Chamber and committees

Scottish Development International already provides a range of products and services to Scottish companies seeking to export through its existing global network of 29 field offices and over 200 exporting professionals. In response to global trade and investment opportunities, since 2012 SDI has expanded its presence to new locations in Saudi Arabia, Ghana, Canada, Brazil, China and India. Most recently, we announced grant funding of up to £400,000 to the Scottish Chambers of Commerce, to support new business-led trade missions and forge new trading alliances between Chambers both here and abroad. This will complement the work of SDI and contribute to our shared efforts to increase business exports and internationalisation activity.

Through its existing global network, Scottish Development International (SDI) provides a range of products and services to attract inward investment to Scotland and to support companies in Scotland seeking access international markets. As set out in answer S5W-03968 on 16 November 2016, SDI has allocated £30.3 million in 2016-17 to support these trade and investment activities in its UK, European and international locations.

To complement the work being led by SDI, the Scottish Government has allocated £3.5m in 2016-17 for the development of the Innovation and Investment Hub programme. These hubs will play a critical role in attracting investment to Scotland, helping businesses to trade internationally, raising Scotland’s international profile and, crucially, protecting Scotland’s relationship with the EU.

The Dublin Hub opened in January 2016 and is in its first full year of operating. It provides dedicated support to enhancing high-value economic, academic and innovation partnerships between Scotland and Ireland.

The London Hub, which will open early in 2017, will bring together the Scottish Government, our enterprise agencies and VisitScotland under one roof and provide a ‘touch down’ and meeting space for Scotland’s businesses and other organisations.

Plans for the Brussels Hub are being taken forward as part of wider post referendum planning. Plans to establish a Berlin Hub are currently in development and details will be made available in due course.

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

The Scottish Government is working closely with Scottish Enterprise, the Scottish Funding Council, Skills Development Scotland and Highlands & Islands Enterprise to develop the business case for the national manufacturing institute for Scotland. Officials meet regularly to take this forward, including work to better understand the private sector needs and demand and how best to maximise the economic impact of the institute, including possible locations. Wherever the institute is located, it will serve the whole of Scotland.

This is a significant proposal with the potential to support step-changes in the efficiency and productivity of Scotland’s manufacturing sector. Decisions on its establishment and location(s) will depend on the business case, which will be published later this year.

In our report on phase one of the Enterprise and Skills Review we have committed to work with agencies and other partners to strengthen our enterprise and skills system by consulting on the strategic board, including the best distribution of functions between the agencies underneath it and the associated legislative requirements.

As part of this work, we will also consider what support staff are required to properly support the new board to deliver its functions.

Our agencies and their staff already carry out excellent work and as Audit Scotland have noted, they have been successful in their respective roles, with clear strategies and good governance. However, we need to step up our performance to achieve our ambitions to rank in the top quartile of Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development countries for productivity, equality, wellbeing and sustainability.

To achieve this aim, we believe that we need to increase coherence and focus by creating a single board which is able to facilitate greater alignment between the various agencies and simplify the system for the user while also enhancing and measuring the collective activity of these bodies against a set of shared outcomes.

In our report on phase one of the Enterprise and Skills Review we have committed to work with agencies and other partners to strengthen our enterprise and skills system by consulting on the strategic board, including the best distribution of functions between the agencies underneath it and the associated legislative requirements.

As part of this work, we will also consider who should chair the board.

This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise (SE). I have asked the Chief Executive of SE to contact you with the information you have requested and my understanding is that this will be with you soon.

This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise (SE). I have asked the Chief Executive of SE to contact you with the information you have requested and my understanding is that this will be with you soon.

This is an operational matter for Scottish Enterprise (SE). I have asked the Chief Executive of SE to contact you with the information you have requested and my understanding is that this will be with you soon.

I refer the member to the answer to question S5W-05397 on 19 December 2016. 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.