Minutes: 09 November 2021

1. Decision on taking business in private:

The Committee agreed to take items 4 and 5 in private.

2. European Union (Withdrawal) Act 2018:

The Committee considered a proposal by the Scottish Government to consent to the UK Government legislating using the powers under the Act in relation to the following UK statutory instrument: The Waste and Agriculture (Legislative Functions) Regulations 2021.

The Committee agreed that the provisions set out in the notifications should be included in UK SIs and in so doing agreed to seek further information.

The following interests were declared—

Meghan Gallacher as a councillor in North Lanarkshire Council;

Paul McLennan as a councillor in East Lothian Council; and

Elena Whitham as a councillor in East Ayrshire Council.

3. Non-Domestic Rates Covid 19 Appeals Regulations:

The Committee took evidence from—

David Magor , Chief Executive, Institute of Revenues Rating and Valuation;

Martin Clarkson, Member of the Business Rates Working Group, Scottish Property Federation;

Pete Wildman, Chair, Electoral Registration Committee and Alastair Kirkwood,Past President, Scottish Assessors Association ;

Charles Golding, Senior Specialist, Valuation and Investment Advisory, Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors;

and then from—

Jonathan Sharma, Policy Manager - Local Government Finance, COSLA;

Kevin Fraser, Principal Officer (Local Taxes), Perth & Kinross Council.

4. Non-Domestic Rates Covid 19 Appeals Regulations

The Committee considered the evidence it heard earlier in the meeting.

5. Retrofitting housing for net-zero:

The Committee agreed to the following — 

• to undertake a visit to a retrofitting project on Niddrie Road in Glasgow;
• its approach to evidence taking; 
• to write to the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee to make it aware of the Committee’s work on this issue; and 
• its approach to presenting its conclusions.