Question reference: S6W-16023
- Asked by: Katy Clark, MSP for West Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 21 March 2023 Registered interest
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Current status: Answered by Joe FitzPatrick on 6 April 2023
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has had any discussions with (a) commercial landlords, (b) local authorities and (c) community groups regarding developing a strategy to ensure that premises rented by M&Co Trading Limited are put to productive use once they default back to their owners.
Answer
The Minister for Public Finance, Planning and Community Wealth met with the appointed administrators for M&Co on 19 January 2023 and offered his support, including via Government engagement with Scottish Enterprise. He also met with Katy Clark and Neil Bibby MSPs, and offered to support engagement with local authorities if it would be helpful once there was clarity about when stores will close.
The Scottish Government continues to engage with local authorities, commercial and community partners via its Town Centre Action Plan (TCAP) Forum and its Retail Industry Leadership Group (ILG). The TCAP Forum established jointly with COSLA brings together stakeholder expertise across the public, third and private sector to help to progress key actions. The sector-led Retail ILG has been established to drive, and support delivery of the actions set out in the Retail Strategy for Scotland. Both the Action Plan and Strategy aim to put town centres at the heart of decision making.