Highlands and Islands MSP Jamie Halcro Johnston has urged local people and businesses to respond to a Scottish Government consultation on new regulations for short-term lets. The consultation seeks views on the government's short-term lets draft Licensing Order and Business and Regulatory Impact Assessment (BRIA). The government intends to lay the Licensing Order at the Scottish Parliament in September 2021. Mr Halcro Johnston, the Scottish Conservative Shadow Minister for Business, Trade, Tourism and Enterprise, said: “I know from the correspondence that I have received from business-owners and business organisations that this is potentially a very significant issue for the tourism sector here in the Highlands and Islands and across Scotland. It is very important that the voices of the people who are most affected are heard loud and clear before the Scottish Government introduces measures which may have an impact on them."
“For instance, during the last session of Parliament, when there were plans to introduce a licencing scheme, the Scottish Conservatives took the view that the extra costs and bureaucracy were the last thing that businesses needed as they struggled with the impact of the pandemic."
“However, once again, the issue is being revived, but we really want to avoid seeing see the sector being knocked back just as it is attempting to get back on its feet again. So my message would be, please take the opportunity to provide feedback and make sure you do so before the consultation period closes on Friday 13 August.”
The consultation can be accessed at: https://www.gov.scot/publications/short-term-lets-consultation-draft-li…
