Salmond needs to wake up to economic situation facing Scotland

At First Minister's Questions today Ruth Davidson asked Alex Salmond why his Council of Economic Advisers has failed to meet since September of 2010.

When Alex Salmond announced the formation of the Council he described it as "our best chance in several generations to tackle the problem of systemic economic mediocrity."

Ruth Davidson said:

"When Alex Salmond bragged about the formation of this Council he stated that they would meet quarterly to discuss Scotland's economy. The fact is that they have not met in 14 months during which our economy has been buffeted by the debt problems in Greece, Italy, Portugal and Ireland.

"In the last year we have had a new economic strategy and draft budget from the SNP, with the UK Government also announcing a Spending Review and the Chancellor's Autumn statement and yet they still have not met.

"When we found out yesterday that Scottish unemployment was up by 25,000 in the last quarter alone it became clear that the SNP's Plan MacB is not working. It is time for Alex Salmond to wake up to the economic situation facing Scotland and start turning it around.

"He needs to listen to his own advisers and start using the powers already available to him in Holyrood if we are to ever start creating hope and opportunity again in Scotland."

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