Press & Policy

The Scottish Government has published its plans for the next five years, covering priorities from economic growth and public services to child poverty and climate change.

For businesses, the important question is what these plans will change in practice. Will projects move faster? Will employers find the skills they need? And will Scotland become a more attractive place to invest, trade and grow?

One of the most significant announcements is the creation of a Major Projects Office. Its job will be to speed up nationally important projects, tackle delays and help unlock private investment.

This is a welcome step. Scotland has major opportunities in energy, housing and infrastructure, but delays and uncertainty can make projects more expensive or stop them getting started. For the office to work, it must have the power and resources to solve problems, with businesses, investors and planning authorities involved from the start.

Government must also address the costs and other obstacles affecting important sites earmarked for development. Speeding up decisions will help, but projects must also be financially viable if they are to attract investment and move into construction.

The commitment to publish a single national skills plan by spring 2027 could also help firms. Businesses across Scotland continue to struggle to recruit people with the right skills, restricting their capacity to expand and grow.

The skills plan should make it easier to match training and education with the jobs businesses need to fill. Employers must have a meaningful role in setting priorities, deciding what training is offered and checking whether it works.

Without that input, training may not keep pace with the jobs employers need to fill.

The international commitments matter too. The Scottish Government plans to continue supporting international air connectivity through VisitScotland, helping to encourage tourism, trade and links with Scotland’s diaspora. It also intends to bring its overseas offices and Scottish Development International network together, expanding the Scotland House network to more than 40 locations.

There are also areas where further progress is needed. Plans to simplify planning are welcome, but clearer standards and firmer deadlines would give investors greater certainty. Faster grid connections would also help unlock energy projects and the jobs and supply-chain opportunities that come with them.

The Programme for Government does not take forward SCC’s proposals to reform Fresh Start Relief. Extending the relief would reduce the initial cost of occupying long-term vacant premises, giving more businesses the confidence to open or expand. Filling empty units would help increase footfall, support neighbouring traders and bring more activity to Scotland’s high streets.

Scotland’s tax position will also continue to influence recruitment, entrepreneurship and investment. These issues are closely connected. Faster planning will achieve less if a project cannot secure a grid connection, while better skills provision will have limited impact if business costs prevent employers from creating jobs.

The Scottish Budget will provide the next opportunity to turn these commitments into action. It must provide businesses with greater certainty, clear accountability and fewer barriers to investment and growth.

The best measure of success will be more projects moving forward, more firms investing and more Scottish businesses competing internationally.