Meeting of the Parliament 12 March 2026 [Draft]
There is extensive engagement between my ministers and the different sectors that are involved in the discussions on business rates, and a wide range of meetings have taken place between ministers and representatives of the hospitality industry as part of that work. That engagement led to the budget propositions that have put in place significant transitional reliefs, which will reduce the net bill for eligible properties to 25 per cent of what it would otherwise have been in 2026-27. That is a significant contribution. As I said in an earlier answer, it is part of a package of reliefs that is estimated to be worth more than £870 million in the next financial year to companies in Scotland.
I understand the concerns in the business community. I engage regularly with a range of different business organisations—my ministers do exactly the same—to ensure that we can take action within the financial resources that are available to us to support the business community and to encourage its growth and development in Scotland. That is at the heart of the Government’s budget proposals.