Scottish professionals ‘back the Union’

ALEX Salmond’s hopes of creating an independent Scotland capable of attracting more business have been dealt a blow after a survey revealed more than half of professionals believe independence would make the country a less attractive place to pursue a career.

On Wednesday, the First Minister will be challenged to make the case for independence to an audience of business leaders from across Britain at the Institute of Directors’ annual convention in London.

Salmond has claimed that independence will allow him to boost the “overall business environment” in Scotland with a reduction in corporation tax, different rates of tax on air passengers and incentives for the renewable energy industry.

But the Edinburgh office of global human resources firm Talent2 surveyed 1,000 professionals across the world and found 56 per cent were pessimistic about the career opportunities on offer in an independent Scotland.

Chris O’Brien, head of Scotland at the Australian-based company, said he was surprised by the level of pessimism. “When you look at the number of successful Scots overseas, it’s a real shame that this kind of response has come through.

“I have to ask what this could mean in terms of nurturing and attracting the right kinds of skills to Scotland.”

He added: “One of the things that strikes me about Scotland is our skill set.”

O’Brien said he believed uncertainty about the Scottish Government’s plans for independence could be one reason behind the survey’s findings.

Nearly 20 per cent of respondents to the Talent2 survey said they felt that an independent Scotland would make their own role less secure, with only 6 per cent believing independence would increase job security.

However, 48 per cent of those surveyed who did not currently live in Scotland said they definitely would take their talents here if income tax was a flat rate of 20 per cent. O’Brien admitted it was “a bit of a cheeky question”, but said it showed how people could be persuaded to relocate to a more favourable tax regime. He said: “More and more Scots who have gone to London to forge their career have achieved success, but then want to come back because their family circumstances may have changed and they want a better work-life balance.”

It emerged last week that Doosan Power Systems of Korea had pulled out of a planned £170 million investment in an offshore research centre in Renfrew, which would have created 1,700 jobs. Doosan blamed the “overall economic conditions and liquidity issues” for its decision to withdraw from plans to develop offshore turbines. However, the company stressed that it remained “committed to working in Scotland and the UK as a whole”.

A number of Scotland’s most influential business leaders and firms have called on the First Minister to clarify his plans. These include Keith Cochrane, chief executive of Glasgow-based Weir Group, power firm Scottish & Southern Energy, engineering firm Weir Group and construction company Miller Homes.