Chamber and committees

Brian Whittle has a brief supplementary.

We need to make some progress. A couple of members wish to ask questions. If questions and answers were shorter, that would be helpful.

Thank you. Are there any questions from members?

As there are no further questions, I will move to agenda item 3, which is formal consideration of the motion to approve the instrument. I invite the minister to speak to and move motion S6M-14474.

Motion moved,

That the Economy and Fair Work Committee recommends that the Public Procurement (International Trade Agreements) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) Regulations 2024 [draft] be approved.—[Ivan McKee]

Motion agreed to.

Thank you. A short factual report of the committee’s decision will be prepared and published. Are members content to delegate responsibility to me, as convener, for agreeing the committee’s report?

Members indicated agreement.

Our next item of business is an evidence session with the Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic, Kate Forbes. She is accompanied by, from the Scottish Government, Aidan Grisewood, director of jobs and wellbeing economy; Keith McDonald, unit head, strategy division; and Richard Rollison, director for international trade and investment. Thank you for attending this morning’s meeting.

I will start with an initial question about the national strategy for economic transformation, which a number of members have questions about. There has been confusion about the plans for NSET, which could be down to a change of cabinet secretary. Your predecessor said that a refresh of the strategy would be undertaken. You recently wrote to me to explain the position. I have also received a letter from Richard Leonard, convener of the Public Audit Committee, and I think that other members will want to pursue some of the issues that he raised. The Public Audit Committee has asked us to seek clarity on the issue of a refresh.

In the letter that you sent to me, you said that it was not the intention to have a reset or a refresh. Will you explain to us what the intention is?

That might be helpful. It would be interesting to know in what capacity Mark Logan is working with Neil Gray. Is that as a special adviser? Is it a paid post? Was he recruited to the post? What kind of post is it? Can you clarify that?

At the start of this session of Parliament, there was a commitment to £50 million for a women’s business centre. That policy changed towards the idea of having pop-up centres and you outlined a fund of just under £2 million. Is there no longer a commitment to a figure of £50 million to support women in business?

What kind of appointment is it? Do you know?

We will now move on to questions from Colin Smyth.