LONDON, 2014-6-23 — /EPR Retail News/ — The Scottish Retail Consortium (SRC) is calling on the Scottish Government to do more to help keep down the cost of doing business and cost of living, and assist retailers to expand and create jobs.
In a new paper ‘Scottish Retail: Creating Jobs, Investing in Communities, Boosting Growth’ submitted to the devolved administration’s Finance Secretary earlier this month, the SRC has put forward 24 detailed policy recommendations across five key areas – business rates, taxation, charges and levies, regulation, and infrastructure and skills.
The detailed submission from the leading trade association comes ahead of the expected publication this autumn of the Scottish Government’s spending and taxation plans for 2015/16.
The retail industry is Scotland’s largest private sector employer, providing 255,000 jobs, and the SRC’s members include well known high street, online and grocery retailers.
The SRC’s recommendations include:
– Ensuring the business poundage rate rises no faster than elsewhere in the UK
– Implementing the promise not to renew the £95 million rates levy on larger retailers
– Maintaining the council tax freeze or holding any rises to a minimum
– Keeping the rates of the newly devolved taxes competitive
– Reviewing the proliferation of government-inspired self-regulation, voluntary agreements and codes of practice
– A building standards system which better facilitates retail investment and expansion
– Greater levels of investment in town centres and transport infrastructure
David Lonsdale, the Director of the Scottish Retail Consortium, commented: “We fully support the Scottish Government’s objective of increasing sustainable economic growth.
“The retail industry has a great story to tell in terms of creating jobs and investing in our communities, and the Scottish Government’s next Budget provides a fantastic opportunity to assist the sector to further build on its strong record.
“That is why our members believe that at the heart of the Scottish Government’s next tax and spending plans should be measures which help keep down the cost of doing business and cost of living, provide for a smarter regulatory environment, and give retailers the tools to grow.”
ENDS
Note to editors: The Scottish Retail Consortium’s submission to the Scottish Government on its Budget for 2015/16 can be downloaded by clicking on the link to the right.
For further information contact:
David Lonsdale
SRC Director
07801 629088
david.lonsdale@brc.org.uk
Or
David Martin
SRC Head of Policy & External Affairs
07880 039743
david.martin@brc.org.uk
British Retail Consortium, 21 Dartmouth Street, Westminster, London, SW1H 9BP. 020 7854 8900. info@brc.org.uk.