Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 11 January 2024
11 Jan 2024 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
General Question Time
Business Support (Highlands and Islands)
We recognise the unique importance of social enterprises to business and community life across Scotland’s Highlands and Islands. Our social enterprise action plan recognises the different challenges that they face.
The Scottish Government directly funds the rural social enterprise hub, and social enterprises from the Highlands and Islands can access business support from Just Enterprise, which is a Government-funded national business support service. That support is delivered locally, often through partners such as Impact Hub Inverness. Since April 2022, we have awarded more than £600,000 of financial support directly to social enterprises in the Highlands and Islands through our delivery partner Firstport.
In the same item of business
3. Donald Cameron (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support businesses across the Highlands and Islands region. (S6O-02952)
The Cabinet Secretary for Wellbeing Economy, Fair Work and Energy (Neil Gray)
SNP
Our economic development agency for that region, Highlands and Islands Enterprise, provides advice, training and funding to help businesses to grow and innov...
Donald Cameron
Con
Last October, HIE’s chief executive, Stuart Black, told the Economy and Fair Work Committee that a projected cut of 4.8 per cent to HIE’s budget would affect...
Neil Gray
SNP
As our delivery agent, HIE will continue to make a key contribution to achieving the Government’s objectives through support for businesses and communities i...
Beatrice Wishart (Shetland Islands) (LD)
LD
Before Christmas, it emerged that the Lerwick-Kirkwall-Aberdeen Serco NorthLink ferry service costs would be hiked by an eye-watering 8.7 per cent from April...
Neil Gray
SNP
We will continue to work with Serco NorthLink to ensure that it provides a sustainable and supportive environment for the lifeline services that it provides....
Ariane Burgess (Highlands and Islands) (Green)
Green
I welcome the Government’s commitment to supporting business in my region. There are now more than 1,200 social enterprises across the Highlands and Islands,...
Neil Gray
SNP
We recognise the unique importance of social enterprises to business and community life across Scotland’s Highlands and Islands. Our social enterprise action...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
Question 4 was not lodged.