Chamber and committees

I thank all our guests. We have covered parental involvement and engagement to some extent, but it is an important factor. How are parents and carers of pupils with complex needs encouraged to be involved in discussions about their children’s education, and what is required to ensure that that works well? How do people work together to bring that about? How are pupils informed about their rights to support, dispute resolution and legal remedies, such as tribunals—if things go that far? Obviously, people want to avoid going to tribunal. Where there are queries, how are parents informed about what to do next and what can most benefit their children?

I suppose that Matthew Cavanagh has a comment on that.

That is very useful to know.

The instrument amends regulations governing when self-catering holiday accommodation is subject to non-domestic rates rather than council tax. In correspondence with the Scottish Government, which has been published alongside the papers for this meeting, the committee queried whether the word “as” is missing from new regulation 5A(4) in the principal regulations, which is inserted by regulation 2(2) of the instrument, and whether the meaning of the provision is sufficiently clear. The Scottish Government advised that that is a typographical error that will be corrected by correction slip before the instrument comes into force.

Does the committee wish to draw the instrument to the attention of the Parliament on the general reporting ground?

Members indicated agreement.

Does the committee wish to note that the Scottish Government proposes to correct the issue by correction slip before the instrument comes into force?

Members indicated agreement.

Also under this agenda item, no points have been raised on the following instrument.

Thank you very much indeed for all that. I move the committee into private.

Is the committee content with the instruments?

Members indicated agreement.

The instrument makes provision in relation to local tax reliefs. In correspondence with the Scottish Government, which has been published alongside the papers for this meeting, the committee queried whether a reference in the instrument to section 24(3) of the Local Government (Scotland) Act 1966 was an error, as that section has been repealed.

The Scottish Government agreed that the reference to section 24(3) is an error. It advised that it will bring forward an amending instrument with a coming into force date of 1 April 2024, coinciding with that of the principal instrument, to remove the erroneous reference and to make certain other changes to regulation 11 that have been identified following a review of the instrument in light of the committee’s question.

Does the committee wish to draw the instrument to the attention of the Parliament on reporting ground (i), which is defective drafting, on the basis that regulation 11 of the instrument does not operate as intended, in that regulation 11(1)(ii) refers to a provision that has been repealed without relevant savings? Does the committee also wish to welcome that the Scottish Government intends to address the issue in an amending instrument that will come into force to coincide with the principal instrument?

Members indicated agreement.

Also in relation to this instrument, the committee asked the Scottish Government about the reference in the preamble to a consultation requirement in section 145 of the Non-Domestic Rates (Scotland) Act 2020. There is no section 145 in that act. We asked whether the reference should instead be to section 14(5) of the act. The Scottish Government agreed and advised that that is a typographical error. The Scottish Government proposes to address the issue by adding text to the explanatory note of the instrument, setting out the error and referring to the Scottish Government’s correspondence with the committee in this regard.

Does the committee wish to draw the instrument to the attention of the Parliament on the general reporting ground, in that the reference in the preamble to section 145 of the Non-Domestic Rates (Scotland) Act 2020 should be to section 14(5)? Does the committee also wish to note the Scottish Government’s proposal for addressing the issue?

Members indicated agreement.