Question reference: S5W-34997
- Asked by: Kenneth Gibson, MSP for Cunninghame North, Scottish National Party
- Date lodged: 5 February 2021
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Current status: Answered by Kate Forbes on 18 February 2021
Question
To ask the Scottish Government what savings might arise for the (a) retail, (b) hospitality and (c) leisure sector from the decision to extend 100% business rates relief for the first three months of 2021-22.
Answer
The decision to extend 100% business rates relief for the first three months of 2021-22, announced in the Scottish Budget on 28 January, was expected to save ratepayers £185m.
On 16 February 2021, I announced that the Scottish Budget 2021-22 would extend the COVID-19 relief for properties in the retail, hospitality, leisure and aviation sectors, and newspaper publishing, for all of 2021-22. The extension of this relief for the full year is expected to save ratepayers an additional £534m, for a total saving of £719m.
The Scottish Government cannot reliably apportion these amounts into retail, hospitality, and leisure sectors.