Scottish Expert Advisory Panel on the Collaborative Economy

Overview

Earlier this year, I was asked by Keith Brown, the Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Jobs and Fair Work, to chair the Scottish Expert Advisory Panel on the Collaborative Economy. 

The Panel’s purpose is to provide advice, expertise and experience to on-going policy development on the collaborative economy and to make recommendations to Scottish Ministers on how Scotland can position itself to take advantage of the many opportunities of the collaborative economy and overcome any regulatory, economic and social challenges. 

I have accepted the Cabinet Secretary’s invite to chair this Panel and I am delighted to be joined by a diverse group representing a considerable range of interests and expertise of the collaborative economy and its impact on competition, regulation and wider economic and social issues.  The opportunities and challenges offered by these new collaborative business models is an area of growing interest in Scotland – the Panel will be key to advising Scottish Government on its policy development in this emerging sector.

The collaborative economy has revolutionised the ways in which goods and services are purchased, consumed and provided.  This has accelerated in recent years with advances in technology.  In essence, the collaborative economy allows access to the sharing or provision of goods and services, assets and resources without the need for ownership.  Prominent examples of this include Uber, Airbnb, Deliveroo, Hassle, Kickstarter and Task Rabbit.

Scottish Government work to date has identified that the Panel should consider how to:
• ensure that regulation is fit for purpose and that an appropriate balance is struck to allow competition to flourish;
• protect and empower consumers and identify clear routes to redress;
• support Scotland's business base to digitally transform and compete in the evolving market place; and
• ensure that the wider economic, social and community impacts, including taxation, social inclusion and employment conditions, are understood.

Throughout 2017, the Panel and I will be exploring these issues further.  However, we cannot do this alone.  We need views, experiences and input from Scotland’s citizens and businesses: from users of the collaborative economy; from businesses operating in this growing area; and from established businesses which are experiencing significant change in their sector as a result of the collaborative economy. The questions outlined below in this call for evidence are the areas where I feel the Panel will benefit greatest from your views or opinions.  However, if you have additional evidence outwith these then please do provide this.  To allow the Panel to explore the evidence submitted, responses are invited by 26 May 2017.

Whilst it is intended that the responses received will be published on the Scottish Government’s website, I am keen to encourage a free and frank expression of views. Therefore please indicate clearly on your response if you wish it to remain confidential.

If you have any questions, please contact the Panel’s secretariat at Jamie.steed@gov.scot.

I look forward to hearing from you and thank you in advance for taking the time to contribute to this exciting project.

HELEN GOULDEN