Chamber and committees

Eligibility for the grant scheme is linked to the non-domestic rates system because it is the fastest, most effective way to reach businesses. However, it is important to note that it is not the only form of support that is available.

The Scottish Government recently announced a £100 million fund to support the newly self-employed and SMEs. This includes a £20 million Creative, Tourism & Hospitality Enterprises Hardship Fund. The fund will be managed by the Enterprise Agencies in partnership with Creative Scotland and VisitScotland for creative, tourism and hospitality companies of up to 50 employees not in receipt of support grants based on non-domestic rates.

The Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme is also available and helps small and medium-sized businesses, with an annual turnover of up to £45 million, affected by coronavirus to access finance of up to £5 million for 6 years. The UK Government will also make a Business Interruption Payment to cover the first 12 months of interest payments and any lender-levied fees, and will provide lenders with a guarantee of 80% on each loan (subject to pre-lender cap on claims).

In circumstances where income has changed, these businesses may also be eligible for a reduction in their council tax through the Council Tax Reduction scheme (CTR). CTR, for which the Scottish Government provides £351m of funding a year, assesses a household’s income and other factors, and can reduce council tax liability by up to 100%.

The Scottish Government has regular engagement with the energy sector, Oil and Gas UK, the Oil and Gas Authority and UK (BEIS) Ministers and officials on the industry’s challenge in response to COVID-19 and the longer term issues facing the sector and its supply chain as a result of the low oil and gas prices.

I have specifically held a number of strategic engagements with the sector in recent weeks, in response to the onset of COVID-19, including with Oil and Gas UK, the Oil and Gas Authority and the offshore unions, and holding a meeting of the Scottish Government’s Oil and Gas Energy Transition Strategic Leadership Group to hear directly from stakeholders on the immediate and longer term challenges affecting the sector. Last week, I had the opportunity to directly address the Oil and Gas UK Operator and Contractor Council virtual meetings and to answer questions raised with me.

I have also spoken with the UK Energy Minister, Kwasi Kwarteng MP, where it was agreed that we will have regular discussions going forward and, indeed, we are working closely at official and Ministerial level to address the pressures on the industry.

The Scottish Government is aware of the concerns that have been raised on this matter and is considering the position.

Oil & Gas workers who are identified as suspect cases offshore with mild and moderate symptoms and who return to shore will be advised to follow current guidance and self-isolate as soon as possible after arriving onshore, minimising any contact with the general public. Any worker who is sufficiently ill to require hospital admission will be evacuated from an oil installation and managed according to existing hospital admission guidance on arrival onshore to minimise the risks of exposing others.

We are working hard to increase capacity to use testing to get critical workers in isolation back to work, but we will have to make difficult choices and currently we need to prioritise the health and social care sector. We continue to work with NHS Boards and others to increase testing capacity. We continue to engage with Oil and Gas UK, trades unions and other key industry stakeholders on measures to support the safety of those working in the industry.

Scottish Ministers recognise the important role that oil and gas workers are playing in maintaining a secure supply of energy to consumers at this time, and for maintaining critical national infrastructure, and I have thanked them on behalf of the Scottish Government. We will continue to liaise with Oil and Gas UK, trades unions and other stakeholders on measures to protect the safety of those working in the industry.

Current UK Guidance applies to oil & gas workers, in that Health Protection Scotland advises that any worker with relevant symptoms or any worker from households where there are suspect cases should self-isolate for the recommended periods and not travel offshore.

The Scottish Government provides support to the renewable energy sector through a number of non-domestic rates reliefs, such as the renewable energy relief. We continue to consider ways to support the renewable energy sector and keep all of our non-domestic rates policies under review.

The supply of medicines is reserved to the UK Government.

The four UK Governments are working together and with the pharmaceutical industry to ensure that the medicine supply chain continues to operate effectively throughout the UK.

I met with Community Pharmacy Scotland on 18 March 2020 and discussed medicine supply and workforce resilience with them directly. My Officials are working with CPS to ensure that community pharmacies continue to receive medicines supplies to dispense to those patients who need them.

There are currently no medicines shortages as a result of COVID-19; and people should not stockpile medicines.

HM Revenue and Customs is responsible for income tax data across the UK. While anonymised sample data is shared with the Scottish Government, we do not have detailed breakdowns for football or any other sectors. Data at such a specific level is often not disclosed due to issues around taxpayer confidentiality.

However, we recognise that football makes a significant contribution to the Scottish economy.

For example, in November 2018, Celtic FC published a report commissioned from the Fraser of Allander Institute which showed the club contributed £165 million to the Scottish economy in a year.

The SPFL has commissioned research to consider the economic impact of all 42 senior clubs, and I understand this will be published shortly.

Scottish Government, along with key partners, ran a social media campaign throughout summer 2018 encouraging young people to enjoy the outdoors, whilst promoting outdoor health messages such as checking for and removing ticks safely using the tags @ramblersscot, @youngscot, @nature_scot #TopTipsToFightTicks, #HealthyOutdoors #AGreatDayOut:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tqLIp-zJJKQ