National events strategy review: business and regulatory impact assessment - partial

15. Summary and recommendation

15.1 Option 1

15.1.1 Benefits- proceed with the National Event Strategy Review from October 2022. This would include a public consultation process. The refreshed strategy would be published later in 2023

Includes a period of working in collaboration with partners and public consultation in early 2023 before publishing the refreshed strategy later in 2023.

This provides a credible set of proposals for consultation, the opportunity for individuals, communities and businesses across Scotland to inform the final strategy, and for engagement with Parliament.

Provides an appropriate period of time to develop implementation plans.

This approach to engagement is considered the most likely to result in a strategy that partners implement together to deliver on National Strategy for Economic Transformation and other priorities to the benefit of both the events sector and Scotland as a whole.

15.1.2 Costs - proceed with the National Event Strategy Review from October 2022. This would include a public consultation process. The refreshed strategy would be published later in 2023

There are costs relating to project team staffing. This reduces available Scottish Government and VisitScotland staff resources to deliver on other priorities.

The public consultation process would increase the overall financial cost of the strategy review through publication and analysis costs.

No other significant additional economic, environmental, social, policy and administrative costs per annum on top of those already incurred by policy and delivery have been identified at this stage.

15.2 Option 2

15.2.1 Benefits- proceed with the National Event Strategy Review from October 2022. The public consultation phase would not be included. The refreshed strategy would be published in the Summer of 2023

This would allow earlier publication of the strategy which could be beneficial in setting a clear agreed approach for the events sector sooner than option 1, providing certainty to those with an interest in this area.

The removal of the public consultation component would reduce administrative costs for publication and analysis.

15.2.2 Costs- proceed with the National Event Strategy Review from October 2022. The public consultation phase would not be included. The refreshed strategy would be published in the Summer of 2023

This option would significantly change the basis of engagement with partners by removing or limiting the opportunities for individuals, communities and organisations to influence the national strategy.

It may also limit the transformative potential of the strategy; as it would be less likely to secure widespread buy-in if relying solely on targeted engagement.

There would still be costs for project team staff resources but this would be less than Option 1.

No other significant additional economic, environmental, social, policy and administrative costs per annum on top of those already incurred by policy and delivery have been identified at this stage.

15.3 Option 3

15.3.1 Benefits- proceed as per option 1 but to delay strategy review until late 2023. With this option the refreshed strategy would be published before the end of the current strategy in 2025

This is similar to option 1 but would defer preparing proposals for consultation until later in 2023 with a view to completion before the end of the current strategy in 2025.

This would mean that there would be additional staff resources in the Scottish Government and VisitScotland to deliver on other priorities, whilst still publishing the refreshed strategy before the end of the current strategy in 2025.

15.3.2 Costs- proceed as per option 1 but to delay strategy review until late 2023. With this option the refreshed strategy would be published before the end of the current strategy in 2025

Would further lead to a further period of uncertainty about strategic direction for the events sector.

This review was originally intended to take place in 2019 and was postponed due to the pandemic so this further delay is not considered to be desirable.

Would mean a delay to aligning event sector activity to National Strategy for Economic Transformation priorities and delay taking on board feedback on priorities from the event sector and other partners.

Would reduce the time available to develop implementation plans, reducing the likelihood of maximising benefits of strategy implementation.

No other significant additional economic, environmental, social, policy and administrative costs per annum on top of those already incurred by policy and delivery, have been identified at this stage.

15.4 Recommended approach

Option 1. The National Event Strategy Review should begin in October 2022 with the aim of publishing the refreshed strategy later in 2023. This approach offers best value overall in terms of the economic, environmental, social, policy and administrative aspects as set out above.

15.5 Next steps

Following engagement with the Themed Groups a consultation has been developed. The 14 week public consultation on the Strategy will begin at the end of March 2023. Based on the evidence emerging from consultation this partial Business Regulatory Impact Assessment will then be refined alongside development of the National Events Strategy. We expect that both Scotland’s National Events Strategy 2025-2035 and the final version of this Business Regulatory Impact Assessment will be published later in 2023.