Scottish Parliament
Business of interest includes:
- Ministerial Statement: Suicide Prevention Strategy and Action Plan
- Committee Announcements
- Business Motions
- Decision Time
- Members’ Business – S6M-06158 Gordon MacDonald: 20th Year of The BIG Project
The following committees meet in the morning:
- Health, Social Care and Sport Committee
- Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee
- Finance and Public Administration Committee
- Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee
- Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee
- Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee
UK Parliament
Business of interest includes:
- Oral questions (Business, Energy, and Industrial Strategy)
- Legislation (Retained EU Law)
- Consideration of Lords amendments (Energy Prices Bill)
- Legislation (Energy Prices Bill)
- Oral evidence of the Economic Affairs Committee (UK labour supply)
- Oral evidence of the European Affairs Committee (The future of the UK0EU relationship)
Aberdeenshire Council
No scheduled business.
Aberdeen City Council
No scheduled business.
News/Consultations/Funding
- Energy Market Financing Scheme – the scheme opens today to help support viable energy firms with major operations in the UK from the unprecedented volatility triggered by Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. More information can be found here.
- Land Reform in a Net Zero Nations consultation – the next Land Reform bill will be an important part of a framework of law and policy that creates the conditions for a fairer, greener, wealthier Scotland and the measures put forward in this consultation align with the priorities for the economy, environment and society that were set out in the recent Programme for Government. For more information, or to respond to the consultation please click here. Closing date for responses is Sunday 30th October.
- Creative Scotland – Made in Scotland Showcase Fund 2023. The Made in Scotland Showcase Fund provides funding to help Scottish artists present new or existing work at the 2023 Edinburgh Festival Fringe. For further information or to apply to the fund, please see here. Closing date for applications is midday, 22 November 2022.
- Energy Bill Relief Scheme for non-domestic customers. The Energy Bill Relief Scheme (EBRS) will provide discounts on energy bills for non-domestic customers in Great Britain. The discounts will initially be applied to energy usage between 1st October 2022 and 31 March 2023. The discount will be applied automatically to all eligible bills by suppliers. You do not need to take action or apply to the scheme, however if you would like more information please see here.
- Developing a Scottish tax to replace the UK Aggregates Levy – The Scottish Government is consulting on a proposal to introduce a Scottish replacement of the UK and are seeking views on how it should be structured and operate. To respond to the consultation, or for more information, please see here. Closing date is the 4th of December 2022.
- Scottish Enterprise Account Management Service. Scottish Enterprise are providing a dedicated account management service for ambitious companies that are able to demonstrate that they can make a significant contribution to achieving a fairer and greener economy. For more information, or to apply, please see here.
- The Flexible Workforce Development Fund - £15k available for Scottish businesses to retrain and upskill workforce. More information can be found here.
- Low Carbon Transport Business Loan 2022/23 – Interest free loans are available to Scottish businesses to help lower their transport and travel costs. These loans are funded by Transport Scotland and have a repayment term of up to 6 years. More information can be found here.
- Recovery Loan Scheme extended – The UK Government has extended the Recovery Loan Scheme (RLS) by a further two years, with applications opening in August 2022 – when further details on the scheme will also be released. More information can be found here.
- £22 million support package to help unemployed people over 50 find work – The package will fund new measures that will help thousands of people across the UK who are over the age of 50 and unemployed. As a result, they will be given further individual support to help them find work before retirement. More information can be found here.
- Investing in net zero energy – new funding to drive innovation within the hydrogen sector and accelerate its production and storage has been launched. More information can be found here.
- Switched on Taxis Loan – Interest free loans of up to £150,000 are available to help owners and operators of hackney cabs and private hire taxis to replace their current vehicles with an eligible ultra-low emission vehicle. For further information please click here
- Low Emission Zone Support Fund for Businesses - Eligible Scottish micro businesses and sole traders can apply for up to £2,000 to take older, more polluting vehicles off the road and move towards cleaner transport options. This is for operating vehicles that are not compliant with the Low Emission Zone (LEZ) standards, in Scotland’s 4 largest cities. More information can be found here.