Today Chancellor Rishi Sunak delivered his Summer Economic Update.
Andrew McRae, FSB’s Scotland policy chair said:
“Good news has been in short supply for nearly four months. We needed action to help protect jobs and stimulate local economies across Scotland and that is exactly what the Chancellor has set out to do.
“However, it should be noted that there are many small businesses that were not supported by the Chancellor’s package – with company directors once again overlooked. Given these businesses have had little to no support in over 100 days, FSB is hoping that support can be provided in the near future.”
On the “kickstart” jobs scheme, Andrew said:
“The jobs scheme will hopefully prevent a lost generation of young people, but for it to work in local economies, it must focus on the small employers who employ around one million people in Scotland. We can’t have a situation where local businesses are behind a queue of big corporates because of a target-driven approach.”
On the temporary VAT cut for hospitality and tourism sectors, Andrew said:
“Reducing VAT in sectors hit especially hard by the pandemic is an astute move. It will make everyday activities like grabbing a coffee and cake more affordable for budget conscious consumers – while making the country a more attractive destination for tourists home and abroad.”
On the discount to encourage people to eat out, Andrew said:
“Scotland is fortunate to have an array of fantastic food offerings in restaurants, cafes and pubs across the country. We need to encourage more people to get back out into the community and spending money, so any moves to do this are welcome.”
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