SCOTLAND’S business rates revaluation is “nothing short of daylight robbery” Ruth Davidson told Nicola Sturgeon yesterday, as the two clashed at First Minister’s Question Time.
The Tory leader told the First Minister about Peterhead-based engineering firm Score Group, which is set to face an extra £120,000 bill to pay come April because of the change to the rates. Meanwhile Bev Robertson’s Precision Oil Tools in Kintore, Davidson said, would face a 62 per cent increase.
Revaluations happen every five years, with the government adjusting the value of business rates to reflect changes in the property market.
The First Minister said that while the new rates had come from independent assessors, and were tied to increases in the rateable value of premises, anyone wanting to appeal would have until September to do so.
“Of course I understand the concerns that will arise from revaluation. However, the Government has ensured that we have a competitive small business rates regime; indeed, it is probably the most competitive small business rates regime anywhere in the UK, because that is the importance that we attach to small businesses.”
The First Minister also said the Scottish Government’s small business bonus would mean 100,000 Scottish firms paying no rates at all.
Davidson accused the government of holding back growth and called for change, saying: “The Scottish Government is about to present the most important budget since devolution, which will decide on the taxes that Scots pay. Will the First Minister stick to her current plan to make Scotland the most highly taxed part of the UK or will she change course and give Bev, Score Group and thousands of people like them the backing that they need to succeed?”
Sturgeon said it was “ridiculous” to claim Scotland had the highest taxin the UK. Thanks to free university tuition and personal care for the elderly, she said, “taxpayers in Scotland get a far better deal than taxpayers in the rest of the UK.”
Why are you making commenting on The National only available to subscribers?
We know there are thousands of National readers who want to debate, argue and go back and forth in the comments section of our stories. We’ve got the most informed readers in Scotland, asking each other the big questions about the future of our country.
Unfortunately, though, these important debates are being spoiled by a vocal minority of trolls who aren’t really interested in the issues, try to derail the conversations, register under fake names, and post vile abuse.
So that’s why we’ve decided to make the ability to comment only available to our paying subscribers. That way, all the trolls who post abuse on our website will have to pay if they want to join the debate – and risk a permanent ban from the account that they subscribe with.
The conversation will go back to what it should be about – people who care passionately about the issues, but disagree constructively on what we should do about them. Let’s get that debate started!
Callum Baird, Editor of The National
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here