Document 1114

Scottish Parliament: Committees: Enterprise and Lifelong Learning: Minutes: Meeting 5, 1999

Author(s): Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Copyright holder(s): Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body: © Scottish Parliamentary copyright material is reproduced with the permission of the Queen's Printer for Scotland on behalf of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body.

ENTERPRISE AND LIFELONG LEARNING COMMITTEE

MINUTES

5th Meeting, Session 1 (1999)

Wednesday 20 October 1999


Present:

Fergus Ewing
Dr Elaine Murray
Miss Annabel Goldie
John Swinney (Convener)
Nick Johnston
Elaine Thomson
Marilyn Livingstone
Allan Wilson
George Lyon

Also present: David Davidson, Rhoda Grant, John Munro (part), and Mary Scanlon



The meeting opened at 9.06 am.

The convener thanked Highland Council for hosting the first meeting of a Parliament committee outside Edinburgh, and welcomed the non-committee members to the meeting. Apologies were noted from Ms Margo MacDonald and Duncan McNeil.


1. Local Economic Development Inquiry – Highlands and Islands Enterprise: The committee received evidence from Mr Jim Hunter, Chairman; Mr Iain Robertson, Chief Executive; Mr Ralph Palmer, Director of Developing Skills; and Ms Tracey Slaven, Head of Corporate Planning.


2. Local Economic Development Inquiry – Local Enterprise Companies: The committee heard evidence from Mr Gordon Cox, Chief Executive, Ross and Cromarty Enterprise; Mrs Jackie Wright, Chief Executive, Lochaber Ltd.; Mr Archie MacDonald, Deputy Chief Executive, Western Isles Enterprise. The committee requested from the witnesses a breakdown of the performance targets set for the Local Enterprise Companies by Highlands and Islands Enterprise, and information on the rates of return generally received from their property developments.


3. Local Economic Development Inquiry – Highland Council: The committee heard evidence from Councillor David Green, Convenor; Mr Arthur McCourt, Chief Executive; Mr Bruce Robertson, Director of Education; and Mr John Rennilson, Director of Planning and Development. The committee requested that the Council provide the committee with information on all the economic development services that it provides, including training.


4. Briefing on Gaelic Issues: The committee received a briefing from Allan Campbell, Chief Executive, Comunn na Gaidhlig; Mr Donald Martin, Director of Community Development, Comunn na Gaidhlig; Mr Lachlan Dick, UHI Development Co-ordinator, Sabhal Mor Ostaig; and Mr Calum Robertson, Head of Corporate Planning, Sabhal Mor Ostaig.


5. Briefing on the University of the Highlands and Islands: The committee received a briefing from Professor Brian Duffield, Director and Chief Executive, Dr John French, Head of Economic Development; and Dr Ray Harris, Community Learning Project Co-ordinator.


The meeting closed at 15.31.



Simon Watkins
Clerk to the Committee

Information about Document 1114

Scottish Parliament: Committees: Enterprise and Lifelong Learning: Minutes: Meeting 5, 1999