Business Activity
4. Sandesh Gulhane
(Glasgow) (Con)
To ask the Scottish Government what it is doing to encourage
business activity in Scotland. (S6O-01879)
The Minister for Business,
Trade, Tourism and Enterprise ()
We know that businesses in Scotland are struggling because of
Brexit and the Tory Government’s economic mismanagement, and that
is why the Scottish Government is providing, through our limited
levers, immediate support, including the lowest non-domestic
rates poundage in the United Kingdom. [Interruption.]
At the same time, we are delivering our national strategy for
economic transformation to achieve our long-term ambitions for a
stronger, fairer and greener economy. The strategy’s programmes
focus on stimulating entrepreneurship, opening new markets,
increasing productivity, developing the skills that we need, and
ensuring fairer and more equal economic opportunities. We are
working closely with delivery partners, businesses, the third
sector and trade unions to successfully implement the strategy.
Sandesh
Gulhane
Businesses across Scotland have raised significant concerns
regarding the Scottish National Party-Green Government’s roll-out
of a Deposit return
scheme, calling it “completely unworkable”, “negative”
and “complicated”. It will put jobs at risk, add a massive burden
to businesses at a time when they need support, and discourage
business. Stakeholders are clear that the plans are poorly
thought through, and the Scottish Government is not giving enough
attention to those concerns.
Will the Scottish Government listen to businesses and commit to
launching the scheme only once businesses have had the answers
that they desperately need?
We are very conscious of the need to engage with businesses,
which is why we have such an extensive programme of engaging
with, listening to and responding to the needs of business. It is
also why I am chairing the regulatory joint task force, which was
set up by the Deputy First Minister. In the past few weeks, the
task force has had two meetings, and it is working closely with
the business community to assess the impact of regulations, make
sure that business regulation impact assessments are doing their
job and ensure that we address the impact of different
regulations on the business community.
We are focused on listening to and working with business to make
sure that the regulations that my colleague is taking forward on the
Deposit return
scheme, and all other regulations that the Government
introduces that impact on business, are properly assessed. We
listen to businesses to make sure that their views and concerns
about those regulations are taken into account.
