31/08/2026
The run-up to launching a Programme for Government is always busy. So, we are grateful to Business Minister Tom Arthur for taking the time to hear directly from small business owners about their challenges and opportunities.
Galashiels is packed with great independent businesses, who bring life to the high street, and create local jobs and services, working in partnership with BID for Galashiels. Like anywhere in Scotland, their challenges are many and varied.
Small business confidence improved in Scotland in the last quarter, albeit from a low base, so it is vital we keep things moving in the right direction.
Scotland's 380,000 small business owners will be looking for signs in the Scottish Government's Programme for Government to give them the confidence to start investing and creating new jobs again.
Just as importantly, they will want to be sure there is nothing coming up that will create problems for them, such as even more regulatory demands.
At FSB, we are calling for:
🔴 the scrapping of Scotland’s 14 separate business rates assessors and valuation rolls, to be replaced with a single, more transparent and consistent national body
🔴action to tackle skills shortages by delivering the Apprenticeship Accelerator Grant
🔴 no further increase in the current regulatory and taxation burden
Thanks to everyone who made the discussion in Galashiels so constructive.
The run-up to launching a Programme for Government is always busy. So, we are grateful to Business Minister Tom Arthur for taking the time to hear directly from small business owners about their challenges and opportunities.
Galashiels is packed with great independent businesses, who bring life to the high street, and create local jobs and services, working in partnership with BID for Galashiels. Like anywhere in Scotland, their challenges are many and varied.
Small business confidence improved in Scotland in the last quarter, albeit from a low base, so it is vital we keep things moving in the right direction.
Scotland's 380,000 small business owners will be looking for signs in the Scottish Government's Programme for Government to give them the confidence to start investing and creating new jobs again.
Just as importantly, they will want to be sure there is nothing coming up that will create problems for them, such as even more regulatory demands.
At FSB, we are calling for:
🔴 the scrapping of Scotland’s 14 separate business rates assessors and valuation rolls, to be replaced with a single, more transparent and consistent national body
🔴action to tackle skills shortages by delivering the Apprenticeship Accelerator Grant
🔴 no further increase in the current regulatory and taxation burden
Thanks to everyone who made the discussion in Galashiels so constructive.
