THE trade association for Scotland’s electrical contractors is giving its 1200 members a 30% discount on their fees to help ease some of the challenges caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Members of Select who have already paid their subscription in full will receive a refund, while those who pay by direct debit will only have seven of their 10 instalments collected.

Association president Kevin Griffin said: “This financial support package is unprecedented, but we are living in unprecedented times and we believe this decision will offer some much-needed financial assistance to members.

“Select’s central board is made up of working electrical professionals, all of whom are facing the same challenges as their fellow members.

“We therefore understand first-hand the issues our sector is experiencing and want to do everything we can to help each other.

“Also, as a not-for-profit organisation, we are purely here to assist our members and put their needs first – so that’s exactly what we are doing.”

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Select was founded in 1900 and is Scotland’s largest trade association.

Its managing director Alan Wilson added: “As we begin to come out of the immediate crisis and to return to work, Select will continue to ensure that it does as much as possible to support its members in a host of different ways.”

The move is among a number of emergency measures the body has introduced to help its members weather the pandemic, including online training, advice webinars and a dedicated Covid-19 hub, which is updated daily with the latest employment, financial and contractual information.

“This financial assistance is the latest in a host of measures we have taken to ensure our members are fully supported,” said John McGhee, Select’s secretary and finance and resources director.

“Our advice and information system has been unrivalled in the construction sector and our staff have supported us magnificently in all sorts of ways.

“While it has not exactly been ‘business as usual’, the Select offices have remained open in a virtual sense throughout the crisis and dealt with hundreds of queries from members.”