Public policy highlights June 2019

Our Planning Law Sub-Committee issued a briefing to MSPs ahead of stage 3 debate on the Planning (Scotland) Bill.

We warned that the Bill at that stage was unworkable and risked adding significant additional costs on local authorities, developers and communities. We welcomed the introduction of Local Place Plans and changes to Local Development but raised concerns around complex and contradicting provisions contained in the Bill.

The Bill passed stage 3 on 20 June 2019 and was branded the most amended Bill in the history of the Scottish Parliament. We welcomed the amended Bill in its final form. The changes made at stage 3 have clarified many of the Bill’s provisions and largely restored the Bill in line with its original objectives. The Bill now includes provisions on Regional Spatial Strategies, Local Place Plans, short-term lets, mediation, and training and performance requirements, while provisions on culturally significant zones, land value capture and brownfield land have been removed. MSPs also considered whether to introduce a third party right of appeal but amendments on this matter were not agreed, and we support this decision.

See our work on the Bill here.

Our Health and Medical Law Committee issued a briefing and suggested amendments ahead of the Scottish Parliament’s stage 3 debate on the Human Tissue (Authorisation) (Scotland) Bill.

We believe that public awareness is crucial and were pleased to note that, following amendments at stage 2, there will be a duty on Scottish Ministers to promote an awareness and information campaign annually.

We were also pleased to note amendments introducing a duty on Ministers to review and report on the impact of the introduction of deemed consent after five years. These amendments will strengthen the framework of the Bill and allow aspects and provisions of the Bill to be measured and evaluated to ensure that policy intentions are achieved.

The Bill passed stage 3 on 11 June 2019 following a unanimous vote in the Scottish Parliament.

See our work on the Bill here.

Our Criminal Law Committee issued a briefing ahead of the Scottish Parliament’s stage 3 debate on the Management of Offenders (Scotland) Bill.

We support the general principles of the Bill in relation to the electronic monitoring of offenders, disclosure of convictions, and reforms relating to the Parole Board and release of prisoners on parole.

As the Bill has progressed, it has provided an important opportunity to look at ways of expanding and streamlining the greater use of electronic monitoring within a modern Scottish criminal justice system. We believe that it is vital to achieve an appropriate balance with offenders between prison and an opportunity to contribute to their communities.

We also called for further public awareness around the proposed increase in the use of electronic monitoring and for further support measures for offenders to assist with compliance.

See our work on the Bill here.

Our Rural Affairs, Consumer, and Competition Law Sub-Committees responded to the UK Parliament’s Environment, Food and Rural Affairs Committee inquiry into rural broadband and digital only services.

Access to connectivity and digital services remains an issue for rural communities. Ofcom’s Connected Nations 2017 Scotland report highlighted that only six percent of premises in Scotland still struggle to get decent broadband services. We believe that all premises in Scotland should have access to this level of broadband services. We note that improvements have been made in terms of the availability of superfast broadband and coverage of full fibre services in Scotland. However, there remain areas where basic levels of coverage are not being provided.

See our full response.