BUSINESS leaders have urged the Scottish Government to “declutter” the number of websites and online one-stop shops for companies – at the same time as the Finance Secretary launched a new one.
Derek Mackay revealed plans for the new findbusinessupport.gov.scot site as he unveiled his “refreshed” economic action plan for Scotland.
He hailed the site, which will provide details of products, services and events from Scotland’s skills and enterprise agencies, as a “significant step towards transforming the way businesses are supported”.
But Andrew McRae, the policy chairman for the Federation of Small Businesses in Scotland, said: “The enterprise support landscape is littered with countless online 'one-stop shops'." He added: “To be effective, we need to further declutter the landscape by reducing the number of publicly funded, business-facing websites.”
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With the Finance Secretary due to unveil his Scottish budget next month, McRae (pictured) called on ministers to come up with a package of measures to “boost the fortunes of local businesses”.
He said “top of the list” in this should be retaining a reduced rates scheme for small firms as well as “backing migrant entrepreneurs”.
McRae spoke after Mackay said his revamped economic plan “sets out how we will tackle the climate emergency, grow an inclusive economy and face up to the challenges of Brexit, changing demographics and shifting global circumstances”.
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