Decision Time

Part of the debate – in the Scottish Parliament at 5:04 pm on 3 February 2005.

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Photo of George Reid George Reid None 5:04, 3 February 2005

The result of the division is: For 67, Against 56, Abstentions 0.

Motion, as amended, agreed to.

Resolved,

That the Parliament welcomes the progress that the Scottish Executive is making towards delivering the priorities of Framework for Economic Development in Scotland by working to improve productivity throughout the economy; welcomes, in particular, the record investment in Scotland's transport and electronic infrastructure, world-class universities and colleges and in the wholesale modernisation of Scotland's schools; notes that the Financial Times' fDI European Region of the Future accolade was awarded to Scotland because of this public investment, favourable business environment, level of skills and quality of life; believes that raising Scotland's rate of economic growth sustainably over the long term requires a focus on improving skills, regenerating communities and supporting companies and others to internationalise and invest in research, and recognises that a drawn out and messy separation from the rest of the UK, and prospectively the EU, would undermine these strengths, play into the hands of Scotland's competitors and provide Scotland with a lasting legacy of cost, bureaucracy and barriers to trade.