►
Description
Ministerial Statement: Logan Review (Technology Sector) BSL
A
B
Thank
you,
presiding
officer,
coronavirus
is
first
and
foremost
a
crisis
of
public
health,
but
it
has
also
emerged
as
the
defining
economic
challenge
of
our
time.
Its
impact
is
already
devastating
and
will
continue
to
unfold
over
the
coming
weeks
and
months.
The
scottish
government
tackled
the
immediate
crisis
head-on.
We
moved
swiftly
to
inject
2.3
billion
pounds
into
the
economy,
preserving
businesses,
protecting
jobs
and
providing
new
opportunities
for
re-skilling.
B
Today's
publication
of
the
program
for
government
marks
the
beginning
of
a
new
phase
of
government
action,
one
in
which
we
look
beyond
crisis
management
to
scotland's
economic
future.
Over
the
last
few
months,
through
necessity,
we
have
seen
businesses
embrace
new
technologies
at
a
pace
and
at
a
scale
that
would
normally
have
taken
years.
The
chamber
will
be
as
proud
as
I
am
that
so
many
chose
to
pivot
their
operations
to
serve
our
nhs
innovating
to
save
jobs
and
lives.
B
What
we're
seeing
is
a
blurring
of
the
distinction
between
tech
and
the
traditional
the
everyday
economy
is
striving
to
maintain
productive
capacity,
just
as
our
most
inventive
tech
minds
seek
to
ignite
innovation
in
sectors
as
diverse
as
finance,
healthcare
and
tourism.
The
lesson
is
clear:
against
the
backdrop
of
the
pandemic,
there
will
be
an
acceleration
in
the
global
trend
towards
innovation-led
economies.
B
Scotland
has
nothing
to
fear
from
that
future.
Few
nations
do
innovation
and
ingenuity
as
well
as
we
do,
but
it
does
mean
that
our
recovery
cannot
be
built
purely
on
the
restoration
of
the
status
quo.
What
we
require
is
economic
renewal
that
means
moving
with
vigor
towards
a
high-tech,
low-carbon
economy,
an
economy
that
creates
high
value
jobs
and
harnesses
the
power
of
technology
as
a
force
for
social
and
economic
good.
B
B
Seldom
have
we
seen
a
report
attract
such
universal
acclaim
with
key
figures
across
business
technology
and
academia
endorsing
it
as
potentially
transformational,
and
that
is
with
good
reason.
It's
a
work
of
intellect
and
ambition,
with
34
detailed
recommendations,
laying
down
a
challenge
to
government,
to
universities
and
to
industry
across
the
key
themes
of
talent,
infrastructure
and
funding.
B
Mr
logan
defined
a
clear
and
simple
purpose
for
the
ecosystem:
to
produce
a
consistent
stream
of
tech
startups
that
reach
sustained
profitability,
including
a
significant
proportion
that
do
so
at
scale.
He
dismisses
complacency
with
a
sober
analysis
of
scotland's
current
performance.
Yes,
we
have
had
some
high
profile
successes,
but
that
must
not
obscure
the
fact
that
too
few
of
our
best
startups
and
university
spin-outs
succeed
over
the
long
term.
B
The
review's
objective
is
to
identify
the
actions
necessary
to
nudge
scotland
over
that
tipping
point
and
in
the
pfg
we've
committed
to
a
multi-year
multi-million
pound
investment
to
implement
the
recommendation
to
establish
a
national
network
of
tech
scalers.
These
facilities
are
the
report's
centerpiece
and
would
transform
the
quality
and
the
intensity
of
support
available
to
scotland's
startups.
In
addition
to
networking,
meetups
and
the
cross-pollination
of
ideas,
they
would
deliver
formal
world-class
founder
education,
potentially
secured
on
a
national
license
from
the
best
providers
in
silicon
valley.
B
These
are
powerful
commitments
that
will
put
the
wind
of
silicon
valley
commercial
technique
into
the
sales
of
scottish
ingenuity
over
the
next
five
years,
we'll
also
invest
in
the
creation
of
an
ecosystem
fund.
This
fund
responds
to
multiple
recommendations
and
will
be
used
to
make
strategic
investments
in
the
organizations
and
activities
that
create
the
best
possible
environment
for
our
startups
to
succeed.
B
Examples
include
learning
from
the
finnish
model
of
investing
in
key
tech
conferences
to
attract
talent
and
external
capital
programmes,
to
increase
the
volume
of
new
startups
emerging
from
universities
and
extracurricular
activity
in
schools
to
ignite
pupil
interest
and
tackle
gender
imbalance.
We
also
accept
mr
logan's
view
that,
in
the
context
of
the
pandemic,
we
need
to
do
more
to
help
people
get
the
digital
skills
necessary
to
enter
high
value
employment
in
the
tech
industry.
To
that
end,
we
are
actively
considering
how
immediate
action
could
be
taken
through
the
recently
announced
training
transition
fund.
B
The
review
sets
out
proposals
for
a
series
of
radical
interventions
across
the
education
system,
as
it
relates
to
the
teaching
of
computing
science
and
related
disciplines.
But
a
hallmark
of
the
review's
quality
is
its
refusal
to
engage
in
over
simplifications.
Mr
logan
acknowledges
that
these
are
challenges
that
can
only
be
met
with
the
investment
of
significant
time,
energy
and
resource.
He
places
a
mutual
obligation
on
government,
educators
and
industry
to
work
together
to
deliver
progress.
B
So
while
we
may
differ
on
some
points
in
the
implementation
of
these
recommendations,
we
do
not
shirk
from
the
overall
challenge.
To
paraphrase
mr
logan,
the
government
is
prepared
to
do
its
part
in,
and
I
quote,
bringing
to
life
the
inherent
magic
of
software
development.
Indeed,
I'm
pleased
to
confirm
that
the
deputy
first
minister
is
fully
engaged
with
the
report
and
has
already
held
discussions
with
mr
logan
about
next
steps,
presiding
officer
in
such
a
short
statement,
it's
only
possible
to
offer
a
snapshot
of
what
is
a
very
detailed
and
inventive
analysis.
B
That
is
why,
in
line
with
mr
logan's
advice,
we
will
establish
a
formal
partnership
with
the
tech
industry
to
drive
progress
on
those
recommendations
where
a
sustained
implementation
program
will
be
required
to
achieve
the
necessary
outcomes.
We're
working
with
mr
logan
to
develop
this
model
as
a
matter
of
urgency
and
will
make
further
announcements
in
due
course.
But
let
there
be
no
doubt
the
government
will
do
what
it
takes
to
ignite
scotland's
rise
as
a
first-class
start-up
nation,
presiding
officer.
B
It's
my
hope
that
members
across
the
chamber
have
been
as
refreshed
as
I
have
by
the
excitement
and
the
optimism
provoked
by
this
review.
I
share
that
excitement.
We
have
an
opportunity
here
to
advance
a
model
of
economic
development
where
we
don't
just
back
singular
programs
for
incremental
progress,
but
where
we
make
more
systematic
interventions
that
are
code
designed
and
co-delivered
with
industry,
with
investors
and
academia,
I've
had
responsibility
for
tech.
From
the
very
beginning
of
my
ministerial
career,
I've
often
said
that
I
consider
it
one
of
the
most
exciting
portfolios
in
government.
B
I'm
consistently
inspired
not
just
by
the
community's
creativity
and
imagination,
but
by
their
desire
to
use
those
gifts
for
the
good
of
our
country.
What
we
have
lacked
is
what
mr
logan
has
now
given
us
a
compelling
blueprint
with
which
we
can
channel
that
collective
energy
and
spirit.
I
look
forward
to
getting
started.
Thank
you.
A
Thank
you
very
much
cabinet
secretary,
the
cabinet
secretary
will
now
take
questions
on
the
issues
raised
in
her
statement.
I
intend
to
allow
around
20
minutes
for
questions,
after
which
we
will
move
on
to
the
next
item
of
business.
Could
members
who
wish
to
ask
a
question?
Please
press
the
request
to
speak
buttons
now
and
I
call
murder
fraser.
C
It
contains
some
very
good
ideas
about
how
to
sustain
and
grow
this
vital
sector
where
scotland
already
has
a
strong
track
record,
and
can
I
welcome
the
recommendations
in
particular
on
how
to
better
attract
investment
into
new
startup
companies,
which
has
been
a
challenge
for
as
long
as
I
can
remember,
as
having
economic
debates
in
this
chamber,
which
is
quite
a
long
time,
deputy
designing
officer.
This
has
always
been
a
feature.
How
do
we
better
support
and
nurture
our
homegrown
talent?
C
B
B
One
of
the
fascinating
elements
of
the
report
is
the
comment
that
it's
not
necessarily
the
availability
of
investment-
that's
at
fault,
there's
public
and
there's
private
investment
out
there,
but
it
is
the
steady
stream
of
investable
propositions
and
taking
startups
through
the
various
levels
of
growth,
so
that
they
emerge
as
successful
large
companies
and
that's
what
we
will
seek
to
do
with
the
tech
scalers
that
will
invest
in
terms
of
education.
He's
right
to
comment
that
education
is
a
core
element
of
this.
B
Part
of
the
challenge
is,
of
course,
ensuring
that
there
are
sufficient
computing
science
teachers
when
the
pace
of
change
in
the
tech
industry
is
extremely
quick
and
there
are
lots
of
attractive
career
options
for
those
that
have
done
computing
science
at
university.
Of
course,
when
it
comes
to
our
stem
strategy,
we've
taken
significant
steps
to
boost
the
number
of
people
going
into
stem
teaching
in
the
first
place,
including
computing
and
the
obvious
example.
B
There
is
the
bursary
that
is
offered
of
20
000
pounds
for
career
changers
to
train
to
teach
them,
but
the
report
highlights
that
at
its
core
is
the
need
to
inspire
pupils
to
continue
with
computing
science
and
to
inspire
teachers
to
recognize
the
exciting
job
opportunities
for
their
pupils.
So
the
recommendations
in
the
report
around
how
we
enthuse
and
we
inspire
in
order
to
attract
more
youngsters
and
also
to
attract
more
teachers.
I
think,
is
part
of
the
agenda
that
we'll
be
taking
forward.
A
D
Opening
office
and
I
welcome
the
cabinet
secretary's
statement.
The
logan
review
makes
clear
that
scotland's
high-tech
startups
must
meet
the
standards
of
global
best
practice
to
be
competitive,
and
the
cabinet
secretary
clearly
doesn't
want
to
see
scotland's
role
primarily
as
one
of
nurturing
new
high-tech
companies,
anticipating
that
many
will
likely
relocate
elsewhere
in
time,
as
has
happened
so
often
in
the
past.
B
I
agree
with
kenny
gibson's
analysis
that
what
we
don't
want
just
to
do
is
to
nurture
high-tech
companies
that
leave
and
relocate
and
cover.
19
has
shown
us
that
businesses,
particularly
tech
businesses,
can
successfully
operate
and
continue
to
grow
remotely,
and
so
my
hope
is
that
the
implementation
of
this
new
report
for
startups
to
flourish
and
grow
it
means
that
businesses
will
stay
in
scotland.
There's
two
points
in
direct
answer.
The
first
is
that
the
report
doesn't
overly
prescribe
the
development
of
clusters.
B
Instead,
it
provides
the
support
and
mechanisms
that
will
enable
the
industry
to
grow
more
generally
and
then
enable
sub
sectors
to
develop.
The
second
answer,
though,
is
that
the
ecosystem
fund
that
I
announced
today
will
be
a
central
point
of
that
support,
which
will
enable
us
to
make
strategic
investments
in
organizations
and
activities
that
create
the
best
possible
environment
for
our
startups,
to
succeed
and
in
parallel
with
the
tech
scalers.
E
F
B
Yes
and
it's
highlighted
again
in
this
independent
report-
and
it
goes
the
question
that
murder
fraser
asked
because
inspiring
teaching
is
key
to
engaging
children
and
young
people
in
the
first
place,
and
that's
why
it's
important,
as
I
said
at
the
outset,
that
the
the
deputy
first
minister
has
already
been
in
follow-up
discussions
with
mr
logan.
Now
we'll
respond
to
the
detail
of
the
recommendations
in
due
course.
I
only
got
a
copy
of
the
report
at
last
a
week
when
it
was
published.
B
We
have
already
refreshed
the
curriculum
to
introduce
the
fundamentals
of
computing
and
cyber
skills
from
the
earliest
years
onwards,
and
we
are
doing
what
we
can
to
attract
more
computing
teachers
in.
But
a
lot
of
the
best
work
going
on
right
now
is
in
the
extracurricular
space,
where
schools
and
the
tech
industry
are
working
very
closely
together
to
inspire
young
people.
G
G
So
I
yeah
I'm
refreshed
and
excited
about
this,
but
can
I
point
out
the
child
poverty
action
group
recently
produced
a
report
which
they
said
found
that
low-income
families
were
twice
as
likely
to
say
that
they
lacked
all
the
resources
needed
to
support
learning
at
home
during
the
covert.
But
it's
not
just
at
home
that
there
is
this.
The
the
digital
divide,
the
current
secretary,
talked
about
igniting
schools
and
pupils
interest
and
and
tackling
gender
imbalance.
G
But
the
digital
divide
is
also
an
income
imbalance
where
people
on
low
income
are
able
to
access
ict
access.
The
internet
so
can
ask
if
what
we're
going
to
do
about
that,
and
would
it
not
be
a
good
start
to
have
an
order,
instruct
education
authorities
to
order
every
school
in
the
country
so
that
we
know
what
schools
have
got
appropriate
ict
and
what
have
not
including
teachers
cabinet
secretary.
B
So
I
would
say
that
this
report
has
got
to
go
hand
in
hand
with
the
work
that
alien
campbell
and
I
are
doing
around
digital
exclusion
and
at
a
time
where
he
started
his
question
by
talking
about
the
difficulties
in
recruiting
tech
grads.
Well,
this
is
a
point.
If
we're
to
expand
the
pool
of
available
talent,
then
we
should
be
working
with
young
people,
whatever
their
background
to
ensure
they
have
the
skills
to
go
on
and
have
a
relatively
high
value
job
in
in
this
industry.
H
Grant
you
presiding
officer
technology
has
immense
potential,
of
course,
to
help
us
tackle
the
climate
emergency.
So
I
was
a
little
surprised
that
the
report
includes
only
two
throwaway
references
for
that
subject,
one
of
which
is
completely
meaningless
and
the
other
is
used
as
cover
for
a
request
for
aviation
growth.
Is
this
the
inevitable
consequence
of
commissioning
a
report
from
someone
who
made
their
name
from
finding
clever
new
ways
to
flock
cheap
airline
tickets.
B
Well,
I
mean
I
would
agree
with
a
patrick
harvey
that
a
high-tech
growth
is
a
very
effective
means
to
deliver
on
our
low
carbon
aspirations.
Now
I
take
his
point
that
that
never
happens
accidentally.
It's
got
to
be
intentional
from
the
outset,
but
you
know,
even
in
terms
of
the
the
potential
for
a
something
as
basic
as
working
from
home
and
accessing
a
work
or
accessing
markets
or
customers
without
having
to
travel
and
increase
emissions
by
transport.
B
That
may
seem
like
a
very
trivial
example,
but
I
think
it's
indicative
of
the
potential
of
using
tech
in
order
to
meet
our
low
carbon
aspirations
and
with
the
the
targets
we
currently
have.
We
have
to
use
all
levers
and
all
resources
at
our
disposal
in
order
to
meet
our
net
zero
target.
I
see
high
tech
as
a
means
of
improving
our
productivity
and
reducing
our
carbon
emissions.
If
we
do
it
right.
I
Thank
you,
presiding
officer.
I
welcome
the
report
as
well,
and
the
cabinet
secretary
talked
about
gender
imbalance
and
tech,
education
and
that's
true,
but
it
goes
further
than
that.
The
report
states
in
industry
as
a
whole
women
find
20
of
our
businesses
but
receive
one
percent
of
total
investment
capital.
I
J
B
So
we've
announced
er
today
we
announced
a
few
few
days
ago,
but
it
was
re-emphasized
today
at
the
voucher
scheme
in
particular
to
help
those
who
haven't
got
super
fast.
Broadband
right
now
get
that
super
fast
broadband.
So
I
recommend
that
she
and
her
constituents
look
at
that
and
of
course
we
have
our
objective
of
delivering
super
fast
broadband
to
every
household
in
scotland,.
K
K
B
Well,
I
think
the
the
options
or
the
potential
for
job
creation
is
enormous
in
terms
of
the
tech
scalers,
we
would
aim
to
support
between
300
to
500
companies
through
the
tech
scalers
program,
providing
that
world-class
training
and
mentoring
for
entrepreneurs,
in
the
hope
that
their
businesses
then
go
on
to
grow
and
develop
and
employ
more
people.
So
the
initial
aspiration
would
be
for
approximately
50
jobs,
knowing
that
that
is
a
very
immediate
start
that
can
only
grow.
A
B
Well,
on
the
second
point,
as
a
highland
representative,
I'm
always
keen
that
we
ensure
that
there
is
the
support
and
the
investment
outside
the
main
urban
centres.
So,
and
that's
certainly
one
of
my
priorities
in
terms
of
supporting
those
that
want
to
to
change
their
careers,
which
is
particularly
acute
right
now
with
those
that
have
been
adversely
affected
by
the
pandemic.
We
have
recently
announced
the
transition
training
fund
and
that
will
reskill
those
impacted
by
covert
19
and
help
them
to
move
into
paid
work
in
high
growth
areas
such
as
technology.
N
Thank
you
for
trading
officer.
Recommendation
16
of
the
review
highlights
that
the
introduction
of
a
scottish
tech
visa
would
be
a
highly
desirable
mechanism
to
attract
international
talent
to
scotland.
Will
the
scottish
government
put
forward
this
proposal
to
the
uk
government
and
does
the
cabinet
secretary
agree
with
me
that,
with
the
powers
of
independence,
a
tech
visa
could
be
a
pathway
to
scottish
and
european
citizenship
for
talent
in
other
parts
of
the
uk,
which
take
an
alternative
to
the
bleak
isolationism
of
brexit.
B
Well,
I
think
the
tech
visa,
as
demonstrated
in
other
countries,
has
the
potential
to
transform
the
talent
pool
available
and
to
ensure
that
we
can
grow.
So
I
will
be
most
certainly
making
that
case
to
the
uk
government,
probably
without
great
optimism,
that
it
will
lead
to
any
change,
because
we
have
long
stated
that
the
immigration
proposals
right
now
under
the
uk
government
are
wrong
for
scotland
they
threaten
to
cause
serious
and
lasting
harm
to
the
tech
industry
and
a
number
of
other
important
sectors.
It's
not
just
me
that
makes
that
point.
B
It's
also
academic
representatives
and
representatives
from
business,
so
our
demographic
and
economic
needs
are
not
the
same
as
the
rest
of
the
uk
and
a
wise,
one-size-fits-all
approach
is
not
appropriate.
We
will
look
at
how
we
use
elements
of
that
recommendation
to
ensure
that
we
are
attracting
talent,
but
without
the
levers
over
immigration.
It
is
a
lot
more
difficult.
A
O
O
O
P
P
P
This
is
a
constraint
on
what
can
be
done
in
the
devolved
context.
Another
inevitable
constraint
in
the
scottish
government's
a
very
limited
borrowing,
powers,
something
I
know
my
colleagues
in
the
finance
and
constitution
committee
continue
to
raise.
We've
all
heard
about
the
more
radical
proposals
for
social
security
change,
such
as
universal
basic
income
or
our
citizens
income.
These
will
continue
to
be
discussed
by
our
committee,
but
the
aim
of
this
committee
inquiry
is
to
focus
on
less
radical
changes
which
could
be
quick
wins.
P
Just
last
week
I
wrote
to
miss
coffee
expressing
the
committee's
disappointment
and
frustration
that
our
invitation
to
date
had
been
ignored.
Today
the
committee
received
a
response
to
this
letter.
It
focuses
in
committee
engagement
with
the
uk
government
at
an
official
level,
as
opposed
to
ministerial
attendance
at
our
committee.
P
P
O
Thank
you
very
much,
mr
doris.
The
next
item
of
business
is
consideration
of
legislative
legislative
consent.
Motion
double
2591
on
agricultural
bill.
Could
I
call
on
graham
day
to
move
the
motion
on
behalf
of
the
cabinet
secretary
ferguson,
moved
presiding
officer.
Thank
you
very
much,
the
question
that
will
be
put
at
decision
time.
O
O
O
We
are
agreed-
and
I
proposed
to
ask
a
single
question
on
the
two
parliamentary
video
motions:
does
any
member
object?
No,
the
question
is
that
motions
double
two
five,
nine
four
and
double
two
five,
nine
seven
in
the
name
of
graham
day
on
behalf
of
the
parliamentary
viewer
be
agreed
are
well
agreed.