Achieve success by working with Westminster

Tuesday 11 September 2012

Amid the triumph of the Olympics and the Paralympics, there has been no shortage of doomsayers ready to talk down Britain and Scotland, seeking negatives from every positive as we steer through the effects of the eurozone crisis and the banking crash.

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Ruth Davidson

Only last week we heard how effective Scottish enterprise agencies had been in securing 7000 jobs and that the Ernst & Young business attractiveness survey put Scotland top of the league for encouraging jobs through inward investment. We also heard there was a smaller decline in economic output in Scotland than in the rest of the UK over six months.

Of course these figures were not used to show how Scotland is being well-served by being part of a strong United Kingdom as it weathers global storms. Instead, they are highlighted by a First Minister determined to deny any credit for the actions of the UK Government, claiming the statistics prove the case for independence.But there is plenty positive to say about Westminster's support for the Scottish economy, which has just enjoyed its 20th consecutive month of growth.l Only last Friday Chancellor George Osborne announced major tax breaks for mature North Sea oil and gas fields, shielding around £500 million of income from charges to leave more cash to invest into current operations in the north-east.l Yesterday, Business Secretary Michael Fallon set out measures to cut business red tape. More than 3000 health and safety rules will be either scrapped or reformed, relieving businesses of the burden of preparing for a needless inspection.l Later this week the Government will reveal its new industrial strategy which should give Scottish manufacturing a much-needed boost after a steep fall in new orders last month.l The National Loan Guarantee Scheme was launched to give small to medium-sized businesses access to cheaper loans, boosting their own productivity, trading more and hiring a greater number of staff.l The new Funding for Lending scheme launched in July should make it easier for banks to lend money cheaply to companies for investment, with the Royal Bank of Scotland announcing only yesterday it was taking advantage of FFS to offer mid-sized businesses loans of over £250,000 with interest notably lower than before.Since the comprehensive spending review of 2010 an extra £1 billion will come Scotland's way, despite SNP claims Scotland is being squeezed by Westminster – it is up to Alex Salmond how he chooses to spend it.Earlier this year, after I raised the issue repeatedly with Mr Osborne, a consultation was launched with the aim of giving tax breaks to computer games firms in hubs such as Edinburgh and Dundee to enhance competitiveness in global markets.In recent weeks I have also launched the Rural Affairs Commission, a non-political task force to produce recommendations for the improvement of Scotland's countryside communities which will form the basis of Scottish Conservative policy. We need to ensure the future prosperity of all Scotland, not just our cities.In the coming months we will roll out this programme with the launch of a Scottish Business Commission and, again, its membership will be on the basis of expertise, not party politics, which will help us draw up a blueprint for the future of Scottish industry and commerce.These are all Conservative-led projects designed to find solutions for Scotland's wealth creators and create opportunities for working people. Meanwhile Scotland's retail sector in Scotland faces real threats from two flawed SNP initiatives.Its Scotland-only retail tax, which will cost businesses in Scotland nearly £100m over the next three years, is nothing but a tax grab which business leaders say will threaten jobs and growth.On top of that, the Scottish Government wants to reduce the rates relief companies with empty properties currently receive. The plan will cut a 50% discount to only 10%, in the mistaken belief firms are purposefully keeping their own buildings empty, when the real reason is a lack of demand.People want to see Scotland's two governments work together to boost jobs and encourage growth, to give young people the opportunities they deserve. A mature administration in Holyrood would work with Westminster to take full advantage of being part of one of the world's biggest economies with the benefit of security, stable currency and low interest rates rather than peddling the myth that things can only get better after independence. The best route for a successful future lies in pooling resources and maximising opportunities, not in creating false division.Ruth Davidson is leader of the Scottish Conservative Party.

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Achieve success by working with Westminster

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