In the wake of this week’s UK Government Spending Review, Karen Meechan, CEO at ScotlandIS, has offered a Scottish tech perspective on what has been announced, as the sector continues to digest the implications.
Reflecting on the spending review, Karen Meechan said:
“It was reassuring to see a clear recognition of science, technology and innovation in the spending review. The £750 million investment in the University of Edinburgh’s supercomputer is a welcome step forward. We are proud to have been part of efforts to get this project back on the Government’s agenda after their disappointing decision last Autumn to pull its funding.
The increased budget for security and intelligence is positive. It complements the work already underway here through our cyber cluster and CyberScotland partnership to improve security across Scotland. It’s equally encouraging to see the NHS technology budget increase by almost 50% by 2028-2029. While the budget is UK-wide, it presents real opportunities for Scottish tech firms to deliver solutions that support the digital transformation of the NHS.
The additional funding for the Government’s AI Action plan is certainly a plus for Scotland and whilst the devil will be in the detail, we do look forward to seeing how this translates into tangible opportunities for our members. Looking ahead to the upcoming budget, we must continue to focus on the broader drivers that enable growth – including easing tax burdens on businesses and focusing on long-term investment in digital skills to ensure we have the homegrown talent our industry needs to thrive.”
