THE CBI has defended its record of holding the Scottish Government to account, as it confirmed Hugh Aitken will stand down as its head in Scotland in 2018.

Mr Aitken was brought in to lead CBI Scotland in January last year to stabilise the business lobby group after a bruising Scottish referendum campaign in 2014.

It was reported yesterday that Mr Aitken, who made his name at Sun Microsystems, was stepping down amid growing concern over the CBI’s lobbying impact.

The Sunday Times claimed some business leaders were disappointed it had failed to criticise the Scottish Government for raising taxes on firms, in particular the decision to double the large firms rates supplement.

But CBI Scotland hit back, with deputy director-general Henrietta Jowitt stating claims it failed to criticise tax increases as “completely unfounded and contrary to our considerable work in this area”.

Ms Jowitt said: “CBI Scotland’s response to the Budget specifically challenges the ‘proposed increase to the large business supplement and other reliefs, which could affect investment intentions’.”

The CBI said Mr Aitken will stay in post until his retirement in 2018. He was hired to replace Iain McMillan, whose final few months were dogged by controversy after the CBI registered itself as a campaigning group against Scottish independence in 2014.

It later rescinded the registration after taking legal advice, but by that stage a swathe of high-profile members, including the University of Glasgow and BBC Scotland, had resigned to preserve their political neutrality.

The CBI said membership has grown year on year under Mr Aitken’s leadership in Scotland.

Mr Aitken said: “I will continue to ensure Scottish businesses receive the very best insight and that their voice is heard loud and clear in Holyrood and beyond.”