Chamber and committees

Draft guidance for local authorities on overprovision is set out in chapter 3 of the Licensing guidance part 2: supplementary guidance for licensing authorities, letting agencies and platforms . Paragraphs 3.37 to 3.41 explain how overprovision policies interact with control areas.

The High Level Group on Planning Performance aims to improve the performance of the planning system for all types of development. It does not have a workstream which focuses specifically on the processing of windfarm applications. As highlighted in the response to S6W-02645 on 14 September 2021, the resourcing and performance of the planning system remain key priorities, and we recently recommenced work looking at increasing the financial resources available to planning authorities through changes to the planning fees regime.

The latest planning statistics published in July 2021 indicate that timescales for major applications for electricity generation are 10 weeks faster than the Scottish average for all types of major development. With regards to local applications for electricity generation, although timescales are 4 weeks slower than the Scottish average for all non-householder applications, over 52% were determined within the statutory timescale. The average decision time for local electricity generation developments has varied substantially over the last seven years but prior to 2020-21 the overall trend showed a decrease in average decision time.

All answers to written Parliamentary Questions are available on the Parliament's website, the search facility for which can be found at https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/written-questions-and-answers

On 8 January 2020, Mr Stewart, the then Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning, emphasised the importance of the safety of visitors, hosts, neighbours and local residents in his statement to the Scottish Parliament. This was the rationale for introducing the policy and that remains the case. It has also always been the intention to give local authorities further powers under the licensing scheme to tackle other issues arising from short-term lets.

Our licensing scheme proposals deliver national consistency on safety standards, and autonomy for local authorities to add further conditions in response to local needs and concerns.

The Affordable Housing Supply Programme (AHSP) provides support for Local Authorities and Registered Social Landlords to purchase off the shelf properties where it can be demonstrated that this is the most appropriate method of meeting housing need in a particular area. Funding may also be made available to remodel/rehabilitate existing properties where this is considered a strategic priority.

Whilst we hold information on the number of off the shelf properties supported through the AHSP, we do not hold information on whether those properties are former right-to-buy properties. The table containing the off the shelf homes supported through the main AHSP grant programme for the last 5 full financial years, broken down by Local Authority Area and Local Authority or Registered Social Landlord who purchased the properties, has been placed in SPICe under BIB number 62721. The table does not include figures relating to new build off the shelf properties.

The Scottish Government is supporting the rollout of the new Scotland Loves Local Loyalty Card, part of our £10 million Scotland Loves Local programme.

The card is a quick and efficient way to encourage spend and sales growth in our local economies and, thanks to Scottish Government funding, is the first of its kind on a national scale.

We have no plans to replicate the Northern Ireland scheme at present but will be interested to see the impact it makes.

We will explore the possibility of levying a higher poundage on properties where the owner is registered in a tax haven, as well as tackling other known tax avoidance tactics using anti-avoidance powers provided by the Non-Domestic Rates (Scotland) Act 2020.

The Scottish Government fully supports the police, local authorities and the court services to take appropriate and proportionate action to tackle antisocial behaviour. We expect all relevant authorities to use the powers available to them to deal with antisocial behaviour.

Skills Development Scotland who lead on SG’s Partnership Action for Continuing Employment initiative have been actively engaging with the company and staff, providing support to individuals who may be impacted.

Guidance for local authorities on establishing control areas and the reasons and evidence they need is set out in chapter 2 of Planning circular 01/2021: short-term let control areas .

The Scottish Government’s assessment is that there is no requirement for a Legislative Consent Memorandum (LCM) in respect of the Nationality and Borders Bill as introduced to the UK Parliament. The Scottish Government is monitoring the Bill as it progresses through the UK Parliament and will consider whether any amendments to the Bill trigger the need for an LCM.