A tax on big supermarkets selling alcohol and tobacco should be brought back to help fund community youth services, a Glasgow MSP has said.

Bob Doris, SNP MSP for Maryhill and Springburn, called on the Finance Secretary to re-introduce the tax that was in place for three years from 2012 to 2015.

The public health levy raised almost £100m in the three years it was in place.

Mr Doris said that supermarkets have profited during lockdown. They remained open when other businesses had to close and were able to sell alcohol for people to drink at home while pubs and restaurants were closed.

Mr Doris asked the Finance Secretary, Kate Forbes about raising extra income for local services.

He said: “In relative terms, it is clear that the largest supermarkets have done very well compared with other parts of the economy during Covid-19. Will the Scottish Government consider bringing back such a tax, and using the money that is generated to support youth and other services across our communities with activities that have clear health benefits, at a time when both council and Scottish Government budgets are particularly overstretched?”

Last week the Glasgow Times reported how the lockdown is expected to leave Glasgow City Council with a shortfall of around £90m with additional costs and loss of income.

Ms Forbes, did not commit to bringing back the tax but said that she would keep the tax raising measures under review.

She said: “A number of those businesses will currently pay the large business supplement, but I will keep the non-domestic rates system, including all the supplements and reliefs, under regular review to ensure that it supports businesses and communities across Scotland, particularly as we come out of the pandemic.”

Ms Forbes said she recently launched a consultation on the role of devolved taxes and the fiscal framework in supporting Scotland’s economic recovery.

She added: “I suggest that Bob Doris and others feed into that consultation.”

When it was introduced by the then Finance Secretary, John Swinney, it was branded “unfair” by the big supermarket firms, who said it was a tax that penalised large retailers.

It was imposed on supermarkets with a rateable value of £750,000 or more.

Mr Swinney said when he announced it in the 2011 budget it was to be used to fund preventative spending to combat alcohol and tobacco related harm.