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Justice Secretary Michael Matheson says prisoners contesting their convictions are not denied privileges.

Mr Cole-Hamilton says two of his constituents serving time protest their innocence and are appealing and they have lost privileges.

Mr Matheson says he cannot speak to individual cases and contesting a case is not automatic grounds to remove privileges.

He says it must be considered whether such prisoners can be moved to lower security surroundings.

Alex Cole-Hamilton asks for what reason prisoners contesting their convictions are reportedly denied privileges afforded to the wider prison population.  

Labour MSP Lewis Macdonald asks about rate assessors.

Mr Wheelhouse says he is keen to engage with businesses to check if any mistakes have been made. 

He says business should engage with assessors. 

Tory MSP Ross Thomson asks about business rates and where the money raised is going.

Mr Wheelhouse says he will ask Finance Secretary Derek Mackay to provide more detail on how the system works. 

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Energy Minister Paul Wheelhouse says the government supports businesses affected by the downturn and enterprise agencies are corresponding with those businesses.

Mr Wheelhouse says there are a number of schemes in place.

He says it is crucial that the UK government turns talk into action in terms of investment. 

He says the government is doing everything it can but needs the UK government to step up.

The chancellor has  used his budget  to outline plans to help the North Sea oil and gas industry.

Philip Hammond will investigate the use of tax incentives to make it easier for operators to sell oil and gas fields, helping to keep them productive for longer.

A panel of experts will be set up to examine the issue.

A discussion paper on how to help the industry will also be published, Mr Hammond told the Commons.

The Treasury said the moves would further help a vital industry that meets around 50% of the UK's primary energy needs.

SNP MSP Gillian Martin asks what action the government is taking to assist businesses in the north east that have been affected by changes in global oil prices.

MSPs agree to note the Council Tax Reduction (Scotland) Amendment Regulations (SSI 2017/41).

The committee moves into private session.

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Scottish government head of council tax Robin Haynes cites annual uprating of the Council Tax Reduction Scheme.

Mr Haynes says these regulations are very much anticipated by local authority benefits and revenue practitioners.

Council Tax Reduction compares the amount of income a person has with the amount that the government considers they need to live on. 

The government uses the applicable amounts that are set by the UK Government for housing benefit. 

Image source, SPICe

There are three parts to the applicable amount: 

• a personal allowance 
• an amount for any dependent children 
• any applicable premiums (an additional amount which reflects special needs of the household – for example there are various disability premiums and a carer premium).  

The Committee will now take evidence on the Council Tax Reduction (Scotland) Amendment Regulations (SSI 2017/41) from:

• Scottish government head of council tax Robin Haynes
• Scottish government statistician Dave Sorensen

Committee convener Sandra White thanks the witnesses for their "enlightening" evidence.  

That concludes the Citizen's Income evidence session. 

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Annie Miller from the Citizen's Basic Income Network in Scotland says it is certainly possible for a pilot on basic income to take place.

Ms Miller says: "If we can create new benefits then we can create a basic income.

"This would mean people were no longer under the threat of sanctions and being left with nothing, she says.

Ms Miller says we can create a new Scottish society, the start of  "a new Scottish enlightenment"

RSA director Anthony Painter says there needs to be a bigger national dialogue on the system.

Greens MSP Allison Johnstone asks if Scotland's new powers gives parliament an opportunity to do this.

Mr Painter says it provides the opportunity to trial it.

Professor Donald Hirsch the director of the Centre for Research in Social Policy at Loughborough University says "Universal Credit is an interesting vehicle" to look at despite all the problems. 

Landman Economics director Howard Reed says people who receive inheritances, dividends or rent are receiving large amounts of income for doing nothing.

Mr Reed says this should be spread beyond the rich with the basic income.  

Annie Miller from the Citizen's Basic Income Network in Scotland says as soon as people realise that they could gain from this system then people will be in favour of it.

Ms Miller says "it is important to get people on side" and she is hopeful that progressing the campaign would see positive changes in society.