Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 04 February 2026
04 Feb 2026 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Portfolio Question Time
Business Confidence
The latest Bank of Scotland business barometer shows companies in Scotland reporting higher confidence in their own business prospects month on month in January—up by 15 points to 53 per cent. That is encouraging.
However, business conditions remain challenging. The United Kingdom Government’s increase in employer national insurance contributions has had significant impact and has contributed to reducing business confidence in Scotland. We have repeatedly called on the UK Government to reverse that increase. We work closely with companies to provide greater certainty and stability, including by improving regulatory practice to make it easier to invest and do business in Scotland.
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