|
Question Time
SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE
Enterprise, Lifelong Learning and Transport
Highlands and Islands Enterprise (Reorganisation)
To ask the Scottish
Executive what discussions it has had with Highlands and Islands
Enterprise in respect of its proposals for the reorganisation of its
local enterprise companies. (S2O-9465)
Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green):
To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has had with Highlands
and Islands Enterprise in respect of its proposals for the
reorganisation of its local enterprise companies. (S2O-9465)
The Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning (Allan Wilson):
We have held several discussions with Highlands and Islands Enterprise
on its reorganisation proposals. HIE received widespread support for its
reorganisation and I was content for it to proceed to implementation.
The proposals were announced to all staff on 2 March 2006.
Eleanor Scott:
The minister will be aware that one of HIE's proposals is to create one
large local enterprise company that includes Inverness and the inner
Moray firth area, including Easter Ross and Nairn — in other words, the
densely populated part of the enterprise network's area. Despite what
the minister says about widespread support for the proposals, he must be
aware of the concern that they are causing, not just because of the
break-up of valued LECs such as Ross and Cromarty Enterprise. Does the
minister agree that the imbalance in the enterprise network that will be
created is undesirable and that the inevitable effect will be that the
Inverness city region that is served by the large LEC will get all the
attention, while the economically vulnerable areas with small LECs—which
is where HIE should target its efforts — will be disadvantaged?
Allan Wilson:
No, I do not agree. We should acknowledge that HIE has transformed the
economy of the Highlands — an area that used to be characterised by
depopulation and decline, but which is now synonymous with growth,
prosperity and a high quality of life.
There were persuasive arguments in favour of the new inner Moray firth
arrangements. Inverness acts as a strong economic driver for the area,
which will be taken into account in the new LEC boundaries. I understand
the concerns of some in the Ross and Cromarty area, but HIE assures me
that opportunities and needs in the area will continue to receive the
same attention as previously. That is good news for the Ross and
Cromarty area and for the Highlands more generally.
Rob Gibson (Highlands and Islands) (SNP):
During the Environment and Rural Development Committee's inquiry into
accessible rural areas, we heard from people in Lanarkshire who were
extremely concerned about a Glasgow city region, so one imagines that
people in Easter Ross feel the same about an Inverness city region.
Trickle-down economics do not work. How will the minister measure job
creation and improvement in the Easter Ross economy under the new large
LEC?
Allan Wilson:
There is no suggestion that trickle-down economics are being applied in
the Highlands or anywhere else in Scotland. The purpose of an economic
development agency is to develop the economy. I repeat that HIE has been
astonishingly successful in so doing. The measurement of economic
agencies' performance is difficult. We had a debate on the issue last
week and we are considering several ways of monitoring and measuring the
effectiveness of HIE and, of course, Scottish Enterprise.
To
read the entire debate:
Click Here
|
