Question reference: S4W-30108
- Asked by: Margaret McCulloch, MSP for Central Scotland, Scottish Labour
- Date lodged: 25 February 2016
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Current status: Answered by John Swinney on 7 March 2016
Question
To ask the Scottish Government whether it has made an assessment of the potential impact of its decision to double the large business rates supplement for 2016-17 on support from businesses for any future business improvement district ballots.
Answer
The increase to the large business supplement will apply to only around 13 per cent of rateable properties. Taken together with the non-domestic rates poundage for 2016-17 this will mean a 3.4 per cent total annual increase to rates bills for those properties liable to pay the supplement, which is in line with recent overall annual increases to bills. This is fully compatible with our support for the business improvement district model, which enables local businesses to take the lead and vote on whether to pay a levy to deliver projects they have agreed with local partners which will help regenerate the local area.