 Welcome to the 23rd meeting in 2023 of the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee, and I'd like to welcome everyone back after the summer recess. I'd also like to remind everyone present to switch on mobile phones to silent. The first item of business is to decide whether to take item 3 in private. Is the committee content to take this item in private? Yes, yes. And our agenda item number 2, we're considering six instruments subject to the negative procedure. Issues have been raised on two of these instruments. The first instrument is SSI 2023-197, the Council tax reduction Scotland amendment number 2 regulations 2023. The instrument amends the Council tax reduction Scotland regulations 2021 to increase the maximum amount which may be disregarded in respect of childcare costs for recipients of universal credit when calculating their income for the purposes of the Council tax reduction scheme. Under section 282 of the Interpretation and Legislative Reform Scotland Act 2010, instruments that are subject to the negative procedure must be laid at least 28 days before they come into force, not counting recess periods of more than four days. The instrument breaches this requirement as it was laid on 27 June 2023 and come into force on 28 June 2023. In correspondence with the Presiding Officer, the Scottish Government stated that the UK Government laid UK-wide regulations increasing the amounts that may be paid as part of universal credit in respect of childcare costs, which come into force on 28 June 2023. The Scottish Government stated that it was not made aware of this until 21 June 2023. Without these regulations, affected households could have seen an unintended consequential rise in their council tax payments unless the 2021 regulations could have taken place. The instrument was therefore made, laid and brought into force to coincide with the UK instrument as a matter of urgency. The instrument has not been laid at least 28 days before it came into force, which is required by section 282 of the Interpretation and Legislative Reform Scotland Act 2010. Does the committee wish to draw the instrument to the attention of the Parliament under reporting ground G for failure to comply with the laying requirements? Is the committee content with the Scottish Government's explanation provided for this breach of the laying requirements? The final instrument where issues have been raised is SSI 2023-207, the valuation proposals procedure Scotland amendment regulation 2023. The instrument demands the valuation proposals procedure Scotland regulations 2022. It extended the deadline by which a non-domestic rate payer may make proposals for alteration of the valuation role to a rates assessor from 31 July 2023 to 31 August 2023, or four months after the receipt of the valuation notice. Under section 282 of the Interpretation and Legislative Reform Scotland Act 2010, instruments that are subject to the negative procedure must be laid at least 28 days before they come into force, not counting the recess periods of more than four days. The instrument breaches the requirement as it was laid on 19 July 2023 and came into force on 20 July 2023. In correspondence with the presenting officer, the Scottish Government stated that it had accepted the recommendation made in the New Deal for Business Group progress report and decided that the deadline for revaluation proposals should be extended. The Scottish Government stated that it was not possible to meet the parliamentary laying requirements because an extension had to be introduced before the existing 31 July deadline. The instrument has not been laid at least 28 days before it came into force as required by section 282 of the Interpretation and Legislative Reform Scotland Act 2010. The committee wishes to draw the instrument to the attention of the Parliament under reporting ground J for failure to comply with laying requirements. The committee is content with the Scottish Government's explanation prior to the breach of the laying requirements. Under the agenda item, no points were raised on SSIs 2023, 190, 193, 223 and also SI 2023, 850. Is the committee content with the instruments? That concludes the public part of the meeting and will move the committee into private.