Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee, 24 Apr 2001
Meeting date: Tuesday, April 24, 2001
Official Report
166KB pdf
Scottish Electronics Industry
Agenda item 4 is managing change in the Scottish electronics industry. This morning, we had a productive meeting with Hugh Aitken of Electronics Scotland and representatives of several of its member companies. They provided a detailed briefing, which will be circulated to members. Linda Orton and Judith Evans were also present and will circulate a briefing note to all committee members.
It was agreed—or had been agreed—that a meeting would take place on 18 June with Electronics Scotland, Scottish Enterprise and key people from academia and the industry, to try to map out a way forward for the Scottish electronics industry. Hugh Aitken was keen for the committee to be represented at that meeting. The members who were at this morning's meeting all said that they would be keen for the committee to be represented, probably by just one person. I hope that we will receive a formal invitation, which the committee can discuss. Electronics Scotland is trying to get a clear pathway forward—I think that Hugh Aitken called it a road map—for the future of the electronics industry for the next three, five or 10 years. Given today's news about Motorola, the news about Compaq and other situations, I do not think that anyone in the committee would disagree with that aspiration.
We must consider our response to Duncan McNeil's letter. Members have a paper reminding them what he asked us to do. How we deal with our discussion with Electronics Scotland will address what the letter says about the committee's role. Duncan McNeil was at this morning's meeting and I think that he agreed with that. He was quite optimistic about the follow-through.
We have taken on board the concerns that Duncan McNeil was right to express. Working with the industry and the public sector agencies, I hope that we will play a key part in mapping the way forward. Later, we may consider the electronics industry. At this stage, that is the best that the committee can do, given its work load. Is that agreed?
Members indicated agreement.