Meeting of the Parliament 26 June 2024
I thank Craig Hoy for the intervention; I am happy to agree with him on that point. [Laughter.]
We will, of course, continue to work with and listen to stakeholders. The industry advisory group, which is chaired by VisitScotland, and which several industry representatives are part of, has met at least 14 times in the past two years. The most recent meeting was also attended by the Minister for Housing.
Some of the provisions in the order, such as ensuring smoother processing for the transfer of licences and introducing more flexibility on the use of temporary exemptions, were included as a direct result of that engagement, offering technical clarifications and operational improvements for businesses.
The approach that is being taken in the order aligns with both our commitment to support businesses, and with the Verity house agreement, in recognising that licensing authorities have statutory responsibility for delivering the scheme. It ensures that the high quality of accommodation that visitors expect in Scotland is maintained, and prioritises the importance of doing business.
Given that Rachael Hamilton has said that she agrees with the technical aspects that are actually in the SSI, I urge members to vote for the motion.