Tag: Scottish Parliament

Support for pub landlords

A Members Bill which aims to create a fairer environment for pub landlords is to be scrutinised by Holyrood’s Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee.

The Committee has today issued a call for views on the Tied Pubs Scotland Bill which seeks to strengthen the position of pub tenants through the creation of a Scottish Pubs Code. This proposed legislation would give landlords more of a say in their business while an independent adjudicator would oversee the application of the new code.

The Bill also seeks to improve choice for consumers, by making locally brewed products more accessible in tied pubs.

Committee Deputy Convener, Willie Coffey MSP said: “With around 750 tied pubs in Scotland, we want to know what impact this legislation would have on local businesses and the communities that they are at the heart of.

“We want to hear from pub landlords, tenants and brewers to understand if changes need to be made.”

A copy of the Bill, and its accompanying documents, are available on the Scottish Parliament’s website.

  • What are your views on the Bill overall? Do you think that legislation in this area is necessary?
  • Do you think the Bill achieves its aim of improving the relationship between pub-owning businesses and their tenants?
  • Could the Bill have any impact on investment in the pub sector in Scotland?
  • Should the Scottish Pubs Code apply to all pub owning businesses and tenants in Scotland?
  • Do you have any comments on the role of the Adjudicator?
  • The Policy Memorandum states that the Bill aims to adapt the 2015 Act to Scottish circumstances and to avoid problems experienced in implementing the Act in England and Wales. Do you think the Bill meets these aims?
  • The Bill proposes that tied tenants have the option to apply to their pub owning business for a quote for a „Market rent only‟ (MRO) contract. Do you agree with this proposal and how do you think it would work in practice?
  • The Bill proposes that tenants should have the right to stock at least one guest beer at any time, irrespective of the terms of their contract. What impact would this have?
  • The Bill proposes that the office of Pub Code Adjudicator will be funded through a levy on pub-owning companies in scope of the code. The Financial Memorandum estimates that annual costs for pub-owning businesses will be around £6,000 to £86,700 depending on size. The Committee would welcome any views of these estimates (and the assumptions around the volume of work for the office of the Pub Code Adjudicator) and the funding model.
  • Do you have any other comments on the Bill?

MSPs Welcome Further Protections for Animals and Wildlife

Greater protections to strengthen the health and welfare of animals and wildlife in Scotland have been supported in a report issued yesterday by Holyrood’s Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee.

Key provisions within the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Bill are:

• The increase of maximum penalties for animal welfare and wildlife crime offences to five years in prison
• The creation of fixed penalty notices for minor offences
• Removal of the requirement for court orders for rehoming animals.
• Increased protection for service animals (Finn’s Law) through the removal of the defence of self-defence.

Whilst considering the Bill, the Committee raised concerns about the lack of a central registration system to facilitate information sharing between authorities and agencies in relation, for example, to previous convictions.

Committee Convener, Gillian Martin MSP, (above) said: “We have explored the proposed penalties along with the powers given to those authorised to take animals into possession on welfare grounds. The Bill was widely welcomed but we believed more could be done.

“We recognise the tight focus of the Bill but we’re also in no doubt that it goes a long way to improving animal and wildlife protections in Scotland. When implemented, there should be greater co-operation, greater resourcing and greater awareness of the issues involved. The health and welfare of our animals and wildlife will be significantly improved.”

Additional recommendations made within the report include:

• That the options for enhanced detection and prosecution by expanding the powers of the SSPCA be explored
• That impact statements should be used as a matter of standard practise
• That the Scottish Government works with the Crown Office to provide more clarity and guidance about vicarious liability

See below for copy of the Committee report:

ECCLRS0520R1 (003)

Committee rejects Period Products Bill

A Bill which would have placed a duty on the Scottish Government to ensure free period products are available on a universal basis has failed to win the support of a Scottish Parliament Committee.

The Local Government and Communities Committee said that while they are unanimous in their support of the intentions underpinning the Period Products (Free Provision) (Scotland) Bill, more clarity on both costs and what such a scheme would look like is required before legislation should be contemplated.

The majority of the Committee raised concerns over the financing of the scheme, highlighting the large disparity between the costs to implement a universal scheme presented in the Bill’s Financial Memorandum and the Scottish Government’s own estimates.

The Committee took evidence on targeted measures already put in place by the Scottish Government which provide free period products in schools, universities and some local authority buildings.

The Committee commended the work of MSP Monica Lennon in bringing forward the Bill – but, in scrutinising the proposed legislation, learned that evaluation of those measures is ongoing.

The majority of the Committee agreed that there was a lack of clarity on whether a universal scheme was needed, what the total cost might be and how much it may grow. They were also concerned about the significant work which would be required by Ministers to devise and develop a universal scheme.

Local Government and Communities Committee Convener, James Dornan MSP, said: “A difficulty in affording and accessing period products affects people across Scotland every day, and the Committee is aware of the need to reduce stigma around menstruation.

“We applaud Monica Lennon for all her efforts in bringing this Bill before the Scottish Parliament and helping to raise awareness of these issues.

“The Committee also commends the work undertaken by local authorities, the third sector, and grassroots groups to promote and deliver existing schemes and welcomes the positive response to the Government’s targeted provision of free products.

“However, the Committee has concerns about the Bill as drafted, including a lack of clarity over how much a universal scheme would cost, what a scheme would look like and the work required by Ministers to implement it.

“This is clearly a serious and important issue and the Scottish Government should ensure that current schemes are accessible to everyone who needs them. But for the majority of the Committee it is clear that the legislation before us is not the answer.

“Andy Wightman MSP and Sarah Boyack MSP did support the General Principles of the Bill and dissented from a number of the Report’s conclusions. Details can be found in the Committee’s report.”

Scotland’s student teachers: learning the lessons

The lessons being learned by Scotland’s student teachers will be put to the test as part of a new inquiry by Holyrood’s Education and Skills Committee.

The inquiry will explore whether teachers leave initial teacher education sufficiently ready and confident for the challenges they will face in Scotland’s classrooms. Continue reading Scotland’s student teachers: learning the lessons

It’s time to tackle road repairs, says Holyrood Committee

A step change is required in the planning, funding and delivery of roads maintenance services to address a £3 billion backlog in repair and improvement works on Scotland’s roads network, according to the Scottish Parliament’s Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee. Continue reading It’s time to tackle road repairs, says Holyrood Committee

Systemic change needed to address disadvantage in STEM subjects, says Holyrood committee

Disadvantages as a result of deprivation, gender and rurality need to be addressed to improve learning experiences in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM), according to a new Holyrood committee report. Continue reading Systemic change needed to address disadvantage in STEM subjects, says Holyrood committee

Your Priorities: What makes a strong community?

A Scottish Parliament Committee is seeking views on how to achieve community wellbeing.

The Local Government and Communities Committee is keen to find out what people think affects ‘community wellbeing’ and have launched a call for the public’s ideas on what this future work should focus on. Continue reading Your Priorities: What makes a strong community?

Parliament celebrates Edinburgh students awarded top marks in Modern Studies

On Saturday the Parliament hosted the Modern Studies Association Annual Conference 2019, hosted by The Deputy Presiding Officer, Christine Grahame MSP.

Part of the day included presenting an SQA Advance Higher Award and SQA Higher Awards  for the most outstanding students in the country. Continue reading Parliament celebrates Edinburgh students awarded top marks in Modern Studies