Scotland's Economy

  • Exploring new opportunities in Osaka

    18th April 2012 by

    The third and final day of the Japan leg of my trip started with a call to Rolto, an existing investor in Scotland who own Mentholatum in East Kilbride. We talked over the expansion of the company's product range and will work with them to try to make the most of this opportunity in Scotland.

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  • Scottish produce top of the menu in Japan

    17th April 2012 by

    An early start to day two of my Japan visit and the focus continues to be on Scotland's growth industries. Over lunchtime, Scottish Development International put together an excellent event to showcase Scotland's wonderful food and drink - one of our largest export successes.

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  • Doing business in Japan

    17th April 2012 by

    I am writing this at the end of my first full day of meetings and visits in Japan with the team from Scottish Development International. In addition to a broad knowledge of the opportunities in the Japanese economy, they have developed real strength in the various sectors that matter to us; energy, life sciences, food and drink, textiles and working with our universities.

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  • Criminals’ cash creating jobs

    29th March 2012 by

    Kenny MacAskill meets teenagers at Cardonald College

    Since 2007, the Scottish Government’s CashBack for Communities programme has invested over £45 million of bad money for good purposes. Funds seized from the proceeds of crime is provided to communities to put young people on a positive path in life by offering them the chance to take part in hundreds of thousands of free sporting, cultural, educational diversionary activities and development programmes.

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  • Edinburgh secures Green Investment Bank

    8th March 2012 by

    Energy Minister Fergus Ewing, representatives from other political parties and members of the Edinburgh Green Investment Bank Group

    I'm delighted Edinburgh has been chosen to host the headquarters of the Green Investment Bank. This is the right decision, recognising Scotland's position at the vanguard of the renewables revolution and follows an excellent and professional bid campaign.

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  • Green Investment Bank debate

    22nd February 2012 by

    I was delighted to meet with members of the Edinburgh Green Investment Bank Group today, ahead of opening the debate in Parliament in support of the bid. The Green Investment Bank is an excellent opportunity for Edinburgh and for Scotland and I firmly believe Edinburgh is the best city in the UK for the Green Investment Bank to be based.

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  • Inverness Campus

    21st February 2012 by

    I was glad to see work getting underway on the new Inverness Campus as the project is already creating some exciting developments for the local economy, with more to come.

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