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SCOTLAND FARES wORSE
Joining the club
The Scottish economy performed
worse than the UK as a whole during
the third quarter of last year with gross
domestic product north of the border
falling 0.8 per cent, compared with 0.6
Winning at home will not be enough to declare Scotland’s new business
per cent for the country as a whole. The
club a success, writes William Peakin
figure would have been worse had it
not been for a 10.2 per cent rise in
electricity, gas and water supply. The
T
he announcement last week of the can be found in the experience of Tim
sharpest falls came in property and
formation of a ‘business club’ as Harcourt, chief economist at the Aus-
business services.
a means of increasing opportunities for tralian Trade Commission, during last
Scottish SMEs to win contracts associ- year’s Beijing Olympics: “As I moved
OIL & gAS FACES REDUCTION
ated with major events was widely wel- around a noisy, smoggy but very excited
Three-quarters of North Sea operators
expect a reduction in activity this year.
comed. capital city, I noticed signs of Australia
In its tenth oil and gas survey, Aberdeen
First Minister Alex Salmond everywhere.”
and Grampian Chamber of Commerce
observed: “Glasgow 2014 alone will be Australian designers and architects
warned that the financial climate
spending up to £200 million on goods were responsible for six of the arenas,
would mean cutbacks and a change
and services in the run up to the [Com- the most notable being the ‘water cube’
to the structure and pace of industry
monwealth] Games, and we want busi- aquatics centre designed by PTW, as well
investment. But a spokesman said the
nesses based here in Scotland, and as acting as consultants to those designed
local industry was fundamentally sound
employing local people, to be in as strong by the Chinese. Outside Beijing, Austra- and there were still good prospects for
a position as possible to be successful in lian architects were responsible for the overseas growth.
winning these contracts.” sailing base in Qiangdao, the stadium in
But the acid test of BusinessClub Tianjin and the Hong Kong Equestrian
CHAIRmAN LEAvES EARLY
Scotland will not be just if firms benefit Centre.
The chairman of part-nationalised
in the build up to the Games and Ryder Involvement of Australian compa-
Royal Bank of Scotland stepped down
Cup, and events in this country in the Ther
null
e is nies came in many forms; one provided
two months early last week. Sir Tom
McKillop brought forward his departure
years beyond, but whether the nation
a huge
the ore for the medals, another the
to allow successor Sir Philip Hampton to
becomes an exporter of its expertise.
prize for
materials for the Olympic torch while
complete an overhaul of the troubled
The initiative, which will be led by
Scotland’s
yet another organised the relay. Light-
bank’s board. Sir Tim and Sir Fred
the Scottish Council for Development ing control systems in hotels and venues,
economy if
Goodwin, its former chief executive, are
and Industry (SCDI), is a collaboration smoke alarms, artificial turf and mobile
due to give evidence to the Treasury
of business organisations, supported
we can seize
phone antennas came from Australian
Committee tomorrow (10 February).
by the Scottish Government, aimed at the companies. They were also responsible
ensuring that firms capitalise on business
opportunity
for environmental advice, event manage- Uk’S BROADBAND ECONOmY
opportunities by improving competitive-
to deliver
ment and sports marketing. Prime Minister Gordon Brown
ness, building supply chain networks, “Just as elite athletes prove and
pledged government support for
having access to the procurement pro-
a real and
enhance their skills when tested in com-
British companies providing digital
cess, providing business engagement and
lasting
petition at the highest level,” said Austra-
communications and broadband
developing industry skills. legacy from lia’s trade minister Simon Crean, “com-
networks as part of a plan to curb the
“The launch will allow Scotland as
our events
panies that seek out new opportunities in
impact of the recession. “Our digital
networks will be the backbone of our
a nation to harness the widest economic
calendar
the global market engage with the best
economy in the decades ahead,” he
opportunities from cultural and sport- of international business practice, pro-
said. Lord Carter, the communications
ing events for our business community,”
minister, briefed television executives
said Paul Bush, chief operating officer
and phone companies on his Digital
of EventScotland. Dr Lesley Sawyers,
null
moting a culture of continuous improve-
ment that delivers great benefits for all
Australians.”
Britain report.
chief executive of the SCDI, said it was Even before Beijing, Australia was
designed to foster a ‘Team Scotland’ looking ahead to 2010 and the Asian
wASTE OF wATER
approach: “There is a huge prize for Games in Guangzhou, the Common- Scotland’s businesses are losing out on
Scotland’s economy if we can seize the wealth Games in New Delhi and the soc- savings of up to £5 million a year by not
opportunity to deliver a real and lasting cer World Cup in South Africa. Crean
reviewing their water supplier,
legacy from our events calendar.” added: “The London Olympics are still
according to industry regulators.
Salmond noted that the inspiration four years away, but more than a dozen
A report by the Water Industry
for the club came from Australia and an leading Australian infrastructure compa-
Commission for Scotland found two
indication of the potential for Scotland nies, architects and security specialists,
thirds of non-domestic customers have
to ultimately sell its expertise around the with the assistance of Austrade, have
yet to review their water and sewerage
provider despite the launch of a
world, in much the same way it is begin- already made a good start to winning
competitive market last year.
ning to in the field of renewable energy, contracts for London 2012.” >>
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www.holyrood.com | Holyrood magazine | 9 February 2009 |
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