Only another 6 months.

Today marks the 6 months to go point for the referendum campaign. So depending on your view point, we only have 6 more months to suffer the uncertainty or time is running out to influence the debate.  Whatever your view point, there was some news of interest to tech companies and thoughts on R&D espoused this last week.

 

BBC Scotland’s Douglas Fraser, chose to look deeper at Scotland’s economy and quoted evidence from the Bakbasel economic consultancy in Switzerland who offered their assessment of Scotland's current position and what it would have to address if it became independent. Through comparison with similar nations and regions within Europe, it emphasises that Scotland has significant advantages in its competitiveness and highlights Scotland's strong university research, but points out there's a weakness in translating it into patents and commercial benefit.

The Scottish Government addressed innovation with a gift and a promise. In the present, the Government announced £6.6M for Digital skills and in the future that R&D would be central to the economy with the formation of Scottish Agency for Innovation.  Finance Secretary John Swinney promised to continue investment in innovation centres which amounted to £124 over 5 years. Then in setting out plans on a yes vote, he said:

“Careful and targeted use of tax credits and allowances in an independent Scotland could make a difference and break down the barriers which limit private investment in R&D and harness more effectively the research in our universities.”

The latest evidence session of the Economy committee’s Inquiry into Scotland’s Economic Future Post-2014, included questions on R&D in Scottish industry from Christian Allard the SNP MSP, who lamented the decline of the manufacturing sector and question the lack of R&D in industry. In response Professor Jeremy Peat of the David Hume Institute said:“We need to stimulate an environment in which there is greater demand from the business community for innovation and interrelationship with the high-quality academics who undertake that work. We also need to set up incentive mechanisms so that those in universities are as incentivised to use what they produce by way of innovative potential in the business community as they are to produce academic journal articles, which might help in some of the assessments that take place. I want to see the desire on both sides to innovate and to use the marvellous work that is going on in a number of sectors across Scotland. If we are really interested in Scotland maximising its potential, it is critical that we make use of R&D. We all seek an innovative, productive and competitive Scotland.”  Professor Anton Muscatelli, Principal of Glasgow University agreed and went onto to say that “Not surprisingly, we find that small economies’ spend is directed to things such as economic development and education and away from things such as defence, which are less important to smaller countries than to larger ones.”

 

This week the inquiry turns to tax issues before taking evidence from Business on 2 April.

At the Scottish Conservative party conference in Edinburgh last weekend, the Prime Minister promised further devolution if the referendum is lost including greater tax powers. In the Leader speech, Ruth Davidson, also recognised the need for developing a tech economy saying:

“The greatest gift this generation can give to the next is an education system that truly prepares Scotland’s young people for the challenges of a competitive global economy.”

Next weekend it is the turn of Scottish Labour to meet in Perth. So what does the Science and the tech community want from Scotland’s opposition party?

Positive Spin will be attending the conference and can get your views to the policy makers and politicians.