Scotland’s First Minister Rejects Meeting with ASSC Chief Executive Fiona Campbell for the Third Time: This is Simply a Disgrace

For the third time – and by a third consecutive First Minister – the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC) has been denied a meeting, fueling frustration and outrage from Scotland’s Self-Catering Sector who argue the government is continually ignoring vital issues that are significantly impacting on the sector. A decision the ASSC has labelled a “disgrace,” highlighting growing tensions over the government’s handling of industry concerns.

During the meeting with the First Minister, we at the ASSC had anticipated raising the following issues:

• New Deal for Business principles, as well as commitments to reset relations with the business community, are not being applied to the self-catering sector;
• Recent changes to the Licensing Order did not make any tangible and meaningful changes which responded to the totality of industry concerns;
• While the ASSC has met with relevant Ministers and officials, they do not fully appreciate the real-world impact of short-term let planning and licensing regulations are having on the self-catering sector, and are not acting to address the outstanding concerns; and
• That the future sustainability of a £1bn sector – which forms a crucial part of the tourist economy ecosystem in Scotland – is being jeopardised by the accumulative regulatory burden, undermining his government’s commitments to reduce red tape.

We note in the First Minister’s recent statement to the Scottish Parliament setting out his Programme for Government that his policies therein would be “affordable, impactful and deliverable”. This is precisely the approach taken in the ASSC policy recommendations to the Scottish Government on how to ameliorate short-term let licensing and ensure there’s a regulatory framework that works for all.

Last week, the First Minister also rightly said that “small and medium-sized businesses are the backbone of our economy” – and we need action, not words, to show that the Scottish Government actually believes that.

You can download a copy of the response from the First Minister to the ASSC below.

Call to Action for ASSC Members

We urge all ASSC members to take immediate action by contacting the Scottish Government, making it clear that this continued refusal to meet is unacceptable. Demand that the First Minister meets with ASSC Chief Executive Fiona Campbell without delay. People’s livelihoods are on the line, and this inaction is a direct threat to the future of our industry