Colin Smyth MSP
The Scottish Government are still “clueless” when it comes to the detailed arrangements for the establishment of the the South of Scotland Enterprise Agency, according to South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth.
The local MSP was commenting after Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Keith Brown MSP confirmed today (13 September) previous announcements that interim arrangements would be put in place by the end of the year to bring together local public and private sector providers in a ‘South of Scotland Economic Partnership’.
However, a serious of Parliamentary questions by Colin Smyth has revealed that the Scottish Government still has no timetable or agreed process to appoint a chair of the new body, no details of what powers it will have and no details of the budget for the new body.
South Scotland MSP Colin Smyth said:
“I have been pressing the Government for some time to put in place interim arrangements which they have already agreed to, so this announcement isn’t anything new and we really aren’t any further forward. It is clear that the Scottish Government are still clueless on how these interim arrangements will work, never mind how the full Agency will function when eventually set up. In response to my Parliamentary questions, the Scottish Government could not tell us what powers the new body will have, who will be members, how and when the new Chairperson will be appointed and crucially what the budget will be. It is a year since the Scottish Government announced they would set up a South of Scotland Enterprise body and the progress has been woeful. They have to be dragged kicking and screaming every step of the way and it’s just not good enough. I’m determined to keep the pressure on until we have a fit for purpose economic agency with the powers and funding to help turnaround the huge economic challenges we face in the South of Scotland.”
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Details of the Scottish Government’s latest announcement today (13 September) on the interim arrangements can be read here:
https://news.gov.scot/news/economic-support-for-south-scotland
Below are a series of questions tabled by Colin Smyth recently on the establishment of the South of Scotland Enterprise Agency and the Cabinet Secretary for the Economy, Keith Brown.
Question S5W-10414: Colin Smyth, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 21/07/2017
To ask the Scottish Government what the budget will be for the proposed south of Scotland enterprise agency.
Answered by Keith Brown (16/08/2017):
Discussions about the budget to support the new South of Scotland Enterprise Agency will continue as part of the implementation stage. We will ensure that investment and budgets to support economic growth in the south of Scotland are strongly aligned to deliver maximum impact. Consideration of the funding requirements for the new agency will be undertaken alongside all other budget requirements across the Scottish Government as part of the Draft Budget process.
Question S5W-10420: Colin Smyth, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 21/07/2017
To ask the Scottish Government what process will be used to appoint the chair of the proposed south of Scotland enterprise agency.
Answered by Keith Brown on 09/08/2017
It is intended that the South of Scotland Enterprise Agency will be an executive Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) with a statutory board. Appointments will therefore be made via a process regulated by the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland and supported by the Scottish Government’s Public Appointments Team. Whilst appointments cannot be made until legislation has passed stage one of its parliamentary process, our aim is to have a Chair in place before the Agency comes into effect.
Question S5W-10423: Colin Smyth, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 21/07/2017
To ask the Scottish Government what role chambers of commerce will have regarding the proposed south of Scotland enterprise agency.
Answered by Keith Brown on 09/08/2017
Business engagement is vital to the success of the new agency and we expect organisations such as Chambers of Commerce to play an active part in discussions to shape it. Our engagement with businesses throughout Phase 2 of the Enterprise and Skills Review demonstrated their support for the proposed agency and the opportunity it can bring for the south of Scotland. Going forward, we will continue to engage with Chambers of Commerce to ensure business perspectives are taken into account.
Question S5W-10421: Colin Smyth, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 21/07/2017
To ask the Scottish Government when a chair or interim chair of the proposed south of Scotland enterprise agency will be appointed.
Answered by Keith Brown on 09/08/2017
I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-10420 on 9 August 2017. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.parliament.scot/parliamentarybusiness/28877.aspx.
Question S5W-10415: Colin Smyth, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 21/07/2017
To ask the Scottish Government when it will publish legislation on the establishment of the proposed south of Scotland enterprise agency.
Answered by Keith Brown on 09/08/2017
In line with the commitment given in the Scottish Government’s Enterprise and Skills Review, the Government intends to establish a new public body, the South of Scotland Enterprise Agency. We are planning for the new agency to become effective from 1 April 2020 and decisions on the bill timetable will be taken in the context of the Government’s overall legislative programme. In advance, we want to ensure that the South of Scotland benefits from a new approach and are working with stakeholders to put interim arrangements into place.
Question S5W-10414: Colin Smyth, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 21/07/2017
To ask the Scottish Government what the budget will be for the proposed south of Scotland enterprise agency.
Answered by Keith Brown on 16/08/2017
Discussions about the budget to support the new South of Scotland Enterprise Agency will continue as part of the implementation stage. We will ensure that investment and budgets to support economic growth in the south of Scotland are strongly aligned to deliver maximum impact. Consideration of the funding requirements for the new agency will be undertaken alongside all other budget requirements across the Scottish Government as part of the Draft Budget process.
Question S5W-10659: Colin Smyth, South Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date Lodged: 11/08/2017
To ask the Scottish Government, further to the answer to question S5W-10420 by Keith Brown on 9 August 2017, who will appoint the interim chair of the agency; whether this appointment will be made before stage one of the legislative process has been completed; what the criteria will be for appointments to the board, and how many members the board will have.
Answered by Keith Brown on 04/09/2017
As I said in my answer to S5W-10420, it is intended that the South of Scotland Enterprise Agency will be an executive Non-Departmental Public Body (NDPB) with a statutory board. Appointments will therefore be made via a process regulated by the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland and supported by the Scottish Government’s Public Appointments Team. Whilst appointments cannot be made until legislation has passed stage one of its parliamentary process, our aim is to have a Chair in place before the Agency comes into effect. The process to appoint board members to the new public body will follow the code of practice set out by the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland. The criteria for appointing board members will be determined by the selection panel and agreed with Ministers prior to the appointments being publicised. The primary legislation which is required to create a public body will set out a minimum and maximum number of board members required. The selection panel and Ministers will then agree how many board members should be appointed during the first appointment round.
In advance, we want to ensure that the South of Scotland benefits from a new approach and are working with stakeholders and the Implementation Board, established to drive forward early elements of the review, to develop the interim arrangements which we intend to put in place later this year.
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