South of Scotland Enterprise Bill Unanimously passed by Scottish Parliament

Since the Bill’s introduction to the Scottish Parliament in October 2018, the Scottish Government has worked to ensure the legislation provides a strong statutory framework for the new agency providing the flexibility to meet the specific needs of the south of Scotland. The Bill has had general cross-party support, and through the legislative process the Bill has been strengthened on areas such as accountability, fair work and collaboration.

Welcoming the passing of the South of Scotland Enterprise Bill in Parliament, Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing said:
“This is a momentous day which I’m sure will usher in a new era for the Scottish Borders and Dumfries and Galloway. We have been given the green light to press ahead with ambitious plans to create an enterprise agency that is tailored specifically to capitalise on the tremendous untapped potential in the area, driving inclusive and sustainable growth whilst taking into account the area’s distinct economic circumstances.”

The Cabinet Secretary thanked the people of the South for their positive engagement with the Bill process and reassured stakeholders that their perspectives will continue to shape the priorities of what will be their enterprise agency.

The focus now turns to delivery, developing the detail of the structure, operations and activities of the new body using the overarching powers of the legislation to establish the new agency by 1 April 2020.

The Bill can be viewed in full here