A majority of businesses say the Scottish Government does not understand how they operate, according to a survey reported by multiple outlets. More than two thirds of firms also say ministers do not engage with them enough when developing or discussing policy.
The reporting cites findings from the University of Strathclyde’s Fraser of Allander Institute. The institute characterises the results as showing an increasingly negative picture in the relationship between business and government. While the outlets focus on the same core findings—businesses expressing dissatisfaction with both understanding and engagement—the emphasis varies, with some foregrounding the lack of engagement on policy and others highlighting the broader deterioration in perceptions of the relationship.
Across sources, the central message is that business confidence in government’s ability to understand and work with industry is limited, as measured by the survey responses. The outlets do not present conflicting numbers or alternative explanations for the survey results, but they differ in how they frame the implications.
