Thursday, May 23, 2024: In politics today

Michael Matheson is to be sanctioned by a Holyrood committee after breaching its code of conduct over an £11,000 data roaming charged he built up on a parliamentary iPad while on a family holiday in Morocco.

The former health secretary had denied any inappropriate use, but stepped down shortly after in an emotional statement in Holyrood.

He also paid back bill back in full, before admitting he "could have handled the situation better".

Mr Matheson's punishment will be announced by the standards committee today (Thursday).

He's previously said he will not stand down as an MSP, though it's expected he'll come under increasing pressure to do so.

Read more here.

Scottish Parliament:

Today’s business includes:

General Questions

First Minster’s Questions

Members’ Business: S6M-12992 Europe Day 2024 (in the name of Alasdair Allan)

Portfolio Questions: Transport

Committee of the Whole Parliament – Stage 2 Proceedings: Post Office (Horizon System) Offences (Scotland) Bill

Decision Time

The following committees are meeting this morning:

Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee

Public Audit Committee

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee

Criminal Justice Committee

UK Parliament:

Today’s business includes:

Oral Question: Culture, Media and Sport (including Topical Questions)

Backbench Business: General Debate on UK Arms Exports to Israel

Backbench Business: General Debate on Potholes and Highway Maintenance

Westminster Hall debate: Floating offshore wind and Allocation Round 6 of the Contracts for Difference scheme

Debate (Lords): Contribution of independent schools to the education system and the impact of VAT changes

Debate (Lords): Role of trade envoys in promoting trade and economic growth

Aberdeenshire Council:

Today’s business includes:

Audit Committee

Aberdeen City Council:

No scheduled business

News/Funding/Consultations:

• NEW: Aberdeenshire Council Proposed Council Plan 2024-2029. The Council Plan is a strategic document setting out how Aberdeenshire Council will meet community needs and expectations over the next few years. The Council are now seeking public views of the identified priorities and gaps. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 31^st May.
• NEW: Consultation: Smarter regulation: employment law reform. The Department for Business and Trade is seeking views on reforms to the Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations 2006 (TUPE), removing the obligation to split employee’ contracts between multiple employers on business transfer, and abolishing the legal framework for European Works Councils. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 11^th July.
• NEW: Consultation: Flood Resilience Strategy. The Scottish Government is developing a Flood Resilience Strategy which will focus on what they need to do to make communities more flood resilient over the coming decades. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 13^th August.
• NEW: Consultation: Non-financial reporting review: simpler corporate reporting. This consultation marks the next phase of the government’s non-financial reporting review and concentrates on medium-sized companies. It seeks views on raising the employee threshold for medium-sized companies from not more than 250 employees to 500 employees and exempting eligible medium-sized companies from having to produce a Strategic Report. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 27^th June.
• NEW: Consultation: Cyber security of AI: call for views. The government is asking for views on a two-part intervention including a voluntary Code of Practice on AI cyber security which will form a new global standard. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 10^th July.
• NEW: Consultation: Lowering the minimum age requirement for train drivers from 20 to 18. The Department for Transport is seeking views on lowering the minimum age requirement for train drivers from 20 to 18 to attract new people to the industry. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 13^th June.
• Consultation: Draft Legislation: The Penalties for Failure to Pay Tax (Assessments) Regulations 2024. HM Revenue & Customs are seeking views in this technical consultation on the new Penalties for Failure to Pay Tax (Schedule 26 to the Finance Act 2021) (Assessments) Regulations 2024 which will prevent individuals intentionally avoid penalty charges for late payment of taxes, and thus create fairness between taxpayers who pay their taxes and those who deliberately do not. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 10^th June.
• Consultation: Revocation and amendment of food and drink assimilated laws. The UK, Scottish, Northern Irish and Welsh governments are jointly seeking views on a number of food and drink assimilated laws inherited from the EU. The UK and devolved governments believe that many of these laws are obsolete and intend to revoke them, while they are others that they would like to amend to take into account the domestic law context in which they now apply. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 25^th June.
• Consultation: Modernising support for independent living: the health and disability green paper. The Department for Work and Pensions is seeking views on the approaches government should consider around modernising the welfare system for people with disabilities and health conditions. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 22^nd July.
• Consultation: An alternative transitional registration model (ATRm) for UK REACH. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs is seeking views on an ATRm for the UK REACH (registration, evaluation, authorisation and restriction of chemicals) regulation. This aims to reduce the estimated £2 billion costs the chemical industry in Great Britain would have faced as part of the transition from EU REACH to UK REACH. The ATRm proposes to reduce these transition costs while continuing to ensure high levels of protection of human health and the environment. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 11^th July.
• Consultation: Review of charity regulation. The Scottish Government have launched a consultation as a result of public feedback that there should be a review of charity regulation. The purpose of the consultation is to establish if people still feel that way, and if so, what the purpose and parameters for review should be. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 22^nd July.
• Consultation: Consultation on next steps on delivery of Employment Injury Assistance. Since April 2020, the Scottish Government has been responsible for the Industrial Injuries Scheme in Scotland. This Scheme, which provides financial support to those who have become disabled or have developed a long-term health condition as a result of their employment, is currently delivered by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) under an agency agreement. The Scottish Government has committed to replacing the UK Government’s Industrial Injuries Scheme with a new benefit called Employment Injury Assistance to be delivered by Social Security Scotland. This consultation paper provides an overview of the benefits that make up the Industrial Injuries Scheme and the unique complexities and challenges of transfer to the Scottish Government. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 25^th June.
• Consultation: EURO 2028: Commercial Rights Protection consultation. The UEFA European Championships, known as ‘EURO’ is held four-yearly and is one of the most prestigious international men’s football tournaments in the world. Scotland will co-host EURO 2028 as part of a joint UK and Ireland Championship. Some mega sporting events require certain protections, which can include additional legislation. For EURO 2028, UEFA has requirements to protect its own and event sponsors’ commercial rights during the event, and also requires a ban on ticket touting. The Scottish Government is now consulting on the proposed legislation around these protections. For more information or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 26 July.
• Consultation: Fit Note Reform – call for evidence. This call for evidence will inform a programme of work announced at the autumn statement in 2023, to explore reforming the fit note process to support those with long term health conditions to access timely work and health support. The Department for Work and Pensions, alongside the Department for Health and Social Care are gathering evidence to assess the impact of the current fit note process in supporting work and health conversations and exploring the enhancements stakeholders would require for the fit note to better support people to start, stay and succeed in work. For more information, or to respond to this consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 8^th July.
• Consultation: A consultation on time limits for enforcement action for unauthorised Environmental Impact Assessment development. The Scottish Government is inviting comments on proposals to disapply Section 124 of the Town and Country Planning (Scotland) Act 1997 concerning the time limits for taking enforcement action on unauthorised development which requires an Environmental Impact Assessment. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 11^th July.
• Consultation: Aberdeen City Council Help Shape Our Services. Aberdeen City Council are seeking views on how to improve the delivery of their services. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 7^th Feb 2025.
• Consultation: VAT Treatment of Private Hire Vehicles. Consultation on the potential tax impacts of recent High Court judgments on transport legislation on the private hire vehicle sector and its passengers. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 8^th August.
• Consultation: A Regional Active Travel Network for North East Scotland. Active travel is people-powered transport: walking, wheeling (such as wheelchairs, scooters, prams and buggies) and cycling. Improving routes for these options can help more people get to where they want to go, improve people’s health and reduce carbon emissions. There are some good facilities for active travel in both Aberdeen City and Aberdeenshire, but it is recognised that there is much more that could be done to create safe and attractive routes. The new Regional Active Travel Network will set out a multi-decade vision for high-quality routes within and between the region’s communities and will help define the priorities for improvements and make the case for investment. A draft of the network plan has been developed by Nestrans and with partners Aberdeen City Council and Aberdeenshire Council, and the group are now seeking public views on it. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 2^nd June.
• Consultation: Developing a natural capital market framework. Natural capital is our geology, soil, air, water, plants and animals. We depend on our natural capital for goods and services that make our lives possible and worthwhile. Public and private investment will be needed to restore and improve our natural capital. The Scottish Government are committed to ensuring that this investment is responsible; that it contributes to a just transition, benefits communities and achieves robust environmental outcomes. The forthcoming Natural Capital Markets Framework aims to strengthen the existing Interim Principles for Responsible Investment in Natural Capital and set out their approach to using public spending more effectively to leverage in responsible private capital. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for response is 3^rd June.
• Consultation: Amendments to licensing restrictions – bus, coach and heavy goods vehicles. The Department for Transport is seeking views on a range of proposals designed to address bus, coach and HGV driver shortages. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 5^th June.
• Consultation: Low Pay Commission Consultation 2024. The Low Pay Commission (LPC) is the independent body which advises the Government on the levels of the National Minimum Wage (NMW), including the National Living Wage (NLW). They are seeking input to shape the recommendations that they will make to the Government this autumn, on minimum wage rates to apply from April 2025. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 7^th June.
• Consultation: Introduction of a UK carbon border adjustment mechanism. From 1^st January 2027, a carbon border adjustment mechanism will be introduced on imports of certain carbon intensive imported goods from the following sectors: aluminium; cement; ceramics; fertilisers; glass; hydrogen; and iron and steel. This consultation sets out the proposals for the design and administration of the mechanism. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 13^th June.
• Consultation: Draft Bioenergy Policy Statement. Bioenergy is a key component of the energy system and contributes to a more circular economy, by turning wastes into valuable resources which can be used for electricity and heat production or to displace fossil fuels in our gas network and transport systems. The Scottish Government's draft Bioenergy Policy Statement signals what the Scottish Government see as the short, medium and long term role for bioenergy in helping to deliver that transition to net zero. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 12^th June.
• Consultation: Improving the effectiveness of the Money Laundering Regulations. HM Treasury has published a consultation on improving the effectiveness of the Money Laundering, Terrorist Financing and Transfer of Funds (Information on the Payer) Regulations 2017 (the ‘MLRs’), which place requirements onto a range of businesses to identify and prevent money laundering and terrorist financing. The consultation considers changes to the existing legislation to improve the Money Laundering Regulations while minimising the burden on legitimate customers. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 9^th June.
• DEADLINE APPROCHING: Consultation: Disclosure Scotland fees: discounting, waivers and accredited bodies consultation. This consultation seeks views to enable Disclosure Scotland to consider fee discounts for certain groups applying for Protecting Vulnerable Groups (PVG) scheme membership disclosures and views on the fees applied to organisations acting as accredited bodies. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 28^th May.
• LAST CHANCE TO RESPOND: 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.
• LAST CHANCE TO RESPOND: 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.
• 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.

• 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: 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.