News / No confidence over HIE assurances
SHETLAND MSP Tavish Scott says he has no confidence at all in assurances given by the Scottish cabinet secretary for the economy, Keith Brown, over the future of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).
He said the Scottish Government was now at a stage where they were “making it up as they go along” when it came to the future of the economic development agency.
“They still plan to abolish the HIE board. That shows they have no evidence never mind support for their proposals. Why would I be reassured?” he said on Thursday.
Scott’s comments came after he and others questioned the cabinet secretary during a tense meeting of the parliament’s education committee on Wednesday (see video clip), which was followed by statements given in parliament by Brown on Thursday.
Scott put it to the cabinet secretary that the chairman of HIE, Professor Lorne Crerar, had reportedly said he was not at liberty to express a personal view on the proposed abolition of the board of HIE.
Brown responded by saying that there was no injunction on the HIE chairman, and added that he was not able to comment on a third party conversation.
Scott and his Orkney colleague Liam McArthur met Professor Crerar on Tuesday evening to express their concern over the proposed abolition of the HIE board and forming of an overarching national board for development agencies.
Scott said after the meeting that the chairman confirmed the HIE board had not been asked for a view on its own abolition.
Shetland News requested an interview with Crerar after Tuesday’s meeting but did not receive a response from HIE.
The cabinet secretary, who was faced with more questions – this time from Labour MSP Rhoda Grant – in parliament on Thursday, insisted that HIE would retain its decision making powers.
If anything, the agency could become even more powerful, he added.
“It is our view that what HIE currently does, it does very well. But is also the case that in relation to other things that are being brought to the Highlands, for example the dualing of the A9, the establishment of a city deal and the work that is being done by my colleague Fergus Ewing in relation to Rio Tinto investments, these all have happened in addition to what HIE has done, and what we want to do is make sure more of that happens,” Brown said.
“It could of course well be the case that HIE far from the picture painted by Rhoda Grant and others, ends up with more authority and more power than it did at the start of this review.”
Last week, HIE issued a statement from its chairman in which he endorses the current government review of enterprise and skills bodies.
“The report on phase one of the Enterprise and Skills Review made very clear that HIE will continue to manage and direct dedicated support for economic and community development across the region,” the statement said.
“There will be changes at board level, with the formation of a new overarching strategic board to oversee the activities of all the enterprise and skills bodies, which of course includes HIE.
“We are in close contact with Scottish Government to ensure that going forward HIE is not in any way diminished and hopefully enhanced, and that the important features of our governance are replicated and not diluted in any new arrangements for the future.”
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