CBI Scotland responds to latest Scottish GDP figures

Tracy Black, CBI Scotland Director, said:

“The fall in GDP reveals the sheer scale of the hit to the Scottish economy caused by lockdown. While we all knew that leisure, tourism and retail bore the brunt of the initial wave, these figures not only show how swift and severe the impact has been but also that no sector was left unscathed  – with vital industries like health and education, along with the rest of our all-important services sector, hit particularly hard.

“With a rise in infections, localised lockdowns coming in and out of force, and slow progress in Brexit negotiations, Scottish businesses will understandably be anxious about what the rest of 2020 holds in store. Getting a Brexit deal and building a successor to the hugely successful Job Retention Scheme are key to securing recovery in the near-term. 

“If we are serious about doing everything in our power to protect firms, jobs and living standards, we need the UK and Scottish governments working together with real agility to further protect both lives and livelihoods. The coming weeks and months will be critical to our success.”