Murdo Fraser MSP is calling on the Scottish Government to change the rules on the Coronavirus Small Business Rates Relief scheme after being told that self-catering businesses north of the border are excluded from it.
Many owners of self-catering holiday companies in Perthshire and Fife have contacted Mr Fraser to express their anger that they are excluded from the grant scheme, while their English counterparts are included.
The scheme was rolled out to help small businesses that get Small Business Rates Relief with a one-off grant of £10,000 to eligible businesses during the Coronavirus crisis.
Commenting, Mr Fraser, who represents the Mid Scotland and Fife region for the Scottish Conservatives, said: “It is nonsense for the SNP Scottish Government to exclude self-catering holiday property companies from the Coronavirus Small Business Rates Relief Scheme. Many of them in Perthshire and Fife have contacted me to express their anger at this move.
“In England, this sector is included but the SNP have taken a different view in Scotland. People are really angry about it, and rightly so.
“One self-catering holiday property owner contacted me to say she feels they are no different to hotels and hairdressers – who can apply - but she has found out her business is not eligible so they can’t apply for the grant scheme.”
Mr Fraser added: “Self-catering holiday properties are a very important sector in Perthshire and Fife so I will be pushing the Scottish Government to look at this issue and change the rules. The Coronavirus Small Business Rates Relief scheme was announced as a UK-wide scheme so it is very unfair to punish self-catering businesses in Scotland by excluding them from it.”