As members will be aware, the recent draft Scottish Budget removed Small Business Bonus relief eligibility from shootings and deer forests; a measure, taken without consultation, and one which has generated a lot of anger in the sector.
The SGA met with the Minister and officials last week on the issue and has prepared evidential case studies for the Government, seeking to have this move reversed before the new non-domestic rates evaluations come into force on April 1st.
Our analysis suggests this move will disproportionately impact smaller operators, forcing some simply to quit the sector and the Minister has taken these views on board (WATCH the video below and SUBSCRIBE to the SGA YouTube channel)
Several amendments were tabled in the new Bill to try to block the worst excesses of this unpopular measure.
While Minister Jim Fairlie refused to back these amendments, as there were ‘drafting ‘ issues and he expressed his opinion that the Bill was not the place to address issues of taxation, he acknowledged the lobbying of the SGA and BASC on the issue and pledged to work with ourselves and Finance Minister Ivan McKee to ameliorate the problems the draft measure would cause, particularly to smaller operators who were contributing to the Government’s environmental aims.
The SGA will continue to engage on members’ behalf on this key issue and are back working at this today.
