Reflections from the Discussion Sessions
As part of this year's Business in the Parliament Conference, six discussion groups were held for delegates on the following themes:
Investment, innovation & excellence
- Stimulating business investment
- Funding new ventures
- Encouraging R&D
Sustainable development
- Businesses' future energy needs
- Water and sewerage services
Skills in the modern workforce
- The strategy for those not in employment, education or training
- Developing the workforce
- Education and skills
Scotland's infrastructure
- Transport priorities
- Telecommunications
- The planning system
- Government and business
- Business rates
- Better regulation
The role of Business in the Parliament Conferences/Economic Forum for Scotland
The Business of the Future
- Globalisation
- Technological challenges
Each session was hosted by a minister or a member of the Parliament's Enterprise and Culture Committee. Each session was co-hosted by a representative of one of Scotland's primary business organisations and the Scottish Trades Union Congress. These co-hosts were asked to produce a short article, reflecting on the conversations in their discussion groups and providing their own expert opinion on the subject matter. These have been collected together as an integral part of the proceedings of this year's Business in the Parliament Conference.
Disclaimer
The contents of the articles are the responsibility of the co-host for each of the discussion sessions. Although drawn on the conversations that took place in these sessions, the views expressed may not necessarily represent those of all the delegates that took part in each session, or the opinions of the Scottish Executive or Scottish Parliament.