Opposition parties bid in Holyrood to block HIE board cull
A last ditch attempt to save the board of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) will be made at Holyrood later today .
MSPs from all opposition parties are expected to vote against a proposal to centralise decision-making into one overarching enterprise and skills body, saying this will strip HIE of its powers.
Highlands and Islands MSPs from the Conservatives, Liberal Democrats and Labour are all expected to unite against the plans during a vote in the Scottish Parliament this afternoon, defeating the minority SNP government.
Donald Cameron, Conservative MSP for the Highlands and Islands, lodged a motion calling on the Scottish Government to reverse the decision.
It read: "The parliament opposes the Scottish Government’s plans to abolish the board of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE), recognises the vital work that HIE carries out for businesses and communities across the Highlands and Islands, and calls on the Scottish Government to reverse this decision and ensure that the HIE board continues to take all strategic, operational and budgetary decisions."
The review of enterprise boards in Scotland is now in the second stage and has recommended replacing individual boards with one national body, combining HIE, Scottish Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council.
SNP politicians have praised the plan as a way to combine knowledge and resources while retaining local knowledge.
Scotland’s economy secretary Keith Brown is expected to make this case today, at the same time promising to protect local decision making.
"I am committed to ensuring that HIE will continue to be locally based, managed and directed," he is expected to say.
"I am happy to make an explicit promise to parliament and to businesses and employees across the Highlands and Islands that HIE will continue to be locally based, managed and directed providing dedicated support to the Highlands and Islands economy.
"We will be working very closely with the four enterprise and skills bodies to establish the new arrangements.
"But, as in the past, it must continue to evolve to meet new challenges and deliver improved services. The Highlands and Islands must have the best possible access, not just to HIE, but to the services and support of our economic development and skills agencies."
The vote is not strictly binding but opposition from the majority of MSPs will make it difficult for the government to continue with the plan.
