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Question Time
SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
Enterprise, Lifelong Learning and Transport
Enterprise Economy
To ask the Scottish
Executive what new steps it is taking to create an enterprise economy.
(S2O-9446)
Mr Ted Brocklebank (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con):
To ask the Scottish Executive what new steps it is taking to create an
enterprise economy. (S2O-9446)
The Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning (Allan Wilson):
We have clear strategies that set out the path we will follow in
achieving a high-skill, high-wage economy and which provide clear
direction for the enterprise networks and others to deliver against. In
line with the strategies, we are investing in business support, focusing
on sectors that will bring Scotland competitive advantage; investing in
transport and broadband infrastructure; investing in health, education
and skills; and taking steps to reduce business rates and reform the
planning system, to name but some of the steps that we are taking to
create an enterprise economy.
Mr Brocklebank:
We shall all be agog in about half an hour when we hear from the Deputy
First Minister how bailing out Scotland's floundering enterprise agency
will benefit our enterprise economy. Does the minister accept the view
of the Enterprise and Culture Committee that the top echelon of Scottish
Enterprise should appear before the committee as a matter of urgency on
18 April to explain why Scottish Enterprise went over budget? That means
that those witnesses would appear before ministers signed off next
year's budget rather than after 18 April to avoid the heat, as alleged
in The Herald today.
Allan Wilson:
I do not accept Mr Brocklebank's —
Alasdair Morgan (South of Scotland) (SNP):
Premise.
Allan Wilson:
Premise. Scottish Enterprise is well respected internationally for the
work it has done, is doing and will continue to do to promote Scotland's
economy internationally and to grow it domestically. As Mr Brocklebank
correctly points out, my boss, the Deputy First Minister, will be making
a statement on Scottish Enterprise immediately following questions on
justice issues. It would be wrong of me to pre-empt what Nicol Stephen
might say.
Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP):
The reality is that a third of working people in Scotland earn less than
£6.50 an hour, which makes a mockery of the minister's words. I am sure
that he understands why I am totally sceptical that he can turn the
situation round without economic powers. What will he do in the meantime
to benchmark even the current micro powers against what is available in
other countries and herald a new era of perpetual improvement in
economic development?
Allan Wilson:
On benchmarking, I do not accept any of Mr Mather's suggestions for how
we should grow Scotland's economy. Independence would not make one iota
of difference to that aim; in fact, it would detract severely from our
economic prospects. That fact has been recognised by the Scottish people
for generations and it will be recognised for generations to come.
The question of how we monitor Scottish Enterprise's performance was
raised by Audit Scotland. It is difficult to make an international
comparison. Programmes are evaluated to assess their contribution to
progress on a range of measures and their overall impact on the economy.
The Auditor General made some recommendations for improving the way in
which evaluation is carried out, and we are acting on them.
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