Na h-Eileanan an Iar SNP MSP Alasdair Allan has welcomed the publication of figures which show the Scottish Government’s Small Business Bonus scheme has provided a record level of £1.8 million worth of support to small businesses in the Isles this year.

Across Scotland, the Small Business Bonus Scheme, brought about by the SNP Government in 2008/09, paid out over £226 million in 2017-18, supporting over 103,000 local firms by reducing their rates liability and taking some firms out of business rates altogether.

The number of firms across the Western Isles benefitting from this flagship Scottish Government policy has risen from 405 in 2008 to 1,220 in 2017/18, while support island businesses has gone up to £1.8 million from £300,000 in 2008.

Alasdair Allan MSP commented:

“Over the last decade, the Scottish Government has taken strong action to support local businesses, delivering over £226 million of rates relief across Scotland in 2017/18 – and over £1.8 million in the Isles alone.

“To have over a thousand businesses in the Isles and over 103,000 across Scotland benefitting from this policy is good for jobs and good for communities.

“These figures prove the success of the Small Business Bonus for firms across the islands.”