Chamber and committees

You have described that you are already in discussion with a number of companies there. Obviously, we do not know what stage that discussion is at. Presumably, part of it will be to find a way in which to draw additional capital and investment into that area.

So that is an active consideration along with what you are doing?

Oh, just pick one.

I am not sure that I like the term “de-risk”. It makes it sound as though a proposition carries no risk, whereas, in effect, we are transferring a degree of the risk to the public sector. Perhaps we should find another term.

If members have no more questions for the panel, that brings us to the end of the evidence session. I thank the panel members for attending and for giving their time.

Mark, would you like to add anything?

Thank you. I will move on to questions from other members.

Yes, as an example.

David, would you like to comment on that?

Perhaps leading on from what Graham Simpson was talking about, we are talking very much about public sector investment into the Grangemouth area. How is that being leveraged to attract in private investment on the back of that or in partnership with it? Mark, are you the best person to respond on that one?

I will pick up on something in the Scottish Futures Trust’s written submission, which Malcolm Bennie also just mentioned—TIF. That was a real blast from the past. I remember when tax increment finance was extremely popular and was flavour of the month; everybody seemed to be reaching for it. Then, suddenly, it was less popular. I do not know whether it died out completely, but we do not hear of it any longer.

Diarmaid, the SFT mentions TIF in your written submission. Will you comment on how it fits in?