Tories target apprenticeships and rates in growth plan – Daily Business

Murdo Fraser: We want to undo the damage done to business (pic: Terry Murden / DB Media Services)

The Scottish Conservatives will today unveil plans to overhaul apprenticeships and cap business rates rises.

They are at the centre of a new policy paper, Growing a Productive Scotland, which will be launched by leader Russell Findlay and his shadow economy and business team.

Mr Findlay says businesses want apprenticeships to be a demand-led service and £300 million provided by firms should be ringfenced for places, “rather than disappearing into SNP government coffers”.

The Tories say only 25,000 apprenticeship places are funded each year, rather than the 34,000 demanded by industry.

On rates, as well as pausing the current revaluation, the Scottish Conservatives would put a cap on future increases to give businesses certainty to plan ahead.

The party would also simplify the landscape for businesses, with Growth Scotland becoming the one-stop body devoted to providing support.

Scottish companies currently have to deal with more than 100 public bodies and 750 separate schemes and Tories plan to bring all their functions together, putting support, skills development, loans and grants under one umbrella.

Shadow business secretary Murdo Fraser said: “Under the SNP, Scotland’s growth has stagnated and business investment has lagged behind. Companies are going to the wall and jobs are being lost.

“That has to change, and the bold policies in our policy paper would deliver that.

“Under the SNP, the apprenticeship system is short-changing the businesses that fund it and the young people who rely on it to acquire key skills. The Scottish Conservatives would ensure that Apprenticeship Levy monies are ringfenced, and apprenticeship places are allocated in line with the demands of employers.

“The Nationalists are also crucifying hospitality businesses with enormous rates rises. We’d put an end to that by placing a cap on revaluations that would be fairer, give firms certainty and safeguard jobs.

“Establishing Growth Scotland would make the business landscape simpler, reduce red tape and boost productivity.

“The Scottish Conservatives are the party of business, and our plans would undo the damage done to economic growth by the SNP’s high taxes and over-regulation.”

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