New figures from a parliamentary question show that businesses in the Scottish Borders will fork out £1.4 million in the upcoming financial year, because of the SNP’s large business supplement.
Over 300 Borders Non-Domestic Rate paying properties will pay the large business supplement in the 2019-2020 financial year.
Local MSP, Rachael Hamilton has expressed her concern at the impact that the large business supplement is having on jobs and investment in the Borders, and the competitive disadvantage this is creating compared to over the border in England.
In light of recent job losses at firms such as Mainetti, Ms Hamilton has called on the SNP Government in Edinburgh to stop punishing businesses and is calling for the large business supplement to be reduced to the same level as in England, in order to make Scotland and the Borders more competitive.
Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire MSP, Rachael Hamilton said:
“The SNP’s own Barclay Review recommended that the competitive disadvantage created by the Scottish large business supplement should be ended.
“The large business supplement is bad news for business, bad news for jobs and deters medium-sized businesses from expanding further.
“We have seen job losses across the Borders in recent months and this tax punishes the businesses that are the biggest employers in our area.
“My Conservative colleagues and I have criticised the SNP for their fiscal incompetency repeatedly, we need to see a more competitive Scottish Borders that is a more attractive place to do business”.