FUTURE OF HIGHLANDS AND ISLANDS ENTERPRISE AND THE PRESS AND JOURNAL KEEP HIE LOCAL CAMPAIGN

Motion Text

That this House notes that for more than half a century Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and its predecessor body the Highlands and Islands Development Board has delivered economic and community development across some of the most economically-fragile communities in the UK; further notes that in that time the overall population levels in the Highlands and Islands have increased by 20 per cent as many local businesses have been established and grown; believes that the need for a locally controlled body to deliver economic and community development across the Highlands and Islands is as great today as it has ever been; further believes that the Scottish Government's recently announced merger of the HIE Board with the boards of Scottish Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council is a threat to the future of this crucially important works which risks damaging the economy of the Highlands and Islands; congratulates the Press and Journal on its Keep HIE Local campaign; and calls on the Scottish Government to abandon this unnecessary and dangerous piece of centralisation.