Hugh Rutherford: Promoting city economies is vital for Scotland

Alex Salmond is pledging a dedicated cities agenda and cities minister if he is re-elected as first minister. Iain Gray is promising new powers and responsibilities to cities to drive regeneration, alongside the creation of a new city growth fund.

At the Edinburgh Business Forum, we believe that promoting vibrant city economies is vital to Scotland's international competitiveness.

Investing in the cities will drive our long-term economic growth and is in the interests of all Scotland, not just the urban centres. Edinburgh and Glasgow have long recognised this and are collaborating on a number of potentially transformational projects.

Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Dundee generate 47 per cent of Scottish output with just over a quarter of the nation's population. Including Inverness and Stirling, Scotland's six cities and their regions account for 60 per cent of total exports and employment, and more than 80 per cent of research and development expenditure.

We are currently gathering evidence through the Edinburgh city region economic review to inform the future economic development of the capital. The review will investigate the current context and future trends for the city region economy, employability and skills, productivity, enterprise and innovation, jobs and investment and the low carbon economy.

The research gathered will inform an action plan and strategy that determines the direction, growth and prosperity of Edinburgh over the next decade – so it is important we get it right.

We believe cities must be at the heart of economic policy in the new Scottish Government. With a clearer focus on the cities, we can maximise Scotland's economic, social and environmental potential – now and in the future.

There's a great opportunity for the politicians to get it right, too.

• Hugh Rutherford is chair of the Edinburgh Business Forum