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We have heard the discussion about whether there is a real-terms increase; I want to focus on the Covid pressures that all local authorities, including mine, still face. I asked Unison whether it has contacted the UK Government about Covid consequentials, which were in the previous year’s budget but are not there this year. I asked David Kennedy from COSLA about that in the middle of December. Has COSLA written to the UK Government to ask whether Covid consequentials or additional funding will come to the Scottish Government this year, given that there will certainly be Covid pressures in this financial year and probably beyond it?

I refer to my entry in the register of members’ interests. I am a serving councillor in East Lothian Council.

I will expand on Murdo Fraser’s questions. We have had indications that the average fee would be £436. Feedback that we got from some tourism body surveys appeared to indicate that many operators would leave the industry as a result of the licensing scheme because of the additional cost. Do you share that concern?

The majority of operators already comply with the safety standards. What are your thoughts on that?

I want to expand on what can be done to monitor the impact of the licensing scheme. You mentioned that it will be reviewed in 2023. Is there a format for the review? It is really important to review the scheme, but what will that look like?

It is safe to say that we have all listened to the sector extensively over a period of time, both through the committee and outwith it. For me, with a local authority background, there are a few key factors. Cost recovery is incredibly important. We need to take a view of the cost in terms of where we are in the pandemic and recovering from it. The committee has taken evidence around the costs and I am convinced by what I heard about the costs that have been mentioned. I think that £464 was the average cost that was mentioned in the business and regulatory impact assessment, and that would be proportional to the size of the business. That works out at £9 per week. That is the key thing, for me.

Like Mark Griffin, I was persuaded by the evidence from Police Scotland about fit and responsible people. That is important. The key thing, addressing a point that Fergus Ewing made, is that responsible operators have nothing to fear from the proposed scheme, and the vast majority of operators do operate responsibly. However, there are issues around people who do not do so, and we need to make sure that we drive up the standards of the sector. Again like Mark Griffin, I am reassured by the fact that there will be a review in 2023. That is why I asked that question. I am convinced by what the cabinet secretary said about the issue coming back in 2023, when this committee will have a look at it. Therefore, I will support the proposals that the cabinet secretary has put forward.

Would that information come back to the committee? Perhaps that is a process for the clerks. How would the Scottish Government take the review forward? Would there be transparency about what comes out of it?

It would be useful if the methodology were shared with the committee.

I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests: I am a serving councillor on East Lothian Council.

I want to pick up on a couple of points. My first question is for Amanda Cupples. You mentioned the number of people that you reckon would leave the industry. What was the methodology for that figure and on what circumstances was the question based? What was the framing of the question? Was it based on extra regulation or estimated costs? I will ask more about licensing and registration in a second.

My second question goes back to basic safety standards. Mandatory basic safety standards are at the heart of the licensing scheme. We have heard that the vast majority of self-catering operators already comply with such standards. Earlier, Shomik Panda made a point about a registration scheme potentially needing some form of accreditation in relation to safety concerns. Would the licensing scheme not ensure that?

I put that question to Shomik Panda first and then open it up to the other witnesses.

I refer everyone to my entry in the register of members’ interests, which shows that I am a serving councillor on East Lothian Council.

My question is probably for Professor Gibb, who touched on the role of the city council. More broadly, what role would councils need to play to facilitate similar work across wider areas? Do we need to look at wider local heat and energy strategies? Obviously, each local authority would scale that up differently, so I seek your views on that. Finally, do you have anything to add on how you will share the findings of the evaluation of the project?

You mentioned skills and workforce. Do we need a national workforce planning strategy to deal with that particular issue? You touched on everybody’s being aware of it, but do we need a national strategy?