Chamber and committees

I might not have explained myself properly. I do not disagree with the need for employment law to be devolved, but I do not think that that is necessarily applicable to the bill.

On the wider aspect, with the bill, we are seeking to set up a council that would scrutinise regulations on employment injury assistance. Although, under the bill, the council would have a specific power to work with others—in its evidence, the HSE said that it regularly works with the Scottish Government and public bodies in Scotland, so it would have that ability—

As the bill stands, and as it is set up, the council would not have the power to interfere on preventative work because of the reservations.

Good morning. I am really interested in the discussion that we have had on non-domestic rates and the small business relief scheme, and how the proposal that we are considering might—if it goes through—impact on the income that is generated for councils. All three council reps have talked about the modelling on the income that they might receive as a result of the proposed measure. Are you at all concerned about behaviour change, with second home owners switching to short-term lets so that they become eligible for small business rates relief, which would have an impact on the income that you generate? Have you done any modelling on that as part of your calculations?

Do any of our council colleagues online wish to comment?

Yes—thank you.

Thank you.

You have touched on the next point that I wanted to make. The Government has consulted on a wider package, which includes increasing the levels for long-term empty homes and changing the thresholds for short-term lets. Are members of the panel happy about the regulations being made in isolation, rather than having the holistic package that the Government has consulted on, which could potentially stop some of the behaviour change and unintended consequences that we have been speaking about?

If we are talking about change-effecting behaviours and the policy potentially leading to second-home owners selling, I hope that councils would be in a position to buy any such homes that were being put on the market. Timothy Douglas spoke about the additional dwelling supplement applying to private landlords, but do council colleagues have views on the additional dwelling supplement still applying to councils, and would you like that to be removed so that you could support buy-back programmes to increase the supply of affordable housing and social housing in your local authorities?

What is your view on local authorities having to pay the additional dwelling supplement? It seems like a tax that is circular in nature, and something from which local authorities should be exempt.

You have just said that the council tax freeze will be fully funded, which is a commitment that has come from the First Minister. What is your understanding of what a fully funded council tax freeze means?