Finance

That the Parliament welcomes the measures to promote economic growth in the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Autumn Statement 2013; notes that growth projections for the next two years have been revised upward by the Office for Budget Responsibility and that the UK is now growing faster than almost any other major industrialised economy; believes that the Autumn Statement’s measures, including a freeze in fuel duty, the scrapping of employer national insurance contributions for 1.5 million young people, a 2% cap on the business rates increase and granting a special discount of £1,000 to retail premises with a rateable value of £50,000 or below will have a positive effect on the economy;   recognises that these measures come on the back of a number of other recent policies implemented by the UK Government, including the cut in corporation tax to the lowest level in the G20; notes with concern a number of measures brought about by the Scottish Government during the current parliamentary session, including the public health supplement and the increase in rates on businesses with empty properties, and calls on the Scottish Government to help the Scottish economy by scrapping the public health supplement, reversing the decision to charge empty properties at 90% of business rates, ensuring that the poundage for business rates does not rise above the level set by the UK Government and implementing a relief scheme for retail properties with a rateable value of up to £50,000.