Liberal Democrat Finance spokesman Jeremy Purvis has hit out at the Scottish Cabinet’s Summer tour which begins in Dornoch today.

Last year’s Summer tour cost the Scottish taxpayer over £80,000, including over £54,000 on hospitality.

Liberal Democrats have also pointed to research showing that six of the hotels selected by the Cabinet for their tour last year were subsequently hit by large increases in their business rates.

Liberal Democrats have proposed a transition scheme to help businesses hurt by large rate increases but have been turned down by the SNP Government.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Finance spokesman Jeremy Purvis said:

"Time after time we hear platitudes from SNP Ministers about listening during their summer tours, but they have refused to hear the concerns from hotels and restaurants seeing rates bills increases of up to 200%.

"If there is anything to come out of this flawed cabinet tour, I hope it is a change in Government policy to supporting a transitional rates relief scheme.

"The absence of rates relief is crippling many very good tourist businesses across Scotland."