The Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers (ASSC) have continued their extensive and wide-ranging lobbying efforts on short-term let licensing ahead of the 1st October deadline. The ASSC have undertaken countless meetings with MSPs over the course of the short-term let licensing debate, most recently with Scottish Government Ministers and officials, but have also engaged leading opposition MSPs.
On Tuesday 29 October, ASSC CEO Fiona Campbell and Iain Muirhead met with the Leader of the Scottish Conservatives Douglas Ross MSP to discuss the many problems associated with short-term let licensing policy. The Scottish Conservatives now intend to hold a debate and vote on the matter in mid-September when parliament returns from recess.
The following day, Fiona Campbell and Iain Muirhead were joined by a number of self-catering operators from across Scotland at a roundtable event at the Scottish Parliament hosted by Daniel Johnson MSP, Scottish Labour’s Spokesperson for the Economy, Business and Fair Work. Operators were able to put forward their concerns to the MSP about the flawed and iniquitous nature of short-term let licensing.
The ASSC will continue to meet with members of all political parties – at local and national level – and do everything it can to ensure that the Scottish Government see sense over their botched licensing plans.
Fiona Campbell, CEO of the Association of Scotland’s Self-Caterers, said:
“The ASSC will leave no stone unturned and will work with all political stakeholders to help safeguard jobs and livelihoods in Scotland’s vital self-catering industry.”
“The ASSC has never been anti-regulation but licensing remains unfit for purpose and will damage Scottish tourism for no material benefit. There is a cross-party consensus that the plans are fatally flawed, contain significant overreach and will entail unintended consequences – we just hope that the Scottish Government will finally see sense.
“We thank both Douglas Ross and Daniel Johnson for their time and courtesy in meeting with the ASSC and our members during this challenging time. The ASSC will continue to meet with members of all political parties as we strive to protect our industry from being irrecoverably damaged by short-term let licensing.”