Should Scotland have its own immigration policy?

27 February 2014 - CPC members, Professor David Bell, Professor Allan Findlay, Dr David McCollum and Dr Jakub Bijak, spoke at a 'Politicians and Professionals' seminar hosted by the David Hume Institute.

In September 2014 Scotland will hold an historic referendum on its constitutional future. Migration is an important aspect of debates surrounding this ballot: the UK government has emphasised its desire to restrict immigration to Britain, whilst the Scottish Government views net immigration as a valuable contributor to the economic and demographic growth of Scotland.

This event explored these contrasting positions and drew on new research (using secondary datasets, social attitudes data and interviews with employers, students and local authorities) undertaken as part of the ESRC's 'Future of the UK and Scotland' programme. The speakers considered the challenges and opportunities that Scotland faces in devising an immigration policy attuned to its particular needs, whatever the outcome of the referendum.

The Politicians and Professionals is a series of seminars organised by the David Hume Institute in conjunction with the Young Academy of the Royal Society of Edinburgh and supported by the ICAS; the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, the Law Society of Scotland and the Institute and Faculty of Actuaries.

Further information can be found on The Future of the UK and Scotland website.

To find out more about CPC's work on the Scottish independence referendum and read the papers related to this work, see our 'Scottish independence' page.

Posted 22/01/2014 15:41