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Licensed trade spokesman Colin Wilkinson has expressed anger at First Minister John Swinney\u2019s dismissive response to calls for a cut in VAT.<\/p>\n
At First Minister\u2019s Questions, Mr Swinney was asked by SNP backbencher Alyn Smith if he would support the UK-wide \u2018VAT\u2019s the Problem\u2019 campaign which demands a 10% cut for hospitality businesses.<\/p>\n
Picking up on interventions from Conservative MSP Stephen Kerr and Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar, the First Minister said: \u201cFor all the years that the bawling Stephen Kerr\u2019s party was in office, it never cut VAT on hospitality, so Conservative party members should not come to the chamber with unreasonable expectations.\u201d<\/p>\n
Colin Wilkinson, managing director of the Scottish Licensed Trade Association, said: \u201cFirstly, the First Minister seems to have forgotten that the Conservative government cut VAT during Covid to 5% from 15 July 2020 to 30 September 2021, and continued a reduction to 12.5% from 1 October 2021 to 31March 2022.<\/p>\n
\u201cMore alarmingly, does his comment \u2018\u2026 so Conservative party members should not come to the chamber with unreasonable expectations\u2019 .. suggest he does not support a cut in VAT for the hospitality sector because he deems the call to be \u2018unreasonable\u2019?\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Wilkinson added: \u201cRather than giving a straightforward answer to a straightforward question, the First Minister\u2019s deplorable response was more focused on playground bickering and political point-scoring than answering a question, raised by one of his own industry-respected party colleagues Alyn Smith MSP, a champion of the hospitality sector.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe lack of response, whether positive or negative, in our opinion signals a high level of disinterest and contempt for one of Scotland\u2019s key sectors and contributor to the Scottish economy. <\/p>\n
\u201cIt also begs the question of the First Minister as to what he sees the future role of the hospitality sector, if in his mind it has any part to play at all, in his aims to grow Scotland\u2019s economy.\u201d<\/p>\n
The SLTA has long called for greater recognition of the importance of the licensed hospitality and overall tourism sectors to the Scottish economy, our cultural heritage, social wellbeing and the jobs provision the sector provides, particularly for young people.<\/p>\n
Mr Wilkinson said: \u201cWe thought that progress was being made when \u201ctourism\u201d, one of Scotland\u2019s most important key industries and intrinsically linked with hospitality, was now a named portfolio at Cabinet Secretary level.<\/p>\n
\u201cHowever, the First Minister\u2019s lack of response to support a campaign to help the hospitality sector has dented our aspirations.\u201d<\/p>\n
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