HIElights August/September Newsletter

Ambitious for Scotland www.hie.co.uk

Welcome to HIElights, a regular update on the activities of Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE).

HIE is a non-departmental public body of the Scottish Government, with a unique remit which integrates economic and community development. Active across half of Scotland, from Shetland to Argyll and from the Hebrides to Moray, HIE pursues four priorities to achieve sustainable growth:

• Supporting businesses and social enterprises to shape and realise their growth aspirations• Strengthening communities and fragile areas• Developing growth sectors, particularly distinctive regional opportunities• Creating the conditions for a competitive and low carbon region HIE has an annual budget of more than £75m and employs around 250 people based in locations around the Highlands and Islands.

Welcome / Fàilte In this issue

Stay up to date with HIE’s work across the Highlands and Islands at www.hie.co.uk or follow us on Facebook and Twitter

£11m for global research

Kirkwall Grammar green champions

Ambitious for Gaelic

Scottish Land Fund

£18m capital investment

Broadband

Marine Energy Park

MARINE ENERGY PARKMinisterial launchPage 07

SCOTTISH LAND FUND£6m investmentPage 05

CREATIVE INDUSTRIESWorth £33m to Outer HebridesPage 06

August/September 2012 Issue No.1Driving sustainable economic growth across the Highlands and Islands

Citizens Advice Direct, Stornoway – page 8

The region’s businesses are seeing financial benefits from academic partnerships according to new research, with 100% of firms surveyed confirming that they would work with universities for a second time.

Supported by HIE and the Scottish Funding Council, Interface - the knowledge connection for business - launched a dedicated Inverness office last year. The 18 companies already engaged in collaborative projects supported by Interface forecast an increase in sales and exports of £1.45m as a result of the partnerships.

Academic partnerships boost business

Supporting businesses and social enterprises to shape and realise their growth aspirations / A’ cur taic do ghnothachasan is iomairtean sòisealta gus na h-àrd-amasan ac’ a dhealbhachadh agus a ruigsinn

Inverness is to be the new home for all diabetes research and development into blood glucose monitoring carried out worldwide by international company LifeScan.

An £11 million investment project - including up to £2.8 million HIE funding - will create 19 new high-value jobs at LifeScan Scotland.

With 1,100 jobs in Inverness, LifeScan is Scotland’s largest life sciences company and one of the biggest employers in the Highlands and Islands.

£11m support for global R&D base at LifeScan

Alex Paterson, Chief Executive of HIE, commented: “Millions of people across the world rely on the products developed by LifeScan in Inverness. The decision to have the diabetes research and development effort in our region, attracting staff from across the world, is a resounding vote of confidence in our capabilities in the life sciences sector.”

£23.7 million (net GVA) is being added to the Scottish economy every year through successful business and academic partnerships brokered through Interface, and many in the Highlands and Islands have received a welcome economic boost, with almost a third asked expecting to see an increase in profit as a result.

To find out more about Interface and the opportunities available, please visit www.interface-online.org.uk

Internet company greenspaceLive, is the first commercial spin-out from the University of the Highlands and Islands to become a fully-fledged business.

Born out of the Greenspace Research programme, greenspaceLive (www.greenspacelive.com) is commercialising research generated through the programme and provides consultancy and software services with a focus on energy efficiency for buildings.

HIE has supported the Stornoway based account managed spin-out with a package which has included advice, Investor Readiness Support, entrepreneurship skills and finance of £90,000.

University generates spin-out company

The research programme announcement was made by video link between Johnson and Johnson’s California office during a visit by First Minister Alex Salmond, and LifeScan in Inverness

Caithness company JPL Shellfish is expanding its operations and breaking into new international markets with the support of HIE.

From its base at Scrabster Harbour the firm has been serving customers across the UK and Europe for nearly 20 years. A recent increase in requests to export live shellfish to new international markets including Asia has resulted in an expansion of their current premises in order to meet the high demand.

To lead on promotion of the new global markets, a new international marketing manager, Roberta Gasterini, has been recruited by the company. She is working closely with HIE and attending a number of the agency’s international programmes to help drive the business forward into new global markets.

HIE is supporting the company with £53,535 - enabling it to develop further and double their workforce by creating an additional five jobs.

Caithness shellfish firm expansion

Our priorities


August/September 2012 Page 02

A BBC documentary on a Highland business I-Imagine Ltd (IIL) highlighted the challenges to Andrew Slorance of designing and marketing his high end revolutionary carbon fibre wheelchair ‘Carbon Black’.

Carbon Black is an innovative wheelchair targeted specifically at active, independent wheelchair users who suffer from spinal cord injuries as a result of a sporting or road traffic accident or through combat.

Innovation attracts investmentAndrew and Mary Slorance with Carbon Black

At the end of the design phase, which had support from a SMART award, the business needed grant aid to take the project forward to prototype. HIE agreed to account manage the client and supported IIL with two separate grants of £49,700 for prototype development and testing and latterly £10,000 for the launch and marketing of the product.

IIL have also accessed specialist advice with regard to design issues and have taken part

in an International Strategy Workshop.

Most recently HIE supported the business to put together a strategy which has been key to securing an equity investment from Highland Venture Capital which will enable full commercialisation of Carbon Black and assist the company in moving forward with sales.


August/September 2012 Page 03

Based at Balmakeith Business Park in Nairn, Black Isle Bronze is creating a striking four-face ‘Smiths of Derby’ clock for the new Waldorf Astoria opening next year in Dubai. The clock will be the focal point of the new hotel, and each face is one metre in diameter and took one quarter of a ton of bronze to make.

Another notable recent piece of work for the business was a 9ft bronze sculpture of former Newcastle United and England manager Sir Bobby Robson. This was unveiled by Lady Elsie Robson outside St James’ Park earlier this year.

HIE has worked closely with the business for the past 10 years and has supported its international growth plans.

Nairn business clocks up international order

Black Isle Bronze

The TalentScotland Graduate Placement Programme in the HIE area reached 80 placements at the end of July 2012 and there is a healthy pipeline of interest. The programme enables businesses to innovate and explore new processes or products and also addresses the youth employment agenda. Around 60% of the placements involve marketing or business development and 28% of graduates are in social enterprises.

Of the 39 completed placements, 15 graduates have been retained permanently and 10 have moved on to graduate level jobs with other companies, their CVs boosted by their placement experience. The programme plays an important part in addressing underemployment of graduates, providing a stepping stone for those who are struggling to move into their first graduate level job.

This summer, 30 undergraduates will gain valuable work experience in organisations in the HIE region, delivering short, targeted projects for the host company. Marketing projects and research/technical projects dominate. Graduate training course June 2012

Graduate placements reach 80

In July, Castle Stuart Golf Links hosted the Aberdeen Asset Management Scottish Open for the second year in succession providing opportunities to showcase the area as a great place to do business.

In April 2012, the First Minister announced the Scottish Government was providing funding support for the tournament at Castle Stuart Golf Links.

As part of this year’s event the First Minister took the opportunity to meet 30 investors over the course of the Open week and also took part in a Pro-Am with business leaders.

HIE also hosted a series of events engaging with over 40 businesses and potential investors to the area, and involving partners including Highland Council - officials and councillors - and chamber of commerce representatives.

Scottish Open business links


Page 04August/September 2012

School pupils and teachers across Caithness and Sutherland have been taking part in a number of industry visits as part of a £110,000 project investing in the future of young people in the area.

Launched last year, the technology project has seen around 350 pupils from local high

Dounreay and HIE working together

Pupils from Farr Secondary School visit Dounreay

schools take part in visits to Dounreay and Caithness Horizons in order to understand the opportunities available locally in engineering.

The two year programme is funded by Dounreay Site Restoration Limited (DSRL), HIE and the Highland Council.

Environment Minister Stewart Stevenson has launched the Scottish Land Fund which will provide communities with grants of between £10,000 and £750,000 to acquire local assets important to their social, economic and environmental development.

HIE is working with the BIG Lottery Fund to administer the fund and support applicants

Scotland wide support for rural communities to buy land

HIE has recently affirmed its commitment to Gaelic by extending its contract with Comunn na Gàidhlig for the delivery of Gaelic development services, including the running of funding schemes for bilingual signs and marketing, Gaelic innovation, and community regeneration.

Earlier this year, HIE also announced funding of £480,000 to Fèisean nan Gàidheal for continued development of traditional music and Gaelic arts.

A draft of HIE’s Gaelic Language Plan 2012-15 has been sent to Bòrd na Gàidhlig for approval and is currently awaiting feedback. HIE was one of the first public bodies to produce a Gaelic language plan, with the previous version in effect 2009-12. The new plan will build on this and take forward HIE’s ambition for Gaelic.

As part of the Gaelic Plan, HIE will be leading on research into the social and economic impacts of Gaelic in the Highlands and Islands. The research will give a clear picture of how Gaelic is currently contributing to the social and economic life of the Highlands and Islands as well as identify further opportunities for using this unique asset to benefit the area.

Ambitious for Gaelic

Strengthening communities and fragile areas / A’ neartachadh choimhearsnachdan agus sgìrean dùbhlanachOur priorities

An Cridhe opens on CollDevelopment Coll’s £2.4 million “An Cridhe” community centre project was opened in July by HRH Princess Anne, as part of a 4-day opening festival. HIE’s Community Assets Team (CAT) worked with the group to secure £850,000 of Lottery Funding through the first round of Growing Community Assets in 2009. In addition, funding for acquisition of the site (£38,000) and development (£122,000) was provided through a joint approval between the CAT and the Argyll and the Islands area office. An Cridhe – Gaelic for “The Heart” – comprises a multi-function facility with an

Argyll College Learning Centre, library, public toilets, performance and exhibition space, and a separate 14-bed bunkhouse. HIE’s Argyll and the Islands area office continues to work with Development Coll as a CAM anchor organisation.

Minimum income standard researchHIE, along with eight partners from local authorities and housing organisations, has commissioned Loughborough University to undertake research to compare the differing costs in living standards for rural and urban households across Scotland and the UK.

The study will look at the income that people

throughout the whole of rural Scotland. The pipeline is healthy and HIE is already engaged with eight community organisations looking to acquire land assets throughout Scotland.

The fund aims to help communities realise the opportunities created by the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, which is now subject to a root and branch review following the First

need in order to reach a minimum social acceptable standard of living and be able to participate in society in the UK today. It covers needs, not wants; necessities, not luxuries.

The research findings, due in April 2013, will be instrumental in forming policy at local, regional and national level.

Minister’s announcement in Portree on 24th July 2012 of the appointment of a Land Reform Review Group. Professor Jim Hunter will sit on this group with Dr. Alison Elliot of SCVO (chair) and Dr. Sarah Skerratt of the SAC.

There’s more on the Scottish Land Fund launch in the latest edition of the HIE Magazine www.hie.co.uk/review



An Cridhe, Coll

Celebrating the fifth anniversary of the community buy-out, chair of the Galson Estate Agnes Rennie at the opening of the Urras Business Centre

Creative industries worth £33m to Outer Hebrides

New research revealed that the arts and creative industries in the Outer Hebrides support around 500 jobs and add more than £33 million to the local economy.

The economic impact study for HIE, Creative Scotland, Skills Development Scotland and Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, identified the vast majority of employment in the industry work in TV and radio, fashion and textiles (including Harris Tweed), the heritage sector, publishing and architecture.

As an important driver within the Outer Hebrides economy, a three-year strategy for the sector is due out in August.

As a part of the strategy, roadshows are planned for September which will support businesses involved in the creative and

Homecoming Scotland 2014

The Homecoming Scotland 2014 investment programme has been launched. This is a Scottish Government initiative aiming to ‘reinforce Scotland’s position on the international stage as a creative and dynamic region’. The programme will enable the tourism and events industries to further their role in contributing to Scotland’s economy.

The programme is managed by Event Scotland. Information about the investment criteria and application process is available on the Event Scotland website: www.eventscotland.org

HI~Arts, commissioned by HIE to provide community cultural development services, is already working with several groups to identify potential Homecoming projects. HI~Arts can also provide additional funding information and advice to groups and organisations, based in the Highlands and Islands, intending or considering submitting an application to the investment programme - www.hi-arts.co.uk

cultural industries as well as a range of services which support the sector. Hebridean Celtic Festival

The Hebridean Celtic Festival Trust successfully staged its 17th HebCelt Festival in Stornoway, which took place between 11th-14th July. It is now embedded as the Outer Hebrides flagship cultural event, and has earned national recognition for its quality programme by winning the 2011 Scottish Events for Best Large Festival event.

This year’s event attracted an audience of over 15,000. The Hebridean Celtic Festival Trust is responsible for organising the festival, and for information about next year’s programme visit www.hebceltfest.com

2012 Blas Festival Launch

The 2012 Blas Festival runs from 7th to 15th September 2012, delivering a comprehensive range of festival events as well as cultural activities for communities and schools groups across the Highland Council area. A number of new commissions and performers have been added to this year’s programme.

The Blas Festival programme has established itself as a premier event which celebrates and promotes the Gaelic language and traditional culture of the Highlands. Its growing success and reputation has resulted in RBS and Business Gateway awarding new sponsorship to this year’s programme. The event is also supported by HIE, The Highland Council, Bòrd na Gàidhlig and Creative Scotland. For more information about the full programme of events visit - www.blas-festival.com

Businesses and residents of the Tomintoul and Glenlivet area of the Cairngorms National Park, which has a population of around one thousand, have established a new trust to help the communities realise their aspirations and the area’s real potential.

Over 200 members have signed up for the Tomintoul and Glenlivet Development Trust (TGDT). They will tackle a range of opportunities and challenges in the area including how to counter local hotel closures, and redevelop local facilities, boost tourism, and improve transport and telecommunications links.

With the support of HIE, Moray Council, the Cairngorms National Park Authority and the Crown Estate, the Development Trust is advertising for a development officer to take forward a variety of projects aimed at breathing new life into the area.

One in five sign up for new trust for Tomintoul and Glenlivet



The Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters in the North of Scotland have been designated as Scotland’s first Marine Energy Park.

Energy and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker marked the launch in Thurso on 30 July 2012 at an event hosted by HIE where he met with key players from across the marine renewable energy industry.

The purpose of the Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters Marine Energy Park is to heighten the international profile of the region and its reputation as a world leader in marine energy.

Lorne Crerar, HIE chairman, said: “We are delighted that the region’s role in the development of the marine energy sector is being recognised nationally and internationally.

The designation as a marine energy park further promotes the Highlands and Islands of Scotland as a marine energy hub, and will accelerate investment and the industry’s ambition for commercialisation of the technologies being tested here.”

Energy from waves or tides has the potential

to generate 27GW of power in the UK alone by 2050, equivalent to the power generated from eight coal fired power stations. A move to marine power can also help cut emissions and tackle climate change.

Scottish Energy Minister Fergus Ewing said: “This award recognises the work that has been done in leading the development of wave and tidal energy in The Pentland Firth and Orkney Waters for many years, and proves that Scotland continues to be the jewel in the crown of all wave and tidal activity.”

Scotland’s first Marine Energy Park

Our prioritiesDeveloping growth sectors, particularly distinctive regional opportunities / A’ leasachadh roinnean fàis, gu h-àraidh a-thaobh chothroman sònraichte na sgìre

The £20 million, phase 1, investment programme in the pier at Scrabster Harbour is making significant progress with completion expected in September. This development was supported by the Scottish Government, HIE, the EU through Highlands and Islands Partnership Programme and the NDA.

The port has already seen demand from major renewables companies assessing opportunities for manufacturing, assembly and deployment of devices as well as the maintenance and operations services the port can provide.

Along with the demands from the marine renewables sector the port is also well placed to take advantage of developments in the oil and gas industry west of Shetland which will help to secure the future of that sector well into the future.

Scrabster Harbour progress

HIE’s Carol Gunn and Claire Conway at Scrabster.

New market guide for tourism businessesTourism companies are being urged to get a better understanding of who their visitors are and what they want in order to make the most of new and emerging business opportunities, in a refreshed guide published by Tourism Intelligence Scotland (TIS), as part of its Opportunities for Growth series.

The guide is available to businesses who register at www.tourism-intelligence.co.uk

‘Knowing our Markets... Scotland’s Visitors 2012’ provides up to date market information to help operators grow and develop, highlighting what’s changed in the global tourism environment since the guide was first produced in 2008, how they need to react, and providing them with a better understanding of what the future might bring.


Scotrenewables tidal device at EMEC, Orkney


Kirkwall Grammar hailed Big Green Challenge 2012 ChampionsA team of pupils from Kirkwall Grammar were hailed as the Highlands and Islands’ top young renewable energy experts at this year’s Big Green Challenge debating competition.

The grand final of the competition, which is organised by HIE and was chaired by Iseabail

Cabinet Secretary for Finance, employment and Sustainable Growth, John Swinney and HIE Chairman Lorne Crerar officially opened the new offices for Citizens Direct Scotland in Stornoway. HIE invested £400,000 towards the fit out of the office to provide state of the art contact centre facilities.

There are 34 FTE jobs in place with plans to grow the range of services provided from the centre in the short term.

Citizens Advice Direct and Skills Development Scotland are also carrying out an innovative project through the newly formed Social Enterprise Direct which provides training in a range of customer services skills from the new Stornoway centre. The six week course that was run in Stornoway by Social Enterprise Direct has already resulted in four people being offered jobs locally.

Citizens Advice Direct Stornoway

Mactaggart, saw the finalists from eight local heats debating highly topical renewable energy issues.

The finalists were from: Lomond School; Plockton High School; Shawbost Community School; Kirkwall Grammar School; Aith Junior

(L-R) Fiona Fullarton (Gordon and MacPhail), Mervyn Jones (ASDA), Lorna Murray (ASDA) Stephen

Rankin (Gordon & MacPhail), Chris Taylor (Head of Food, Drink and Tourism HIE)

HIE hosted an exclusive Meet the Buyer event recently with ASDA - for food and drink businesses interested in pitching to secure a place on the shelves of the new supermarket which has opened in Inverness.

These events, and other initiatives, are supported by £236,000 of HIE funding for Scotland Food and Drink’s Access to Markets programme run across Scotland during 2011-12.

Iain Sutherland, senior development manager at HIE, said: “The event provided an excellent opportunity for food and drink producers in the region to have their products on sale at the national supermarket chain. The buyers were very impressed with the quality of produce on offer.”

The buyers from ASDA are continuing

Food and drink businesses impress ASDA in Inverness

Iseabail Mactaggart, HIE Board Member with the grand final winners, Kirkwall Grammar School (L-R) Branwen Bourn, Thorfinn Moffat and Rhiannon Walters

High; Alness Academy; Charleston Academy; and Lossiemouth High School.

The winners are set to visit the Eden Project in Cornwall and the runners-up, Charleston Academy, have each won an Android tablet device and an Amazon gift voucher.

discussions with the companies they met with in June. They are planning further ‘Meet the Buyer’ events in the near future on the back of the exceptional response from food and drink producers in the Highlands and Islands.





HIE Chief Executive Alex Paterson and Board Member Donald Macdonald visited Shetland in June. They met with local staff, partners including Shetland Islands Council and businesses/community groups supported by the local area team. This included Blueshell Mussels, Northmavine Community Development Company, Lerwick Port Authority and Peterson SBS (pictured).

Here from left to right are James Johnson (Decommissioning and Deputy Base Manager), Murdo MacIver (Director Peterson SBS), Alex Paterson (HIE Chief Executive), Donald MacDonald (HIE Board Member) and Stuart Robertson (HIE Area Manager Shetland).

HIE business and community engagement in Shetland

Cabinet Secretaryannounces £17.5m capital investments in Highlands and Islands

Our prioritiesCreating the conditions for a competitive and low carbon region / A’ cruthachadh na h-àrainneachd airson sgìre de dh’ ìsleachd carboin

As part of a £105 million economic stimulus funding package, Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth, John Swinney confirmed that HIE had successfully bid for additional capital funding of £17.5 million. This will accelerate infrastructure projects, including The Enterprise Park, Forres (£9.5m), Inverness Campus (£6m) and Arnish Industrial Estate, Lewis (£2m).

The proposals are designed to support new investment and speed the delivery of projects to boost the economy.

The projects have been identified as they can be taken forward quickly and will deliver the maximum economic impact from the funds available.

Digital network for rural ScotlandThe Scottish Government has announced two investments worth £125m to support the roll out of superfast broadband services.

At the end of June, the Cabinet Secretary for Infrastructure and Capital Investment, Alex Neil, announced a £120 million package for the delivery of superfast broadband to communities across the Highlands and Islands.

Details of a seed fund were also revealed for the Community Broadband Scotland initiative which will begin in October. The project is being lead by HIE. As well as offering general advice and support, it will work with a number of pilot communities across Scotland looking

for broadband solutions in hard to reach areas.

Alex Paterson, Chief Executive of HIE, said: “By bringing together the expertise and investment of both the private and public sector we want to roll out a service which will change the face of rural Scotland.

“Businesses and communities will see benefits where they matter most, including in education, in supporting healthcare services and by opening up new markets. The Scottish Government’s ultimate aim is to provide a world class digital network by 2020 and news of these investments brings us a step closer to that goal.”

Engagement

HIE Magazine

Working with government and parliament / Ag obair leis an riaghaltas agus a’ Phàrlamaid

HIE news review / Naidheachdan HIE



Scottish Government Cabinet meetings

HIE evidence to Parliament’s Finance Committee on theme of Employability

Ministerial visit

The Scottish Government’s Cabinet will hold three meetings outside Edinburgh this summer. The first meeting took place on the Isle of Skye on 23-24 July with future meetings in Renfrew on 23 August and Orkney on 28-29 August. The programme for the Skye visit included a reception at Portree High School on the evening of 23 July on the theme of ‘Year of Creativity’, a private Cabinet meeting on 24 July, followed by a public event with a question and answer session in Aros. Senior HIE staff participated in the evening reception and public session, which provided an opportunity to discuss with Ministers issues such as Sabhal Mor Ostaig, youth employment and transport. The programme for Orkney will be similar to Skye and will incorporate a visit to the European Marine Energy Centre.

HIE welcomed the opportunity to assist the Scottish Parliament’s Finance Committee in its recent investigations into the theme of Employability at its meeting on 23 May. In its evidence to the Committee, HIE shared with members the actions our organisation is taking, through its work with local businesses, to help provide employment and opportunities for people from all sections of society, including those furthest from the labour market and those most affected by the current economic conditions.

Charles Hendry, Minister of State for Energy made a two day visit to the Highlands and Islands on the 23 and 24th of July.

He visited Falck Renewables and Nigg Skills Academy, also Total in Shetland to discuss their West of Shetland £2.5bn gas project. He also met with members of the Energy North Board and spoke at the SCDI Influencers Dinner.

The HIE Energy Team took the opportunity to meet with him to discuss renewable energy incentives and transmission charging and were joined by the Leader of Comhairle nan Eilean Siar, Angus Campbell and Calum Iain Maciver, also of the Comhairle.

Transmission charging remains very much an issue for the region and the Minister is keeping an open mind on the matter despite conflicting views and evidence. His preference is very much to wait until Project TransmiT (Ofgem’s fundamental review of transmission charges) concludes in April 2013 and would not be drawn on whether he would take any special interest in the process before then. He did however agree to take further advice on the public fuel subsidy received by baseload and backup diesel power stations in the islands required because of weak or non existent grid connections.

In addition to the direct action HIE is taking as an employer through its various employment programmes, other ways that HIE has been able to make a material impact on the challenges of employability were highlighted to the Committee, including HIE’s involvement with social enterprises and the help that that provides as a route to employment and participation for those furthest from the labour market, and also our organisation’s partnership work with other public bodies.

The latest HIE magazine has been released, detailing initiatives the agency is currently leading across the region. The front cover features Gaelic singer Julie Fowlis who sings on the soundtrack of new animated Disney Pixar film ‘Brave’, set in the Highlands.

It features two songs sung by Julie - both are in English, but the film - already a box office hit - is being heavily promoted in the US using another Gaelic track - Tha mo ghaol air àird a’ chuain.

Julie has entered into a creative partnership with another Gaelic speaker, Inverness -based couturier Sandra Murray, which they hope will help to keep the soundtrack, and the romance of the Gaelic language, front of mind with its new audience.

Sandra created a striking wardrobe inspired by the landscape of the Highland and Islands for Julie to wear to the film’s global premieres - in Los Angeles, Edinburgh and Inverness.

www.hie.co.uk/review

Key facts Things you may not know about the Highlands and Islands*

/ Rudan inntinneach mu dheidhinn na Gàidhealtach



• (This information provides the latest available data from the most reliable sources.)

The business start up rate has been higher in our region compared to Scotland with 3.5 new start-ups

per 1,000 of the population compared to 2.8 per 1,000 in Scotland in 2011.

Claimant count unemployment in the Highlands and Islands has

been consistently below the Scottish and the UK rate. (April

2012: Highlands and Islands 2.8%, Scotland 4.2%, UK 4.0%.).

In 2011, the gross median annual pay for all employee jobs in the

Highlands and Islands of £18,993 was around 8% lower than the

equivalent for Scotland.

Employment rate in 2010: Highlands and Islands

78.3%, Scotland 71.0%.

Self-employment rate in 2010: Highlands and Islands 15.2%,

Scotland 10.9%.

In 2010, the population of the Highlands and Islands was 448,392. This represents an increase of 3.45% since

2001 and compares to a 3.12% increase overall in Scotland.

The Highlands and Islands area covers over 50% (40,400 sq km) of Scotland’s landmass, despite

having only 8% of Scotland’s population. Population density 11 people per sq km, compared to 127 people per sq km in the rest

of Scotland.

The female dominated sectors of education, human health

and social work are the largest employment sectors, employing nearly

30% of the workforce in the region.

Bha àireamh-sluaigh na Gàidhealtachd is na h-Eileanan aig 448,392 ann an 2010 – àrdachadh

air 3.45% bho 2001 an taca ri 3.12% àrdachadh gu h-iomlainn ann an Alba. Tha an roinn a’ còmhdachadh còrr

air 50% (40,400sq cm) de meall-fearainn na h-Alba, a dh’ aindeoin

8% de sluaigh na h-Alba. Tha dlùths àireamh an t-sluaigh 11 duine gach

cilemeatair ceàrnagach an taca ri 127 duines gach cileameatair ceàrnagach ann an àiteanan eile air feadh Alba.

Tha roinnean-obrach fo bhuaidh boireannaich a’ fastadh 30% de luchd-obrach san roinn.

Tha an ìre aig a bheil daoine a’ tòiseachadh gnìomhachasan nas àirde nar roinn an taca ri Alba, le

3.5 daoine ùr gach 1000 den sluaigh againn, an taca ri 2.8 gach 1000 ann

an Alba ann an 2011.

Tha Cìon-cosnaidh cunntais neach-tagraidh air a bhith tòrr nas

lugha na ìre Alba sgus RA. (Giblean 2012: A’ Ghàidhealtachd is na h-

Eileanan 2.8%, Alba 4.2%, RA 4.0%.)

Ire-cosnaidh ann an 2010: A’ Ghàidheal agus na h-Eileanan

78.3%, Alba 71.0%.

Bha am pàigheadh bliadhnail de £18,993 airson a’ h-uile luchd-obrach sa Ghàidhealtachd is na h-Eileanan,

timcheall air 8% nas lugha Alba gu lèir.

Ire fèin-fhastaichte ann an 2010: A’ Ghàidhealtachd is na h-Eileanan

15.2%, Alba 10.9%.

Published by Highlands and Islands Enterprise, Cowan House, Inverness IV2 [email protected]

All images are copyright Highlands and Islands Enterprise. All written material Crown Copyright.

Ambitious for Scotland Àrd-amas airson Alba

Documents

HIElights August/September Newsletter