Enterprise Support (Mid Scotland and Fife)

General Question Time – in the Scottish Parliament at on 7 November 2024.

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Photo of Claire Baker Claire Baker Labour

To ask the Scottish Government how it is ensuring adequate provision of enterprise support to businesses in the Mid Scotland and Fife region. (S6O-03907)

Photo of Tom Arthur Tom Arthur Scottish National Party

Businesses of all sizes and types in the Mid Scotland and Fife region can access support from a wide range of public sector organisations, including Business Gateway and Scottish Enterprise, through the findbusinesssupport.gov.scot website. A hundred companies with the potential to make the greatest impact on the Scottish economy also receive one-to-one account management support from Scottish Enterprise. In 2023-24, Scottish Enterprise will work with businesses in the region on projects that are projected to deliver 1,127 real living wage jobs, £36 million in innovation investment, £25 million in capital investment and £188 million in international sales.

Photo of Claire Baker Claire Baker Labour

This is Fife business week, with a focus on skills delivery and adapting to agile business models through digital technology and solutions. I know from conversations that I have with businesses in Fife that increased use of digital technology can increase their competitiveness and efficiency. Since the popular digital boost grant funding was discontinued, can the minister provide an update on what digital programme support is now available, how that is an improvement on the digital boost grant and how it will benefit businesses across my region?

Photo of Tom Arthur Tom Arthur Scottish National Party

As Ms Baker recognises, the digital boost schemes are still paused, as I confirmed in a letter to her in her capacity as convener of the Economy and Fair Work Committee.

Despite those specific programmes not being live, helping businesses to harness the power of technology is a core part of modern business support. As such, the support to digitise is embedded across many business support functions, including Business Gateway, the innovation centre programme, the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland and many sectoral business accelerator programmes.