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Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 23 November 2024
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Displaying 575 contributions

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Economy and Fair Work Committee

Economic Recovery

Meeting date: 1 September 2021

Gordon MacDonald

Looking at some specifics, Barry, we have seen an increase in minimum-carriage-paid orders and so on, as well as signed health certificates. Is there anything in the Scottish Government’s remit that we can do to open up the export market?

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Economic Recovery

Meeting date: 1 September 2021

Gordon MacDonald

, I was wanting to ask Dave Moxham about this. We have spoken about HGV drivers today. I noticed that the John Lewis Partnership has given an increase of £5,000 a year to its 900 HGV drivers. There are also sign-on bonuses of £3,000 for British Gas engineers, with £500 for G4S security officers. Although we have to improve the salaries of many individuals, how do we do that in such a way that we do not get inflationary increases that then have an impact on economic recovery?

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Economic Recovery

Meeting date: 1 September 2021

Gordon MacDonald

We have talked an awful lot this morning about the supply chain, which relates to the import side of things. The fact is, however, that many SMEs in Scotland export—and predominantly to the EU, which accounts for 83 per cent of exports. We know about the issue with HGV drivers, but what other issues do exporters face? Is there anything within the Scottish Government’s remit that would allow us to ease that situation? Scottish food and drink exports, for example, have risen substantially in recent years, but I note that, according to a British Chambers of Commerce survey for the second quarter of 2021, 73 per cent of exporters saw no export growth and 28 per cent had reduced export sales. There is clearly a problem here. Some of it is related to HGV drivers, but what else is blocking the system?

Perhaps Charandeep Singh and Barry McCulloch can comment first, and then we can hear from the other panellists.

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Interests

Meeting date: 23 June 2021

Gordon MacDonald

I have no relevant interests that I need to declare, but now that the committee covers the tourism brief, I should say that I am a member of Historic Environment Scotland.

Economy and Fair Work Committee

Deputy Convener

Meeting date: 23 June 2021

Gordon MacDonald

I nominate Colin Beattie as deputy convener.

Colin Beattie was chosen as deputy convener.