Click here to search commentonline

New Low for P&K Business Start Ups

MSP Murdo Fraser has expressed his disappointment at figures released by the Committee of Scottish Clearing Bankers (CSCB) that show that fewer new businesses have started up in Perth & Kinross in the first quarter of 2008 than set up in the first quarters of both 2007 and 2006.

The CSCB figures that show there were 126 new businesses in Scottish Banks in Perth & Kinross in the first quarter of 2008.  This is compared to 154 new businesses in the first quarter of 2007 and 221 in the first quarter of 2006.  See attachments for full figures.

Commenting, Murdo said:

“In Perth & Kinross, the figures for business start ups for the first quarter of 2008 are lower than the first quarter of 2007 and 2006.  Since 2006, we are seeing fewer and fewer business start-ups in our area and this is bad news for the local economy in the long term.

“Although disappointing, it demonstrates how right the Scottish Conservatives were to focus on accelerating the Government’s proposed business rates cuts.  We pushed for business rates cuts in the face of opposition from Labour and Liberal Democrat MSPs.  The Small Business Bonus took effect from 1st of April this year and I hope that this can provide a much needed and deserved boost to small businesses in Perth & Kinross and across Scotland.

“I understand that setting up a business is a risk and there is a chance of failure.  That is why the Scottish Government must be doing all that it can to create a business friendly ethos in Perth & Kinross.  I believe that red tape must be cut and we must see an end to unnecessary bureaucracy.  There are many willing and budding entrepreneurs in Perth & Kinross but they need incentives to get their business going.”