Tuesday, January 16, 2024: Today's political diary

Donald Trump looks to be firm favourite to become the Republican nominee for the White House after a record win in the Iowa caucus.

The former President won more than 50% of the vote across the traditionally Republican state, with his nearest challenger, Ron DeSantis, almost 30% behind.

Prior to the 2024 caucus, no one had won by more than 12 points. And in the 99 counties of Iowa, Trump won in 98 of them, losing the other by just a single vote.

In what ended up being an almost perfect night for number 44, Vivek Ramaswamy, Trump's most ideologically similar rival, dropped out of the race and is expected to endorse Trump later today.

The non-Trump vote remains split, with neither DeSantis or Nikki Haley able to cause much of a concern for their former leader.

Across the board, from young to old people and both men and women, Trump was the preferred candidate.

He even managed to convince a number of Republicans that he didn't lose the 2020 election - as many as 90% of Trump supporters still think he won it.

Scottish Parliament:

Today’s business includes:

Topical Questions

Stage 1 Debate: Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill

Financial Resolution: Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill

Decision Time

Members’ Business: S6M-11589 Languages at the University of Aberdeen (in the name of Kevin Stewart)

The following committees are meeting this morning:

Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee

Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee

UK Parliament:

Today’s business includes:

Oral Questions: Energy Security and Net Zero (including Topical Questions)

Ten Minute Rule Motion: Scotland (Self-determination)

Adjournment: Pensioners and the cost of living

Westminster Hall debate: Preventing misinformation and disinformation in online filter bubbles

Oral Questions (Lords): Question to the Foreign Secretary: securing a lasting ceasefire arrangement between Israel and Gaza

Oral Questions (Lords): Question to the Foreign Secretary: the implementation of the UN Sustainable Development Goals

Legislation (Lords): Trade (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) Bill – report stage

Legislation (Lords): Post Office (Horizon System) Compensation Bill – second reading and all remaining stages

Grand Committee Orders and regulations: Public Offers and Admissions to Trading Regulations 2023

Grand Committee Orders and regulations: Online Safety (List of Overseas Regulators) Regulations 2024

Grand Committee Orders and regulations: Immigration Act 2014 (Residential Accommodation) (Maximum Penalty) Order 2023; Immigration (Employment of Adults Subject to Immigration Control) (Maximum Penalty) (Amendment) Order 2023

Finance Bill – Debate to consider the Bill

Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee – Debate on the draft Employment Tribunals and Employment Appeal Tribunal (Composition of Tribunal) Regulations 2023

Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee – Oral evidence session on Devolution Capability in Whitehall

Culture, Media and Sport Committee – Oral evidence session on football governance follow-up

Science and Technology Committee (Lords) – Oral evidence session on long-duration energy storage

Business and Trade Committee – Oral evidence session on Post Office and Horizon – Compensation: follow-up

Scottish Affairs Committee – Private meeting on Cost of living: impact on rural communities in Scotland

Treasury Committee – Oral evidence session on Debt Advice Provision

Finance Committee (Commons) – Private meeting

Communications and Digital Committee – Private meeting

Foreign Affairs Committee – Oral evidence session on The UK’s international counter-terrorism policy

European Affairs Committee – Private meeting on Implications of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine for UK-EU relations

Aberdeenshire Council:

Today’s business includes:

Garioch Area Committee

School Placings and Exclusions Appeals Committee

Buchan Area Committee

Special Meeting – Buchan Area Committee

Aberdeen City Council:

Today’s business includes:

Net Zero, Environment and Transport Committee

News/Funding/Consultations:

• NEW: 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.
• Consultation: Consultation on devolving powers for a Scottish Building Safety Levy. The UK and Scottish Governments face common challenges around remediating historical building safety defects, such as defective cladding, and are both committed to ensuring that the housing sector makes a fair contribution towards the associated costs. The UK Government has announced its intentions to introduce a Building Safety Levy in England. The Levy will apply, subject to any agreed exemptions, as a tax on residential buildings requiring building control approval in England, with revenues being used to fund building safety remediation in England, such as those affected by unsafe cladding. In its 2023-24 Programme for Government, the Scottish Government announced its intention to seek the transfer of powers to introduce a new tax in Scotland, equivalent to the UK Government’s Building Safety Levy for England. This consultation seeks views on the devolution proposal, including any evidence to inform consideration of the potential for the new tax to create or incentivise economic distortions and arbitrage within the UK. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 19^th February.
• 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.
• Consultation: Distributing tips fairly: draft statutory code of practice. The Department for Business and Trade is consulting on the draft statutory code of practice supporting measures in the Employment (Allocation of Tips) Act 2023. The purpose of the Act is to ensure that all tips are passed to workers without deductions. For more information or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 22^nd February.
• Consultation: Protecting and enhancing the security and resilience of UK data infrastructure. The Department for Science, Innovation and Technology is seeking views and evidence to inform the development of proposals to improve and assure the security and resilience of UK data infrastructure. The proposals focus on third-party data centre services, which face: security threats such as cyber-attacks, physical attacks and insider threats; resilience risks resulting from hazards such as human error and extreme weather; and/or limited information-sharing and cooperation across industry, and with HM Government, which hamper our ability to appropriately identify and address risks. The proposals focus on a new proposed statutory framework applying to UK-based data centre services provided to third parties, but potentially applicable in future where other risks are evidenced. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 22^nd February.
• 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.
• 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.
• Consultation: New threshold for businesses accessing the Energy Ombudsman. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero are consulting on a proposal to amend the Gas and Electricity Regulated Providers (Redress Scheme) Order 2008 to expand access to redress against energy suppliers to small businesses without having to involve the courts. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 31^st January.
• Consultation: Carbon capture and storage (CCS) Network Code: updated Heads of Terms. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero are seeking views on the CCS Network Code, part of the new regulatory regime describing arrangements between CO2 network users and transport and storage companies. The CCS Network Code will set out the various commercial, operational and technical arrangements that will govern the use of these networks. It will provide the framework for seeking a connection, commissioning, and operating, plus other arrangements including on governance, disputes, data management and liabilities. For more information, or to respond to this consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 16^th February.
• 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.
• LAST CHANCE TO RESPOND: Consultation: Hiring agency staff to cover industrial action. The purpose of this consultation is to seek views on whether government should repeal regulation 7 of the Conduct of Employment Agencies and Employment Businesses Regulations 2003 (“the Conduct Regulations”) which prevents employment businesses supplying agency workers to cover the duties normally performed by a worker who is taking part in a strike or other industrial action. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 16^th January.
• Consultation: Consultation on analogue community radio licensing. This consultation seeks views on the future approach to the licensing of analogue community radio stations, and the current restrictions on the capacity of stations to raise money through advertising and sponsorship. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 31^st January.
• Consultation: Democracy Matters. Somebody, somewhere is making decisions on your behalf. Democracy Matters conversations have already started to explore whether far more of these decisions could be made by communities themselves. This is a key and connected part of the wider Local Governance Review which is looking across all of Scotland’s vital public services to consider how power and resources should be shared between national and local government. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 28^th February.

• 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.