Taking Scotland Forward – Scotland’s Economy, Short Term Resilience and Long Term Opportunities

As an amendment to motion S5M-00212 in the name of Keith Brown (Taking Scotland Forward – Scotland’s Economy, Short Term Resilience and Long Term Opportunities), leave out from second "recognises" to end and insert “notes however that across a range of indicators, including GDP growth, unemployment rates and business confidence, the Scottish economy is underperforming the UK as a whole and the gap is widening; notes calls from the business community for urgent action to improve the situation; regrets the Scottish Government’s decision to increase the business rate burden by 42% over the past nine years, double the large business supplement and levy rates on empty industrial properties, and calls on the Scottish Government to support economic growth by investing in infrastructure and broadband, reversing its cuts to college budgets and ensuring a competitive tax regime for Scotland within the UK.”