Question reference: S5W-33493
- Asked by: Annie Wells, MSP for Glasgow, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party
- Date lodged: 24 November 2020
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Current status: Answered by Jamie Hepburn on 8 December 2020
Question
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-32926 by Fiona Hyslop on 13 November 2020, whether taxi drivers will be eligible for financial support through the new discretionary fund announced by the First Minister on 18 November 2020.
Answer
Unlike previous funds which have been targeted towards specific groups or sectors impacted by COVID-19, the £30 million discretionary fund seeks to empower local authorities to direct additional financial support to specific groups or sectors within the business community where they consider this to be necessary or justified based on the distinct characteristics of their local economies. This recognises the insight that councils have on the business community in their area and where funding would be most effectively deployed in supporting local economies.
As such, it is for individual local authorities to determine eligibility for their respective schemes. We have, however, worked closely with local authorities in developing the fund to ensure that it targets businesses and self-employed people, such as taxi drivers, who may have been eligible for UK Government schemes but haven't been reached by Scottish Government financial support packages.