Tuesday, March 19, 2024: In politics today

Rishi Sunak has insisted his party are united ahead of the general election amid swirling rumours of a plot to replace him.

Polling figures remain extremely poor for Mr Sunak and his party, who are widely expected to be comfortably ousted from Number 10 after the public hit the polls.

But the Prime Minister insists the Conservatives have "turned the corner" on the economy after this month's budget revealed a 2p National Insurance cut.

"Inflation has more than halved. Mortgage rates, energy bills falling, wages are rising, consumer confidence, business confidence increasing," he said on a visit to the West Midlands.

He added that this will be the year the country "bounces back", warning that an election would be called before he'd be forced out of office.

"After a tough couple of years, we're now pointing in the right direction and that actually gives me a lot of confidence for the future."

Mr Sunak's words followed Business Secretary Kemi Badenoch suggesting only "one or two MPs" are behind the rumours of a plot to oust the Prime Minister, with Leader of the House Penny Mordaunt repeatedly being linked with the top job.

But the Portsmouth North MP faces a challenge to defend her seat, as polls suggest she could lose it to Labour.

Amid the rumours, Ms Badenoch told BBC Breakfast "I'm sure if Penny was here, she would be distancing herself from those comments".

Scottish Parliament:

Today’s business includes:

Topical Questions

Stage 3 Proceedings: Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill

Decision Time

Members’ Business: S6M-12165 Celebrating 125 Years of Learning with Fife College (in the name of David Torrace)

The following committees are meeting this morning:

Finance and Public Administration Committee

Health, Sport and Social Care Committee

Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee

Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee

UK Parliament:

Today’s business includes:

Oral Questions: HM Treasury

Legislation: Trade (Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership) Bill [Lords]: Remaining Stages

Westminster Hall debate: UK food security

Oral Questions (Lords): Assistance provided to the developers of advanced modular reactors to enable them to conduct criticality tests

Oral Questions (Lords): Making electronic point-of-sale payment devices accessible for those with a visual impairment, such as via a tactile keypad

Legislation (Lords): National Insurance Contributions (Reduction in Rates) (No.2) Bill – committee stage and all remaining stages

Debate (Lords): The report from the International Agreements Committee relating to the accession of the United Kingdom to the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership

Orders and Regulations (Lords): Representation of the People (Variation of Election Expenses and Exclusions) Regulations 2024 and associated regret motion

Orders and Regulations (Lords): Nationality, Immigration and Asylum Act 2002 (Amendment of List of Safe States) Regulations 2024 and associated regret motion

Fourth Delegated Legislation Committee – Debate on the draft Fair Dealing Obligations (Milk) Regulations 2024

Fifth Delegated Legislation Committee – Debate on the draft Strategy and Policy Statement for Energy Policy in Great Britain

Automated Vehicles Bill [HL] – Debate to consider the Bill

Culture, Media and Sport Committee – Oral evidence session on British film and high-end television

Business and Trade Committee – Oral evidence session on Export-led growth

Justice and Home Affairs Committee – Oral evidence session on electronic border management systems

Built Environment Committee – Oral evidence session on high streets in towns and small cities

Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee – Oral evidence session on fairness in the food supply chain

Communications and Digital Committee – Oral evidence session on the future of news: impartiality, trust and technology

Foreign Affairs Committee – Oral evidence session on Western Balkans

Defence Sub-Committee – Oral evidence session on developing AI capacity and expertise in UK Defence

Economic Affairs Committee – Oral evidence session on Chancellor’s Annual Scrutiny Session for 2023-2024

Aberdeenshire Council:

Today’s business includes:

Garioch Area Committee

Buchan Area Committee

Aberdeen City Council:

Today’s business includes:

Licensing Sub-Committee

News/Funding/Consultations:

• NEW: Consultation: Competition and consumer protection related information sharing. The sharing of information among regulators and public bodies plays an important role in effective enforcement and regulation. The government is consulting on two proposals which would amend the Enterprise Act 2002 to enable the exchange of competition and consumer-protection related information between relevant UK public authorities to assist them in discharging their statutory functions. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 14^th April.
• NEW: Consultation: Removal of uninsured drivers’ access to property damage compensation. If a driver at fault in an accident is either uninsured or untraced, the victim is entitled to claim compensation from the Motor Insurers Bureau, which is funded by a levy on all motor insurance premiums. The Department of Transport is proposing to change the law so that uninsured drivers cannot claim property damages from the other party. The ability of an uninsured driver to claim personal injury damages would be unaffected. The government is now consulting on these proposals and is seeking views from the general public. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 12^th May.
• Consultation: Review of electricity market arrangements (REMA). This consultation seeks views on a narrowed range of options to deliver an enduring electricity market framework that will work for businesses, industry, and households. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 7^th May.
• Consultation: Fairer Food Labelling. Evidence shows that consumers want to buy high-quality food, however, it can be difficult for them to clearly identify where food comes from and how it is produced. The Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs want to make it easier for consumers to make informed decisions when purchasing food and allow them to choose products that align with their values. This consultation seeks views on proposals to improve transparency and consistency through improved country of origin, and animal welfare labelling in the UK. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 7^th May.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Consultation: Restricting promotions of food and drink high in fat, sugar or salt – Consultation on the detail of proposed regulations. The Scottish Government is consulting on the detail of proposed regulations to restrict HFSS (high fat, salt or sugar food) promotions including: targeted foods within the scope of restrictions; price promotions within the scope of restrictions, including meal deals and temporary price promotions; the approach to placement restrictions of targeted foods in store or online; the qualifying businesses within the scope of restrictions, including the proposed exemptions; and the proposed approach to enforcement and implementation. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 21^st May.
• Consultation: Options for Defined Benefit Schemes. The aim of this consultation is to introduce reforms to the private sector Defined Benefit pensions system that jointly benefit scheme members, sponsoring employers and the wider economy. Although pension schemes are in surplus, under current legislation it is difficult and costly for many scheme trustees to share this upside with employers and scheme members. This consultation proposes a number of new measures intended to balance enhanced options for trustees with prioritising the security of member benefits. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 19^th April.
• Consultation: Provisional registration for overseas-qualified dentists. This consultation seeks views on The Dentists Act 1984 (Provisional Registration of Dentists) (Amendment) Order 2024 (‘the draft order’) that aims to give the General Dental Council (GDC) the necessary powers and duties to provisionally register dentists who have qualified overseas and have not yet satisfied the GDC’s requirements for full registration. Provisional registration would allow an overseas-qualified dentist to practise in any dental setting, including high street dental practices, under the supervision of a dentist who has full registration on GDC’s dentists register. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 16^th May.
• Consultation: Alternative routes to market for new nuclear projects. The Department for Energy Security and Net Zero is seeking views to understand how government can support investment in advanced nuclear technologies and enable high value projects to be taken forward. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 4^th April.
• 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.

• 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.