High Street Retailers Debate
Full Debate: Read Full DebateDepartment: Department for Business and Trade
Imogen Walker
Main Page: Imogen Walker (Labour - Hamilton and Clyde Valley)Department Debates - View all Imogen Walker's debates with the Department for Business and Trade
(1 day, 14 hours ago)
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Imogen Walker (Hamilton and Clyde Valley) (Lab)
Thank you, Mr Turner; it is a pleasure to serve under your chairmanship.
My constituency is a mix of countryside towns and villages, so many of our shops are small businesses at the heart of our communities. But the last few years have been very hard on them: covid, the bungled implementation of Brexit and the stripping out of public services have all sadly revealed the weaknesses of the previous Government and taken their toll. In addition, the SNP cannot manage the finances and that has also had an impact on our town centres.
Now, we are looking to the future. The UK Government have put an end to 14 years of austerity, begun to rebuild our economy and delivered a historic £5 billion extra to Scotland. The 40% business rates relief for the retail sector in Scotland will kick-start investment, get businesses into empty properties and support our hard-working entrepreneurs.
However, despite their record settlement, the SNP Government have refused to pass that support on. It would cost them £22 million to support both leisure and retail with business relief—roughly half the cost of suing Rangers football club; that is their priorities in action right there. COSLA—the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities—has said that £300 million would help get our councils back on their feet, investing in our high streets and bringing our town centres back to life. That is less than the Scottish Government’s overspend on two ferries. For too long, Scottish businesses have paid the price of SNP failure.
Our shops are competing against online giants; that is part of life now, but we must recognise the importance of thriving town centres. I certainly do, because the people in Hamilton, Lanark, Larkhall, Lesmahagow and across the constituency tell me that they want to go somewhere they can meet their friends, try on a pair of shoes and maybe have a cup of coffee. Why, in that case, is the support that the Government are giving our high street shops not being reflected in Scotland? Why can the SNP Government not help level the playing field and give our brilliant shops a fighting chance?
I know that it will be hard for the Scottish Government to deal with their overspend and the chaotic management of Scotland’s money, mirrored terribly in the SNP’s own finances. But despite the problems that they have created for themselves, it is now time to do the right thing: to set out a long-term path to support local economies, start working across all levels of Government and stop wasting money.
I know that we can get the boards down from the shop windows and that there is the talent, drive and energy out there to bring our high streets back to life. All people need is the opportunity to do what they do best. That is what we are here to deliver.