Budget spending allocation for supporting businesses from 2017 to 2022: FOI release

Information requested

A list all of the policies (and the total amount spent on each policy) in the following Scottish Budgets which are considered to be targeted at supporting businesses:

• 2017-2018
• 2018-2019
• 2019-2020
• 2020-2021
• 2021-2022

Response

While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not hold some of the information you have requested as we do not allocate or report on our budgets in this way. As such, this is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not hold this information in a manner that aligns to the scope of your request.

The Scottish Government provides a wide range of support to businesses both directly and indirectly and I enclose the links to the Scottish Budgets which sets out our budget plans along with supporting narrative on how it supports businesses. It also includes details of our competive rates relief including the Scottish Business Bonus Scheme. Funding is also provided to help support Business Gateway and this is included within the overall Local Government settlement and is not separately identified.

Our main areas of funding which directly support businesses are primarily routed through the enterprise agencies. I have provided details of the level of funding provided by the Scottish Government below and further details on how these budgets are spent are included within the enterprise agencies Annual Reports.

Scottish Budget 2017-2018

Economy, Jobs and Fair Work (Chapter 8)
Enterprise and Energy (Table 8.04) – Total budget of £279.6 million of which:

• Scottish Enterprise - £170.450 million
• Scottish Development International - £1.6 million

Communities, Social Security and Equalities (Chapter 9)
Business Rates (page 89)

Rural Economy and Connectivity (Chapter 11)
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (Table 11.08)

• Highland and Islands Enterprise - £66.747 million

Scottish Budget 2018-2019

Economy, Jobs and Fair Work (Chapter 9)
Enterprise (Table 9.04) – Total budget of £299.349 million of which:

• Scottish Enterprise - £256.150 million
• South of Scotland Enterprise Partnership - £10.0 million
• Scottish Development International - £1.6 million

Communities, Social Security and Equalities (Chapter 10)
Non Domestic Rates - Business Rates –(page 116)

Rural Economy and Connectivity (Chapter 12)
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (Table 12.08)

• Highland and Islands Enterprise - £71.590 million

Scottish Budget 2019-2020

Communities and Local Government (Chapter 6)

• Business Rates (page 86)

Finance, Economy and Fair Work (Chapter 7)
Enterprise (Table 7.06) – Total budget of £276.5 million of which:

• Scottish Enterprise budget - £252.655 million
• Scottish Development International - £1.6 million

Rural Economy (Chapter 12)
Rural Economy Enterprise (Table 12.05) – Total budget of £74.4 million of which:

• Highland and Islands Enterprise - £61.035 million
• South of Scotland Enterprise - £13.323 million

Scottish Budget 2020-2021

Communities and Local Government (Chapter 6)

• Business Rates – page 68

Finance, Economy and Fair Work (Chapter 7)
Enterprise (Table 7.05) – Total budget of £247.1 million of which:

• Scottish Enterprise Budget - £212.055 million

Rural Economy (Chapter 12)
Rural Economy Enterprise (Table 12.07) – Total budget of £86.3 million of which:

• Highland and Islands – £58.090 million
• South of Scotland Enterprise - £27.4 million

Scottish Budget 2021-2022

Communities and Local Government (Chapter 5)

• Business Rates – page 63

Economy, Fair Work and Culture (Chapter 7)
Enterprise (Table 7.03) – total budget of £267.4 million of which:

• Scottish Enterprise - £215.620 million

Rural Economy and Tourism (Chapter 12)
Rural Economy Enterprise (Table 12:05) Total budget of £106.5 million of which

• Highlands and Islands Enterprise - £67.540 million
• South of Scotland (Table 12.05) - £35.703 million

In addition, as the 2020-21 budget was published in February 2020, before Covid restrictions came into force, it didn’t include funding for Covid business support. I therefore enclose the link to published details of all the business support funds and how much has been paid out. Please note that the table includes business support paid in financial years 2020-21 and 2021-22 (to date).

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