Chamber and committees

In seeking to identify best practice, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, the Executive's economic development agency in the Highlands and Islands, regularly reviews the approach of other rural development agencies in delivering various aspects of the A Smart, Successful Scotland strategic framework.

The Scottish Executive is well aware that the Scottish Economy did not grow in 2002. There are no quick fixes and we are committed to creating the conditions to maximise sustainable economic growth in the medium and long term. A Smart, Successful Scotland, our strategy for the Enterprise Networks, is crucial in delivering this and it is no coincidence that its focus on growing businesses, skills and learning and global connections is so similar to that advocated by Professor Michael Porter's recent report to the DTI entitled UK Competitiveness, moving on to the next stage.

Scotland is an open economy, and our economic performance is inextricably linked to global economic conditions, therefore setting a target for growth over a limited period of time cannot take account of circumstances beyond our control and will not aid the delivery of longer term growth and prosperity. We want to avoid simplistic targets and focus on the fundamental conditions which are critical to maximising our sustainable growth in the medium and long term.

Growing the economy is our top priority and we outlined our overarching approach in the Framework for Economic Development. Our Enterprise Strategy, A Smart, Successful Scotland, is crucial in delivering this, giving strategic direction to the Enterprise Networks (Scottish Enterprise and Highlands and Islands Enterprise) and highlighting the priority areas in which Scotland must succeed to maximise our sustainable economic growth over the medium- and long-term. The differing shares of individual sectors within the Scottish and UK economies mean that the two growth rates will often diverge as the various sectors perform differently - Scottish GDP grew faster than that of the UK in each year between 1989 and 1993. As the electrical and instrument engineering accounts for a larger share of Scottish GDP than in the UK as a whole, the recent global downturn and restructuring in this sector had a greater impact on the Scottish Economy in 2002.

No.

No.

It is primarily for NHS Argyll and Clyde to ensure that their health care services meet the needs of the local population.I am aware of the board's decision to engage the contingency plans for surgical services at the Vale of Leven Hospital. I understand that this decision was not taken lightly and was necessary to preserve local access and clinical safety.NHS Argyll and Clyde are currently working on a new clinical services strategy for the whole NHS board area and I have been assured that comprehensive public engagement and consultation will inform this.

The Scottish Executive is committed to pursuing an approach to achieving sustainable economic development based upon the strategic priorities contained in A Smart, Successful Scotland. This includes improving productivity and competitiveness to enhance the long-term growth rate of the Scottish economy, to generate greater prosperity and employment and reduce poverty. The Executive and the Enterprise Networks measure the performance of Scottish industry in improving competitiveness relative to other Organisation of Economic Co-operation and Development countries including the UK and seek to learn lessons from these comparisons.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise is charged with pursuing the strategic priorities for economic development contained in A Smart, Successful Scotland. These priorities include improving productivity and competitiveness to enhance the long-term growth rate of the economy of the Highlands and Islands, to generate greater prosperity and employment and reduce poverty.