John Lamont MSP has questioned what the point is of setting up a dedicated South of Scotland Enterprise agency only to run it in the central belt.
Last week, John Swinney announced that a single board would be set up to oversee economic development and skills funding. This means the separate board of Highlands and Islands Enterprise, as well as other related agencies will be merged.
In the Scottish Parliament today (Thursday 1st December), John Lamont pointed out that the benefits of a dedicated enterprise agency for the South of Scotland would be damaged by running the agency in the central belt.
In response, the Cabinet Secretary, Keith Brown MSP tried to take credit for the idea of a South of Scotland Enterprise Agency, even though there was no mention of it in the SNP’s manifesto and then attempted to deflect by asking whether the Scottish Conservatives supported the idea.
He also accidently said that the creation of the enterprise agency “doesn’t sound like de-centralisation” when he meant to say “centralisation.”
John Lamont MSP said: “It was good news that the Scottish Government has listened to the concerns of businesses in the South of Scotland and agreed to set up a dedicated enterprise agency.
“However, the decision that the regional economic development agencies will now be overseen by a national board doesn’t make any sense.
“I fear that the opportunity to create a local organisation to support economic development in the Borders is being missed and fail to see the point of setting up regional agencies but then running them in the central belt.
“Unfortunately, the Cabinet Secretary didn’t have an explanation today. Instead he tried to claim credit for what was a Scottish Conservative idea and seemed unable to understand the inconsistency of wanting to set up a new local Enterprise Agency for the south, but running it centrally.”