This item was published during the term of a previous administration that ended in April 2007
Listen
Economic development framework
06/11/2003
The Executive is to revisit and refresh the Framework for Economic Development in Scotland (FEDS), it was announced today.
Scottish Ministers believe that the principles of FEDS remain the right ones for economic development in Scotland, and that there is no need to re-write or re-invent any of its fundamental principles.
However, it is recognised that both the domestic and international economic and policy contexts have moved on in the period since it was published in 2000. It is therefore intended to revisit and, if necessary, refine the Framework to reflect such changes and bring the analysis that supports these principles up to date.
Enterprise Minister Jim Wallace said:
"Economic growth is the Executive's top priority. Our long term approach to economic development is defined by 'The Way Forward: Framework for Economic Development in Scotland', published in June 2000. FEDS identified a sustainable improvement in productivity as the key to stimulating competitiveness and growth. It identified within this a number of priority areas for action: the basic education system; the transport and electronic infrastructure; enterprise support; and regional, social and environmental objectives across Scotland.
"In this regard, The Framework linked, for the first time in Scotland, economic development with activity across a range of policy areas. FEDS therefore defines an important part of the context for a range of the Executive's detailed strategies such as The National Priorities in Education, which sets out the vision for school education in Scotland, Building Better Transport, our vision for the future of transport in Scotland, and Smart Successful Scotland - the Executive's strategy for the Enterprise Networks.
"FEDS was written to be a long term strategy, robust in the face of changes to the economic environment and external shocks. It has the support of both the academic and business communities and Scottish Ministers remain strongly committed to FEDS. The principles of FEDS remain the right ones for economic development in Scotland.
"It is now, however, three years since it was published and it is right that we consider whether there is a need for any refinement in order to reflect changes on both the domestic and international economic scene."
The Way Forward: Framework for Economic Development in Scotland can be downloaded from the Scottish Executive internet site at www.scotland.gov.uk/library3/economics/feds-00.asp
This 're-fresh exercise' is being approached by seeking the views of anyone over the web. The discussion paper should be seen as the basis for this and should be consulted before approaching the Executive. PDF versions can be downloaded from the Scottish Executive internet site. www.scotland.gov.uk/publications
Executive officials are also engaged in a series of meetings with key stakeholders and industrial bodies to ensure their views are represented. In addition, experts in the field were brought together under the auspices of the Scottish Economic Consultants Group. This has a membership drawn from economists and academia, the banks, the enterprise networks with other experts invited as appropriate and is chaired by the Executive's Chief Economic Advisor.