MP in pledge to clarify treatment guidance for Moray beauty salon owners
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MORAY'S MP has pledged to raise local beauty salon operators' concerns over treatment guidelines with Moray Council and the Scottish Government.
Scottish Conservative MP Douglas Ross held a virtual meeting with beauty salon businesses from across Moray this morning.
The online event was also attended by representatives from Moray College UHI and the British Association of Beauty Therapy and Cosmetology.
Some salon owners shared their concerns about what they believed to be a lack of clarity in guidelines over what treatments can and cannot take place amid ongoing coronavirus restrictions.
Increased costs for equipment, a reduction in income due to restrictions and the knock-on effect of event cancellations and hospitality closures were all raised as issues to be addressed.
Mr Ross will now contact the council to ensure there is absolute clarity on new restrictions following the announcement of the Scottish Government’s new tiered system.
He also pledged to contact the Scottish Government to specifically ask about apparent anomalies in the rules between hairdressers and beauty therapists regarding mobile visits to homes. He will also ask the Scottish Government to provide hard scientific evidence behind the current guidelines and any further restrictions imposed.
Mr Ross will also raise the issue of financial support for the sector to help struggling businesses.
The Scottish Conservative leader said: "We had a wide-ranging and really useful discussion.
"One thing that came across was the need for clarity on restrictions – both those already in place and on any applied in the future in terms of what practices are and are not permitted.
"There was a sense of frustration that measures that have been put in place were not backed up publicly available scientific evidence – and I think it is only right that businesses are given access to that data.
"There are other issues around some anomalies in terms of what beauty therapists and hairdressers can and cannot do at present.
"And finally, given the increased costs of equipment and the substantial loss of income due to restrictions, I will explore what additional financial support might be made available.
"I have promised to keep these businesses informed of any updates I get on these issues so we can support these great local businesses as much as possible.
"They all want to work, and they want to get on with growing their businesses, like those in many other sectors of our economy that are experiencing significant difficulties right now."
