Louder and louder grow the calls for a halt to the rise in business rates in Scotland.

This week 13 of Scotland’s leading business organisations have written to Finance Secretary Derek Mackay seeking a reversal of the decision to double the Business Rates Large Business Supplement from 1.3p to 2.6p.

It’s the biggest united front yet on this issue and is testimony to the growing concern over the damage being caused to business investment and growth. Signatories include Liz Cameron, Chief Executive, Scottish Chambers of Commerce, Bryan Buchan, CEO Scottish Engineering, Pete Cheema, head of the Scottish Grocers Federation, Richard Bird of the British Aggregates Association, Marc Crothall, CEO Scottish Tourism Alliance, David Thomson, CEO, Scottish Food and Drink Federation, David Watt, Executive Director, IoD Scotland, and unlikely bedfellows Ross Martin of SCDI and Hugh Aitken, Director, CBI Scotland

The letter calls on the minister to level the playing field in his upcoming budget between Scotland and England – i.e. reverse the decision to double the rate of the Large Business Supplement from 1.3 pence in the pound to 2.6 pence in the pound.

This supplement, hitting one out of every eight commercial premises in Scotland is expected to add a further £62 million to rates bills this year. 

• Back

• Home