2 Terms of Reference
34. The Committee wish to invite written submissions
on the following questions (submissions do not have to address
every point), to be submitted, in the first instance by Monday
1 September 2014. Details of how to submit written evidence to
the Committee is included below.
a) Are the current structures working as effectively
as they could for the benefit of the people of the south of Scotland?
b) How can the UK and Scottish Governments work
together with Local Authorities to deliver appropriate and effective
policies to support economic development and growth in the south
of Scotland?
c) In what ways might the Borderlands Initiative
address some of the challenges faced by the south of Scotland?
Could and should it provide a platform for a campaign similar
to 'Our Islands - Our Future'?
d) How could the UK Government, working appropriately
with devolved Government and local councils, assist in the development
of the Borderlands Initative?
e) How has the creation of a new and centralised
Scottish Enterprise impacted upon enterprise and economic development
in the south of Scotland? How could the structures and processes
of Scottish Enterprise be reformed in order to remedy this?
f) What is the most appropriate structure for
promoting enterprise and economic development in the south of
Scotland? For example, could the remit of the South of Scotland
Alliance be developed or enhanced? Is there scope for enhanced
co-operation with relevant parts of the north of England - with
the former Dumfriesshire and Carlisle, or Berwick and its hinterland
both appearing to offer synergies - or is there scope for the
establishment of a Borderlands Enterprise structure which would
include local authority areas on both sides of the border?
g) How can the UK Government work most appropriately
and effectively to promote enterprise and economic development
in the south of Scotland?
h) Should the question of devolution, not only
from Holyrood to Local Authorities, but to local communities,
be further explored?
i) How could the UK Government work with both
the Scottish Government and with its EU partners to assist in
the development of constructing boundaries for the purposes of
the allocation of structural funds? What would be of most benefit
to the south of Scotland in this context?
j) What are the root causes of high levels of
under employment in the south of Scotland? Are there any specific
factors relating to the economic profile, or the demographics
and geography of the region which explain this. What steps could
be taken by both the UK and Scottish Governments to address these
specific factors?
k) What steps could be taken by all levels of
Government in both the immediate and longer term to address the
low-wage economy of the south of Scotland?
l) What initiatives could both the UK and Scottish
Governments put in place to specifically tackle the high levels
of youth unemployment in the region?
m) Are there steps that can be taken to stimulate
local democracy and the development of community organisations
to assist economic regeneration and social development?
How to submit written evidence
The Committee asks for written submissions in accordance
with the guidelines below by 12 noon on Monday 1 September 2014.
As a guideline submissions should be no longer than 3,000 words.
As part of a scheme to encourage paperless working
and maximise efficiency, the Committee is using a new web portal
for online submissions of written evidence. Written submissions
for this inquiry should therefore be sent via the Our Borderlands
- Our Future inquiry page.[23]
Submissions should be in the format of a self-contained
memorandum. Paragraphs should be numbered for ease of reference,
and the document should, if possible, include an executive summary.
Submissions should be original work, not previously
published or circulated elsewhere. Once submitted, your submission
becomes the property of the Committee and no public use should
be made of it unless you have first obtained permission from the
Clerk of the Committee. Please bear in mind that Committees are
not able to investigate individual cases.
Data protection
The Committee normally, though not always, chooses
to publish the written evidence it receives, either by printing
the evidence, publishing it on the internet or by making it publicly
available through the Parliamentary Archives. If there is any
information you believe to be sensitive you should highlight it
and explain what harm you believe would result from its disclosure;
the Committee will take this into account in deciding whether
to publish or further disclose the evidence.
For data protection purposes, it would be helpful
if individuals wishing to submit written evidence send their contact
details in a covering letter. You should be aware that there may
be circumstances in which the House of Commons will be required
to communicate information to third parties on request, in order
to comply with its obligations under the Freedom of Information
Act 2000.
Further guidance on how to submit written evidence
can be found at: http://www.parliament.uk/get-involved/have-your-say/take-part-in-committee-inquiries/commons-witness-guide/
23 http://www.parliament.uk/business/committees/committees-a-z/commons-select/scottish-affairs-committee/inquiries/parliament-2010/our-borderlands-our-future
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