Wednesday, April 17, 2024: In politics today

A North-east politician has been forced to apologise after a leaflet put through doors contained "unclear wording".

Andrew Bowie's leaflet had suggested that Aboyne Medical Practice was at risk of closure.

"I have contacted the Chief Officer from the Aberdeenshire Health and Soical Care Partnership to request a meeting regarding an update on the situation with Aboyne Medical Practicr," it read.

But the practice were later forced to issue a statement to say there is "NO suggestion that our practice is at risk of closure".

It added: "We have been in touch with Mr Bowie and have asked him to correct the assertion in the leaflet about our practice and we hope to hear from him soon.

"Please do not be concerned we are here caring for our patients just as we have always been."

Mr Bowie, MP for West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine, responded: "The situation I was writing to inform constituents of, is the ongoing challenge facing NHS Grampian in retaining healthcare professionals along the Deeside corridor – specifically at Aboyne hospital.

"Unfortunately due to unclear wording this comes across as regarding Aboyne Medical Surgery; it ought to regard Aboyne Hospital, and I can only apologise for the confusion caused regarding which part of the health facility was being referenced."

He also apologised for the confusion: "I am very sorry for the hassle and confusion that this has caused; I sought only to highlight the importance of care in our community, as has been raised to me by a number of constituents."

Scottish Parliament:

Today’s business includes:

Portfolio Questions: Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands; NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care

Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Debate: Repealing the Hate Crime Act

Decision Time

Members’ Business: S6M-11787 Celebrating Scotland’s Iconic Scotch Whisky Industry (in the name of Ivan McKee)

The following committees are meeting this morning:

Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Education, Children and Young People Committee

Criminal Justice Committee

Rural Affairs and Islands Committee

UK Parliament:

Today’s business includes:

Oral Questions: Science, Innovation and Technology (including Topical Questions)

Prime Minister’s Question Time

Legislation: Finance (No.2) Bill: Second Reading

Westminster Hall debate: Maritime safety breaches within the Exclusive Economic Zone

Oral Questions (Lords): Delays at borders with the EU caused by the proposed introduction of hand and face scanning

Oral Questions (Lords): Creating an ad hoc international tribunal, and repurposing Russian assets, in response to Russian war crimes in Ukraine

Oral Questions (Lords): Consulting Parliament on the deployment of British armed forces in the Middle East

Legislation (Lords): Economic Activity of Public Bodies (Overseas Matters) Bill – committee stage (day 2)

Grand Committee Legislation (Lords): Data Protection and Digital Information Bill – committee stage (day 5)

Work and Pensions Committee – Oral evidence session on Back to Work Plan

Science, Innovation and Technology Committee – Oral evidence session on UK Astronomy

Transport committee – Oral evidence session on the Work of the Civil Aviation Authority

International Relations and Defence Committee – Oral evidence session on the Implications of the war in Ukraine for UK Defence

Constitution Committee – Oral evidence session on The Governance of the Union: Consultation, Co-operation and Legislative Consent

Treasury Committee – Oral evidence session on Insurance

Environmental Audit Committee – Oral evidence session on electronic waste and the circular economy: follow-up

Aberdeenshire Council:

Today’s business includes:

Audit Committee

School Placings and Exclusions Appeals Committee

Aberdeen City Council:

Today’s business includes:

Special Meeting – Community Council Governance, Council

Full Council

News/Funding/Consultations:

• 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: Aberdeen South Harbour Link Road Stage 3 Exhibition. The Aberdeen South Harbour Link Road is an Aberdeen City Region Deal road improvement project consisting of 3.4km of upgraded single carriageway road with an adjacent walking, wheeling and cycling facility from Wellington Road to the newly built Aberdeen South Harbour. Aberdeen City Council have now completed the Design Manual for Roads and Bridges (DMRB) Stage 3 Scheme Assessment process on the preferred option and are now looking to gather public views and feedback. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 6^th May.
• 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.
• DEADLINE APPROACHING: Consultation: Enabling road use of hydrogen-powered non-road mobile machinery. Non-road mobile machinery (NRMM) is a broad category that includes vehicles such as, but not limited to, diggers, mobile cranes and other construction machinery. NRMM manufacturers have identified hydrogen as a potential means of decarbonising parts of the NRMM sector where battery electric power is not practical. Hydrogen-powered NRMM cannot currently be used on public roads without an exemption, known as a vehicle special order (VSO), which manufacturers have highlighted as a barrier to the wider uptake of low emission and zero emission NRMM. The Department for Transport are seeking views on proposed approaches to address this regulatory barrier. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 24^th April.
• DEADLINE APPROACHING: Consultation: Busking Proposed Code of Conduct. The Community Safety Partnership is seeking your views on the proposed Code of Conduct for buskers in Aberdeen city centre. The Code of Conduct aims to establish a harmonious and respectful busking environment that balances the interests of performers, residents, businesses and visitors. The Code of Conduct covers issues such as suitable locations, times, noise levels, duration and content of performances. For more information, or to respond to the consultation, please click here. The closing date for responses is 21^st April.
• 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: 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.
• LAST CHANCE TO RESPOND: 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.

• 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.