Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 09 December 2020
Today’s debate is a bit of a side show. It is a side show because the answers that businesses are desperate for are locked in the secret process of negotiating a trade deal with our closest neighbours in the European Union. I can understand why the Conservatives do not wish to debate that, as it has been difficult to justify the self-inflicted chaos that is Brexit. That chaos has gripped our country for getting on for five years now and it has resulted in few, if any, benefits and a shedload of uncertainty and disinvestment from the UK, directly impacting on the businesses that we are debating today.
Brexit should be a stark warning for those on the SNP benches who think that the process of breaking from the UK would be any easier. If they want to predict what independence negotiations would be like, they do not have to look too far to find out. Businesses that are worried about their trade, people who are worried about their jobs and young people who are worried about their future would never forgive politicians if we spent the next decade arguing about flags, borders and the name of our country when we should be focused on an economic recovery. The fact that the Conservatives and the SNP are inflicting this double chaos in the middle of a global pandemic shows what happens when people let destructive ideology override common sense.
Instead, we should have a needle-sharp focus on the recovery. Today, that is the work of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Kate Forbes, who made a welcome statement earlier this afternoon. I am sure that, if Kate Forbes were here, she would acknowledge the constructive approach that my colleagues and I and others in the chamber have adopted to the development of financial schemes for different sectors. Along with other members from across the chamber, I have made cases directly to Kate Forbes and Fergus Ewing. We welcome the engagement from them. We have made representations from business directly to ministers, and they have engaged and responded well. We should be doing more of that, rather than having more debates about the constitution.
Although I welcome the support that has been announced today, I share the concern of Liz Cameron from Scottish Chambers of Commerce about the urgency of the situation and the need for early payment if we are to keep businesses alive. I have spoken to many businesses that are thinking about closing up in a matter of weeks. If we do not act swiftly and with clarity and get the money out the door quickly, I do not think that they will be here any more. The Government should adopt that position urgently.
Companies in the tourism sector such as self-catering businesses, bed and breakfasts and guest houses were directly impacted by the travel ban and the indoor meeting rules, but they have not had any support through the Government schemes so far, and they have been in despair. Travel agencies that have spent the past nine months getting money back for their customers from travel companies have not been able to put staff on furlough and have been desperate for support. Thankfully, that support has been made available today, which I welcome.
Golf tourism companies are important for the many parts of our country that have great golf courses. Their business evaporated overnight, as people cannot come from far-flung parts of the world. Wedding venues have really been struggling, as have taxi drivers and coach tour operators. We have had good announcements from the Government on those matters today. Again, through co-operation, we have worked to make that happen.
I was puzzled and concerned by the decisions yesterday on the levels. I thought that we had a clear, consistent and cautious approach in the strategic framework. It was clear that, if certain measures were taken and the indicators went down, and if people made sure that they followed the rules, the result would be that their area would go down the levels. However, a new set of rules was introduced yesterday, with extra caution in place. We did not know about that. Apparently, Christmas is a time when people go shopping—we never knew that before. Suddenly, there was a new rule in the framework. We needed clarity and certainty, but we did not get that in yesterday’s announcement, and the Government has lost a certain amount of confidence.