rural area

"There are challenges that we have with the number of firearms officers that we can deploy across Scotland and they are exacerbated across rural areas," said Mr Threadgold.

However, the Scottish Conservatives described the plan as "a ludicrous measure which seeks to demonise motorists in rural areas who rely on using a car".

In a report last week from banking giant UBS, analysts wrote that “the federal land initiative could be challenged by a lack of existing infrastructure in these generally rural areas.”

Mr Sundar said firms also hire young, unskilled workers, especially from rural areas, by attracting them with a good starting salary.

Incidentally, one government source even pointed to the planned changes to bus services in England as an example of how their ideas can help people in rural areas.