Seòmar agus comataidhean

On the workforce in a rural context, one of the issues that rural areas face is finding tradespeople. There are not enough of them. Have you done any work across portfolios on the skills development pipeline and getting more people into these important trades, which will be good not only for this but for the retrofitting and heat in buildings work in the future?

I have a final question. I am interested in getting a sense of how the Government intends to assess whether the operation of the provisions is having the intended outcome. It connects a bit to what Mark Griffin was getting at earlier. We are bringing in the regulations, but how will we assess whether they are having the effect that we are all desperately seeking?

This is not about a croft.

I will give you a scenario. Somebody who is operating a venison larder rents land and the shooting rights from an estate, and they are working to bring the deer numbers down. They put the meat into a venison larder, and they have maybe one shoot a year to cover the cost of the rent. Will they be able to go for the exemptions?

Okay—great. That is the detail that I think people want to hear, so thank you very much for that.

As there are no more questions, does the committee agree that we do not wish to make any recommendations in relation to the regulations?

Members indicated agreement.

Thanks, Willie, for bringing up that point about condensation.

Before we move on, I will say that, in our work on this, the committee held an evidence session in which we heard quite a lot about the potential for solar thermal technology, which is different from solar photovoltaics and is connected to a heating system. We have raised that and brought it to the attention of the Government. Has that been taken on board? It seems to be a way in which, through simple technology, fuel poverty could be addressed and tenants who struggle to pay for heating could be provided with a basic level of warmth in their house. Once the kit is installed, it provides a free boost to their heating system. Have you taken that on board at all?

The next group is on the application and effect of the levy on rural and island communities. Amendment 12, in the name of Stephen Kerr, is grouped with amendments 23 to 27, 30 and 31.

Agenda item 2 is stage 2 consideration of the Visitor Levy (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill. I thank members for accommodating the last-minute scheduling changes. We have from now until decision time to make progress with the groupings, and we may meet again following decision time to continue our consideration of amendments.

I welcome to the meeting the Minister for Public Finance, Ivan McKee, along with his supporting officials. I note that the officials who are seated at the table are here to support the minister, but they are not able to speak on the amendments, so members should direct their comments or questions to the minister.

For anyone who is watching, I will briefly explain the procedure that we will follow during today’s proceedings. Members should have with them a copy of the bill, the marshalled list and the groupings, which are available on the bill web page on the Scottish Parliament’s website. I will call each amendment individually, following the order on the marshalled list. The member who lodged the amendment should either move it or say “Not moved” when it is called. If that member does not move it, any other member present may do so.

The groupings of amendments set out the amendments in the order in which they will be debated. There will be one debate on each group of amendments. In each debate, I will call the member who lodged the first amendment in the group to move and speak to that amendment and to speak to all other amendments in the group, if they wish to do so. I will then call other members with amendments in the group to speak to—but not move—their amendments, and to speak to other amendments in the group, if they wish. I will then call any other members who wish to speak in the debate. Members wishing to speak should indicate by catching my or the clerk’s attention. I will then call the minister, if he has not already spoken in the debate. Finally, I will call the member who moved the first amendment in the group to wind up and either press the amendment or seek to withdraw it. If the amendment is pressed, I will put the question on the amendment. If a member wishes to withdraw an amendment after it has been moved and debated, I will ask whether any member present objects. If there is an objection, I will immediately put the question on the amendment.

Later amendments in a group are not debated again when they are reached. If they are moved, I will put the question on them straight away. If there is a division, only committee members are entitled to vote. Voting is by a show of hands. It is important that members keep their hands raised clearly until the clerks have recorded their names. If there is a tie, I must exercise a casting vote.

The committee is also required to consider and decide on each section of and schedule to the bill, and the long title. I will put the question on each of the provisions at the appropriate point.

Now that we have covered those procedural points, we can begin our consideration of amendments.

Section 1—Basis on which levy is to be charged

The next grouping is on the review and expiry of visitor levy schemes. Amendment 19, in the name of Stephen Kerr, is the only amendment in the group.

The question is, that amendment 29 be agreed to. Are we agreed?

Members: No.