Scottish Parliament
Today’s business includes:
- Portfolio Questions: Covid-19 Recovery and Parliamentary Business; Finance and the Economy (questions of note include: “To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide all hospitality businesses with 75% business rates relief in 2023-24” and “To ask the Scottish Government whether it has fully considered the economic consequences of its presumption against new oil and gas exploration, both to workers within the industry and to the wider Scottish economy as a whole”)
- Scottish Labour Party Debate: Addressing the Crisis in the NHS and Social Care
- Decision Time
- Members’ Business: S6M-07286 Developing an Economy Driven by New Robotic Technology at Heriot-Watt University (in the name of Gordon MacDonald)
The following Committees are meeting this morning:
- Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee
- Criminal Justice Committee (agenda items include the Bail and Release from Custody (Scotland) Bill)
- Economy and Fair Work Committee (agenda items include: Scottish Budget 2023-24; National Strategy for Economic Transformation; and UK Infrastructure Bank Bill (UK Parliament Legislation)).
- Education, Children and Young People Committee
UK Parliament
Today’s business includes:
- Prime Minister’s Question Time
- Legislation: Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Bill: Remaining Stages
- Westminster Hall debate: Methodologies for setting Total Allowable Catches for Data Limited Stocks in fisheries negotiations
- Grand Committee Legislation: Energy Bill – committee (day 7)
- Science and Technology Committee – Oral evidence session on Delivering nuclear power
- International Trade Committee – Oral evidence session on UK trade negotiations
- Transport Committee – Oral evidence session on Rail services and infrastructure
- Environment and Climate Change Committee – Oral evidence session on COP15: the international biodiversity conference
Aberdeenshire Council
Today’s business includes:
- Aberdeenshire Licensing Board
Aberdeen City Council
Today’s business includes:
- Local Review Body of Aberdeen City Council
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 9th 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 11th March.
- 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: 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 8th 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.