Tuesday, January 31: Today's political diary

Scottish Parliament

Today’s business includes:

• Topical Questions
• Scottish Government Debate: Three Years On – Brexit and Workers’ Rights
• Committee Announcements: Economy and Fair Work Committee Inquiries into Just Transition for the Grangemouth Area and Disabled Employment Gap
• Decision Time
• Members’ Business: S6M-07290 Concern Regarding Youth Vaping (in the name of Siobhian Brown)

The following Committees are meeting this morning:

• Finance and Public Administration Committee
• Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee
• Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee
• Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee
• Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee
• Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

UK Parliament

Today’s business includes:

• Oral Questions: Foreign, Commonwealth and Development (including Topical Questions)
• Ten Minute Rule Motion: Clean Air
• Adjournment: Green energy potential in Scotland
• Westminster Hall debate: Government support for smaller musical genres in Scotland
• Oral Questions (Lords): - Possibility of the UK participating in the Horizon Europe research and innovation programme in 2023
• Oral Questions (Lords): Ensuring eligible households are aware of the social broadband tariffs available to them
• Oral Questions (Lords): Helping vulnerable households with energy costs and the role of Ofgem in delivering affordable energy
• Orders and regulations: Plant Health and Trade in Animals and Related Products (Amendment) Regulations 2022
• Procurement Bill [HL] – Debate to Consider the Bill
• Public Administration and Constitutional Affairs Committee – Oral evidence session on Planning for the future of the Government’s estates
• Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Committee – Oral evidence session on Connected Tech: smart or sinister?
• Health and Social Care Committee – Oral evidence session on NHS Pay Review Body (note: relates to England and Wales)
• Treasury Committee – Oral evidence session on The venture capital market
• Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy Committee – Oral evidence session on Energy Price Support
• Defence Committee – Oral evidence session on Annual update on major shipbuilding programmes
• Science and Technology Committee (Lords) – Private meeting
• Industry and Regulators Committee – Private meeting on The work of Ofwat
• Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee – Oral evidence session on Species reintroduction
• Foreign Affairs Committee – Oral evidence session on Western Balkans
• Women and Equalities Committee – Oral evidence session on Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill and Equality Act
• Economic Affairs Committee – Private meeting
• European Affairs Committee – Oral evidence session on The future UK-EU relationship

Aberdeenshire Council

Today’s business includes:

• Buchan Area Committee
• Garioch Area Committee

Aberdeen City Council

Today’s business includes:

• Integration Joint Board
• AGM – Local Licensing Forum

News/Funding/Consultations

• Consultation: Draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan. The draft Energy Strategy and Just Transition Plan sets a vision for Scotland's energy system to 2045 and a route map of ambitions and actions that, coupled with detailed sectoral plans and the forthcoming Climate Change Plan, will guide decision-making and policy support over the course of this decade. For more information or to respond to the consultation, please click here
• Consultation: Alcohol advertising and promotion. The Scottish Government are consulting on whether further restrictions on the alcohol advertising and promotion should be introduced, what any restrictions might cover and what might be expected from them. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 9^th March.
• Consultation: 2035 target for the amount of heat to be supplied by heat networks. The Scottish Government is seeking views on a proposed target relating to the combined supply of thermal energy through heat networks in Scotland by 2035. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 11^th March.
• FINAL CHANCE TO APPLY - Support/Training: ORE Catapult’s Fit 4 Offshore Renewables (F4OR) programme has been developed with input from the offshore renewable energy industry. F4OR is a unique service to help the UK supply chain get ready to bid for work in the offshore renewable energy sector. The programme is a journey of business improvement and sector specific capability building. It uses a proven process which typically takes 12 to 18 months. The F4OR team will support you through each step, but F4OR will demand commitment and drive from your senior management team. For more information, or to apply, please click here. Closing date for expressions of interest is 31^st January 2023
• 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/Training: Manufacturing Excellence. Manufacturing Excellence is a 10-month programme aimed at leaders from small to medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the manufacturing industry. The programme will look at collaboration and networks, supply chains and competitiveness, adaption and transformation, and skills and workforce. The programme will be delivered through a series of in-person workshops and support days. For more information, or to apply, please click here.
• Support: Techscaler. Techscaler is a Scottish Government programme that connects tech startups in Scotland with experts who can help them grow and scale their businesses. Techscaler membership provides tailored support for founders and leaders of tech startups including educational courses, resources, one-to-one mentoring, workspace options, events and meetups, and access to a network of experts. For more information, please click here.
• Funding: Coastal Communities Challenge Fund 2023-24. This fund provides grants of between £10k and £50k to projects in Aberdeenshire which support the development of active travel routes along/to/from the coastline, the development of the coastal economy and sustainable tourism, the creation or enhancement of community, leisure and recreational facilities and/or the safeguarding, restoration and enhancement of the coastal environment. For more information, please click here. Closing date for applications is the 6^th February.
• Funding: Creative Scotland Open Fund – Sustaining Creative Development. This fund is for organisations and groups based in Scotland whose work or project involves the arts, screen and creative industries, and aims to enable such organisations to explore ways of working that will help them adapt and respond to the current changing circumstances as a result of covid-19. Grants of between £1,000 and £100,000 are available. For more information, please click here. The fund will close on 8^th February 2023.
• Funding: Business Chargepoint Funding. Grants of up to 50% of the cost of purchasing and installing electric vehicle chargepoints for small and medium enterprises in rural areas. For more information, please click here.