Douglas Ross has urged Scottish Ministers to ensure “vital” funding from the UK Government gets to businesses that need it here in Moray.
The local MP raised the issue with the Prime Minister today in the House of Commons.
The Scottish Government has received more than £8.6billion in funding from the UK Government during the pandemic, but during a radio interview this morning, Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop was unable to say how the money had been spent or indeed how much of it had gone out. It has been reported that the Scottish Government still has around £700million of Covid funding that is yet to be allocated.
Mr Ross said that the Scottish Government must ensure businesses in Moray, like those elsewhere in the country, get the support they need.
In response to his question today, Boris Johnson said the Scottish Government “must get on and use the funds that the UK Government is giving the people of Scotland to support jobs in Scotland”.
Scottish Conservative MP for Moray Douglas Ross said:
“Businesses in Moray, and indeed across Scotland, have once again been asked to close their doors to help slow the spread of the virus.
“For many, it will be a challenge to stay afloat and keep their staff in a job.
“The UK Government has provided billions in vital funding to the Scottish Government to deal with the Covid-19 pandemic. However, Scottish Ministers are sitting on hundreds of millions of pounds that should be going directly to businesses that need it now.
“I raised this with the Prime Minister to illustrate the sense of frustration that I have – and I know is shared by many here in Moray – at the length of time it is taking for businesses to get the support they need.
“Far too many are still waiting and that is unacceptable.”