Scottish Conservatives, Councillor Roz McCall and Murdo Fraser MSP, have praised the “valuable” financial help given to businesses in Fife and Perth and Kinross by UK Government-backed loans during the pandemic, resulting in more than 8,000 businesses benefitting across both regions.
Figures released by the UK Government show that a total of £3.4 billion has been provided to Scottish businesses through the UK Government via either Bounce Back Loans, the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme or the self-employment income support scheme.
As a result, 5,168 businesses in Fife have benefitted from the UK Government-backed loans, and 3,011 in Perth and Kinross local authority areas.
Commenting, Councillor Roz McCall, who is the Business Ambassador for Perth and Kinross Council and who is standing to represent Dunfermline at the Scottish Parliament elections in May, said: “These figures are very welcome news indeed, for both Fife and Perth and Kinross. I know businesses in both regions have been really struggling financially throughout the pandemic and will have been delighted to have received this help from the UK Government, through the various loan schemes that were launched.
“It shows once again the importance of us being part of the Union and how Scotland has benefitted from Covid funding throughout this horrendous crisis. The UK Government has underlined how it is willing to help protect jobs and businesses in Scotland – the figures involved speak for themselves.”
And Mr Fraser, who represents the Mid Scotland and Fife region, added: “It is very heartening to see just how many businesses in Fife and Perth and Kinross have been helped by valuable UK Government-backed loans during Covid. The SNP Government are constantly griping about the UK Government when instead they should be praising their financial help and working in tandem with them in trying to overcome the devastating impact the pandemic has had on our business sector in Scotland.”