Seòmar agus comataidhean

At this point, I am going to set out what we will do for the next half an hour or so. We have about seven or eight questions left, and we will try to cover three themes. You may have already covered some of them, because you are doing such brilliant work here. What you are sharing with us is great.

The next theme is the implementation of the 2015 act and the assumptions about the size of allotments. Then we will bring in a bit more of the local food strategies, which Lou Evans started to touch on. We then want to talk about, and get a greater understanding from you about, volunteering and planning, which we have also touched on.

We still have quite a lot to cover, but we have touched on a lot of those things already. I will bring in Marie McNair with a couple of questions about the size of the plots.

That is very true. This has been a rich conversation. Paul McLennan and the rest of us have gained a lot from it.

Lou Evans referred to “our sector”. I think that you said what that is, but I would love it if you could encapsulate what you are imagining when you say “our sector”.

The next item is to take evidence on the impact of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 on allotments and community food growing. This is the first of three evidence sessions that the committee is holding as part of its inquiry. We will be discussing the topic today with a panel of witnesses representing allotment and food growing organisations.

I welcome Lou Evans from the Community Growing Forum Scotland; Jenny Reeves, who is the chair of the Glasgow Allotments Forum; Stuart McKenzie, who is the president of the Federation of Edinburgh and District Allotments and Gardens Associations; and Richard Crawford, who is the vice-president of the Scottish Allotments and Gardens Society, who is joining us online.

It would be helpful if members could direct their questions to a specific witness where possible, although I will be happy to bring in others who wish to contribute. If other witnesses wish to comment, please indicate your desire to do so to me or to the clerk and I will bring you in at an appropriate point. Richard, I would be grateful if you could indicate when you wish to come in by typing R in the chat function in BlueJeans. I will begin by asking a few questions and then open up the session to questions from other members.

This is about the big picture of allotments. I am keen to hear your views on the broader, positive impacts of allotments, particularly the social, environmental and food security benefits that allotments bring. Do you have any sense of how those benefits are being measured. Do you think that allotments have an impact in other areas of public policy in Scotland? There is quite a bit there. I will start with Stuart McKenzie and then go to everybody else.

Indeed. Thank you very much for your response to that. Yesterday, we visited Stuart McKenzie’s allotment and I told him that I came across that allotment site in Inverleith park when I was a child, and I remember it being a magical discovery experience. You are right that allotments are tucked away. We visited others yesterday as well. Inverleith allotments seem to be more visible now and there are 180 people growing food there. We visited others that are visible and we saw a community plot that involves new Scots, which you spoke of. It was incredible to see that coming to life.

I will bring in Richard Crawford to answer the same question. In general, what are the social, environmental and food security benefits of allotments and community growing and do you have a sense, from the work that you have been doing, of whether the benefits are being measured or assessed in any way?

Thank you for that clear response and those useful figures.

The next item is to take evidence on the draft Non-Domestic Rates (Valuation Notices) (Scotland) Regulations 2022 from Tom Arthur, the Minister for Public Finance, Planning and Community Wealth. I welcome Mr Arthur and his Scottish Government officials. Anouk Berthier is from non-domestic rates policy, and Susan Robb is a solicitor. Before I open up to questions from the committee, I ask Mr Arthur to make a short opening statement.

The committee will, in the coming days, publish a report setting out its recommendations on the instrument.

The final item on our agenda is consideration of a negative instrument. There is no requirement for the committee to make any recommendation on such instruments. As no member wishes to comment, does the committee agree that it does not wish to make any recommendation on the instrument?

Members indicated agreement.

I thank the minister and his officials for their evidence.

We turn to agenda item 3, which is consideration of the motion on the instrument. I invite the minister to move motion S6M-04283.

Motion moved,

That the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee recommends that the Non-Domestic Rates (Valuation Notices) (Scotland) Regulations 2022 be approved.—[Tom Arthur]

Motion agreed to.

Thanks very much for that opening statement. I open up the session to questions from members. I will begin.

In your opening statement, you touched on the 32 specific property classes for which additional information will need to be provided in respect of the valuation. Can you explain the rationale for the selection of those 32 property classes?