Local Government Finance (Unoccupied Properties etc) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3

Part of the debate – in the Scottish Parliament at on 31 October 2012.

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Photo of Kenneth Macintosh Kenneth Macintosh Labour

I support amendment 13 and particularly Jim Hume’s amendment 1. My colleague Sarah Boyack has accurately described the debate about section 1 as the politics of assertion over argument. Evidence to the Parliament on the section has not simply opposed the measures as a policy but convincingly and credibly argued that they will not work in practice. Few businesses or property owners are not desperate to find paying tenants to cover their overheads and costs. The minister is unconvincing in his evidence-light assertions to the contrary.

Perhaps even more worrying is the proposal’s overall context. It is one month since the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth introduced what he called a budget for jobs and growth, but it is difficult to see how the new tax on businesses boosts the economy. The Scottish Chambers of Commerce highlighted today that the business rates burden is expected to rise from £2.18 billion in 2011-12 to £2.66 billion in 2014-15, which is an increase of 22 per cent in just three years. That is not the action of a Government that is trying to support growth or jobs.

Section 1 will not return properties to productive use and will hurt the Scottish economy. We should listen to the evidence and reject the section entirely.