Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Alasdair Morgan) SNP

The next item of business is a debate on Parliamentary Bureau motion S3M-7841, in the name of Mike Rumbles, on the Non-Domestic Rates (Levying) (Scotland) (N...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Before I call members to speak, I point out that time is limited, so we had better stick to the speaking time limits. I call Jeremy Purvis, who has seven min...

Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD) LD

This is the third time that we have brought to Parliament concerns about the rates that businesses in Scotland pay. In advance of today, we have consistently...

Jeremy Purvis LD

I hear SNP members shouting “Jobs, jobs.” I will come back to jobs in a moment. Perhaps those members are referring to the 8,000 jobs that the Scottish Retai...

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con) Con

The Scottish Government’s proposals are nothing more than an ill-judged raid on retail at a time when it least needs it. At the beginning of the process, bac...

Margo MacDonald (Lothians) (Ind) Ind

As another Lothians member, I am intrigued as to how much it is estimated the 12 stores in Princes Street will lose. Does the member have those figures to hand?

Gavin Brown Con

From the most accurate figures that I have seen, which involved adding up the stores that we knew about—in which we were assisted by the Edinburgh Chamber of...

Margo MacDonald Ind

Each?

Gavin Brown Con

That is the total for Princes Street. It might be slightly more or less, but that is the ballpark figure. That is additional taxation, on top of the rates th...

The Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism (Jim Mather) SNP

To what extent does the UK Government consult on rises in VAT and other changes that it makes?

Gavin Brown Con

I took that intervention for a specific reason and the minister was unable to tell us what dialogue took place. There was nothing—not even a bit of brainstor...

Gil Paterson (West of Scotland) (SNP) SNP

Nonsense.

Gavin Brown Con

We hear the loyal SNP back benchers, but the point is that, because the Government could not be bothered to do a business and regulatory impact assessment, w...

Andy Kerr (East Kilbride) (Lab) Lab

In last week’s debate on the budget, I said that rising unemployment was the signal failure of nearly four years of SNP Government. When John Swinney deliver...

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP) SNP

The member mentioned Princes Street. Has he seen Princes Street in Port Glasgow, which has been decimated by the huge Tesco at the bottom of the street?

Andy Kerr Lab

I am not sure about that part of the country, but I know that the new Sainsbury’s in Strathaven has enhanced the retail offer and the shops are surviving and...

Andy Kerr Lab

Labour is not in a position to support this unacceptable policy, which was created by an SNP Government in crisis. As we have seen from leaked documents from...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Order.

Andy Kerr Lab

John Hannett is the leader of the workers on whom the SNP’s tax will have the greatest impact. He said:“The proposed levy is at such a high rate that it is l...

Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green) Green

Greens can support two policy objectives that might be addressed in small part: revenue raising to offset the worst of the Tory cuts in Scotland, of which I ...

The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth (John Swinney) SNP

As I explained to Parliament when I set out the rationale for the draft budget for 2011-12, we have had to face tough decisions. The United Kingdom Governmen...

Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab) Lab

Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention?

Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD) LD

Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention?

John Swinney SNP

I give way to Mr McNeil first.

Duncan McNeil Lab

How much of the £30 million tax take will go to small businesses?

John Swinney SNP

Mr McNeil fails to understand the nature of the budget process. Interruption.

The Presiding Officer (Alex Fergusson) NPA

Order.

John Swinney SNP

If we want to provide a balanced budget to the Parliament, we must be able to afford all the priorities in it. The budget contains support for the small busi...

Gavin Brown Con

Why was a business and regulatory impact assessment not undertaken? Did the cabinet secretary intervene personally to block that?

John Swinney SNP

I made it clear that there was no need for such an impact assessment because the proposal will affect 0.1 per cent of the business property base in Scotland,...