The Horticultural Trades Association ( HTA ) , together with with the British Retail Consortium ( BRC ) and other go clientele and groups , has set out a united call for a freeze in business rates in Scotland . This clear ask is calculate towards the Scottish Government ’s Deputy First Minister and Finance Secretary forwards of the forthcoming budget declaration on December 19 , which will typeset the line rate and associated reliefs for the 2024 - 25 fiscal yr .
Scotland ’s occupation pace is already at a 24 - yr high and a fifth high than at the start of the previous tenner . If increased in line with current CPI inflation , ratepayers across Scotland could face an additional £ 205 million on their rates bill from next Spring . This would be at odds with the Scottish government ’s lately say bearing to use byplay rates to " further business sector . "
The joint letter from the line representative and trade bodies was submitted to Shona Robison MSP , the Scottish Government ’s Finance Secretary , at the end of last calendar week . The text edition of the letter can be read here .
Fran Barnes , Chief Executive of the HTA , has highlighted the grandness of providing businesses with price certainty and asks the government to acknowledge the substantial part the horticultural sector plays in Scotland ’s economy . In 2019 , the industry contributed £ 2.8 billion towards the gross domestic product and back up over 64,000 jobs in Scotland .
" Our sector has faced a class of challenges and volatility around climate change , mellow inflation , workforce access , and regulation changes . Whilst the sector has demo resiliency , it is vital that the Scottish government demonstrates an apprehension of the economical and business setting they are operating in . Alongside the other signatories of this letter , we are surefooted that freezing the business rate in the upcoming Scottish Budget would be a positivist and welcome step to avail relieve the burden that our member have been face for a long and difficult time and , in take , we can deliver more sustainable economic growth .
" We also need the government to recognise the value of environmental horticulture in redeem across policy areas and support our members to aid them deliver on Scotland ’s light-green ambitions and dark-green increase as outlined in our Scottish Environmental Horticulture Growth Strategy . "
The HTA has also asked for military action by the Chancellor on clientele rates in England . In its submission to the Chancellor of the Exchequer ahead of the 2023 Autumn Budget , the HTA has ask for the Spring cliff - edge for businesses with both rates reliefs ending and pace uprise to be addressed as business face on-going cost pressures .
For more information : Horticultural Trades Associationwww.the-hta.org.uk
