Committee to explore industrial change in Scotland
13 February 2025
The Scottish Affairs Committee is asking for evidence as it examines industrial transition in Scotland.
Communities across Scotland that relied on traditional industries such as coalmining, steel, shipbuilding and textiles, have experienced heavy job losses due to major industrial decline over the past four decades. In many cases, this has led to long-lasting socio-economic consequences in former industrial areas, with many displaying high levels of deprivation and poverty.
The Coalfield Regeneration Trust’s 2024 report on the state of Scottish coalfields found that coalfield communities in Ayrshire, Lanarkshire and Fife continue to display signs of ‘substantial social and economic distress’ since deindustrialisation.
Scotland’s industries continue to transition. Economic activity today now centres on service sectors like digital and technology, creative industries and financial services, and industries like clean energy have grown as the UK transitions towards its net zero targets.
In this inquiry the committee will consider Scotland’s industrial past and how its industrial landscape has changed over time, drawing on examples of decline in industries like coal, steel, heavy engineering and textiles. The inquiry will also examine the socio-economic legacy of deindustrialisation on these communities, how governments have sought to manage transitions, and whether policy interventions effectively mitigated the negative impacts.
The committee will also explore the future of Scotland’s industrial landscape and industrial change across a range of industries in Scotland, including growth-sectors like clean energy, carbon capture, space, data technology and gaming.
Chair comment
Chair of the Scottish Affairs Committee, Patricia Ferguson MP, said:
“Communities across Scotland have seen life change drastically due to industrial transition over the last four decades. Areas that relied heavily on industries like coalmining and steel in the 20th century saw widespread job losses, which has, in some cases, led to long-lasting socio-economic consequences. We’ll be looking back at Scotland’s industrial past, the impact of industrial change on our communities, and how the legacy of industrial transition still felt today.
“Scottish industries continue to transition, and this inquiry will also be exploring ongoing and future industrial change across the country. This includes looking at industries that are likely to decline, like the North Sea oil and gas sector, and industries which are likely to grow, such as clean energy, space and data tech.
“By looking at previous cases of industrial transition, we want to learn lessons from previous governments’ management of industrial transitions and industrial strategies, and how these can be applied to Scotland today.
“As the UK Government prepares to publish its new industrial strategy in Spring, we’ll look at how effectively the Government’s current approach addresses the opportunities and challenges facing Scotland. We need to make sure that the UK Government’s plans work for Scottish jobs and communities and provide the right support for industries in transition, to ensure no one is left behind.”
Terms of Reference
The committee welcomes written evidence submissions on some or all of the following points by 23:59 on 27 March.
1. Which industries in Scotland have previously experienced industrial transition, and to what extent were these transitions effectively managed? In what ways did these historic transitions in Scotland differ in their causes, impacts and results? Relevant examples could include (but may not be limited to) coal, steel, heavy engineering, textiles, and shipbuilding.
- How were Scotland’s industrial transitions different in nature to those experienced in other parts of the UK?
- What have been the socio-economic impacts of these transitions, and in what ways do Scottish communities continue to be impacted by the legacy of them today?
- How effectively have UK Government policies and interventions, both existing and historic, mitigated the negative impacts of these industrial transitions?
2. Which industries in Scotland today are likely to experience industrial transition or decline in the near future? The Committee is interested to hear from a wide range of industries including, but not limited to, oil and gas and manufacturing, as well as growth-sectors in Scotland such as space and data technology.
- Which communities in Scotland could experience the effects of this industrial transition or decline in the near future?
- What lessons can be drawn from a) previous governments’ industrial strategies and management of industrial transition b) other countries’ management of industrial transition?
- How can these lessons be applied to transitions affecting industries in Scotland today?
3. To what extent is the UK Government’s forthcoming industrial strategy, Invest 2035, geared towards the challenges and opportunities facing Scotland today?
- What are the barriers to and enablers of industrial growth in Scotland, both now and in the future?
- To what extent does the Industrial Strategy Advisory Council reflect the make-up and priorities of Scottish industries? How can the Council ensure the needs and interests of Scottish industries are represented within the UK Government’s policy-making processes?
- How can the UK Government achieve its objective of an industrial strategy with a ‘place-based approach’? What should such an approach look like, and how could it deliver for Scottish industries?
- How will the UK Government’s approach cohere with the Scottish Government’s economic plans, including its Green Industrial Strategy and National Strategy for Economic Transformation?
Further information
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