Business groups today met Finance Secretary Derek Mackay to discuss concerns over the scrapping of the uniform business rate.
Representatives from FSB Scotland, the Scottish Retail Consortium and UKHospitality met the Cabinet Secretary to express their “profound concerns” after last week’s Scottish Parliament vote to end the uniform business rate.
Stuart Mackinnon of the small business group, David Lonsdale of the SRC and Willie McLeod of the hospitality sector body met with him in Stirling where the Scottish Government Economic Forum was being held.
In a join statement afterwards they said: “Taking business rates out of the hands of Ministers and handing control over this £2.8 billion tax to councils places a big question mark over existing Scotland-wide rates reliefs, such as the Small Business Bonus scheme.
“Firms fear this move could lead to higher business rates bills for both large and small organisations, at a time when the poundage rate is at a 20-year high. It remains unclear too what this change would mean for the finances of rural and less well-off local authorities and therefore ultimately for rates bills in these areas.
“The lack of any impact assessment to accompany this fundamental change in rates policy and what it will mean for ratepayers, for existing reliefs, and for councils themselves, is troubling.MSPs must revisit this amendment to the law at the earliest opportunity.”
