Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay today said the SNP government should be “ashamed” of harming Scotland’s economic potential with higher taxes and more regulation.
At First Minister’s Questions, Findlay said John Swinney was failing according to the economic standards set by the government themselves.
On Thursday, the government’s updated national innovation strategy scorecard showed “performance worsening” in five of eight measures, including innovation-active businesses, R&D spending, patent applications, academic income from business, and risk capital.
For innovation-active businesses – which means companies introducing new products or services – Scotland is ranked behind every single region of England.
In one of the measures where the SNP claim performance is improving, the percentage of high-growth businesses, Scotland is ranked 23 out of 28 European countries, behind Bulgaria, Romania and Lithuania.
Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said: “Innovation is critical to business growth, creating jobs and a healthy economy.
“The SNP’s own economic scorecard shows they are failing. Performance is declining according to the standards they set themselves.
“Under the SNP, Scotland is trailing behind every region of England for the number of businesses which are judged to be innovating.
“Even on the economic measures that the SNP claim are improving, we’re behind Bulgaria, Romania, Lithuania and, within the UK, we’re behind Wales and most regions of England.
“This isn’t a record the SNP should be proud of. In fact, they should be ashamed.
“Firms are being stifled by a torrent of government regulations and unnecessary red tape on businesses in hospitality, oil and gas, housebuilding, food and drink, and more.
“The SNP’s higher taxes and unnecessary regulations are actively harming Scotland’s economic potential and putting jobs at risk.”