Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether they consulted (1) British Association for Shooting and Conservation Scotland, (2) the Scottish Gamekeepers Association, (3) Scottish Land & Estates, (4) NFU Scotland, (5) the Scottish Association for Country Sports, (6) Scottish Target Shooting and (7) the Scottish Clay Target Association prior to laying the Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 2025 before Parliament; and, if so, what details they can provide of the consultation and responses to it.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
On 15 January 2025, the Government laid a statutory instrument before Parliament that will increase fees charged by police forces to provide full-cost recovery for firearms licensing applications, in line with the Government's manifesto commitment on firearms fees. The fees were last increased in 2015 and they are now considerably below the cost of the service provided. It is essential for both public safety and police efficiency that increased fees are introduced so that service improvements can be made. The new fees will come into effect on 5 February.
The new fees are based on data produced by a review of firearms licensing costs in 31 police forces in January 2023. This data has since been updated to reflect increases in costs since then. The review was discussed at the Firearms Fees Working Group, chaired by the Home Office, which met in 2022 and 2023 with representation from:
· National Police Chiefs' Council
· Association of Police and Crime Commissioners
· Police Scotland
· Scottish Government
· Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
· British Shooting Sports Council
· British Association for Shooting and Conservation
· Gun Trade Association
· National Rifle Association
· Countryside Alliance
· National Gamekeepers Organisation
· Scottish Association for Country Sports.
A full impact assessment, which covers the impact of increased fees on rural communities, was published alongside the statutory instrument. The Policing Minister met with both the BSSC and BASC on the 13 January 2025.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Home Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what assessment they have made of the potential impact on the rural economy in Scotland of the Firearms (Variation of Fees) Order 2025.
Answered by Lord Hanson of Flint - Minister of State (Home Office)
On 15 January 2025, the Government laid a statutory instrument before Parliament that will increase fees charged by police forces to provide full-cost recovery for firearms licensing applications, in line with the Government's manifesto commitment on firearms fees. The fees were last increased in 2015 and they are now considerably below the cost of the service provided. It is essential for both public safety and police efficiency that increased fees are introduced so that service improvements can be made. The new fees will come into effect on 5 February.
The new fees are based on data produced by a review of firearms licensing costs in 31 police forces in January 2023. This data has since been updated to reflect increases in costs since then. The review was discussed at the Firearms Fees Working Group, chaired by the Home Office, which met in 2022 and 2023 with representation from:
· National Police Chiefs' Council
· Association of Police and Crime Commissioners
· Police Scotland
· Scottish Government
· Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
· British Shooting Sports Council
· British Association for Shooting and Conservation
· Gun Trade Association
· National Rifle Association
· Countryside Alliance
· National Gamekeepers Organisation
· Scottish Association for Country Sports.
A full impact assessment, which covers the impact of increased fees on rural communities, was published alongside the statutory instrument. The Policing Minister met with both the BSSC and BASC on the 13 January 2025.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Scotland Office:
To ask His Majesty's Government what plans they have to make an order under section 104 of the Scotland Act 1998 to enable pre-existing marriages to become civil partnerships.
Answered by Baroness Anderson of Stoke-on-Trent - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK Government is currently engaging with the Scottish Government and considering their proposal. We will keep Parliament informed of any developments.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much outstanding funding is due for each Levelling Up Fund project in Scotland; and whether this funding will still be delivered to each project following the 2024 Autumn Budget.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
£471 million has been awarded to 24 projects in Scotland through the Levelling Up Fund and to date £132 million has been released. At Autumn Budget 2024 we were pleased to confirm that funding for rounds 1 – 3 projects of the Levelling Up Fund have been confirmed.
The Autumn Budget 2024 confirmed that the government is minded to withdraw the funding for culture projects announced at Spring Budget 2024, which includes allocations to Dunfermline, Perth and the Victoria and Albert Museum Dundee levelling up culture projects. The consultation process with potential recipients is underway.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government whether each town in Scotland promised funding via the Long-Term Plan for Towns will still receive that funding following the 2024 Autumn Budget.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
As set out at Autumn Budget, the Long-Term Plan for Towns will be retained and reformed, as part of a new regeneration programme.
The 75 places across the UK, including 10 in Scotland, that were previously selected to receive funding under the Long-Term Plan for Towns will receive up to £20 million of funding and support over the next decade.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much outstanding funding is due for each Community Ownership Fund project in Scotland; and whether this funding will still be delivered to each project following the 2024 Autumn Budget.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
£16.7 million has been awarded to 46 projects in Scotland through the Community Ownership Fund. £10.4 million has been drawn down by projects to date.
A number of these projects have completed including The Heart of Newhaven in Edinburgh and the Y Centre in Perth. We will continue to provide funding to successful projects that have been announced.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much outstanding funding is due for each Shared Prosperity Fund project in Scotland; and whether this funding will still be delivered to each project following the 2024 Autumn Budget.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) operates under a delegated delivery model, meaning lead local authorities are responsible for managing the funding for their area and the allocation of funds to projects.
Lead local authorities in Scotland have been paid £188.6m of the £212m available to them for delivery up to March 2025. The outstanding £16.8m remains available to be paid to lead local authorities at the end of the financial year, based on actual spend. UKSPF funding allocations for 2022-25 are unaffected by the 2024 Autumn Budget announcement.
Asked by: Lord Cameron of Lochiel (Conservative - Life peer)
Question to the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government:
To ask His Majesty's Government how much outstanding funding is due for each Community Renewal Fund project in Scotland; and whether this funding will still be delivered to each project following the 2024 Autumn Budget.
Answered by Baroness Taylor of Stevenage - Baroness in Waiting (HM Household) (Whip)
Delivery activity under the UK Community Renewal Fund ended on 31 December 2022; and all funding has been paid to projects in Scotland.