The Scottish Government has this afternoon published a draft strategic plan for managing the coronavirus outbreak while mitigating the overall impact of the crisis on the economy.
Andrew McRae, FSB’s Scotland policy chair, said: “Today’s publication sets out a longer-term blueprint for dealing with this virus while avoiding irreparable economic and social damage. If it replaces the series of short-notice, surprise announcements we’ve seen of late, it may help businesses plan ahead.
“But it will only work if accompanied by a new approach where the government kicks the tyres of their coronavirus policies well before they’re implemented. We’re prepared to work constructively with Ministers to make sure this happens.
“Smaller firms in Scotland are looking to government for timely, practical and unambiguous guidance about how and when they can trade safely, and enough financial help to prevent a deluge of business failures. The test of this new strategy will be whether it achieves these twin objectives.
“There’s also an imperative for policymakers to close the gaps in their business support policies, so that good local businesses don’t fall through the holes. For example, much current grant funding is tied to business property, and there’s an urgent need to ensure home-based and vehicle-based firms hit by current and future restrictions aren’t left behind.
“In local communities up and down Scotland, many small businesses and self-employed men and women feel like this pandemic has taken a disproportionate financial toll on people like them. Government must offer these blameless businesses means to get through this crisis.”
ENDS
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