Chamber
Plenary, 09 Feb 2000
09 Feb 2000 · S1 · Plenary
Item of business
Knowledge Economy
In supporting Mr Mundell's amendment, I want to add to the alphabet. David Mundell mentioned the w word; I will introduce the i word. Albert Einstein said:
"Imagination is more important than knowledge".
This is not the first time I have accused the Executive of a lack of imagination, although I was pleased to hear the minister mention training in the latter part of his speech, as it forms the focus of my speech.
Everyone, from the cradle to the grave, is part of the knowledge economy. My local undertaker has now joined the web, which means that we can order our funeral over the internet. We live, work and play using knowledge. Technical knowledge has allowed Scotland to be the European centre
for computer design and construction, and centres of knowledge allow our young people to become market leaders in many fields in academia and industry.
It is good that we recognise that our economy is dominated by telecommunications and e- commerce. The driving force behind the knowledge economy must be training. For the population to take continued advantage of and develop the knowledge economy, it must have access to information on such training.
It is my assertion—and the assertion of several college principals whom I recently consulted—that the provision of knowledge is unbalanced. Full- time education in university provides knowledge without experience; colleges provide knowledge with some experience; and adult training schemes provide knowledge and experience, but their purpose is more to generate business for the providers than to fulfil the skill needs of the business community. Providers of knowledge should follow industry's requirements rather than just put clients on seats. If we are to invest in knowledge training, it needs to be relevant to local economies rather than a Government wish list.
It is evident that successful implementation of ICT developments depends on skilled, motivated staff who have been given clear direction. Comprehensive training for all college staff will require considerable investment, in addition to the funding that was allocated to ICT development in the comprehensive spending review. The result will be colleges that can properly contribute to the Government's plan to foster a learning society and staff who can help students to gain the maximum benefit from emerging technology.
I was interested to hear Allan Wilson's speech. Perhaps the debate should be widened to include the available funds. Perhaps the universities' stranglehold on available funds does not help the knowledge economy. Too many resources are aimed at the young; we must move the emphasis to education in later life. Rather than creating more university places and processing many students whose knowledge and qualifications are not relevant to the world at large, we should develop colleges that work closer with businesses to supply the knowledge that those businesses require.
Perhaps the debate should be widened still further to ask where our education system is going. The Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee received a submission from the Inverness and Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey Education Business Partnership. It said that at no time does the Government
"refer to the needs of local employers and the skills that they may need to develop their businesses."
Education from primary level upwards is failing our nation.
It is imperative that training organisations develop people's ideas as well as provide training on machines and equipment. Training should follow actual rather than imagined market requirements. Far too many people complete courses with meaningless certificates.
We need skill surveys across Scotland to focus on regional and local skill needs, and on the co-ordination of employees' and employers' groups to identify the business rather than the educational agenda. The knowledge economy should be demand led rather than supply led.
I support David Mundell's amendment.
"Imagination is more important than knowledge".
This is not the first time I have accused the Executive of a lack of imagination, although I was pleased to hear the minister mention training in the latter part of his speech, as it forms the focus of my speech.
Everyone, from the cradle to the grave, is part of the knowledge economy. My local undertaker has now joined the web, which means that we can order our funeral over the internet. We live, work and play using knowledge. Technical knowledge has allowed Scotland to be the European centre
for computer design and construction, and centres of knowledge allow our young people to become market leaders in many fields in academia and industry.
It is good that we recognise that our economy is dominated by telecommunications and e- commerce. The driving force behind the knowledge economy must be training. For the population to take continued advantage of and develop the knowledge economy, it must have access to information on such training.
It is my assertion—and the assertion of several college principals whom I recently consulted—that the provision of knowledge is unbalanced. Full- time education in university provides knowledge without experience; colleges provide knowledge with some experience; and adult training schemes provide knowledge and experience, but their purpose is more to generate business for the providers than to fulfil the skill needs of the business community. Providers of knowledge should follow industry's requirements rather than just put clients on seats. If we are to invest in knowledge training, it needs to be relevant to local economies rather than a Government wish list.
It is evident that successful implementation of ICT developments depends on skilled, motivated staff who have been given clear direction. Comprehensive training for all college staff will require considerable investment, in addition to the funding that was allocated to ICT development in the comprehensive spending review. The result will be colleges that can properly contribute to the Government's plan to foster a learning society and staff who can help students to gain the maximum benefit from emerging technology.
I was interested to hear Allan Wilson's speech. Perhaps the debate should be widened to include the available funds. Perhaps the universities' stranglehold on available funds does not help the knowledge economy. Too many resources are aimed at the young; we must move the emphasis to education in later life. Rather than creating more university places and processing many students whose knowledge and qualifications are not relevant to the world at large, we should develop colleges that work closer with businesses to supply the knowledge that those businesses require.
Perhaps the debate should be widened still further to ask where our education system is going. The Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee received a submission from the Inverness and Nairn, Badenoch and Strathspey Education Business Partnership. It said that at no time does the Government
"refer to the needs of local employers and the skills that they may need to develop their businesses."
Education from primary level upwards is failing our nation.
It is imperative that training organisations develop people's ideas as well as provide training on machines and equipment. Training should follow actual rather than imagined market requirements. Far too many people complete courses with meaningless certificates.
We need skill surveys across Scotland to focus on regional and local skill needs, and on the co-ordination of employees' and employers' groups to identify the business rather than the educational agenda. The knowledge economy should be demand led rather than supply led.
I support David Mundell's amendment.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Sir David Steel):
NPA
The next item of business is motion S1M-508, in the name of Nicol Stephen, on the knowledge economy, and amendments to that motion. It would be helpful if me...
The Deputy Minister for Enterprise and Lifelong Learning (Nicol Stephen):
LD
Scotland's economic future depends on the knowledge of its people. That sounds simple, but it is worth repeating: Scotland's success depends on the knowledge...
Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP):
SNP
I must turn down the minister's tempting offer to us to tell him where amazon.com is located. Is he aware of the press speculation about the way in which loc...
Nicol Stephen:
LD
I am aware of that and have heard the stories in the media, one of which suggested that the ending .co.uk may soon be overtaken by new endings for internet a...
David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con):
Con
Does the minister share my concern that only 8 per cent of small and medium-sized businesses in Scotland are currently trading on the internet? Does he agree...
Nicol Stephen:
LD
I was coming to that; I agree that we must do more. I think that David Mundell's statistic comes from the 1999 Scottish Enterprise benchmarking study, which ...
Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab):
Lab
Is the minister aware of, or would he be willing to investigate, some of the proposals for bringing a social inclusion perspective to developing e- commerce,...
Nicol Stephen:
LD
We would of course be delighted to look at those proposals. We want to consider a range of new initiatives. The internet, fortunately, is very much about the...
Fergus Ewing (Inverness East, Nairn and Lochaber) (SNP) rose—
SNP
Nicol Stephen:
LD
I must move on, as I am rapidly running out of time—I apologise. Work is already being done. Thanks to the private sector and Scottish Enterprise working tog...
Nicol Stephen:
LD
I still want to open up the debate so, because of time pressures, I will have to proceed. The knowledge economy is not only about electronics, e-commerce and...
Mr John Swinney (North Tayside) (SNP):
SNP
The minister concluded his remarks by talking about the need for us to work together. I have to tell him that, earlier today, the leader of his party and I w...
The Deputy First Minister and Minister for Justice (Mr Jim Wallace):
LD
Does Mr Swinney think that it would be appropriate for the Scottish Grand Committee to meet every leap day, and that he should restrict himself to those meet...
Mr Swinney:
SNP
That would be far too ambitious a meeting programme for the future of the Scottish Grand Committee. We agree with much of what Nicol Stephen said, and we sha...
David Mundell:
Con
Does the member agree that one of the other purposes of this debate is to get a shared definition of the knowledge economy? One of the problems that we face ...
Mr Swinney:
SNP
If I were a conspiracy theorist, I would suspect that Mr Mundell had been looking through my finely crafted speech and had discovered that I was about to say...
David Mundell (South of Scotland) (Con):
Con
Before I begin, I would like to declare an interest in British Telecommunications. I declared that interest when I lodged the amendment. Presiding Officer, I...
Andrew Wilson (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I am grateful to David Mundell for giving way—I did not want to interrupt his revolutionary zeal. Will Mr Mundell outline the Conservative party's position o...
David Mundell:
Con
The public sector should modernise. I want the Scottish Executive to produce truly modern government at local, national and UK level, but I do not see enough...
Elaine Thomson (Aberdeen North) (Lab):
Lab
Is Mr Mundell aware of the development of policy on modernisation of government, for which Jack McConnell is responsible? The aim of that development is to d...
David Mundell:
Con
I welcome that sort of initiative, but it must be judged on delivery. I was interested to hear Wendy Alexander, at the launch of a linkup of voluntary agenci...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
SNP
I call Allan Wilson. As Mr Wilson is occupying the Liberal Democrat slot by agreement, he will have up to eight minutes.
Allan Wilson (Cunninghame North) (Lab):
Lab
First, I must declare an interest as secretary and director of the Radio City Association, a charitable company that is involved in the wider social agenda o...
Andrew Wilson:
SNP
From a Liberal-Labour perspective, what role does Mr Allan Wilson see in this for the Government's economic support mechanisms, such as regional selective as...
Allan Wilson:
Lab
That point is exercising the minds of the ministers concerned, who are reviewing the effectiveness of RSA and RSA priority plus. I am sure that a statement o...
Mr David Davidson (North-East Scotland) (Con):
Con
Apart from doing the Liberal bit, Mr Wilson commented on a Scottish new Labour policy. As we are talking about commercialisation, perhaps Mr Wilson might enl...
Allan Wilson:
Lab
Obviously, I do not agree with Mr Davidson's basic premise. Scottish new Labour has always been committed to fairness in the workplace and to finding a balan...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Patricia Ferguson):
Lab
We now move to the open section of the debate. Members will have four minutes for their speeches.
Fiona McLeod (West of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
We have spent a lot of time listening to members trying to define the knowledge economy and talking about the digital divide in Scotland. To make progress on...
Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab):
Lab
The concept, in the Scottish Enterprise network strategy, of the knowledge economy is that it will increasingly be based on new ideas, software, services and...