Sir Tom Hunter has donated large sums of his fortune to charity

According to the Sunday Times Rich List, the founder of the Sports Division retail chain, has �780m.

However, he has given away large sums of his fortune, last year pledging �60m to help the fight against global poverty.

Lord Laidlaw is Scotland's second richest person while Rangers chairman David Murray slipped to fifth place from third with �650m.

Author JK Rowling also moved down the table from fourth place to eighth with her �550m fortune, while The Grant and Gordon whisky family jumped from eighth place to third.

Sir Tom, 44, is ranked in 72nd place in the UK list.

TEN RICHEST PEOPLE IN SCOTLAND Sir Tom Hunter (property and sports goods) �780m Lord Laidlaw (conferences and media) �730m The Grant and Gordon Family (whisky) �725m Keith Miller (construction) �715m David Murray (property and football) �650m Sir Ian Wood (oil services and fishing) �634m Harry Dobson (mining and football) �550m Joanne Rowling (novels and films) �520m Brian Souter and Ann Gloag (transport) �395m Sir Arnold Clark (car sales) �385m

He netted �290m selling Sports Division to JJB Sports in 1998.

He has made a string of investments, most recently taking a �77m stake in Wyevale Garden Centres and in Travelodge Hotels and the Spirit Pub Groups.

He has pledged �100m to the Hunter Foundation, set up by both him and his wife to invest in enterprise and educational initiatives aimed largely at children.

A Live 8 and Unicef supporter, he also gave more than 10% of his wealth (about �80m) to charity last year.

The 18th annual Sunday Times Rich List - the definitive guide to wealth in Britain and Ireland - is published in a special 104-page supplement, which profiles the 1,000 richest people and families in the UK.

The list is based on identifiable wealth (land, property, other assets such as art and racehorses, or significant shares in publicly quoted companies), and excludes bank accounts (to which the paper has no access).