LIBERAL DEMOCRAT PARLIAMENTARIANS DEMAND ASSURANCES ON FUTURE OF SCOTTISH ENTERPRISE BORDERS

7.13.34pm BST (GMT +0100) Mon 24th Sep 2007

Local Liberal Democrat parliamentarians Jeremy Purvis MSP and Michael Moore MP are demanding assurances from the Minister for Enterprise that the future of Scottish Enterprise Borders will be secured when the network restructuring is announced on Wednesday.

The parliamentarians are concerned that the new SNP Scottish Government will downplay the role of enterprise companies like Scottish Enterprise Borders and centralise the decision-making in Glasgow or Edinburgh. They believe this would fundamentally undermine the team efforts of recent years to help re-develop the local economy.

Mr Moore said:

"Scottish Enterprise Borders has been central to all the efforts of the last decade to restructure and develop the local economy. Moving decision-making to the central belt would undermine all of that and downplay rural priorities."

Mr Purvis added:

"Ten days ago I challenged the Enterprise Minister in the Scottish Parliament to give an assurance that SEB will not be abolished, or the funding cut. I was furious that he refused to give that commitment. It would rip the heart out of our ability to have a focused approach to economic planning if the local body was abolished or if the funding was slashed."