Its purpose is to deliver for the benefit of the Scottish people. Devolution is one aspect of this Government's wish to decentralise power. The Scottish people now determine the domestic issues that are of relevance to them. Better, more responsive government is the immediate result. Improving the lives of all the people in Scotland.
Successful devolution is about partnership.
This is nowhere more important than in the economic strategy for Scotland. The Executive recognises that such a strategy has to acknowledge the importance of UK economic policy, and the performance of the economy. And the Executive drives many of the microeconomic policies in the Scottish economy. That interdependence has been recognised by the Executive in its Framework for Economic Development in Scotland published last June. And the foundation has to be a coherent and effective economic policy from the UK government.