MSPs consider inquiry over merging of enterprise boards

Highlands and Islands Enterprise supports businesses across north and west Scotland

A Holyrood committee is considering holding an inquiry into proposed changes to the boards of Scotland's enterprise agencies.

Highlands and Islands Enterprise and the Scottish Funding Council are among several groups to be run by a single board under Scottish government plans.

Education committee convener James Dornan wrote to Economy Secretary Keith Brown asking for more information.

And he said MSPs may hold an inquiry if the government cannot provide evidence.

The Scottish Liberal Democrats have started a petition calling for HIE to keep its own board, although the government insists locally-provided services will be protected.

'Death knell'

The Scottish government wants to set up a single board to oversee all of Scotland's enterprise and skills agencies.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney told MSPs that the group would eventually "replace" individual agency boards, something members from the highlands described as "the death knell for HIE as we know it".

However, HIE chairman Prof Lorne Crerar insisted the group would not be "in any way diminished" by the changes, but rather enhanced.

James Dornan told fellow SNP MSP Keith Brown his committee could hold an inquiry

Economy Secretary Keith Brown was questioned about the changes at a sitting of the education and skills committee, and later wrote to MSPs with further information.

He told the committee that there was "no doubt that HIE will remain firmly in place at the heart of the Highlands and Islands economy", saying the move aimed to "build on recognised success".

Mr Brown said: "My ambition is to create the strongest possible links between HIE, Scottish Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council under the auspices of the strategic overarching board.

"This will ensure that the support we are providing to train our young people and improve the skills of our work force is aligned with the economic needs of the Highlands and Islands."

'Scrutinise the evidence'

However, Mr Dornan, the SNP MSP for Glasgow Cathcart, told Mr Brown that the committee "wishes to scrutinise the evidence base for this decision further".

He said the committee wanted "further detail on those organisations or individuals that specifically suggested abolishing the board of the Scottish Funding Council and the creation of a new overarching board".

Mr Brown had been repeatedly questioned about organisations which supported the changes during the meeting.

Mr Dornan added: "The committee has decided that if the Scottish government is not in a position to provide it with sufficient evidence of the basis for this decision then it is minded to consider undertaking its own inquiry work to assess the evidence."

The convener asked Mr Brown to reply to the committee by 23 December so they could consider their decision in the new year.

Meanwhile, Scottish Lib Dem leader Willie Rennie unveiled a petition calling for HIE to keep its own board during a visit to Inverness.

Accusing the government of being "hell-bent on further centralisation", Mr Rennie and his party argue that decisions on HIE should be taken by a board based in the area.