Question reference: S5W-34974
- Asked by: Alex Rowley, MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 4 February 2021
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Current status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 16 February 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to concerns that guidance it has issued to local authorities regarding theatres’ eligibility for the grant support for businesses that are in receipt of the Strategic Business Framework Fund support under the Level 4 restrictions is not consistent with the information published on its website.
Answer
The Strategic Framework Business Fund offers grants of up to £3,000 for businesses required to close, including theatres. Theatres meeting the criteria for these grants were also eligible for an additional one-off grant of up to £9,000 for non-essential retail and leisure businesses.
The guidance for the hospitality, non-essential retail and leisure top up fund did not specify the types of businesses eligible for the retail and leisure top up, and we subsequently updated the Scottish Government webpage and contacted local authorities to clarify the position on businesses eligible for this additional grant payment.