Tech industry growth outstripping economy

The digital sector is forecast to expand twice as fast as the wider Scottish economy between 2017 and 2024, according to research out today.

Digital technology is the fastest growing sector of the economy, accounting for five per cent of Scotland’s business base compared with two per cent of the national workforce, says the report, Scotland’s Digital Technologies.

The number of tech businesses rose 53 per cent between 2010 and 2015, almost three times as fast as businesses across the country in its entirety (19 per cent), the report, published by Skills Development Scotland and the Digital Technologies Skills Group, adds.

The top three tech employment areas are Glasgow (29 per cent), Edinburgh (23 per cent) and West Lothian (9 per cent). Scottish Government Finance Secretary Derek Mackay said the report “underlines the importance of digital skills to our economic and inclusive growth”.