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Non-domestic rates are administered by local authorities in accordance with the relevant legislation. Under that statutory framework, the award of discretionary reliefs is a matter for individual local authorities. In line with the recommendation from the independent Barclay Review of Non-Domestic Rates to remind councils of the arrangements for reliefs and to provide better public information on reliefs and the legislative framework, the Scottish Government publishes an annual Local Government Finance Circular providing information for each non-domestic rates relief, including discretionary reliefs like Hardship Relief or the discretionary element of Rural Relief.

A Discussion Paper on the Infrastructure Levy was published in June and comments were invited until 30 September. We are carefully considering the responses received and will use the feedback to inform how to proceed. An update on next steps will be provided shortly.

Work on the review of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 has not yet concluded but is at a final stage. Three Findings Reports will be published in December 2024 which will include details of engagement.

The review of the Community Empowerment (Scotland) Act 2015 is nearing completion and three Findings Reports will be published in December 2024.

Social Security Scotland routinely publishes information on Scottish Child Payment applications, payments and the number of children actively in receipt of the payment by local authority area.

As of 30 June 2024, the number of children aged 0-15 years actively benefitting from Scottish Child Payment in each local authority area relevant to the West Scotland parliamentary region were as follows:

• Argyll and Bute – 4,100;
• East Dunbartonshire – 3,770;
• East Renfrewshire – 3,575;
• Inverclyde – 5,375;
• North Ayrshire – 10,395;
• Renfrewshire – 10,545;
• West Dunbartonshire – 7,165.

This information along with other local authority areas can be found in the latest Scottish Child Payment Official Statistics publication:

https://www.socialsecurity.gov.scot/publications/statistics.

The next edition of the Scottish Child Payment publication which will cover the period to the end of September 2024, is due to be published on 26 November 2024.

(a) The First-tier Tribunal for Scotland (Housing and Property Chamber) has published the number of applications for eviction received in their Scottish Tribunals Annual Reports. For ease of reference, this is set out in the following table.

Scottish Ministers announced their finalised position of no support for unconventional oil and gas, commonly known as fracking, in 2019 having concluded that it is incompatible with our policies on climate change, energy transition and the decarbonisation of our economy. This means that no unconventional oil and gas activity, including fracking, can take place in Scotland, including within Green Freeports.

As of 1 October 2024 the number of valid cardholders under the Young Persons’ (under 22) Free Bus Scheme was (a) Inverclyde – 11,793, (b) North Ayrshire – 20,581, (c) West Dunbartonshire – 14,156 and (d) East Dunbartonshire – 14,569.

The data refers to the number of young people with a valid card but does not include products which either start in the future or have expired.

The Scottish Government will not bring forward any legislation in relation to the 2026 Commonwealth Games.

For the 2014 Games, the Glasgow Commonwealth Games 2008 Act was passed to support Government Guarantees in relation to street trading, advertising, ticket touting, and transport and provide for the acquisition of land for facilities and the funding of the Organising Committee. However, a key condition of the Scottish Government’s support for the 2026 Commonwealth Games is that Scotland will only act within its existing legal framework. This condition has been clearly communicated to both Commonwealth Games Scotland and the Commonwealth Games Federation and is accepted by all parties.

The Scottish Government does not offer support for individuals whose lease did not meet the criteria to convert under the Long Leases (Scotland) Act 2012.

Individuals with leases which did not convert should consider making contact with their landlord to establish whether they would be willing to consider ending the lease. Tenants should be aware that the landlord will be seeking compensation and the level will be dependent of the circumstances of the lease. Any such discussions will be a private matter which the Scottish Government will not be able to intervene or assist with. Advice from a legal adviser may be required.