Economic Injury Disaster Loans (EIDL): FOI release

Information requested

EIDL is designed to provide economic relief to businesses that are currently experiencing a temporary loss of revenue. EIDL proceeds can be used to cover a wide array of working capital and normal operating expenses, such as continuation of health care benefits, rent, utilities, and fixed debt payments.
1. How much has Scotland given to help small businesses since COVID-19 CRISIS situation?
2. What is the amount of money set aside for restoration of Edinburgh North Bridge?
3. What is the ongoing cost and are they (anyone involved in the restoration) getting any relief funding due to COVID 19 CRISIS situation?

Response

Your request refers to "EIDL". Based upon the acronym and the description provided, we believe you may be referring to the Economic Injury Disaster Loans. This scheme appears to have been set up by the United States federal government for small businesses based in the United States of America. The Scottish Government cannot comment on this scheme.
The answers to your question are set out below.
1. The Scottish Government has put a comprehensive package of measures in place worth £2.3 billion to sustain businesses during the COVID-19 crisis. This has included:

• A package of rates relief and other Non-Domestic Rates income measures worth around £972 million, including 1.6% rates relief for all non-domestic properties and 100% relief for properties in retail, hospitality, leisure and aviation supporting an estimated 30,000 properties in these sectors,
• Over £1 billion of grants allocated to small businesses, and medium sized businesses in the retail, hospitality and leisure sectors,
• A bespoke fund of £185 million providing additional support for SMEs vital to Scotland's economy through the Pivotal Enterprise Resilience Fund (PERF), the Creative, Tourism & Hospitality Enterprises Hardship Fund (CTHEHF) and other interventions,
• A package of support for seafood and fisheries industries worth over £18 million.

For many support schemes developed and managed by the Scottish Government, its agencies or Local Authorities we are committed to publishing data on successful applications, where compliance with GDPR (General Data Protection Regulations) is assured, as soon as is reasonably possible.

A summary of applications for the Hardship and Resilience Funds, including the PERF and CTHEHF was published on 6 August 2020 and can be found at https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronaviruscovid-19-hardship-and-resilience-funds-statistics/.

For the Small Business and Retail, Hospitality and Leisure Grants, we have published the number of awards made to date broken down by local authority at https://www.gov.scot/publications/coronaviruscovid-
19-business-support-fund-grant-statistics/.

2. The Scottish Government has not provided specific funding for the restoration of Edinburgh North Bridge. This project is a City of Edinburgh Council initiative and it is the responsibility of individual local authorities to manage their own budgets and to allocate the total financial resources available to them on the basis of local needs and priorities.

3. While our aim is to provide information whenever possible, in this instance the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested. However, you may wish to contact the City of Edinburgh Council at foi@edinburgh.gov.uk who may be able to help you. This is a formal notice under section 17(1) of FOISA that the Scottish Government does not have the information you have requested.

About FOI

The Scottish Government is committed to publishing all information released in response to Freedom of Information requests. View all FOI responses at http://www.gov.scot/foi-responses.