SNP failing to adhere to their own standards on impact assessments

Scottish Conservatives have filed an amendment calling on the Scottish Government to implement Business and Regulatory Impact Assessments (BRIA) on the SNP's planned retail tax and the reform of empty property relief on business rates. It comes after the Scottish Government's own review called for the extended use of BRIAs.

Speaking ahead of the Regulatory Framework debate tomorrow, Scottish Conservative Finance Spokesman, Gavin Brown MSP said:

"The SNP's own report has called for impact assessments to be used far more frequently, and yet they refuse to carry them out on two of their own flagship policies. The retail tax and reform of empty property relief are two far reaching policies that could have a hugely damaging effect on Scottish jobs. Therefore it is vital that we carry out full impact assessments.

"The SNP are refusing to follow their own advice and that is why I lodged an amendment calling for them to provide more information on these two policies. The SNP cannot claim to believe in 'better regulation' and transparency and yet avoid any scrutiny on measures that are likely to cost jobs across Scotland."

Below is the text of Gavin's amendment:

Amendment in the name of Gavin Brown to motion S4m-01526 in the name of Fergus Ewing: Regulatory Framework: add on at end: "; further notes the Regulatory Review Group's Annual Report 2011 which notes that the use of Business and Regulatory Impact Assessments (BRIA) was at 80% for primary legislation and 57% for secondary legislation; therefore calls on the Scottish Government to increase the use of BRIAs for legislation and regulation and to explain why they have not carried out a BRIA on either the proposed retail levy or the reform of empty property relief on business rates."

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