McMillan Welcomes Support for Small Business in West Dunbartonshire

Stuart McMillan MSP (SNP) and Member of Scottish Parliament Economy Committee – has welcomed figures published by the Scottish Government today showing record uptake of the Small Business Bonus Scheme. The number of businesses receiving support in West Dunbartonshire has risen steadily each year since its introduction in 2008. Over 655 small businesses were in receipt of rates relief in September 2008 and by September 2011 the figure for West Dunbartonshire had increased to 1,079 businesses receiving rates relief – two in five commercial properties in Scotland – now saving up to £4,260 a year.

In early 2009 the Federation of Small Business in Scotland published a survey of SBBS recipients which found that, among other things, 1 in 8 recipients suggested that the rates relief was helping them stay in business during the recession, helping safeguard thousands of jobs.

Mr McMillan said;

“The Small Business Bonus Scheme has been one of the undoubted successes of the SNP Government and I am delighted that it continues to go from strength to strength.

“The Scottish Government has made a huge effort to help small business during difficult times – not just through this scheme but also through making it much easier for SMEs to bid for public contracts – and simply underlines how much more we could do to help business if we had full economic powers and independence.

“Under the SNP, Scotland now has the most generous rates package of anywhere in the UK, and it is no coincidence that the latest figures show private sector employment in Scotland increasing by 55,000 over the year to the second quarter of 2011, and that the Scottish labour market in general continues to outperform that of the UK.

“These figures really are good news for West Dunbartonshire and I warmly welcome the commitment from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance during his conference speech that the Small Business Bonus Scheme would continue under the SNP.”