th April.
• Consultation: Guidance on inclusive design for town centres and busy streets. Our town centres and streets provide facilities and amenities which play a vital role in supporting the needs of our communities and in developing a positive sense of local identity. Ensuring that all members of Scotland’s communities irrespective of age, ability or gender have the ability to access these areas safely and confidently without obstruction is an important part of delivering an inclusive society. The Scottish Government is seeking views from a variety of stakeholders on the proposed guidance. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 29^th March.
• LAST CHANCE TO RESPOND: Consultation: Long duration electricity storage: proposals to enable investment. Long duration electricity storage can provide an important contribution to decarbonising our energy system. For example, it can store renewable power and discharge it during periods of low wind. However, evidence suggests that it faces investment challenges under current energy market frameworks, meaning it has struggled to deploy at scale at present. This consultation sets out the Government’s intention to develop a cap and floor mechanism to overcome the investment barriers it has identified. The consultation seeks views on several elements of the approach, including eligibility criteria for assessing applications, the design of the cap and floor mechanism and our proposed options for delivering the scheme. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 5^th March.
• DEADLINE APPROACHING: Consultation: UK Emissions Trading Scheme: future markets policy. The UK Emissions Trading Scheme Authority is seeking views on a number of proposals to develop future markets policy. The Authority is review ETS markets policy to ensure that it remains fit for purpose and is effective in managing the risks faced by an established and maturing scheme. This will help to maintain stable and effective market conditions that will continue to incentivise decarbonisation in the traded sector. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 11^th March.
• DEADLINE APPROACHING: Consultation: UK Emissions Trading Scheme: free allocation review. The UK Emissions Trading Scheme Authority is seeking views on proposals to alter the free allocation methodology for the stationary sectors to better target those most at risk of carbon leakage and ensure that free allocations are fairly distributed. This will broadly focus on 4 key areas: how they account for emissions and activity; benchmarks; the carbon leakage list; and additional factors they might want to introduce to free allocation methodology. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 11^th March.
• DEADLINE APPROACHING: Consultation: Proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill. Like many other countries, Scotland has a legal target to reach ‘net zero’ greenhouse gas emissions. The way we heat our homes, workplaces and other buildings is the third-largest cause of greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland. There is no way to meet our legal obligation to reach ‘net zero’ without changing the heating systems in the vast majority of our buildings. The purpose of this consultation is raise awareness of the Scottish Government’s proposal to make new laws around the heating systems that can be used in homes and places of work (which includes: reconfirming that the use of polluting heating systems will be prohibited after 2045; require those purchasing a home or business premises to end their use of polluting heating systems within a fixed period following completion of the sale; introducing a new law that will require homeowners to make sure that their homes meet a reasonable minimum energy efficiency standard by 2033; and require private landlords to meet this minimum energy efficiency standard by 2028) and to invite views of a variety of stakeholders on those proposals. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 8^th March.

• Support: Develop your workforce with Skills for Growth. Skills for Growth is a diagnostic service that helps you identify skills gaps in your business and find ways to fill them. Skills Development Scotland (SDS) will work with you to understand the skills your business needs, help you create a detailed people skills action plan and direct you to the right support. For more information or to apply, please click here.
• Support: Techscaler. Techscaler is a Scottish Government programme that helps people to start and scale tech businesses. Techscaler membership provides tailored support for founders and leaders of tech start-ups. For more information or to apply, please click here.
• Support: DigitalBoost Health Check. Take a Digital Health Check to find out how your business could improve its digital performance. Just answer 12 questions about your current approach to discover where you could do more with technology and how to boost your online presence. For more information, or to do your own check, please click here.

• Support/Training: The Princes Trust Explore Enterprise Course. The Prince’s Trust Explore Enterprise Course consists of up to seven online sessions providing information and support on the basics of self-employment, HMRC and finance, pricing and sales, marketing, networking, cashflows, and business plans. These sessions are open to individuals aged between 18-30, who are resident in Scotland and been trading for less than 2 years. For more information, or to sign up, please click here.
• Support/Funding: Guidance on how to apply for Innovate UK funding opportunities. Innovate UK provides grant funding, loans and procurements for UK-based businesses to support research, development and innovation. This guidance explains what types of funding opportunities are available and how to apply through their Innovation Funding Service. For more information, or to access the guidance, please click here. Details on the various live funding options are available here.
• Support/Funding: UK Tradeshow Programme. The UK Tradeshow Programme offers government support to help UK businesses attend or exhibit at overseas trade shows more effectively. For more information, or to apply, please click here.

• Funding: Low Emission Zone Support Fund for Businesses. Eligible Scottish micro businesses and sole traders can apply for a £2,000 grant when they dispose of a vehicle that is not compliant with the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) standards in Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee. For more information or to apply, please click here. The closing date for applications is 31^st March 2024.
• Funding: Scottish Co-Investment Fund. The Scottish Co-investment Fund (SCF) is designed to address a finance gap (up to £1.5million) alongside Scottish Enterprise's accredited co-investment partners. This fund is designed for Scottish start-up, early-stage or growing companies seeking investment to develop products and/or markets. For more information, or to apply, please click here.
• Funding: Innovation Funding Service. Innovate UK supports UK-based businesses to invest in research, development and innovation through grant funding, loans or procurements. A variety of innovation competitions are currently open, with the full list and details of eligibility available here.
• Funding: Foresight Scottish Growth Fund. The Scottish Growth Scheme is a package of financial support of up to £500 million for small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in Scotland. Backed by the Scottish Government, it aims to help businesses grow. This equity funding can be used for a variety of purposes, including working capital, capital expenditure and growth funding. For more information or to apply, please click here.
• Funding: SME Loan Scheme. This loan is for small to medium-sized businesses in Scotland and can be used for the installation of energy-efficient measures such as lighting and heating upgrades, double glazing, insulation and more. For more information or to apply, please click here.
• Funding: UMi Debt Finance Scotland. This funding is managed by UMi Debt Finance Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Government and provides loans of £25,000 to £250,000 to eligible small and medium enterprises to help them grow. Loans can be used for a variety of purposes including working capital, capital expenditure and growth funding. For more information or to apply, please click here.
• Funding: District Heating Loan Fund. The District Heating Loan Fund is managed by the Energy Saving Trust on behalf of the Scottish Government. It provides capital loan funding of more than £1 million to organisations in Scotland that use renewables technologies to build out heat networks. For more information, or to apply, please click here.
• Funding: Heat Network Fund. This Scottish Government fund encourages commercial interest and investment that will help make the most of Scotland's vast potential in the low carbon sector and contribute to the positive progress already made in reducing Scotland's greenhouse gas emissions. Eligible projects must be large-scale and based in Scotland. As well as helping reduce emissions, successful projects should also have positive social and economic benefits for Scotland. For more information or to apply, please click here.
• Funding: Workforce Innovation Voucher. The Workforce Innovation Voucher scheme can be used to support innovation to develop a company’s workforce in partnership with a college or university – for example, a new or enhanced workplace business processes, workplace practice or innovative business expertise. Interface provides support with finding a suitable academic partner who has the right specialist expertise to progress your Research and Development project. For more information, or to apply, please click here.
• Funding: National Lottery Open Fund of Organisations – Creative Scotland. The National Lottery Open Fund for Organisations is a funding programme for artistic, creative and cultural organisations based in Scotland. Organisations can apply for between £1,000 and £100,000 to support creative activity that lasts up to 18 months. For more information, or to apply, please click here.
• Funding: Green Heat Innovation Support Programme. The Green Heat Innovation Support Programme provides grant funding, competitive procurement and other forms of support to help Scottish-based companies or companies looking to invest in Scotland develop innovative products, services or business models that address the challenges of green heating. For more information, or to apply, please click here.