Textiles |
RECOMMENDATION | COMMENT |
65. There is a need to encourage an enterprise culture in textiles. Scottish business should be supported in identifying and proactively pursuing opportunities; in addition, they should be educated in achieving profitability and reinvesting profit to retain their competitiveness and growth. | The Scottish Executive recognises the importance of the textile sector to our economy and is committed to its development and growth in the 21st century. As a result, the Scottish Textiles Forum was established on 12 June 2000 to consider the key issues facing the sector, ensuring that the Executive and the textile sector work together to tackle these issues. Good progress has already been made on a number of existing initiatives. |
66. There is a need to market the added value element of Scottish textile products. The Scottish Parliament could assist with funding a marketing project to build Scotland as an aspirational lifestyle brand. | The industry has internationally recognised brand images, which must be built upon. Scottish Enterprise is currently considering the scope of a branding/ marketing initiative for individual textile companies. |
67. The dearth in start-up and growth in the textiles industry is caused by lack of funding. Grants available are also not helpful as they use employee-based criteria rather than productivity-based ones. These issues need to be addressed. | In the 5 years to end March 2001, 73 offers of Regional Selective Assistance, totalling 12m, have been accepted by firms in the textiles sector. These offers related to projects involving planned investment of 66m and the anticipated creation and safeguarding of 2,600 jobs. Since July 2000, firms in the Borders have been benefiting from Regional Selective Assistance, following their inclusion the new Assisted Areas map. |
68. There is a need to improve rail and road links to certain areas, lowering supply costs and making companies more accessible. | The motorway & trunk road programme 2001-04 commits the Executive to delivering a 660m programme of improvements and maintenance. Improvements in rail are secured via the Executive's support of the ScotRail franchise and through the Public Transport and Integrated Transport Funds which, this year, have provided funding for new trains, preparatory work and the Larkhall to Milngavie rail link. |
69. Skills shortages at all levels need to be tackled. The industry also has to be projected better as an attractive vocation. Publicity campaigns, graduate placements, establishment of centres of excellence and the formation of Expert Teams are suggested as means of addressing this. | A number of common issues have emerged from each of the recent Scottish Textiles Forum sub-sector meetings including: skills shortages, training, recruitment, industry image/PR, project funding, branding/marketing, country of origin labelling and support for design/innovation. Some of these issues are already being addressed through various initiatives and further thought will be given to how to extend this.
This work has obvious linkages to the Executive's skills agenda, the work of the new Trailblazer Sector Skills Council for the apparel, footwear and textile sector and the Future Skills Scotland Unit.
See 47.4 |
70. There is the need for the Scottish Textiles Association to act as intermediary between the Parliament and the industry. | The Scottish Textile Association has been replaced by the Scottish Textiles Forum. The Forum involves representatives from the industry, trade unions, training organisations, Enterprise Network and Heriot-Watt University.
The Forum is helping the Scottish Executive develop measures to support the Scottish textile industry and provides an opportunity for regular discussion of current issues facing the industry. |
71. The Scottish Parliament should have an important lobbying role, for example persuading retailers to back Scottish goods. | The Scottish Executive and the Scotland Office are working closely with the industry and trade unions to ensure that the views of the industry are fully known to the UK Government, and other European and international organisations, on issues such as the Multi-Fibre Agreement. |
72. The Scottish Parliament could set up a working party to identify the changing nature of the industry globally. | See 65 and 70 |