THE IMPACT OF THE NEW ECONOMY

Enterprise Committee launches its latest inquiry

JThe Enterprise and Lifelong Learning Committee today launched its inquiry into The Impact of the New Economy. Outlining details of the inquiry's consultation process, convener John Swinney said:

"There is a highly significant change taking place in the global economy. It is technology driven and is leading to an increasing amount of business of all types being done electronically. This change brings exciting new opportunities and challenges to business, but at the same time it places serious demands on existing supporting public services.

"Our committee proposes to investigate the question to what extent is Scotland equipped to deal with the challenges of the new global e-conomy? Specifically, we are looking for responses from all interested parties to the following questions:

• to what extent has Scottish business moved to take up e-commerce?
• what infrastructure will be necessary in the next five years to allow Scottish business to exploit the new economy; and what steps are being taken to ensure that it will be put in place?
• how does Scotland's position and preparedness compare to that of its global competitors?
• what can be done to enhance Scotland's competitive position?

"The committee is aware of related studies that are already underway in Scotland, for example the report of the Digital Task Force 'Moving into the Information Age', 'Connecting Scotland' by Scottish Enterprise and the work of the Knowledge Economy Taskforce. However, we intend to adopt a highly focused approach to our analysis to ensure there is significant added value from this inquiry."

The committee is keen to encourage a wide range of responses by email to the following address: enterprise.inquiry@scottish.parliament.uk

Responses should be as concise as possible and no longer than 8 sides of A4

The closing date is 11 August 2000.

The committee will take formal oral evidence during autumn with a view to completing the inquiry by November 2000.

BACKGROUND NOTES

The committee's membership is as follows: Convener: John Swinney (SNP). Fergus Ewing (SNP), Annabel Goldie (Con), Nick Johnston (Con), Marilyn Livingstone (Lab), George Lyon (LD), Margo MacDonald (SNP), Duncan McNeil (Lab), Elaine Murray (Lab), Elaine Thomson (Lab), Allan Wilson (Lab).

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