DISASTROUS RESTRUCTURE FOR SCOTTISH ENTERPRISE

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Wed 26th Sep 2007

Jim Hume, MSP for the South of Scotland, reacted angrily at today’s announcement by the SNP on the future of the Scottish Enterprise network.

Jim Hume said:-

“The Scottish Enterprise network in its present form is a particularly valuable resource because it is highly localised and provides essential advice, investment and support based of that very specific knowledge of the local economy and challenges faced.

“The announcement today will see all twenty-one of the existing local enterprise companies and local boards abolished and replaced with only six regional operations with no powers for local decision making. Of these the South of Scotland will have only one. This is a disaster for the South of Scotland.

“I fear for small businesses in particular who will now no longer have direct access to the Scottish Enterprise network through the highly specialised Business Gateway.

The MSP continued:-

“By centralising the existing regional operations the SNP have effectively taken away local decision making which is key to successful local delivery of economic strategies and benefits.

“The new South of Scotland structure will be created with vastly reduced functions and uncertainty as to how it will be funded.”