The economy committee undertakes pre-budget scrutiny with the enterprise agencies
Topical questions cover ScotRail reliability and flu vaccines
An update on the mental health strategy will be delivered
MSPs debate Scotland’s role in the development of future UK trade arrangements
The member's debate marks Eye Health Week
Tory MSP Edward Mountain asks what action the government is taking in response to figures for the first quarter of 2018-19 that show ScotRail's reliability is at its worse for over two decades
Image source, BBC/Getty Images
Image source, bbcReverend David Coleman
Reverend David Coleman from Eco-Congregation Scotland is delivering today's time for reflection.
Image source, Getty ImagesJoin us after lunch for topical questions on ScotRail reliability and flu vaccines.
Then government will give a ministerial statement on its mental health strategy.
The afternoon will be dominated by a debate entitled ‘Scotland’s Role in the Development of Future UK Trade Arrangements’.
The member’s debate focuses on Eye Health Week 2018.
Convener Gordon Lindhurst asks about the usefulness of conditionality.
Steve Dunlop says the businesses supported so far have adopted positive practices, but RSA is a different direction in terms of what we are asking back.
There will be more thought given to conditionality as we move forward, he adds.
And the committee moves into private session.
Image source, Borders CollegeBorders College and Dumfries and Galloway College will receive a large slice of the funding
A group set up to create a "thriving economy" in the Borders and Dumfries and Galloway has awarded £7.7m to four "key projects" in the area.
The South of Scotland Economic Partnership (SOSEP) will pave the way for a full enterprise agency.
The lion's share of the funding goes to Borders and Dumfries and Galloway Colleges to boost digital learning.
A Hawick textiles centre of excellence, regeneration in Annan and community projects are also being funded.
Image source, Getty ImagesTory MSP Dean Lockhart turns to the Scottish National Investment Bank and the formation of the South of Scotland Enterprise board, and asks about the cost side and duplication issues.
Mr Dunlop says: "We are very supportive of both those initiatives."
The SE chief executive details how duplication and wastage will be avoided.
He adds: "We want to be as supportive as we can be."
Does Brexit undermines Scotland's ambitions, asks SNP MSP Gordon MacDonald.
Linda Hannah concedes Brexit is a huge challenge, but SE is pressing ahead with investment in fintech.
Steve Dunlop says for every challenge Brexit brings, there will be opportunities too.
We need to be nimble and able to take advantage of the opportunities, he adds.
Ms Hanna explains this is why future-proofing in terms of skills is important.
Image source, bbcSNP MSP Gordon MacDonald returns to the issue of A1.
Mr Dunlop accepts this is a big challenge but argues the system is beginning to organise to cope with this.
Mr MacDonald asks if there should be a Scottish commission on the fourth industrial revolution.
SE chief executive Steve Dunlop says: "I think that's a good idea."
He posits: "If you take Brexit for example, it's so complicated, it's so worrying that folks actually just wait to see until its over, and then try to respond to it."
"You can't do it with this technology."
SNP MSP Colin Beattie asks about productivity and leadership.
Mr Dunlop says Scottish Enterprise invests heavily on leadership.
Scotland needs to be more competitive and more productive, and part of that is increasing investment in leadership and people, he adds.
"Productivity is a big challenge for us, there's no doubt about it."
Linda Hanna says SE speaks to companies about what skills they need for the future, particularly leadership and management.
This helps them respond to what is coming, she adds.
SNP MSP Colin Beattie asks how can we be sure that over £1bn has been spent on improving Scotland's economy and asks if this is the best route.
The Scottish Enterprise chief executive points out that is a matter for government.
Mr Dunlop insists attracting inward investment is a very competitive business and argues the impact SE has makes a difference.
Image source, bbcSNP MSP Colin Beattie
Mr Beattie asks: "Are we spending the right amount of money?"
"I'd like to spend five times the amount, if you could help with that, that would be great," replies Mr Dunlop.
He insists that in these uncertain times "Scotland hasn't needed Scottish Enterprise more than it needs it today".
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Chief executive Steve Dunlop
Chief executive Steve Dunlop tells the committee that the strategic board is creating new ambitions for the family of enterprise agencies to support cohesion, which will be published at the end of October.
Some of these targets will be long-term, others will be shorter he adds.
Mr Dunlop says these will flow into the plans for the individual enterprise organisations.
Image source, bbcSE representative Iain Scott
SNP MSP John Mason says SE have met all their targets.
"Does it suggest that your targets are to easy?"
Mr Scott replies if you ask any of the individuals delivering on these targets, they would not say they were easy.
Image source, Getty ImagesHIE supports businesses in the Highlands and Islands, Western Isles, Northern Isles, Argyll and Moray
Back in 2017 plans to replace Scotland's enterprise and training agencies with one national board were abandoned.
Scottish Enterprise and Skills Development Scotland have since continued with their own boards.
The government announced a national strategic board would be set up, to "align the work" of the agencies.
The process had been the source of a political row with Labour, Lib Dem and Conservative MSPs accusing the Scottish government of centralisation.
Labour MSP Jackie Baillie asks about the financial transaction money and underspends.
Iain Scott says £10m of the £13m was specifically for one programme to enable work with the European investment fund.
This work has not progressed to the times originally envisaged and a number of deals which were anticipated have not come through, he explains, leading to underspend.
Chief executive Steve Dunlop
Ms Baillie asks how much of that sum has been allocated now.
Mr Scott says one deal has been done this financial year, worth around £1m, after none was used in the last financial year.
It is expected £20m will be used over the next year.
Chief executive Steve Dunlop says it is a real challenge and he is taking it very seriously to ensure there is a positive pipeline.
He says "cranking up the machine" into wider and deeper partnerships is what he will focus on.
Image source, bbcLinda Hanna from Scottish Enterprise
Ms Constance asks what the Scottish Enterprise gender pay gap is.
Iain Scott from SE says the gender pay gap was 14.7% in 2017, but points out progress has been made year on year.
He accepts more needs to be done.
Linda Hanna concedes: "In terms of diversity, it's something we do not do enough of. "
"We know that we need to do more."
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SNP MSP Angela Constance brings about some déjà vu
SNP MSP Angela Constance returns to her earlier question - this time to the right panel! - asking why only 8% of Scottish Enterprise's expenditure was on inclusive growth.
Iain Scott explains SE splits analysis of expenditure into four broad areas in the business plan, one of which is inclusive growth, but each bleed into each other.
To say we only spent £90m on inclusive growth is not a fair statement, he argues.