Fears raised over HIE merger plans

POLITICIANS have reacted to suggestions that economic development agencies Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) and Scottish Enterprise could be merged.

Highlands and Islands Labour MSP David Stewart said: ‘The last thing we need is the disappearance of HIE and all the expert knowledge that it contains. I will be seeking an urgent meetARGYLL ing with the secretary for the economy, Keith Brown, to ask exactly what is going on and why MSPs who represent the area have not been briefed.’

A spokesperson for HIE said: ‘The First Minister announced the Enterprise and Skills Review - including the roles of HIE, Scottish Enterprise, Skills Development Scotland and the Scottish Funding Council, in the Scottish Parliament on May 25.

‘Last week the government published evidence that had been submitted by the four agencies themselves and from a very wide range of other organisations. We will set out our response to the review in due course.’

Questions over the future independence of HIE were raised by Inverness-based Mackay Consultants in the firm’s September monthly economic report, in which economist Tony Mackay claimed that an unnamed government minister had revealed to him that the Scottish Government was considering merging HIE and Scottish Enterprise.

Michael Russell, MSP for Argyll and Bute, said: ‘There is a review of the enterprise sector being undertaken but as I understand it there is no recommendation as yet from that review of any sort.’

HIE employs 14 people in Lochgilphead, as well as hosting two employees from the Scottish Land Fund.