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The Council of Economic Advisers brings together a small group of experts of the very highest calibre to advise the First Minister on how to achieve higher, sustainable economic growth. The National Economic Forum brings together senior figures and thought leaders in business, trade unions, government, the wider public sector, and the third sector, to help build consensus around their collective contributions to achieving increased sustainable growth.

Both bodies will hold the government to account through assessing the achievement of the measurable economic targets set out in the Government Economic Strategy.

The purpose of the government economic strategy is to focus the Scottish Government and public services on creating a more successful country, with opportunities for all of Scotland to flourish through increasing sustainable economic growth.

The National Economic Forum will involve key players from across Scotland in building consensus around that purpose and will hold the government to account through assessing achievement of the measurable economic targets set out in the economic strategy.

No formal conclusions were reached at the inaugural meeting of the forum, which highlighted a number of issues that might be developed further at future meetings. Reports of the discussions held at the first meeting have been published recently and are available on the Scottish Government website.

Any conclusions reached by future meetings of the forum, on these or other issues and themes, will also be published.

The groups and individuals invited to attend the inaugural meeting of the forum were agreed by ministers at the recommendation of officials with the aim of bringing together senior figures and thought leaders in business, trade unions, government, the wider public sector, and the third sector.

No final decision has yet been taken by ministers about the size and composition of any emerging core membership.

Individuals and groups were invited specifically to participate in the first meeting of the forum. Many of those invited are likely to form part of a core membership but ministers wish to retain flexibility (in terms of both size and representation), according to the theme(s) to be considered at each meeting, around that emerging core.

A total of 88 delegates, excluding Scottish Government officials, attended the inaugural meeting of the National Economic Forum.

Findings and conclusions of the National Economic Forum will be made public. Reports of the discussions held at the first meeting of the forum, which took place on the 6 February 2008, have been published recently and are available on the Scottish Government website.

The government regards the two events as complementary. The former is a partnership event, between the Scottish Government and the Parliament, which aims to facilitate engagement between Scotland''s businesses and politicians, both the government and the Parliament as a whole. The forum brings together senior figures and leaders in business, trade unions, government, the wider public sector, and the third sector, as an important aspect of the government''s strategy to achieve transformational change and higher sustainable economic growth throughout Scotland.

Since both the forum and the conference involve engagement with key stakeholders on economic and enterprise matters, it is likely that the outcomes of one will of interest to the other. However, at the moment the government does not envisage any formal relationship between the two bodies.

Yes. Reports of the discussions held at the first meeting of the forum, which took place on the 6 February 2008, have been published recently and are available on the Scottish Government website.

The Small Business Consultative Group last met on 2 October 2007. Issues discussed at that meeting were: reform of the enterprise networks; the Skills Strategy, and the implementation of the Small Business Bonus. The next meeting is planned for 12 May 2008.