The Scottish Conservatives have published a policy paper named Back On Track outlining steps to cut red tape and prioritise economic growth. It proposes a Reduction of Red Tape Bill to let businesses list regulations they want removed and grant ministers the power to repeal rules agreed should go. The plan also calls for merging Scottish Enterprise, the Scottish National Investment Bank and Skills Development Scotland into a single organisation called Growth Scotland, and for public bodies to shift away from diversity and inclusion and net zero towards growth.

Ahead of a Stirling visit to launch the paper, the party leader Russell Findlay said the SNP treats Scotland’s economy as an afterthought and warned the plan would help attract investment. He argued that Labour and the SNP would raise taxes, which would deter investment. The proposals include Scottish business zones with tax breaks in designated areas, with Grangemouth named as the first site, plus rent auctions for long-empty shops to revive town centres and rates relief in left-behind communities.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats challenged Findlay’s economic credibility, noting his support for Liz Truss in the past. Leader Alex Cole-Hamilton said the plan signals a credibility problem. Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes defended the government’s record, pointing to the Scottish National Investment Bank, the Techscaler programme, and a £500 million investment in offshore wind (€580.0 million). She noted that GDP per person in Scotland has grown faster than in the UK since 2007 and that productivity has risen by more than the UK average, adding that independence is a common factor cited by high-performing nations such as Denmark, Norway and Ireland.