NO LOCAL CONSULTATION ON ABOLITION OF SCOTTISH ENTERPRISE FIFE

3.19.16pm BST (GMT +0100) Tue 23rd Oct 2007

It has been revealed in response to a Parliamentary question submitted by Iain Smith MSP that there was no local focus to the Scottish Government's consultations on the abolition of Scottish Enterprise Fife.

Mr Smith, who represents North East Fife in the Scottish Parliament, has now written to John Swinney, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth to protest at the lack of local consultation about the abolition of local enterprise companies.

Mr Smith said:

"I am stunned that there was no local focus to consultations on the abolition of local enterprise companies. Fife is unique area in many ways and the current structure of local enterprise companies acknowledges this.

"This SNP Government is pushing forward plans that not only risk the contacts developed by Scottish Enterprise Fife with the many organisations which share its boundaries, they will also make the interests of Fife's businesses peripheral to the concerns of regional enterprise companies based in Edinburgh and Dundee.

"My conversations with Fife business leaders have highlighted a great deal of concern over these proposals. There is grave doubt that the proposed new structures would have delivered flagship projects like Fife Energy Park or St Andrews World Class had they been in place at the time.

I have asked Mr Swinney for his urgent assurance that the Scottish Government will conduct a full consultation with Fife Businesses before putting their plans to abolish Scottish Enterprise Fife into effect.