Question reference: S5W-33143
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 10 November 2020
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Current status: Answered by Ben Macpherson on 23 November 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government for what reason the catering equipment hire sector is not eligible for COVID-19 business (a) support grants and (b) rates relief.
Answer
The Scottish Government recognises that this is an extremely difficult time for businesses across Scotland. From the outset we have been explicit that we are utilising every penny of the UK Government’s business support consequential funding to support businesses in Scotland, and we have delivered a package of financial support to help as many businesses as possible. In designing non-domestic rates reliefs as part of this package of financial support, we had to balance helping as many businesses as possible against affordability.
The rates reliefs are set out in The Non-Domestic Rates (Coronavirus Reliefs) (Scotland) Regulations 2020. This includes a universal 1.6% relief available to all non-domestic properties, and a 100% relief for properties in the Retail, Hospitality, Leisure and Airport sectors that meet the qualifying purpose or purposes specified in the classes in schedule 1 of the Regulations as amended. Non-domestic rates are administered by local authorities, and the interpretation of the relevant legislation and the awarding of reliefs is a matter for them.
Together our rates relief package and the initial Business Support Grant Scheme, introduced in March 2020, in the early stages of the pandemic delivered financial support worth £2.3 billion to assist businesses in these challenging times. Properties occupied by the catering equipment hire sector may also have been eligible for the Business Support Grant Funds where they met the eligibility criteria set out in Scottish Government guidance. The funds were open to applications until 10 July.
Further support is now available, and the Strategic Framework set out the Scottish Government's package of business support measures from 2 November which offers grants for businesses required to close by law, and those businesses that remain open but are required by law to modify their operations.
We continue to seek the funding and powers we require to support Scottish businesses through this pandemic, and to engage with specific sectors who may face unique impacts and consider how best to provide help and support.