CBI Scotland backs new Enterprise Minister

Published on Monday 6 May 2002 01:00

NEW Enterprise Minister Iain Gray today won backing from Scotland’s leading business organisation as he fought off claims he lacked the necessary expertise for the job.

CBI Scotland said Mr Gray’s lack of business experience did not necessarily mean he was unsuited to his new role.

The Edinburgh Pentlands MSP was chosen by First Minister Jack McConnell at the weekend to replace Wendy Alexander after her shock resignation on Friday. But he was given a hostile reception by opposition politicians and some business figures who said he brought no business experience to the job.

Tom Sunter, of the Institute of Directors, asked: "Who he?" While SNP economics spokesman Andrew Wilson claimed Mr Gray’s appointment suggested Mr McConnell was "not taking the Scottish economy seriously".

However, a CBI Scotland spokesman praised Mr Gray for his track record as a deputy minister for health, then justice and then as social justice minister. "The fact that he doesn’t have much direct business experience isn’t necessarily a handicap - not many MSPs do," he said.

Mr Gray was today being briefed by senior civil servants on his wide-ranging remit, which includes transport and lifelong learning as well as enterprise.

He said he was not surprised there might be concern within the business community about ministerial changes, but added: "I’ve not been appointed to be a business person, I’ve been appointed to a ministerial post."

Two out of three Scots believe Mr McConnell has been a failure as First Minister, according to an opinion poll today.

Only 17 per cent of those questioned thought the First Minister was doing a "good" job, while 45 per cent said his performance was "average", according to the study by pollsters YouGov..