Tuesday 13 Nov 2007 @ 16:38
Scottish Government
Scottish Government
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Government Economic Strategy
The Scottish Government today launched its new Economic Strategy with the purpose of creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth.
At Glasgow University, First Minister Alex Salmond said the key to building a world class economy in Scotland was to match the talents of people to key competitive advantages.
The strategy identifies five Strategic Priorities that are most critical to economic growth:
* Learning, Skills and Well-being
* Supportive Business Environment
* Infrastructure Development and Place
* Effective Government
* Equity
Mr Salmond said:
" The Scottish Government is determined to make our country a much more competitive place, where our well skilled people are able to benefit from a wider range of opportunities. Our aim is to reverse the brain drain from Scotland and have our talented and able people building their lives here in Scotland.
"Any conversation about Scotland's economic performance should begin with the acknowledgement that we live in a country with enormous assets - chief among them our people. We have a history and present reality of innovation, examples of educational excellence and individuals and companies succeeding in a competitive global market. But we need to set our sights much higher than we have delivered to date.
"Scotland's economy has suffered from decades of mediocrity. Over the last 30 years, Scotland's growth has averaged just 1.8 per cent - around a half of the average rate of growth for small European countries. And over the last 25 years, this same figure can be compared to the UK's growth rate of 2.3%.
"Scotland deserves better. And the Scottish Government believes that Scotland can - indeed must - become wealthier and fairer.
"Each of the five priorities in our economic strategy will be the focus of our efforts, and must be the focus, too, of our public, private and third sectors. For the first time, this is a national strategy that everyone can recognise and sign up to.
"This is also the first strategy of its kind with measurable, time-bound targets - including our ambitious target to raise Scotland's growth rate to the UK level by 2011.
"And although this Strategy focuses on what we can achieve with the powers currently at our disposal, we know we could achieve far more with independence. The strategy acknowledges this and as a result makes a key contribution to the national conversation that is underway.
"My hope for Scotland is that we will be honest about where we are and ambitious about where we can go. And, perhaps, as people now talk about the wonder of the Irish Celtic Tiger, within the next generation we can introduce the world to a new marvel - the Scottish Celtic Lion."
Finance and Sustainable Development Secretary John Swinney said:
"The Government Economic Strategy will set out how, in the context of the tightest financial settlement since devolution, we create a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth.
"We are governing in tough financial times by making the right choices, working across boundaries to ensure that the resources available to us meet all of our strategic objectives.
"By aligning investment in learning and skills, infrastructure and place, with a supportive business environment and an effective government we can ensure economic growth is shared fairly among the people of Scotland, by reducing income and regional inequalities and ensuring that future generations can enjoy better quality of life too.
"This strategy is for all of Scotland. It sets the direction for the whole of the public sector - Scottish Government, local government, enterprise networks, Visit Scotland and other key agencies - to work collaboratively with the private, academic and third sectors to deliver real improvement in incomes, opportunities and the aspirations of our people."
The development of the Economic Strategy has been informed by the work of the Council of Economic Advisors who will continue to play a key role in its implementation.
At Glasgow University, First Minister Alex Salmond said the key to building a world class economy in Scotland was to match the talents of people to key competitive advantages.
The strategy identifies five Strategic Priorities that are most critical to economic growth:
* Learning, Skills and Well-being
* Supportive Business Environment
* Infrastructure Development and Place
* Effective Government
* Equity
Mr Salmond said:
" The Scottish Government is determined to make our country a much more competitive place, where our well skilled people are able to benefit from a wider range of opportunities. Our aim is to reverse the brain drain from Scotland and have our talented and able people building their lives here in Scotland.
"Any conversation about Scotland's economic performance should begin with the acknowledgement that we live in a country with enormous assets - chief among them our people. We have a history and present reality of innovation, examples of educational excellence and individuals and companies succeeding in a competitive global market. But we need to set our sights much higher than we have delivered to date.
"Scotland's economy has suffered from decades of mediocrity. Over the last 30 years, Scotland's growth has averaged just 1.8 per cent - around a half of the average rate of growth for small European countries. And over the last 25 years, this same figure can be compared to the UK's growth rate of 2.3%.
"Scotland deserves better. And the Scottish Government believes that Scotland can - indeed must - become wealthier and fairer.
"Each of the five priorities in our economic strategy will be the focus of our efforts, and must be the focus, too, of our public, private and third sectors. For the first time, this is a national strategy that everyone can recognise and sign up to.
"This is also the first strategy of its kind with measurable, time-bound targets - including our ambitious target to raise Scotland's growth rate to the UK level by 2011.
"And although this Strategy focuses on what we can achieve with the powers currently at our disposal, we know we could achieve far more with independence. The strategy acknowledges this and as a result makes a key contribution to the national conversation that is underway.
"My hope for Scotland is that we will be honest about where we are and ambitious about where we can go. And, perhaps, as people now talk about the wonder of the Irish Celtic Tiger, within the next generation we can introduce the world to a new marvel - the Scottish Celtic Lion."
Finance and Sustainable Development Secretary John Swinney said:
"The Government Economic Strategy will set out how, in the context of the tightest financial settlement since devolution, we create a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish, through increasing sustainable economic growth.
"We are governing in tough financial times by making the right choices, working across boundaries to ensure that the resources available to us meet all of our strategic objectives.
"By aligning investment in learning and skills, infrastructure and place, with a supportive business environment and an effective government we can ensure economic growth is shared fairly among the people of Scotland, by reducing income and regional inequalities and ensuring that future generations can enjoy better quality of life too.
"This strategy is for all of Scotland. It sets the direction for the whole of the public sector - Scottish Government, local government, enterprise networks, Visit Scotland and other key agencies - to work collaboratively with the private, academic and third sectors to deliver real improvement in incomes, opportunities and the aspirations of our people."
The development of the Economic Strategy has been informed by the work of the Council of Economic Advisors who will continue to play a key role in its implementation.
