Scotland’s Economic Future: Disruptive Ideas

A paper series conceived and coordinated by Alison Hunter and Fabian Zuleeg. Together with a group of economic experts, policy analysts and commentators from Scotland and beyond, the papers have been developed entirely on a voluntary basis. Each paper presents the views of the individual writer concerning Scotland’s economic future at a time of significant global and domestic change and uncertainty.

While covering a wide range of topics from institutional reform to immigration, the papers share a vision for Scotland to make greater strides towards a resilient, economic future.

The papers aspire to the following aims:

1. To generate a fresh, apolitical and inclusive debate concerning Scotland’s economic future
2. To support the process of new/revised policy adoption and new ‘ways of working’ which can be injected into Scottish life and society, with the aim of generating a better future for Scotland’s citizens
3. To focus – at least initially – on a core set of themes linked to Scotland’s economic development and to inject ‘disruptive’ thinking into the debate

Papers

Institutions, Transition and National Renewal: The Case for a New Scottish Approach

This paper contends that a redesign of Scotland’s institutional system of governance is needed to promote national socio-economic development and a new economic model based on energy transition. Moreover, such reform is required to increase national resilience and responsiveness in a time of profound environmental change. To address the challenges and opportunities of transition to a net-zero carbon economy, this paper proposes key institutional changes to engender requisite collective and collaborative discourse, planning and action. Although independence would provide Scotland with additional powers, an evident rationale exists for institutional reform irrespective of the impending constitutional reckoning in order to respond to climate change in a manner that creates a more equitable, sustainable and productive economy.

Dr Robert Pollock

A Statistical Test of Independence

This paper considers the current system of statistics in Scotland and provides a number of options and recommendations that would improve it. Beyond the technical benefits this would offer, there is also significant scope to improve Scotland’s approach to economic policy development and evaluation. At the core of this paper, a case is made for an independent Scottish Statistics Agency, led by a Chief Statistician.

Richard Marsh

Coordinators

Alison Hunter

Alison Hunter is director and joint owner of the Economic and Public Policy Consultancy, a Brussels-based business. With a background in Scottish economic development, Alison has been working in Brussels since 2007 on EU regional, innovation and industrial growth policy. She is also senior adviser to the European Policy Centre on these areas as well as a board member of a Brussels-based research lab – European Future Innovation System Centre (EFIS).

Dr Fabian Zuleeg

Dr Fabian Zuleeg is Chief Executive and Chief Economist of the European Policy Centre. He is an Honorary Fellow of the Edinburgh Europa Institute, Visiting Professor with Heriot-Watt University and Advisory Board Member of the Scottish Centre on European Relations. Prior to moving to Brussels in 2007, Fabian worked in Scotland with the (then) Scottish Executive, as well as an economic consultancy.