House of Commons - Scottish Affairs Committee: Land Reform in Scotland: Interim Report - HC 877
House of Commons - Scottish Affairs Committee: Land Reform in Scotland: Interim Report - HC 877

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Scottish Affairs Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2014-03-20

Total Pages: 52

ISBN-13: 9780215069665

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This report concludes that any government which is serious about land reform needs full and clear information on existing land ownership and values made widely available. Scotland lags behind most comparable European countries in providing such data, and the Committee calls on the Scottish and UK Governments to address this as a priority. Scotland is also behind other countries in terms of the openness and ease of land transactions. Land reform is an important, neglected and intensely political area of public policy and the Committee is expanding this enquiry more widely than originally envisaged. Evidence is sought from interested parties on a number of topics including: state aid; the Scottish Government's Land Reform Review Group; community land ownership; and opaque and indirect ownership by front companies, trusts and offshore entities

House of Commons - Scottish Affairs Committee: The Impact of the Bedroom Tax in Scotland: Plan B-Charges, Arrears and Refunds; Incorporating the Government Response to the Committee's Fourth Report of Session 2013-14 - HC 937
House of Commons - Scottish Affairs Committee: The Impact of the Bedroom Tax in Scotland: Plan B-Charges, Arrears and Refunds; Incorporating the Government Response to the Committee's Fourth Report of Session 2013-14 - HC 937

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Scottish Affairs Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2014-03-21

Total Pages: 44

ISBN-13: 0215069722

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The Scottish Government's plan to negate the future effects of the bedroom tax in Scotland is inadequate, and further that the route they have identified - using Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) - is flawed. The Committee has taken evidence in Scotland and Westminster on the impacts of the bedroom tax but also on the best and most effective ways of mitigating those effects. The Committee reiterates its call for the Scottish Government to meet all the bedroom tax charges for Scottish tenants, write off all the arrears, and refund all the payments that have been made, as the only fair and workable way forward.

HC 571 - Our Borderlands - Our Future: Final Report
HC 571 - Our Borderlands - Our Future: Final Report

Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Scottish Affairs Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2015

Total Pages: 53

ISBN-13: 021508554X

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This inquiry investigates key issues that affect the daily lives of those people who live in the south of Scotland. The Committee held informal seminars in Galashiels, Peebles and Dumfries, in May and June 2014, in order to identify the key issues facing businesses, communities and individuals in the south of Scotland. Several of the issues raised in the meetings focused on the social and economic needs of the residents of the south of Scotland, many of which related to devolved functions which are the responsibility of the Scottish Government. However, some crucial issues were raised which were a direct consequence of the policies and responsibilities of the UK Government, specifically for example, in relation to employment issues. The inquiry will seek to examine the bigger picture, and to address two central questions: i) Are the current structures working as effectively as they could for the benefit of the people of the south of Scotland? ii) How can the UK and Scottish Governments work together with Local Authorities to deliver appropriate and effective policies to support economic development and growth in the south of Scotland?This document sets out the specific terms of reference for the inquiry, raising questions and issues on which the Committee would welcome written evidence.

Zero Hours Contracts in Scotland: Interim Report - HC 654
Zero Hours Contracts in Scotland: Interim Report - HC 654

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Scottish Affairs Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2014-04-10

Total Pages: 68

ISBN-13: 0215071581

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Zero hours contracts and other forms of casual labour can benefit workers and employers in Scotland but the Scottish Affairs Committee's inquiry has shown that, too often, the relationship is unbalanced, leaving the employer with all of the flexibility and few costs and the worker in fear of dismissal, denied access to due rights of employment and, in some cases, earning less than the minimum wage. The Government recognises that poor practice exists and needs to be addressed but the UK Government's consultation on zero hours contracts was too narrow. The Government must do more to protect workers who wish to challenge unfair, unsafe or unlawful conditions of employment. Workers should be told from the outset of their employment what type of contract they are on and a written contract setting out the terms and conditions must follow within two months. There should be a minimum notice period of work and workers should not be punished for turning down offers of work made within that period. Where workers arrive for work but find none available then the employer should compensate them for the inconvenience. Travel time between appointments should be paid and pay for zero hours workers should accurately reflect the number of hours that are worked to fulfil contracted duties. The recommendations will improve the working conditions of people on zero hours contracts but the Committee's overriding conclusion is that, in the majority of cases, zero hours contracts need not and should not be used at all.

HC 1130 - Legacy Report
HC 1130 - Legacy Report

Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Scottish Affairs Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2015

Total Pages: 25

ISBN-13: 0215085663

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In this report the Committee has set out key elements of its work over the 2010-15 Parliament. The Committee believes that it is crucial that select committees follow up their work and do not simply see the publication of a report as the end of the process of scrutiny. Scrutiny should not end with the Dissolution of Parliament. The Scottish Government was clear that the 2014 referendum on independence would be a once generation event, but that does not mean that the relationship between Scotland and the rest of the United Kingdom will remain unchanged. The recommendations of the Smith Agreement will be implemented during the course of the next Parliament. The major package of legislation, and the revised fiscal framework that will accompany it, will require careful and detailed scrutiny, as will any proposals to go further that the Smith Commission envisaged.

Community Action and Planning
Community Action and Planning

Author: Gallent, Nick

Publisher: Policy Press

Published: 2016-04-20

Total Pages: 356

ISBN-13: 1447315170

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Analyses the contexts, drivers and outcomes of community action and planning in the global north: from emergent neighbourhood planning in England to the community-based housing movement in New York, and from active citizenship in the Dutch new towns to associative action in Marseille.

HC 1241 - The Referendum on Separation for Scotland: Scotland's membership of the EU
HC 1241 - The Referendum on Separation for Scotland: Scotland's membership of the EU

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Scottish Affairs Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2014-05-27

Total Pages: 52

ISBN-13: 0215072839

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Today Scotland's interests in the European Union are represented by the UK which, as one of the largest Member States, has the voting power and leverage to influence decisions to the benefit of Scotland. In leaving the UK, a separate Scotland would lose this advantage. A separate Scotland is likely to have its application to join the EU accepted - but not within the self-imposed timetable of 18 months, nor with the terms, that the Scottish Government is proposing. The proposal that Article 48 of the Treaty on European Union could be used to provide for Scottish membership is not supported by any other EU state; senior EU figures have ruled it out and it is opposed by the United Kingdom Government - which would, under this process, have to initiate it. The additional and exceptional demand for the ability to discriminate against UK students with respect to tuition fees would be voted against by the UK Government and is therefore almost certain not to be met. Furthermore, insufficient attention has been paid to the need to negotiate the UK's retention of VAT zero rating on a wide range of goods. As a separate Member State, not only would Scotland cease to benefit from the UK rebate (currently worth in the region of £300 million per year to Scotland) but it would have to contribute to it. In these circumstances Scottish voters need a more realistic alternative perspective of how joining the EU would be achieved, and what its likely terms and timetable would be.

HC 928 - Impact of the Closure of City Link on Employment
HC 928 - Impact of the Closure of City Link on Employment

Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Committees on Impact of the closure of City Link on Employment

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2015

Total Pages: 41

ISBN-13: 0215084500

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There will always be those who lose out when a company goes into administration and cannot cover all of its debts. However, the current system does not represent the appropriate balance, since those who have given secure credit to a company are cushioned from the full impact of an insolvency, because the losses are borne by those who work for a company on a self-employed basis, or as contractors or suppliers. Under the current rules it is clearly in the financial interest of a company to break the law, and ignore the statutory redundancy consultation period, if the fine for doing so is less than the cost of continuing to trade, especially since this fine will anyway be paid by the taxpayer. However, while the financial calculation is simple, ignoring the consultation period has a high human cost that appears not to have featured in the decision making process at City Link. Employees were denied a reasonable notice period in which to seek alternative employment and instead, at a time of financial uncertainty, have to pursue a court claim for lack of consultation if they wish to be compensated. While there were differences of opinion as to whether or not City Link could be made viable, and the desired level of return could be achieved, the Committees regret that Better Capital felt its investors' interests could only be protected at the expense of the future of City Link and continued employment for its workers

HC 484 - Power Outages and Extreme Weather Conditions in the West of Scotland
HC 484 - Power Outages and Extreme Weather Conditions in the West of Scotland

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Scottish Affairs Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2014-05-14

Total Pages: 98

ISBN-13: 0215071972

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The local authority and power company response to the severe weather of 2013 in Kintyre, Arran and Wigtownshire shows that important lessons have been learned and improvements put in place since the Committee last reported on this issue, in August 2012. The Committee is satisfied that all three councils affected by the severe weather have in place robust contingency planning for emergencies, which proved effective. Crucially, the compensation for those left without power - with all the damage that can cause - has been brought into line with the rest of the country. The Committee's conclusion's included that: emergency plans should prioritise accessing mobile phone base stations to restore lost signals; the A83 is a vital artery for the Kintyre peninsula and the decision to upgrade it to a trunk road is an important one, as this will allow the resources of Transport Scotland to be deployed to keep it open during extreme weather conditions; the new Hunterston-Kintyre transmission line will mean there will be two transmission lines serving the Kintyre peninsula, so the failure of one of the lines will not see Kintyre & Arran cut off from the power network; and caring for vulnerable members of the community is another statutory responsibility of local authorities: local authorities have done a great deal of work to expand their databases and identify those who are in need but councils should also do more to support the community groups that are engaging local people in the process of caring for the vulnerable

HC 1292 - The Impact of the Bedroom Tax in Scotland: Developing the DHP Cap
HC 1292 - The Impact of the Bedroom Tax in Scotland: Developing the DHP Cap

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Scottish Affairs Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2014-05-20

Total Pages: 20

ISBN-13: 0215072820

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The Committee calls once more for a clear commitment from the Scottish Government that it will use its chosen method of mitigating the effects of the bedroom tax - Discretionary Housing Payments or DHPs -- to mitigate all the financial impact of the bedroom tax, both past and present, on tenants in Scotland. The Government confirmed in a letter to the Committee, from David Mundell MP, that Scottish Ministers will be allowed to set the statutory cap on DHPs in Scotland, allowing them to increase the amount paid through DHPs to cover all of the loss caused by the bedroom tax if they choose to. The Committee welcomes this, and the Scottish Government's commitment to make additional funding available for mitigation. The Committee says both Governments should expedite the necessary procedures which will enable the Scottish Government to lift the cap on DHPs in Scotland as quickly as possible.