Highlands and Islands MSP Edward Mountain has criticised the SNP Government for failing to provide vital business grants for hundreds of business in the region.
New figures from the SNP Government highlight that 106,662 applications were received for their Small Business Grant Scheme and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Schemes, but only 91,258 had been processed as of December 8.
In Highland Council 804 were still waiting to have their applications processed, despite the scheme closing to new applicants on July 10.
That has led Edward Mountain MSP to accuse SNP Ministers of leaving businesses in Highland Council out in the cold when it comes to vital grant support and not going the extra mile to guarantee funding.
Edward Mountain MSP is now calling on the SNP Government to guarantee Highland Council will be given the resources required to process these grants immediately.
Edward Mountain MSP said:
“It is absolutely astonishing that the SNP have left hundreds of businesses in the Highlands waiting for vital business support, when the scheme was closed to new applicants in July.
“The warm words on these grants have completely failed to be turned into guaranteed cash for businesses who are still crying out for support.
“They have been left out in the cold by SNP Ministers who urgently must address why so many applications have been left waiting.
“There is a very real risk many of these businesses will have already gone under or won’t reopen in the new year.
“SNP Ministers must explain why they’ve been so slow to get this money out the door in the Highlands.”
