Scottish Conservatives call for more incentives to meet business start-ups target

Scottish Conservatives have called on the Scottish Government to better incentivise business start-up targets for local authorities. Under the business rates scheme that has been announced by the SNP, local authorities are likely to be given incredibly high targets to reach, and will only receive 50% of the additional business rate income.

Scottish Conservatives want the target to be lower, and for local authorities to receive 100% of the additional business rates that they secure.

Scottish Conservative Finance Spokesman, Gavin Brown MSP said:

"Small businesses are the engine that will drive this economic recovery and it is important that we do everything we can to see more business start-ups. Local authorities are vital in achieving this as they have a number of tools at their disposal that can encourage and nurture the creation of new businesses.

"As such we believe they should be given real incentives to achieve this, and then receive a stake in the success they have created.

"Under the business rates incentivisation scheme announced by the SNP it seems firms will be given high targets which if they exceed they will only get 50% of the additional income. The spending review assumes an unrealistic income from business rates and targets will have to be set around this high number.

"Scottish Conservatives want local authorities to be given more realistic targets and then receive 100% of the additional business rates returned to them. This would give our Councils more to aim for and help enormously in creating jobs and boosting local economies across Scotland. With unemployment rising in Scotland we must do all we can to help get more people back into work."

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