The role of the Scottish Parliament in Scotland's Economy

Of all the responsibilities assumed by the Scottish Parliament, the most important will be those in the economic and industrial sphere. Our people will want to know how a Scottish Parliament will make a positive difference to the economic fortunes of their families. Under the powers envisaged in the Convention scheme, a Scottish Parliament would be able to do the following:

1. Develop strategic economic plans for Scottish industries not inextricably integrated in the structure of the UK industry. These would include whisky, steel, offshore engineering, food processing, clothing and textiles, agriculture and land related issues, fisheries, some areas of engineering, electronics and shipbuilding.
   
   
2. Co-ordinate the planning of Scottish components of UK industries where there is a clear inter-relation or scale demands UK planning, e.g. in the financial sector, oil and gas, petrochemicals, power and process plant engineering, pharmaceuticals, atomic energy, vehicles, railway policy and aerospace.
   
   
3. Take powers via reformed development/enterprise agencies to negotiate with multi-nationals over the terms of inward investment within the context of UK regional policy.
   
   
4. Develop an education and training policy that will maximise the potential of every Scot and produce the skills required in a dynamic modern economy.
   
   
5. Initiate or preserve public ownership or democratic control in the public interest.
   
   
6. Take responsibility for industrial research and development policy for distinctly Scottish industries, and undertake the co-ordinating function in these areas for industries with a wider UK base.
   
   
7. Take responsibility for monopolies and mergers policy in Scotland. This could lead to the establishment of a Scottish Monopolies Commission to act as an effective watchdog over any attempted take-overs of Scottish companies or their integration into multi-national corporations.
   
   
8. Establish a Scottish international trade organisation to assist in the development of Scottish exports by providing Scottish companies with expert assistance and develop structures to further Scottish interests within the European Union.
   
   
9. Establish Scotland as a competitive and attractive location for inward investment, and provide a context which gives advantage to Scottish-based businesses through the upgrading of our national infrastructure.
   
   

This is only a flavour of the initiatives that would be open to a Scottish Government under the kind of home rule scheme sketched out by the Constitutional Convention.

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