MSPs to gather evidence on vital funds for Highlands
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MSPs will visit Inverness next week to discuss how funding to replace valuable EU awards should look like in Brexit Britain.
Members from the Scottish Parliament’s Finance and Constitution Committee will also be gathering evidence in Dunfermline and Paisley.
The politicians are to meet with local organisations to discuss the future of EU Structural Funding.
The visits will help inform the committee’s current parliamentary inquiry which will examine how Scotland’s share of post-Brexit structural funding should be determined.
Between 2014 and 2020, up to €1 billion in European structural funding is allocated to Scotland under the European Structural and Investment Funds programme.
Also included in the committee’s inquiry is LEADER funding.
It supports rural development and has been used to help fund a huge variety of projects in the strath for many years.
One of the latest projects to benefit was the construction of a covered tennis court and community venue at Rothiemurchus and Aviemore Tennis Club.
After 2020, the UK Government proposes to fund structural fund priorities through a UK Shared Prosperity Fund.
However, the details have yet to be set out.
Finance & Constitution Committee Convener Bruce Crawford MSP said: “The UK Government has proposed that it will replace European structural funding with a UK Shared Prosperity Fund, aimed at reducing inequalities between communities across the UK.
“It is not clear how this fund will operate.
"We therefore want to hear views about this fund and where responsibility for decisions about funding levels and allocation should be taken – at UK Government level, Scottish Government level, local government level or by local stakeholders?
“We want to know how the Structural fund priorities of promoting social inclusion, helping small businesses and reducing inequality in rural communities and urban areas across Scotland should be funded in the event of Brexit.”
Mr Crawford added: “Currently structural funds can contribute almost €1 billion towards supporting communities across Scotland.
"We are keen to hear from those who allocate and those who receive European Structural Funding.
“That’s why members of our committee are heading out across Scotland – to Inverness, Dunfermline and Paisley – to hear local views on how Scotland’s future share of structural funding should be determined.”
The Highlands evidence gathering will be held on Monday at Inverness' Eden Court.
