Current MSPs

Finlay Carson

Finlay Carson MSP

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FinlayCarsonMSP

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Member for: Galloway and West Dumfries
Region: South Scotland
Party: Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party

Finlay is a member of the following Committees:

Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee (Deputy Convener)

Finlay is a member of the following Cross-Party Groups:

Parliamentary Activities

Search for other speeches made by this member

Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 16 June 2020 [Draft] : 16 June 2020

Finlay Carson (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con)

This Government has failed and will fail to deliver on time the reaching 100 per cent—R100—programme. It has failed to deliver on its commitment to implement the deposit return scheme in its...

Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee 15 June 2020 [Draft] : 15 June 2020

Finlay Carson

I echo the concerns that my colleagues have expressed. Marine engineering projects such as wind farms and fish farms have a major impact on nearby communities, and I would be concerned about...

Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee 15 June 2020 [Draft] : 15 June 2020

Finlay Carson

Last week, we had a very helpful discussion with Chris Stark from the CCC—[Inaudib...

Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee 15 June 2020 [Draft] : 15 June 2020

Finlay Carson

I will move on to your pet topic, which is peatland restoration.

Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee 15 June 2020 [Draft] : 15 June 2020

Finlay Carson

I guess that it would be legislation to prevent local authorities from going back to the old norm, given that they had plans to upgrade their recycling and so on. For example, in Dumfries an...

Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee 15 June 2020 [Draft] : 15 June 2020

Finlay Carson

We heard before Covid-19 that we need to go further and faster, but we have had a long period of lockdown, which in some instances will have been habit forming. Are you planning to propose a...

Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee 15 June 2020 [Draft] : 15 June 2020

Finlay Carson

I suppose that the aim of the question was just to tease out any issues. I am pleased to hear that things are working, that you do not foresee any issues going fo...

Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee 15 June 2020 [Draft] : 15 June 2020

Finlay Carson

What would happen if a UK-wide scheme was set up using powers in the Environment Bill and the UK Government decided to make changes that the Scottish Government w...

Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee 15 June 2020 [Draft] : 15 June 2020

Finlay Carson

In the past, you have told the committee that the Scottish Government has committed to keeping pace with EU directives and regulations in relation to producer responsibility and resource eff...

Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform Committee 15 June 2020 [Draft] : 15 June 2020

Finlay Carson

Why does the Scottish Government support sharing its powers in relation to producer responsibility and resource efficiency rather than agreeing policy alignment a...

Search for more votes Votes Cast by Finlay Carson

Vote Detail	MSP Vote	Result
S5M-22033.1: Fiscal Implications of COVID-19 (Donald Cameron) Meeting Date: 16/06/2020 Result - For: 18, Against: 55 Abstain: 0 >> Show more	For	Defeated
S5M-22033.2: Fiscal Implications of COVID-19 (Jackie Baillie) Meeting Date: 16/06/2020 Result - For: 55, Against: 18 Abstain: 0 >> Show more	Against	Carried
S5M-22033.3: Fiscal Implications of COVID-19 (Patrick Harvie) Meeting Date: 16/06/2020 Result - For: 53, Against: 18 Abstain: 0 >> Show more	Against	Carried
S5M-22033: Fiscal Implications of COVID-19 (Kate Forbes) Meeting Date: 16/06/2020 Result - For: 55, Against: 18 Abstain: 0 >> Show more	Against	Carried
SP Bill 53: Scottish Elections (Reform) Bill (Stage 3) - Amendment 16 Meeting Date: 03/06/2020 Result - For: 19, Against: 54 Abstain: 0	Not Voted	Defeated
SP Bill 53: Scottish Elections (Reform) Bill (Stage 3) - Amendment 7 Meeting Date: 03/06/2020 Result - For: 58, Against: 12 Abstain: 0	Not Voted	Carried
SP Bill 53: Scottish Elections (Reform) Bill (Stage 3) - Amendment 9 Meeting Date: 03/06/2020 Result - For: 59, Against: 12 Abstain: 0	Not Voted	Carried
S5M-21891: Scottish Elections (Reform) Bill (Graeme Dey) Meeting Date: 03/06/2020 Result - For: 74, Against: 0 Abstain: 0 >> Show more	Not Voted	Carried
S5M-21915: Scottish Parliament (Elections etc.) (Amendment) Order 2020 [draft] (Michael Russell) Meeting Date: 03/06/2020 Result - For: 58, Against: 17 Abstain: 0 >> Show more	Not Voted	Carried
S5M-21916: Representation of the People (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2020 [draft] (Michael Russell) Meeting Date: 03/06/2020 Result - For: 58, Against: 17 Abstain: 0 >> Show more	Not Voted	Carried

Search for more votes Votes Cast by Finlay Carson

Search for other Motions lodged by Finlay Carson

Motion S5M-21914: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 02/06/2020 Show Full Motion >>

Motion S5M-21851: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 26/05/2020 Show Full Motion >>

Motion S5M-21850: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 26/05/2020 Show Full Motion >>

Motion S5M-21510: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 21/04/2020 Show Full Motion >>

Motion S5M-21483: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 17/04/2020 Show Full Motion >>

Motion S5M-21454: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 16/04/2020 Show Full Motion >>

Motion S5M-21398: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 06/04/2020 Show Full Motion >>

Motion S5M-21127: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 04/03/2020 Show Full Motion >>

Motion S5M-20868: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 14/02/2020 Show Full Motion >>

Motion S5M-20475: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 16/01/2020 Show Full Motion >>

Search for other Questions asked by Finlay Carson

Question S5W-29592: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 02/06/2020 Show Full Question >>

To ask the Scottish Government whether it plans to clarify what constitutes "wild camping", and what additional measures, if any, Police Scotland will be given to address overnight camping in areas where permission has not been sought or granted.

Answered by Roseanna Cunningham (09/06/2020):

In Scotland, wild camping is an exercise of responsible non-motorised access rights established under Part 1 of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003. These rights only apply if they are exercised responsibly. The Scottish Outdoor Access Code defines wild camping as follows:

“Access rights extend to wild camping. This type of camping is lightweight, done in small numbers and only for two or three nights in any one place. You can camp in this way wherever access rights apply but help to avoid causing problems for local people and land managers by not camping in enclosed fields of crops or farm animals and by keeping well away from buildings, roads or historic structures. Take extra care to avoid disturbing deer stalking or grouse shooting. If you wish to camp close to a house or building, seek the owner’s permission. Leave no trace by: taking away all your litter; removing all traces of your tent pitch and of any open fire (follow the guidance for lighting fires); not causing any pollution.”

Wild camping includes what some may call informal, roadside or freedom camping, all of these being types of camping undertaken beyond the confines of established campsites. These types of camping are wild camping if they are conducted responsibly in accordance with the advice in the Scottish Outdoor Access Code. Overnight stays in vehicles are not included.

There are no plans to provide additional measures to Police Scotland to address overnight camping in areas where permission has not been sought or granted. This is an operational matter for Police Scotland.

Current Status: Answered by Roseanna Cunningham on 09/06/2020

Question S5W-29591: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 02/06/2020 Show Full Question >>

To ask the Scottish Government what mechanisms are in place to enable Historic Environment Scotland to progress current projects while staff are furloughed.

Answered by Fiona Hyslop (15/06/2020):

I am advised by Historic Environment Scotland (HES) that as its revenue comes largely from non-Government sources it is eligible for the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme (CJRS) and thus HES has appropriately claimed CJRS in accordance with UK Government guidance, and that it has proportionately furloughed staff according to the reduced level of commercial income impacted.

HES states that with the remaining staff it is continuing to deliver its core functions and is reallocating staffing and resource as needed. Given the necessary restrictions that are currently in place, there are activities where HES is not able to continue to provide normal service. HES is working to minimise the impact of this on core activities as well as ensuring plans and resources are in place to allow it to reopen properties and resume activities as quickly as possible and in the most appropriate manner as COVID-19 restrictions are eased.

Historic Environment Scotland (HES) has published an Action Plan for 2020-21 identifying how it will maintain and develop its core activities in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the actions it is taking to support the wider historic environment sector. The Action Plan is publicly available on HES website: https://www.historicenvironment.scot/about-us/news/hes-publish-six-month-action-plan-in-wake-of-covid-19/

The Scottish Government will continue to work closely with HES to look at the resources needed to support its resumption plans and organisational priorities for the remainder of 2020-21.

Current Status: Answered by Fiona Hyslop on 15/06/2020

Question S5O-04376: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 27/05/2020 Show Full Question >>

Question S5W-29189: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 18/05/2020 Show Full Question >>

Question S5W-29187: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 18/05/2020 Show Full Question >>

To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has to mark the 75th anniversary of VJ Day; what support it will offer to communities, including in the Galloway and West Dumfries constituency, seeking to organise their own commemorations, and what contingency plans in place for the potential impact of the COVID-19 on any events.

Answered by Graeme Dey (29/05/2020):

The Scottish Government has been working in partnership with Legion Scotland and Poppyscotland to arrange events to mark the 75th Anniversaries of both VE and VJ Day. We have provided funding to Legion Scotland so that they may lead the nation and local communities in commemorating and celebrating our Second World War generation.

We had intended to mark VJ Day with a Service of Remembrance, Parade and reception for our Second World War Veterans. However, the importance of ensuring the safety and wellbeing of our elderly veterans during the pandemic means that this is no longer possible and has had to be postponed.

Instead the Scottish Government will support Legion Scotland to mark the anniversary online. The full programme of events is still undergoing preparation and will be announced in due course. Additionally, we have been working with Poppyscotland to produce a range of freely available online activity and educational resources for both VE and VJ Day so that communities across Scotland can mark these anniversaries safely at home.

Whilst we appreciate that many communities across Scotland will wish to mark the anniversaries through local commemorative ceremonies, we have taken the difficult decision to ask them not to. We do not expect that mass gatherings will be able to resume until we are in phase 4 of the Scottish Government’s transition out of the lockdown and the virus is contained and/or a vaccine developed. Mass gatherings will then be able to resume in line with public health advice, though at this stage we cannot give a specific date as to when this will be.

Current Status: Answered by Graeme Dey on 29/05/2020

Question S5W-29009: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 11/05/2020 Show Full Question >>

To ask the Scottish Government what the monthly expenditure has been by publishing companies acting on its behalf on COVID-19 advertising since March 2020 in each Parliamentary region, also broken down by (a) newspaper advertising and (b) broadcasting outlets, including (i) radio and (ii) television.

Answered by Kate Forbes (26/05/2020):

			Month
Media Name	Folio Name	Supplier Full Name	March	April	May
BROADCAST	ASTUS UK LTD	ITV DIGITAL	9,385	35,806	37,598	82,788
	ASTUS UK LTD		9,385	35,806	37,598	82,788
	CHANNEL FOUR	4OD (C4)	10,724	42,435	52,014	105,173
	CHANNEL FOUR		10,724	42,435	52,014	105,173
	ITV BROADCASTING	ITV BROADCASTING		8,920		8,920
	ITV BROADCASTING			8,920		8,920
	SKY UK LTD	ADSMART	22,723	115,979	116,937	255,639
		SKYGO	11,900	39,104	35,730	86,734
			34,623	155,083	152,667	342,373
	STV CENTRAL LTD	STV PLAYER	7,566	35,837	46,593	89,995
	STV CENTRAL LTD		7,566	35,837	46,593	89,995
			62,297	278,081	288,871	629,249
INTERNET	ADYOULIKE LTD	ADYOULIKE LTD			3,474	3,474
	ADYOULIKE LTD				3,474	3,474
	BAUER RADIO LTD	BAUER IN-STREAM	17,103	13,339	11,038	41,480
	BAUER RADIO LTD		17,103	13,339	11,038	41,480
	BLIS	BLIS	25,357			25,357
	BLIS		25,357			25,357
	FACEBOOK IRELAND	FACEBOOK INC	131,572	111,580	33,399	276,551
	FACEBOOK IRELAND		131,572	111,580	33,399	276,551
	GLOBAL RADIO	DAX	34,339	2,548	11,118	48,005
	GLOBAL RADIO		34,339	2,548	11,118	48,005
	GOOGLE IRELAND	GOOGLE ADWORDS	10,748	65,232	3,270	79,250
		YOU TUBE (GOOGLE)	13,477	7,476	6,682	27,635
			24,224	72,708	9,952	106,884
	INCUBETA UK LTD	DQ&A	2,770	1,942	1,829	6,541
	INCUBETA UK LTD		2,770	1,942	1,829	6,541
	LOCATION SCIENCES AI LTD	LOCATION SCIENCES AI LTD	130			130
	LOCATION SCIENCES AI LTD		130			130
	MEDIA IQ DIGITAL	MEDIA IQ DIGITAL	37,060	10,632	5,003	52,695
	MEDIA IQ DIGITAL		37,060	10,632	5,003	52,695
	OATH (EMEA) LTD	OATH		8,175		8,175
	OATH (EMEA) LTD			8,175		8,175
	ORACLE AMERICA, INC	MOAT	13,241	11,178	4,341	28,760
	ORACLE AMERICA, INC		13,241	11,178	4,341	28,760
	PICNIC MEDIA LTD	PICNIC MEDIA LTD		11,118		11,118
	PICNIC MEDIA LTD			11,118		11,118
	ROMMATIC LTD	ROMMATIC	58,416	50,896	33,245	142,558
	ROMMATIC LTD		58,416	50,896	33,245	142,558
	SNAP GROUP LTD	SNAPCHAT		16,227		16,227
	SNAP GROUP LTD			16,227		16,227
	SPOTIFY LTD	SPOTIFY	14,915	2,548	11,118	28,581
		SPOTIFY SELF SERVE		19,786		19,786
			14,915	22,333	11,118	48,367
	TEADS	TEADS	5,883			5,883
		TEADS AD MANAGER	23,810	90,165	33,572	147,547
			29,693	90,165	33,572	153,430
	TIKTOK INFORMATION TECH. UK LTD	TIKTOK		13,853		13,853
	TIKTOK INFORMATION TECH. UK LTD			13,853		13,853
	TWITTER INTERNATIONAL COMPANY	TWITTER INTERNATIONAL COMPANY	39,338	39,988	22,890	102,215
	TWITTER INTERNATIONAL COMPANY		39,338	39,988	22,890	102,215
			428,160	476,682	180,979	1,085,821
POSTER	TACTICAL MEDIA	TACTICAL MEDIA		15,122		15,122
	TACTICAL MEDIA			15,122		15,122
	TALON OUTDOOR	TALON OUTDOOR	73,364	10,973		84,337
		TALON PRODUCTION	5,739	1,600		7,339
		TALON: CLEAR CHANNEL		17,029		17,029
		TALON: GLOBAL OUTDOOR	41,383			41,383
		TALON: JC DECAUX		20,813		20,813
			120,486	50,415		170,901
			120,486	65,537		186,023
PRESS	JEWISH TELEGRAPH LTD	JEWISH TELEGRAPH			2,275	2,275
	JEWISH TELEGRAPH LTD				2,275	2,275
	MEDIAFORCE (LONDON) LTD	MEDIAFORCE COVID PACKAGE	95,400	6,392	49,131	150,923
		MEDIAFORCE PAN SCOTLAND PACKAGE	21,465		112,572	134,037
			116,865	6,392	161,703	284,960
	NEWS UK & IRELAND LTD	SUN (SCOTLAND)	16,398	16,488	17,389	50,276
		SUNDAY TIMES	1,081	4,325	1,081	6,487
		TIMES (SCOTLAND)	2,703	6,307	2,703	11,713
			20,182	27,120	21,174	68,476
	REACH PUBLISHING SERVICES LTD	DAILY RECORD	16,588	13,223	16,588	46,399
		SUNDAY MAIL	1,174	4,695	2,615	8,484
			17,762	17,918	19,203	54,883
			154,809	51,430	204,355	410,594
RADIO	ARGYLL FM	ARGYLL RADIO	924	883	1,161	2,967
	ARGYLL FM		924	883	1,161	2,967
	AWAZ MEDIA LTD	AWAZ FM			2,510	2,510
	AWAZ MEDIA LTD				2,510	2,510
	BAUER RADIO LTD	BAUER PRODUCTION		30,000	1,000	31,000
		BAUER SCOTLAND		108,058	16,038	124,095
		HITS RADIO BRAND(EDIN/FORTH)	34,235	20,348	14,274	68,857
		HITS RADIO BRAND(GLAS/CLYDE)	73,545	46,614	31,590	151,750
		MORAY FIRTH	13,517	8,079	5,350	26,946
		NORTHSOUND 1	12,544	7,893	5,428	25,866
		RADIO BORDERS	13,736	2,596	1,717	18,049
		RADIO TAY	17,634	7,326	1,316	26,275
		TFM		3,193	5,820	9,013
		WESTSOUND	14,850	9,330	6,417	30,597
			180,061	243,436	88,951	512,449
	BRAVE BROADCASTING LTD	YOUR RADIO	656	656	820	2,132
	BRAVE BROADCASTING LTD		656	656	820	2,132
	CAITHNESS FM LTD	CAITHNESS FM LTD	777	869	1,075	2,721
	CAITHNESS FM LTD		777	869	1,075	2,721
	CUILLIN FM	CUILLIN FM	2,239	1,453	2,447	6,140
	CUILLIN FM		2,239	1,453	2,447	6,140
	DC THOMSON & CO LTD	PURE RADIO	1,338	1,960		3,298
		WAVE FM 102 & 106.6	134	257		391
			1,472	2,217		3,689
	FIRST RADIO SALES LTD	FIRST RADIO SALES SCOTLAND	2,838			2,838
		KINGDOM FM	2,628	1,886	850	5,363
			5,466	1,886	850	8,201
	GLOBAL RADIO SERVICES	CAPITAL SCOTLAND	19,563	21,105	7,079	47,747
		CLASSIC FM SCOTLAND	8,702	4,234	1,319	14,256
		HEART SCOTLAND	27,803	17,537	8,900	54,239
		SMOOTH SCOTLAND	22,295	18,106	9,776	50,177
			78,363	60,982	27,075	166,420
	HEARTLAND RADIO FOUNDATION LTD	HEARTLAND FM	1,016	706	1,117	2,840
	HEARTLAND RADIO FOUNDATION LTD		1,016	706	1,117	2,840
	ISLE FM	ISLES FM	1,615	1,324	1,804	4,744
	ISLE FM		1,615	1,324	1,804	4,744
	LOCHBROOM FM	LOCHBROOM FM		1,002		1,002
	LOCHBROOM FM			1,002		1,002
	NEVIS COMMUNITY RADIO LTD	NEVIS RADIO	2,280	1,870	2,347	6,497
	NEVIS COMMUNITY RADIO LTD		2,280	1,870	2,347	6,497
	OBAN FM	OBAN FM	1,830	1,501	2,045	5,376
	OBAN FM		1,830	1,501	2,045	5,376
	ORIGINAL 106FM	ORIGINAL 106FM	700	1,762		2,462
	ORIGINAL 106FM		700	1,762		2,462
	SHETLAND ISLANDS BROADCASTING CO LTD	SIBC	1,615	1,324	1,804	4,744
	SHETLAND ISLANDS BROADCASTING CO LTD		1,615	1,324	1,804	4,744
	WESTER ROSS RADIO LTD	TWO LOCHS RADIO	2,173	1,328	1,981	5,481
	WESTER ROSS RADIO LTD		2,173	1,328	1,981	5,481
			281,188	323,200	135,987	740,375
TELEVISION	CHANNEL 4 TELEVISION CORPORATION	CHANNEL 4 TELEVISION	70,529	94,465	84,706	249,700
	CHANNEL 4 TELEVISION CORPORATION		70,529	94,465	84,706	249,700
	ITV BREAKFAST LTD.	ITV BREAKFAST	10,039	22,133	26,807	58,979
	ITV BREAKFAST LTD.		10,039	22,133	26,807	58,979
	ITV BROADCASTING LIMITED	NORTH BY NORTHWEST			4,505	4,505
	ITV BROADCASTING LIMITED				4,505	4,505
	STV CENTRAL LTD	SCOTLAND	141,931	376,586	525,443	1,043,961
	STV CENTRAL LTD		141,931	376,586	525,443	1,043,961
			222,499	493,185	641,462	1,357,146
			1,308,082	1,692,315	1,454,354	4,454,750

Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 26/05/2020

Question S5W-28745: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 27/04/2020 Show Full Question >>

To ask the Scottish Government what support it is providing during the COVID-19 outbreak to food wholesalers that have procurement contracts to supply schools.

Answered by Fergus Ewing (12/05/2020):

We recognise that wholesalers service the needs of public sector procurement contracts with schools, care homes, hospitals and prison service.

Ms Campbell announced a £350 million package of support for vulnerable families on Wed 18 March. This included a £70 million Food Fund to support households worried about accessing food. We have provided our local authority partners with £30 million of new investment from the SG Food Fund to support families unable to access food as a result of COVID-19. As part of the £30 million investment we agreed a distribution to local authorities of £15 million specifically for free school meals, however local authorities have flexibility to use the overall additional £30 million resource in ways that best meet emerging local needs and circumstances.

Many local authorities offer a range of approaches with around half offering food delivery or food collection. Whilst the level of procurement is substantially lower than before Covid-19, there is still some activity in this area with Local Authorities tending to work with existing suppliers.

The Scottish Government is going to great lengths to support businesses and have offered a package of support worth £2.2 billion for businesses. As part of this £2.2 billion there is the £45 million allocated to the Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund, managed by the Enterprise Agencies for vulnerable SME firms who are vital to the local or national economic foundations of Scotland. Eligible wholesalers are encouraged to apply to the Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund which opened on the 30th of April.

In addition to the Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund the wholesale sector have been able to make use of the Job Retention Scheme and can furlough staff which covers 80% of staff salary for a period of up to four months from the 1 st of March 2020.

All non-domestic properties in Scotland, including wholesalers, will qualify for the 1.6% discount on 2020-21 rates bills.

Aside from financial support Ministers and Officials have engaged with the industry and as a result I wrote to over 60 manufacturers to call on them to ensure equity of supply across customer bases including the wholesale sector.

We continue to engage with businesses on a regular basis to understand their needs.

Current Status: Answered by Fergus Ewing on 12/05/2020

Question S5W-28744: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 27/04/2020 Show Full Question >>

To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the First Minister's comments regarding a phased exit from the lockdown that is in place to respond to the COVID-19 outbreak, and reports that hospitality and leisure businesses might be among the last to re-open, what financial support it will offer to the hospitality supply chain, including food and drink wholesalers, so that they can remain in business.

Answered by Kate Forbes (12/05/2020):

The Scottish Government has committed to a four-step economic plan, comprising response, reset, restart and recover. The package of support so far has focused on the response stage, including the delivery of business support measures. We are regularly reviewing the physical distancing restrictions and, as we move from the immediate response phase of the crisis, through the stages of reset, restart, recover, we will be working with businesses, on a sector by sector basis, to establish the best way that businesses can reopen, taking account of the very real ongoing public health priorities.

The package of support we have delivered includes a fund to provide grants for businesses experiencing hardship as a result of COVID-19. A £10,000 grant is available to small businesses in receipt of Small Business Bonus Scheme (SBBS) or Rural Relief on 17 March 2020; or properties eligible for SBBS and in receipt of either Nursery Relief, Business Growth Accelerator, Fresh Start or Disabled Relief on 17 March 2020. Retail, Leisure and Hospitality properties with a rateable value from £18,001 and up to and including £51,000 may apply for a £25,000 grant.

On 15 April, the Scottish Government announced a Phase 2 of the Business Grants Funding Scheme, which commenced on 5 May.

This is specifically aimed at ratepayers with more than one property. In addition to a 100% grant on their first eligible property, ratepayers with additional qualifying properties will be eligible to apply for a 75% grant on each additional property. This will make available Small Business Grants of £7,500 and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants of £18,750 on any additional qualifying properties that a ratepayer may have, subject to compliance with EU State Aid Rules.

The announcement also extended the eligibility for the £10,000 Small Business Grant to additional ratepayers that hold one or more properties within retail, hospitality or leisure, with individual rateable values not exceeding £18,000, and a cumulative rateable value between £35,001 and £51,000.

The Scottish Government recently announced that it will double the Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund from £45 million to £90 million. The fund will be managed by the Enterprise Agencies and will support vulnerable SME firms who are vital to the local or national economic foundations of Scotland.

Current Status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 12/05/2020

Question S5W-28743: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 27/04/2020 Show Full Question >>

Question S5W-28742: Finlay Carson, Galloway and West Dumfries, Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party, Date Lodged: 27/04/2020 Show Full Question >>

Contact

Lobbying

From 12 March 2018 face-to-face lobbying conversations with MSPs must be registered on the Lobbying Register. Find out more at www.lobbying.scot.

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