Purpose
The Forum brings together senior figures in business, trade unions, government, the wider public sector, and the 3rd sector, as an important aspect of the Government's strategy to achieve transformational change and higher sustainable economic growth throughout Scotland.
The Forum provides a vehicle to generate support and momentum behind the Government Economic Strategy, helping to bring about an increased, shared understanding of Scotland's economic challenges and solutions. The Forum also provides a further opportunity for new initiatives and partnerships to flourish as a new form of broad-based social and economic partnership for Scotland.
Timing
The first meeting was held on 6 February 2008. The second meeting will take place on 8 October 2008 and the Forum will meet twice yearly thereafter.
Membership and Delegate Numbers
Membership balances appropriate representation from established interest groups and the public sector with the need to ensure that the Forum encourages and benefits from positive debate, and remains open to fresh and innovative ideas and thinking. Delegates therefore include, for example, business representative bodies, Scottish Trade Unions Congress (STUC), Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (COSLA), and Non-Department Public Bodies (NDPBs), but also established and emerging businesses, business award winners, and successful social entrepreneurs.
The Forum does not have fully fixed membership and will retain flexibility (in terms of both size and representation), according to the theme(s) to be considered, around a core membership.
Relationship with Council of Economic Advisers
The Forum will allow the Council of Economic Advisers and the Government to draw from the widest pool of opinion. We expect good ideas to flow from the Forum to those directly advising the First Minister and the Government. The Forum will provide the opportunity for issues under consideration by the Council to be discussed more widely, and for solutions to emerge amongst those organisations best placed to deliver.
Possible tie-in with Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI)
Given SCDI's broad membership across civic Scotland and its long-standing role in encouraging debate on economic issues, there is a natural linkage between it and the Forum, which both the Government and the SCDI are keen to develop.
For further information on the Council of Economic Advisers