Scotland

Creative Industries and Media

The SNP have plans for tax relief for artists and creative industries, and a £1 million programme of workshops, mentoring and courses to support the industry’s digital capabilities.

Labour is proposing a baseline for cultural spending, providing a greater share of the Scottish Government’s budget, and commits to financially supporting freelancers. The party would embed Good Work principles in the creative sector and achieve trade union rates.

The Liberal Democrats’ manifesto promises a government-backed event cancellation insurance guarantee, although it is implied this will focus on music and theatre rather than the whole events industry.

The Green Party are pledging to develop a comprehensive strategy for tackling disinformation and raising media literacy, and an independent office to coordinate efforts to combat disinformation. An interest-free loan fund is designed to assist the buyout of local titles by their workforce or community, and a match-funded scheme would help small businesses and charities advertise in local outlets. A policy intended to ensure that musicians and writers receive a greater share of royalties from streaming and big tech is also put forward. As part of its health policy, the Greens would bring back the Food Promotions Bill to restrict the marketing promotion and advertising of unhealthy food, including alcohol.

Business

The SNP would gradually reduce the Large Business Supplement, so companies pay the same combined poundage in Scotland as in England. The party would also invest £100 million to help SMEs gain access to the right digital skills and equipment.

The Conservatives guarantee at least 25% business rates relief for pandemic-hit businesses in 2022-23, including leisure and newspapers, and would maintain the poundage rate freeze until the 2023 revaluation. A wholesale review of the business rates system would be undertaken during the Parliament.

Labour intends to repurpose Scottish Enterprise as a business recovery agency and establish a Business Restart Fund. A Business Transition Fund would help SMEs with the shift to digital.

Environment/Plastics

A Circular Economy Law is outlined by the SNP, Conservatives, Labour, Liberal Democrats, and the Green Party.

The SNP promise to ban single-use plastics, with the Liberal Democrats aiming to end their mainstream use. The Green Party would phase out single-use, non-essential plastics that can be easily replaced by 2025.

The Conservatives would set new reduction targets and establish a Circular Economy Rewards Scheme, whilst Labour pledge to introduce obligations on the producers of waste.

Apprenticeships and Skills

The SNP would build back up to its target of 30,000 Modern Apprenticeship starts, an aim it says would have been met in 2020 had the pandemic not occurred.

A demand-led apprenticeship system whereby employers create places and bid for funding is outlined by the Conservatives, preventing limits on the number of funded apprenticeships. The £15,000 cap on government support would be removed.

Labour targets 5,000 new apprenticeship places in the next financial year, providing subsidisation for employers in the first 12 months provided that apprentices are be employed for the duration of their training. The party would also introduce supplementary funding for Kickstart, with a further six months of wage subsidy if employers guarantee a permanent job.

The Liberal Democrats are planning 2,000 paid graduate internships with small businesses.

Wales

Creative Industries and Media

In Wales, Plaid Cymru aims to establish a Welsh Media Commission. Areas of investigation would include: audience trends; an international comparison of media support schemes; local journalism; enhancing digital networks; conferring ‘asset of community value’ status on local newspapers, preventing titles from closing without scrutiny. Plaid would also establish a new broadcasting and telecommunications body, independent from Government. A Welsh Freelancers Fund would offer 1,000 freelancers an income of £1,000 per month for two years to work the community.

The Liberal Democrats propose an ongoing central fund to support news journalism, with arms-length delivery to guarantee impartiality. The party also offers support for the events industry through funding packages and guidance to continue an events programme.

Labour will consider establishing a Creative Industry Research and Development Body for skills and technology development.

Business

Labour plans to expand the Development Bank of Wales capital funds to provide long term funding to SMEs, whilst Plaid would establish an SME investment strategy including loans at zero interest with long repayment holidays, restart loans, and repayment and recovery loans.

The Conservatives would create Business Rate Free Zones providing a three-year business rate holiday for SMEs. The Liberal Democrats would freeze business rates for the duration of the next Senedd, replacing the system in the long term. A Business Rate Investment Relief fund is also planned.

Environment/Plastics

Plaid Cymru commits to an immediate ban on non-essential single-use plastics in 2021, making more materials recyclable and legislating to make packaging producers more responsible for their environmental impact. The Conservatives pledge to ban single-use plastics for non-medical use, whilst Labour promise a ban on commonly littered single-use plastics and introduce an extended producer responsibility scheme.

Apprenticeships and Skills

Labour is aiming for 125,000 all-age apprenticeships in the next Senedd term, working with employers to expand the use of shared and degree apprenticeships. The Conservatives’ target is 150,000 apprenticeships by 2026, with numbers boosted by the expansion of degree apprenticeships.

A model of longer apprenticeships is put forward by Plaid, expanding apprenticeships to 16–18-year-olds. The party would review tax levers to examine how they could better unlock business investment in skills.

The Liberal Democrats aim to expand degree apprenticeships, diversifying subject options and widening routes into employment. The party would also establish a Job Creation Premium, offering the initial costs of recruitment and training for business looking to grow.