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Orkney MSP says minister must stop ‘dodging the will of parliament’ over future of HIE

Liam McArthur MSP
Liam McArthur MSP

A north politician has warned Scottish ministers they can not “dodge the will of parliament” over the future of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).

Controversial plans to scrap the development agency’s board and replace it with a national body were defeated by opposition MSPs in a Holyrood vote last month.

But a recent report has been published by current chairman professor Lorne Crerar setting out options for the scope, structure and functions of a “Scotland-wide strategic board” as part of the HIE reforms.

It recommends the retention of HIE’s dedicated board, but also said that it would become a ‘delivery board’ reporting to a controversial new national panel which would oversee all Scotland’s development and skills agencies.

SNP politicians in the north back the plans – but Liberal Democrat and Conservative MSPs reject the idea.

This week, former HIE chairman and SNP member, Professor Jim Hunter, who previously described the government’s plans to abolish HIE’s board as “centralism run riot”, said the latest plans “in no way set to rest” his concerns.

Yesterday, during topical questions at Holyrood, Liberal Democrat Orkney MSP Liam McArthur urged Economy Secretary Keith Brown MSP, to respect the vote by retaining the current “strategic, operational and budgetary” decision-making powers of HIE’s board.

Mr McArthur believes the board would be “answerable to a new centralised super-board” and that the needs of Highlands and islands businesses and communities would be a “secondary consideration.”

However Mr Brown responded by saying that last week, members of the convention of Highlands and Islands in Shetland told him that while they wanted the board to continue, the nature of the board had to change due to developing circumstances.

Mr Brown said that the members stressed the region has for many years received regional development assistance through the EU, and that Brexit presents a threat to its continuation.

But, following the exchanges, Mr McArthur said: “No matter how much the cabinet secretary ducks and weaves, he cannot dodge the will of parliament or public opinion by stripping HIE of its strategic decision-making powers.

“Those who genuinely want to see HIE operate more effectively, to meet the specific needs of businesses and communities in the Highlands and islands, want to see it have more autonomy and less micro-management by ministers. Sadly the SNP are proposing the complete opposite.”