South of Scotland Enterprise Bill

The South of Scotland Enterprise Bill was introduced by the Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy, Fergus Ewing MSP on 24 October 2018.

A Bill for an Act of the Scottish Parliament to establish South of Scotland Enterprise and to provide for its functions.

• Read the Bill and its accompanying documents

SPICe Briefings

• South of Scotland Enterprise Bill

Stage 1

The Committee agreed its approach to the Bill at Stage 1 on 7 November 2018.

The Committee took evidence on the Bill at the following meetings -

28 November 2019

12 December 2019

19 December 2019

14 January 2019

30 January 2019

The Bill passed Stage 1 on 26 March 2019.

Stage 2

The Committee considered the Bill at Stage 2 at its meeting on 8 and 15 May. You can read the Minutes and Official Report of the meetings here: 

8 May

Minutes and Official Report

15 May

Minutes and Official Report

Stage 3

The Bill passed Stage 3 on 5 June 2019.

• Bill As Passed (260KB pdf)

Timetable

31 October & 7 November	Approach to Bill considered
12 November 2018	Call for evidence launched
28 November 2018	Evidence session with Scottish Government Bill Team
12 December 2018	Evidence session - economic interests
19 December 2018	Evidence session - development and funding bodies
7 January 2019	Call for evidence closes
14 January 2019	Evidence session - local authorities and community councils
30 January 2019	Evidence session with the Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy

Please note, dates are indicative and attendees are still to be confirmed.

Evidence

The call for evidence is now closed - no further submissions will be accepted.

Read the submissions received

• Analysis of survey responses (172KB pdf)

Visits and Events

On the 14 and 23 January 2019 the Committee held two informal workshops in Dumfries and Galashiels to hear local people’s views on the South of Scotland Enterprise (Scotland) Bill. Over 120 people from a range of community groups, local authorities and business interests were present. Both evenings started with an introduction and brief discussion from members of the Rural Economy and Connectivity Committee before discussion was opened to the floor. 

Due to the successful attendance over both nights the Committee were aware not all attendees may have had the opportunity to comment on Bill within the workshop timescales. The Committee therefore extended the opportunity to make further comments on the Bill until the end of both respective weeks. 

A summary note for both workshops are available below as well as a compilation of additional comments that were sent through by attendees to the Committee after the workshops.

• Summary note from Dumfries meeting on 14 January 2019 (212KB pdf) 
• Summary note from Galashiels meeting on 23 January 2019 (215KB pdf)
• Additional comments following the workshops (258KB pdf)

Correspondence

• Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy and Connectivity to the Committee regarding the publication of a consultation analyis report on the South of Scotland Enterprise Agency, 12 October 2018 (3,610KB pdf)
• Letter from the Scottish Government Bill Team to the Committee responding to follow up questions from the meeting, 28 November, 12 December 2018 (121KB pdf)
• Letter from Scottish Funding Council to the Committee responding to follow up questions from the meeting on 19 December, 10 January 2019 (141KB pdf)
• Letter from Scottish Enterprise to the Committee responding to follow up questions from the meeting on 19 December, 21 January 2019 (65KB pdf)
• Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy to the Committee following the meeting on 30 January 2019, 1 March 2019 (250KB pdf)
• Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy informing the Committee of the intentions for the public appointments to South of Scotland Enterprisem which would be established under the proposals contained in the South of Scotland Enterprise Bill, 26 March 2019 (162KB pdf)
• Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy to the Committee following up on two issues before Stage 2: mechanisms to facilitate collaboration and cooperation and funding, 6 May 2019 (172KB pdf)
• Letter from the Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy to the Committee following the consideration of the Bill at Stage 2, 29 May 2019 (379KB pdf)

Work by other Committees

• The Finance and Constitution Committee are considering the Financial Memoranda of the Bill. 

Report

The Committee published its report on the Bill on 4 March 2019.

• Stage 1 Report on the South of Scotland Enterprise Bill

The Committee received the Scottish Government's response on 21 March 2019.

• Response from Fergus Ewing, Cabinet Secretary for the Rural Economy (304KB pdf)