New low for business start-ups in the Borders

Published 15 Mar 2010 15:03 0 Comments

LOCAL MSP John Lamont has expressed concern at new figures which show that the number of new businesses that have started up in the Borders fell significantly last year.

The figures show that there were only 194 new businesses started in Roxburgh & Berwickshire in 2009, compared to 270 in 2008.

Commenting on the statistics, published by the Committee of Scottish Clearing Bankers (CSCB), the Conservative MSP said: "These figures show a fall of 28% in the number of new business start ups in the region and this is extremely worrying for our local economy. Strong entrepreneurial activity is a sign of a healthy economy and these figures are an indication of just how difficult trading conditions currently are.

"Although disappointing, it demonstrates how right Scottish Conservatives were to focus on accelerating the policy to cut business rates for small businesses in Scotland. We pushed for business rates cuts in the face of opposition from Labour and Liberal Democrat MSPs.

"We want to see the local economy flourish and that means freeing up businesses to do what they do best; create jobs and growth for the local economy.

"Furthermore, a future UK Conservative Government will provide tax cuts for new jobs with a £2.6bn package of tax breaks to get people into work, funded by money that would otherwise go on unemployment benefit. We will cut the main rate of corporation tax to 25p and the small companies' rate to 20p, paid for by scrapping complex reliefs and allowances. We will give small and medium-sized businesses a six-month VAT holiday. We will also cut National Insurance by 1% for six months for firms with fewer than five employees, paid for from the above changes to the company tax regime."

He added: "The Borders is a great place to live and work and we need to ensure it remains a great place to do business."

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