GLASGOW MSPs have challenged the government to provide extra help for struggling businesses in the city through the cost of living crisis.

The plight of hospitality firms and the taxi trade were highlighted as examples of where more help is needed to prevent firms and individuals from going out of business.

Annie Wells, Conservative MSP, said hospitality needs help with rates relief.

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The Glasgow Times has reported a number of pubs, cafes and restaurants closing down in Glasgow as rising costs become too much to bear.

Wells asked the Scottish Government: “Whether it will provide all hospitality businesses with 75% business rates relief in 2023-24.”

The MSP said firms were being disadvantaged and told Tom Arthur, minister for public finance, hospitality firms in Wales and in England were getting 75% rates relief.

She said:  “Scottish hospitality is getting no extra relief. How can the economy recover when  Scotland’s businesses are worse off than the rest of the UK?”

Arthur said there were no current plans to increase the level of relief for hospitality businesses.

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The minister said: “We already offer the most generous package of rates relief in the UK including freezing the poundage rate.

“In reality, we have to take budget decisions in the round and any additional revenue for rates relief  would have to come from a corresponding decrease  in another area of government.”

He asked Annie Wells if she had any suggestions about where that money should come from.

Arthur said it would cost an extra £85m to provide 75% relief for hospitality businesses.

Pam Duncan Glancy, Glasgow Labour MSP, said taxi drivers in Glasgow needed help with Low Emission Zone costs.

She said: “Black cab drivers in Glasgow have been given until June this year to meet low emission Zone targets.

“Most cannot afford the £61,000 for new cars that would comply and on Friday the Energy Savings Trust said there was no money left for grants to retrofit vehicles and they stopped accepting applications from yesterday.

“So given the deadline to meet Low Emission Zone standards is June. How on earth are cab drivers expected to meet the requirements and will the Scottish Government commit to providing more financial support and grants to prevent major job losses in the black cab trade in Glasgow?”

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Ivan McKee, business minister, said: “The Scottish Government has made £7.2 million available to support LEZ funding for small businesses including taxi operators since 2019.

“There is support available for retrofit of existing vehicles and the Scottish Government has offered grant funding of up to 80% of the capital cost of that.

“That’s the most generous offer of its kind in the UK and this year it has seen record numbers of taxis being retrofitted as a consequence of that.”

He added: “Glasgow City Council has a discretionary mechanism for eligible taxi operators to receive a temporary exemption for the LEZ beyond the enforcement date of June.”