5. To ask the Scottish Government how it supports small businesses in the Mid Scotland and Fife region. (S6O-02708)

Businesses in

Mid Scotland and Fife and across

Scotland can access advice, guidance and financial support from a wide range of organisations across the public sector. There are more than 750 publicly funded interventions to support businesses in Scotland, including grants and loans, consultancy, research, training opportunities and self-help guides. Most of that support is available to any business anywhere in Scotland, whatever stage of growth it is at.

On non-domestic rates, the Scottish budget this year ensures the lowest poundage in the United Kingdom for the fifth year in a row and supports a package of reliefs that are worth an estimated £749 million. That includes the most generous small business bonus scheme relief in the UK, which is estimated to save ratepayers £250 million this year.

The Scottish Government is working with the enterprise agencies, local government and other public bodies to improve the way that we support businesses through the business support partnership. A range of business support is available via Business Gateway and Scottish Enterprise and can be accessed via findbusinesssupport.gov.scot.

I will ask a question about something that the Cabinet secretary has not mentioned. During the Economy and Fair Work Committee’s inquiry into town centres, we spoke to Fife small businesses about their bricks and clicks model and how important the digitalboost grant funding was.

The digital strategy had committed to expanding that fund, yet the budget was reduced in 2022-23 and the Government has made no plans for it this year. Instead, it is focusing on piloting digital productivity labs. The labs pilot scheme ended in June. What progress is being made on developing an improved digital support programme, and will the popular digitalboost grant be reinstated as part of that?

I thank Claire Baker for her question. I always endeavour to provide as much information as possible and to be as comprehensive as I can in answering parliamentary questions.

I am more than happy to provide further information in writing on the work that we are doing to support businesses on the digital front. It is a substantial part of the investment that is made in my portfolio, and I will endeavour to write to Claire Baker to ensure that she has the fullest information regarding the available support.

This week, business organisations united in a call for non-domestic rates to be frozen in the forthcoming budget as a measure that would do more than anything else to support small business. Will they be listened to?

The Scottish Government’s budget process is on-going. The Deputy First Minister’s tax advisory group is looking at areas such as that. I convene the new deal for business group, and the implementation plan that I am endeavouring to deliver on includes elements of non-domestic rate reform where that is possible.

We will be looking at what we can do to support businesses through non-domestic rates, but Murdo Fraser will know, as I do, that the business resilience information that I get and that is available through all the enterprise agencies demonstrates that the biggest challenges facing businesses right now are inflation, energy costs and interest rate rises, the responsibility for all of which lies firmly at the door of his Government at Westminster.