Angus & Aberdeenshire businesses questions: FOI release

Information requested

1. When did the The Scottish Government Cabinet last discuss  Scottish drugs policy, specifically in relation to new pyschoactive substantices, so called legal highs.

2. Based on Scottish Government data how many (a) Angus and (b) Aberdeenshire based businesses qualified for business grants (i) because of the COVID-19 response, and (ii) how many would have done so prior to the rates revaluation.

3. In relation to the 2017 Non - Domestic ("Business") Rates revaluation, how many (i) Angus and (ii) Aberdeenshire based business were (a) 'losers' with higher rates (b) winners with lower rates (c) unchanged and (d) zero rated.

4. How many (i) Angus and (ii) Aberdeenshire businesses were on the valuation roll for Non - Domestic Rates (a) after the 2017 revaluation and (b) prior to the 2017 revaluation.

5. Any communications that the Scottish Government has had with the UK Government about establishing a 'freeport' at the Port of Montrose.

6. How much remains non paid for healthcare provision across Scotland which is chargeable under the National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) (Scotland) Regulations 1989 in each of the last five years (15/16, 16/17, 17/18, 18/19, 19/20) and 20/21 to date.

Response

This response addresses questions 2, 3 and 4 of your original request. The other questions in your request will be answered separately. You asked:
2. Based on Scottish Government data how many (a) Angus and (b) Aberdeenshire based businesses qualified for business grants (i) because of the COVID-19 response, and (ii) how many would have done so prior to the rates revaluation.

3. In relation to the 2017 Non - Domestic ("Business") Rates revaluation, how many (i) Angus and (ii) Aberdeenshire based business were (a) 'losers' with higher rates (b) winners with lower rates (c) unchanged and (d) zero rated.

4. How many (i) Angus and (ii) Aberdeenshire businesses were on the valuation roll for Non-Domestic Rates (a) after the 2017 revaluation and (b) prior to the 2017 revaluation.

The answer to question 2 provides data based on ‘ratepayer’ information, and the answers to questions 3 and 4 relate to ‘property’ level information. The answers to your questions are below.
2. There are 5,400 and 2,300 ratepayers in Aberdeenshire and Angus respectively that we estimate are eligible for the Small Business (SBG) and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure (RHL) Grants. At 14 July 2020, 3,447 and 1,725 ratepayers had been awarded the grants in Aberdeenshire and Angus respectively.

Table – Estimated Ratepayers Eligible for Support Grants
	Aberdeenshire	Angus
SBG	5,000	2,200
RHL	300	100
Total	5,400	2,300
Note: Numbers may not sum due to rounding

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have some of the information you have requested. We don’t have the information requested in part (ii) because the grant support scheme available to businesses suffering hardship as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic reflects relief eligibility and property valuations in 2020-21 and no hypothetical analysis has been performed for other years. 

3. The table below gives the number of properties where the rateable value increased, decreased, was unchanged and zero rated for Aberdeenshire and Angus. This compares the valuation roll at the end of March 2017 to the beginning of April 2017 – immediately before and after revaluation. This means that it does not reflect the effects of any subsequent appeals that have been processed after April 2017.

Table – Number of Properties Affected by the Revaluation
	Aberdeenshire	Angus
Rateable value decreased	800	1,800
Rateable value unchanged	1,100	400
Rateable value increased	8,600	2,400
Zero Rated	1,100	200
Total	11,700	4,900
Note: Numbers may not sum due to rounding

4. The information you have requested in question 4 is available in Table 3 in the publication ‘Revaluation 2017 in Scotland’ which can be accessed from the Scottish Government’s website at https://www.gov.scot/publications/revaluation-2017-scotland/.

Under section 25(1) of FOISA, we do not have to give you information which is already reasonably accessible to you. If, however, you do not have internet access to obtain this information from the website listed, then please contact me again and I will send you a paper copy.

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