Moore calls the great and the good to steer Scottish economy

SCOTTISH Secretary Michael Moore yesterday tried to take a lead in steering Scotland’s economy towards recovery when he announced a new board for trade and growth.

The announcement in his Lib Dem conference speech in Birmingham came as he launched a fresh attack on the SNP for being preoccupied with independence and failing to answer the questions on what separation means for Scotland.

Mr Moore said that the faltering economy needed to be addressed and that a trade body for Scotland would help generate vital growth.

Mr Moore said: “This board will take the key issues for Scottish businesses and work through them with both urgency and precision.

“It gives us the opportunity to hear directly from businesses, both large and small, and work through those issues with economists and key government departments. It can only be good for Scotland’s businesses to have a stronger voice as we look for the best ways to create growth in our economy.

“The ultimate aim is to identify the barriers that are holding Scotland back and find innovative ways of removing them.”

Board members will include leading business figures, Neil Bruce  of AMEC; Allan Cook of Selex Galileo; Paul Nelson of Allied Vehicles; and Neil McManus of Spirit Aerospace.

Board attendees are also expected to include external economists and representatives from other government departments.

Its first meeting is expected to take place before the end of 2011 and the intention is to meet at least twice a year, or more often if members deem it necessary.

But while a spokesman for Alex Salmond accused Mr Moore of “muddled thinking” over his constitutional attack, Labour said he was failing to address the real economic problems.

Labour’s shadow Scottish secretary Ann McKechin said: “Not once did Michael Moore make any reference to the unacceptable levels of unemployment in Scotland. Not once did he acknowledge the pressures on household budgets as the cost of living spirals and his government’s cuts go too far, and too fast. What is he doing about the 72,000 young Scots out of work?”

Director of CBI Scotland Iain McMillain welcomed the new board and said he hoped it could put the economy as the number one political priority in Scotland. “We have been preoccupied with constitutional matters for too long but the priority needs to be the Scottish economy particularly in the current world economic climate,” he said.