‘Disparity’ sparks concern for firms

NICOLA Sturgeon has pledged support for businesses will be kept “under review” amid concerns over a disparity between Scotland and the rest of the UK.

The First Minister insisted the Scottish Government is passing on “every penny” of funding that results from measures being put in place down south.

Small and mediumsized firms operating in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors elsewhere in the UK are being given a £25,000 grant for each property they own to help them through the crisis.

But in Scotland, businesses are only entitled to a one-off £25,000 payment.

Asked about the disparity during the Scottish Government’s daily coronavirus briefing, Ms Sturgeon insisted she will seek to help businesses as much as possible.

She said: “We will continue to keep all of these things under review.

“We will continue to work with businesses.”

She added: “We are passing on every penny of the consequential funding that has come for business support to businesses.

“We have tried to make sure that helps as many businesses as possible.

“So because of some of the decisions we have taken, there are some businesses with a rateable value at a certain level that will get support in Scotland that they wouldn’t get elsewhere in the UK – that’s a decision that we’ve made.

“We’ve also been able to give support to particular sectors, support that isn’t available in other parts of the UK – to the seafood sector, for example.

“We’ve given help to the bus industry, we’ve given help with water charges to businesses.

“We’re trying to make sure that this funding, welcome funding, helps as many businesses as possible.

“But of course, we will continue to listen, we will continue to seek to help businesses to the maximum possible [level].”

Scottish Conservative finance spokesman Donald Cameron said SNP ministers need to address the disparity

“as a matter of urgency”.