Seòmar agus comataidhean

The next item is to take evidence on the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill from two panels of witnesses. We are joined on our first panel in the room by Jamie Baker, who is service manager in economic development at East Lothian Council; Morag Johnston, who is director of financial and business services at Glasgow City Council; Paul Lawrence, who is executive director of place at the City of Edinburgh Council; and Councillor Bill Lobban, who is the convener of Highland Council. We are joined online by Fergus Murray, who is head of development and economic growth at Argyll and Bute Council; and Kathlene Morrison, who is economic development officer for innovation at Comhairle nan Eilean Siar. Welcome to the meeting.

We will try to direct our questions to specific witnesses initially but, if you want to come in, please indicate that to the clerks. As Fergus Murray and Kathlene Morrison are appearing virtually, I ask that they do so by typing R in the chat box. There is no need for any of the witnesses to manually turn on microphones as that will be done for you.

I will start by asking broad questions. I give Morag Johnston a heads-up that I will come to her first. What impacts—positive or negative—could a visitor levy have in your local authority area? I am also interested to hear whether your local authority intends to introduce a levy.

Great. Does anyone else want to come in? I will go to Paul Lawrence.

I will now bring in Ivan McKee.

Thanks very much—that is interesting.

Before I bring in Mark Griffin, I want to come back to Paul Lawrence. The City of Edinburgh Council has laid down strongly that it is keen to have a percentage fee. You have acknowledged that you have a considerable number of small businesses and microbusinesses. How would that system work for them? One concern that has come up is that the percentage approach makes calculating the fee more onerous. In your analysis, have you looked at systems that could be given to such businesses to support them?

That is good to hear.

Okay. Other members might well draw that out in their questions. I call Pam Gosal, who has a supplementary.

Yes, and it is great news that the Scottish Government is going to look at bringing cruise ship passengers into the bill if it can get the consultation and all the work done in time. There is a keenness not to hold up the bill and to see it come through. Does anybody else have thoughts about day trippers, wild campers or motorhomes?

Thanks for that. I will go to those online. Kathlene Morrison, are you considering bringing in the visitor levy? What is your perspective on any of the other questions that I asked?

Jamie Baker wants to come in.

Fergus Murray, I will bring you in. Is there a plan for Argyll and Bute Council to bring in the levy? Are you interested in doing that?