Watchdogs have highlighted a “gap in political leadership” within a key Scottish Government strategy that aims to transform the country’s economy.

Then finance secretary Kate Forbes launched the National Strategy for Economic Transformation (NSET) in March 2022, setting out a ten-year blueprint to create a wellbeing economy which delivers for people across Scotland.

But almost two years on, the Economic Leadership Group, which public spending watchdogs at Audit Scotland said was meant to be a “key part” of the NSET, has still not met.

In a briefing paper on the NSET, Audit Scotland there is a “gap in collective political leadership as the Government has yet to establish its planned Economic Leadership Group”.

Under the plans, the group is to be chaired by the First Minister with members including senior Cabinet ministers and the president of local government body Cosla.

Audit Scotland said the Scottish Government had intended the group to be a “key part of overall governance of the NSET”.

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