Who represents small businesses in the new Scottish cabinet?

[Scottish Business Owner]

I might be having one of those days but I saved the link to the BBC post below a few days ago because it confused me.

BBC News - At-a-glance: Scottish government cabinet

When you look at this article it details the new Scottish cabinet and what their respective portfolios are. Strikes me as a bit odd that no one seems o be responsible for small businesses. Is this because Business Gateway is effectively devolved to local government? I would have thought there should be a minister dedicated to this area. Where do organisations like the FSB, chambers of commerce go to to effectively influence ministers on small business issues.

Thoughts? Maybe some people on here actually know a bit more about this and maybe i'm barking up the wrong tree so feel free to correct me

 

[johnmessingham]

I have just sent a message to my local MSP (Linda Fabiani) via Facebook asking about this one. She is pretty good at responding that way.

 

[Mike Lewis]

,

The article you mentioned only lists the cabinet ministers. There might well be a minister responsible for small business, but he or she would be outside the cabinet. Possibly the article was published before the full list of ministers was known.

Just a guess. of course.

Mike

 

[Scottish Business Owner]

,

The article you mentioned only lists the cabinet ministers. There might well be a minister responsible for small business, but he or she would be outside the cabinet. Possibly the article was published before the full list of ministers was known.

Just a guess. of course.

Mike

If that's the case Mike then I guess that just illustrates my point. There's lots been written about small businesses leading the country out of it's current mess and yet it's obviously not that important that one of the cabinet ministers have it as part of their portfolio. I've done some more checking on this this morning and still actually can't find an answer to this.

 

[johnmessingham]

Had a reply from my local MSP, looks like Alex Neil is our man.

 

[Mike Lewis]

I take your point, . In fact, if you search for "small business" in the Scottish Government's webiste, you get "No document matched your search", which is telling.

As for Alex Neil, his own site says that he is Minister for Housing and Communities. But it looks like the site hasn't been updated since February.

Mike

 

[johnmessingham]

Just had an update, it is Fergus Ewing.