22/09/2008
The global economic downturn and its impact on Scotland will be discussed at a meeting of the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee on Wednesday 24 September.
Representatives from the construction, house-building, property, banking and financial services sectors will gather for a round-table discussion on the current economic climate in Scotland and consider ways to improve conditions in the future.
Committee Convener Iain Smith said: "There is no more pressing issue facing all of us at the moment than the credit crunch and the impact that this is having on key sectors of the Scottish economy such as banking, financial services, house building, construction and the property market.
"It has left no sector of the Scottish economy untouched. Only this week the historic foundations of Scottish banking were shaken and in the weeks to come the impact will reverberate across Scotland with homeowners likely to feel the pain of mortgage restrictions and rising repossessions.
"I am pleased that senior representatives of these sectors have agreed to meet with the Economy, Energy and Tourism Committee for a discussion on the challenges they face and how Parliament and Government can assist. I will listen with interest to their views on what needs to be done."
The following representatives are attending the meeting:
- Owen Kelly, Chief Executive, Scottish Financial Enterprise;
- Stephen Boyd, Assistant Secretary, Scottish Trades Union Congress;
- Eric Leenders, Executive Director, British Bankers' Association;
- John Gill, Managing Director - Customer Service, UK Financial Services, Standard Life;
- Graeme Dalziel, Chief Executive, Dunfermline Building Society;
- Professor Prem Sikka, Professor of Accounting, University of Essex;
- Alan Lundmark, Director of Planning and Communications, Homes for Scotland;
- Michael Levack, Chief Executive, Scottish Building Federation;
- David Melhulish, Director, Scottish Property Federation;
- Roderick Pettigrew, Head of Commercial and Legal at HVCA and Vice Convener, Cross party group on Construction;
- Alan Watt, Chief Executive, Civil Engineering Contractors Association (Scotland);
- Harry Frew, Scottish Secretary, Union of Construction, Allied Trades and Technicians;
- Ron Smith, Chief Executive, Edinburgh Solicitor Property Centre;
- Mark Hordern, Head of Marketing, Glasgow Solicitor Property Centre;
- David Wright, Head of External Affairs, SELECT - The Electrical Contractors' Association of Scotland.