Hansard

The Convener Lab

For item 2 on our agenda, we have with us Robin Haynes, who is head of the council tax unit in the Scottish Government. We will take evidence on an instrumen...

Robin Haynes (Scottish Government)

Good morning and thank you. Myself or one of my colleagues have put in an annual appearance at the committee at a similar time since the council tax reductio...

The Convener Lab

You mentioned that in the period concerned, CPI was negative, so there is no change. What period was that?

Robin Haynes

September.

The Convener Lab

Do you mean the year until September?

Robin Haynes

I think so; I will have to get clarification, but my notes say that September CPI was negative: it was -0.1 per cent.

The Convener Lab

Right. Is that still the case? For this year, therefore, any changes would be in September.

Robin Haynes

The reference period would be to September, but the scheme from week 17 onwards will be a matter for an incoming Scottish Government.

The Convener Lab

Does that include the uprating method that is used? Could the Government decide not to apply CPI and to revert to what was used before?

Robin Haynes

A new Government could change just about anything in the scheme, if it so desired. The scheme is enabled under powers in the Local Government Finance Act 199...

The Convener Lab

The power to determine what method of uprating to apply lies with the Scottish Government. If, for example, it was felt that CPI was inappropriate, unfair or...

Robin Haynes

Yes it could, absolutely.

The Convener Lab

Thank you very much for that. No members have questions. Item 3 is to ask whether the committee has any comments on the subordinate legislation. Are members...

The Convener Lab

Just before we go into private session, I want to say that this is our last meeting of this parliamentary session and my last committee meeting as a convener...