Tory Central Scotland MSP, Graham Simpson, is urging the Government to maintain business rates relief in this week’s budget - including for newspaper businesses.
Ahead of tomorrow's (Thursday) Scottish budget, Mr Simpson is calling on the SNP-Green coalition to keep in place a 75 per cent rates relief for businesses including newspaper premises, as well as leisure, retail, hospitality and aviation firms.
Mr Simpson believes the freeze on poundage rates should be kept for all of these firms, including newspaper premises in Lanarkshire.
He also says it would be unfair of the SNP-Green Government to remove all rates relief on newspaper premises and other crucial sectors as of April 2022, with their recovery from the pandemic only just underway.
He told Lanarkshire Live : “Newspapers in Lanarkshire have played a vital role during the pandemic. They have kept people updated with crucial information and are the lifeblood of communities across the region.
“The SNP-Green Government shouldn’t pull the lifeline support of rates relief away from them in Thursday’s Budget. I fully back the retention of 75 per cent rates relief for the newspaper industry lasting beyond April.
“That should be kept in place for other crucial sectors as well including hospitality, retail, leisure and aviation. The recovery is only just underway from the pandemic and the rug cannot be pulled from under them at this time.
“By keeping the freeze in the poundage rate, the SNP-Green Government would also be giving another boost to businesses in North and South Lanarkshire.
“It would be deeply unfair and irresponsible for the coalition to hammer these sectors, including newspapers in my constituency as they are getting back on their feet.”
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