Fiona Hyslop, economy secretary

Businesses which can remain open, but are directly constrained by the measures, will be eligible for grants worth £1,400 or £2,100, again based on rateable value.

This support from the Scottish Government is in addition to the UK Government’s revised furlough scheme launching on 1 November.

Fiona Hyslop, economy secretary, said: “These are uncertain times for business and many will be concerned that the action necessary to protect public health will have a severe effect on their bottom line.

“We are determined to support businesses during this period and we will continue to listen to and engage with business leaders about the draft framework published today.

“We will make financial support available as levels are reviewed across the country and restrictions applied locally. We will continue to work with local authorities to ensure grants are made available quickly and efficiently.”

She added: “The support that we are providing is the maximum we can afford under our current powers and the resources available. We have matched the level of support available in England for larger businesses and our grants are more generous to smaller businesses.

“The Chancellor has written a blank cheque for business support grants in England and he must urgently commit to providing Scotland with the funding needed to help our businesses weather this pandemic.”