Scottish Government establishes economic recovery advisory group to build ‘fairer’ post-coronavirus society

The Scottish Government has announced the establishment of an economic recovery advisory group to plan how to build a “fairer, greener and more equal society” once the coronavirus crisis recedes.

The group, which will include business leaders and economic experts, will look at rebuilding Scotland’s economy once lockdown restrictions are eased and prepare the country for the “challenges” that lie ahead.

In a daily Holyrood press briefing on Friday, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “It is important we now seek to take a more longer term view… and we are now starting to consider how we re-build the economy when this crisis starts to recede.

“None of us should be under any illusions of the scale of this task – but we do want to start that work now. That is why I am announcing the establishment of a Recovery Advisory Group, to advise the government on actions for economy recovery but also to build a fairer, greener and more equal society.”

Ms Sturgeon said the government was working with councils to make £1.3 billion available in grants and support to struggling businesses, as part of an expanded business support scheme.

More than 18,000 of these grants have already been awarded, totalling a pay-out of £215 million.

The First Minister also announced a lifeline for the effectively “collapsing” seafood market, allocating a further £3.5 million of support for fishing vessels of over 12 metres. She said the collapse was having a “very serious and immediate impact on coastal and island communities”.

The announcement brings the total Scottish Government support package for the seafood, aqua-culture and fishing industries to nearly £23 million, with 1,000 businesses in the sector able to access aid.

Ms Sturgeon said: “Providing that kind of emergency support is vital for dealing with the immediate impacts of the virus.”