Taken to tax

Published on 19/11/2012 00:00

Mr Darby (Letters, 17 November) is clearly no economist. Companies are attracted to 
relocate to a country not just by
a conducive tax regime, which is of course important, but access 
to a skilled and educated work force and accessibility to external markets.

Mr Darby also comments on the revenue lost through reducing corporation tax, but previous examples of reductions have led to increased revenues through stimulating economic growth, delivering increased exports and investments and increasing outputs and employment.

A Scottish Government report from November 2011, for example, indicates that a reduction in corporation tax from 23 per cent to 20 per cent could lead to an increase in employment of 27,000 over 20 years, with 19,000 of this in the first decade.

Economic growth could also benefit by an additional 1.4 per cent, with revenues increasing through this greater growth and the fact that more individuals are in employment.

Alex Orr

Leamington Terrace

Edinburgh