Jamie Halcro Johnston
(Highlands and Islands) (Con):...As the minister
will be aware, businesses across the Highlands and Islands
already face challenges and costs additional to those faced by
businesses in other parts of Scotland. However, as was raised by
my colleague , as well as the new burdens
that are being placed on the sector—short-term lets licensing and
the calamitous Deposit return
scheme being just two of those—the Scottish ministers
still refuse to introduce the 75 per cent rates relief for the
Scottish hospitality and tourism sector that the United Kingdom
Government provides south of the border and that the Scottish
Government has been given the funding to deliver. Will the
Scottish National Party-Green coalition finally listen to
businesses in my region, the Scottish Conservatives, and even
members on its own benches who back the move, and use the funding
that the UK Government has provided to give a much needed boost
to Scottish hospitality and tourism?
The Minister for Small
Business, Innovation, Tourism and Trade (Richard
Lochhead): I thank the member for the question,
which gives me an opportunity to remind him that I speak
regularly to hospitality businesses the length and breadth of
Scotland, including in the Highlands and Islands and in my
constituency. They say that a number of issues are affecting
their bottom line at the moment and that they are facing a very
tough trading environment and high costs. They tell me, for
instance, that the biggest issue affecting them is rocketing
energy costs, which are an issue that is reserved to the UK
Government. There is a shortage of labour, particularly in the
Highlands and Islands, as a result of Brexit, which is an issue
that is reserved to the UK Government. There is the impact of
inflation on goods and services, which the UK Government has
influenced and has made some serious mistakes with. There is also
the campaign to reduce VAT for tourism, which would bring a big
boost to businesses in the Highlands and Islands. As the member
highlighted, the Scottish Government has responsibility for a
number of important issues, which we will consider in the
forthcoming budget. Of course, we will have to await what the
budget says.
The member referred to money that is provided by the UK
Government. Clearly, he has been asleep for the past couple of
weeks, because the autumn statement delivered paltry
consequentials for the Scottish Government, which means that we
face a very difficult situation with the Scottish budget. That is
another example of how the UK Government has let down the
hospitality sector, but we will do what we can—
