MSP calls for action over dog attacks
An SNP backbencher has challenged the Scottish Government to take “real action” to tackle the number of dog attacks.
Colin Beattie pressed community safety minister Ash Denham on the issue after the number of cases where people attend A&E after being attacked by a dog increased from 6,483 in 2018 to 6,992 the following year.
Ms Denham said she has some concerns about the figures, suggesting the possibility of "some double counting".
But she conceded the Scottish Government does not currently have any target in place to reduce the number of attacks by a specific date.
MSPS on the public audit and post legislative scrutiny committee questioned Ms Denham as it considered the impact that the Control of Dogs (Scotland) Act 2010 has had.
Mr Beattie said: "However you look at it, 7,000 people had to attend A&E to seek treatment following a dog attack, and that is completely unacceptable.”
Scotland's Economy Secretary has called for support for businesses to cut through bureaucracy post-brexit, as well as a simplification of new trading rules.
In a letter to Cabinet Office minister Michael Gove, Fiona Hyslop said firms in Scotland will need financial backing – she suggests grants or tax credits – to enable them to hire customs advisers to decipher new rules following the end of the transition period.
Her call comes after the Road Haulage Association told a Scottish Parliament committee that companies have had to become "their own customs clerks", because of a lack of qualified agents.
The UK government has already announced a £20 millionfundforsmallandmedium (SME) businesses to deal with issues caused by the new rules.
Mshyslopsaid:"ouraskofthe
UK government is to provide urgent financial support, in the form of tax credits, vouchers or grants,sothatsmallbusinesses canmakefulluseoftheservices ofcustomsbrokers/agents–and so that the supply of trained, capable advisers increases to meet demand.
"This is likely to exceed the scope of the SME Brexit support fund. It is also needed urgently before confidence and customer relationships are irretrievably lost."
Ms Hyslop also pushed for a number of simplifications in the trading process, particularly around rules of origin, which she said are "proving particularly challenging for businesses".
She said: "Faced with this complexity and cost, some will choose to cease, or will no longer be able, to trade with Europe. We know that others are considering relocating substantial parts of their business operations, and the associated jobs and investment,
from Scotland to the EU to circumvent rules of origin requirements."
Ms Hyslop also urged ongoing talks with the European Commission to simplify VAT rules for trading goods, which
she said are "adding a further layer of complexity to trade".
She added: "Businesses are struggling to understand and comply with the different sets of VAT rules that apply in the 27 EU states. Again, SMES
with less experience, capacity or resources to absorb the costs and complexities of these additional processes are experiencing most difficulties."
A new law intended to tackle the growth of short-term let properties has been pushed back in Holyrood’s schedule until after the Scottish election in May.
However, the Scottish Government says it is sticking to its timetable, which gives owners ofairbnb-stylepropertiesuntil April2023toapplyforalicence.
Housingministerkevinstewart said the legislation creating a licensing scheme for shortterm lets would be withdrawn from the current session of the Scottish Parliament and reintroduced in June, pending the result of the election.
He said this would allow draft guidance to be developed to help reassure operators.
While MSPS on the local governmentcommitteebackedthe plans earlier this month, some expressed concern about how the scheme will work in practice. Some were worried bed andbreakfastpropertieswould beincludedinthelicensingsystemalongsideairbnb-styleselfcatering accommodation.
Mrstewartsaid:“ourproposals to licence short-term lets were developed in response to concerns raised by residents in communities across Scotland and members in all parties.
“However, I know concerns havebeenraised,sohavetherefore decided to withdraw this legislation, so that it can be reconsidered in parallel with draft guidance which will help address those concerns.
“I want the licensing scheme to be as efficient and effective as possible in ensuring the safety of guests and residents, and to provide local authorities with the powers to balance community concerns with wider economic and tourism interests.
“I want to emphasise that our proposalsandoveralltimetable remain the same.”
Reactingtomrstewart’sstatement,conservativemspannie Wells said: “At last the SNP government have listened to the lobbying to withdraw these plans.however,theyhavefailed to do the right thing and go further by committing that this is theendoftheroadfortheseregulations.iftheseregulationsare brought back after the election,
Scottish Conservative MSPS will vote to scrap this illogical legislation.”
Scottish Labour MSP Sarah Boyack said: “Scottish Labour
supports the regulation of short-term lets, but the SNP’S proposal, as it stood, risked unjustly penalising our tourism sector and foisting greater
responsibilities on to our hardpressed councils without providing any new support.”