Revealed: What business leaders want on tax, immigration and policy from the Scottish Government

Business leaders also said an "immediate conversation" was needed with the UK government on immigration, with labour shortages "fast approaching crisis point".

Ministers set up a New Deal for Business Group last year in a bid to reset relations with the private sector following criticism over policies such as the deposit return scheme. It is co-chaired by Dr Poonam Malik, an entrepreneur and investor, and Kate Forbes, the deputy first minister, and includes members from the retail, tourism and hospitality sectors.

Minutes from a meeting in June, published this week, said there were “positive themes happening, but tax rates and the burden remain”. Business chiefs have repeatedly raised concerns around income tax rises and non-domestic rates in Scotland.

Members of the group urged the Scottish Government to provide “visibility” on its future tax plans in the Programme for Government, which is due in September and will set out its policy agenda for the coming year. They called for “tax stability/certainty”.

On immigration, they said there needed to be “stronger engagement” with the UK government, with the minutes adding: “Fast approaching crisis point with labour and skills shortages.”

The group also said more housing was required to tackle labour shortages, particularly in remote areas. It said communities in the Highlands and islands “should be considered in policy development not just [the] central belt”, and argued reform was required to ensure the public and private sectors work better together.

Elsewhere, the business leaders suggested “using existing strategies” rather than designing new ones, telling ministers: “Don't reinvent the wheel.”

The minutes say the members “noted [the] political demand for ‘something shiny’” in the Programme for Government, citing the deposit return scheme as an example. However, they also noted the likelihood of an unsettled 12 to 18 months following the general election, and suggested “that was a good time to focus/consolidate rather than imposing too many new regulations”.

The group said the Programme for Government needed to be clearer and more accessible, complaining previous documents could be “turgid and irrelevant” in parts. “Only a few announcements tend to be critical,” members noted.

SNP ministers previously said they were committed to improving relations with the business sector following a serious of rows over issues such as the deposit return scheme and alcohol advertising.

Last year, Ryan Crighton, policy director at Aberdeen and Grampian Chamber of Commerce, said a reset was "desperately required". He said: "We need business and government to work together and co-design policies that are going to deliver jobs and prosperity for Scotland."

A previous New Deal for Business Group report, published in June last year, identified a perceived “lack of openness and transparency in the government policy development process that has led to a lack of credibility and trust in the government on the part of business”.

A Scottish Government spokesperson said: “The New Deal for Business Group is a forum for government and business to build a strong working relationship that aims to achieve a fair, green, and growing economy. We will continue to monitor the impact of our tax policy to ensure it delivers for taxpayers and the wider economy ahead of the 2025-26 Scottish Budget.

“We hope to engage with the UK Government to ensure the immigration system meets the needs of Scotland’s economy, public services, and communities.

“The priorities of the Scottish Government for the year ahead will be announced in the First Minister’s Programme for Government.”