Sir Tom Hunter: Scotland needs its own immigration policy

Scottish business tycoon Sir Tom Hunter says Scotland ‘needs a separate immigration policy’ to help boost its workforce.

Sir Tom has commissioned a report by Oxford Economic through his foundation examining how the economic transformation of Singapore – one of the world’s most prosperous nations – could influence Scotland’s future.

He described Scotland as having been in a “slow, managed decline” over the last decade.

He told STV News: “Scotland needs a separate immigration policy to the rest of the UK. We have different demographics and a demographic timebomb. We have an aging population so we need to pay for that.

“The number of people of working age is falling, so there are fewer people to pay for the aging population.

“We need to attract immigrants; it’s as simple as that. We don’t have the same rhetoric as they have down south, so let’s get a separate, positive immigration story for Scotland.”

It comes after Keir Starmer announced plans to bring down net migration in the UK by 2029.

Under the reforms, care worker visas for overseas recruitment will end, while there will be stricter tests for colleges and universities offering places to foreign students, and a reduction in the amount of time graduates can spend in the UK after their studies.

When asked his thoughts on the PM’s proposals, Sir Tom responded: “I’m not going to espouse on it, but what I’ll say is Scotland is different and Scotland should have a different solution.

“In order to make Scotland this flourishing nation, which takes care of those who can’t take care of themselves, we need to have a vibrant economy, businesses thriving, and creating jobs and paying taxes. It’s the taxes that help these people.”

Sir Tom’s report found productivity per worker in Scotland is half of that of Singapore while the top rate of tax is twice as high.

He has urged the Scottish Government emulate the south-east Asian country by cutting tax and red tape.

“What we’re trying to do is look around the world to find countries doing things better than us and take their ideas, simple as that,” he said.

“I’ve become very worried about the state of Scotland today; our education system has falling standards and our NHS is seeing less patients than we did before Covid.

“We have some of the worst outcomes for our citizens’ health in the whole of the world – and our economy has been lacklustre.”

The Scottish Government has been contacted for comment.