Ebrief Week Beginning 6 May 2013

Planning Framework Consultation Published

I very much welcome the publication of the Scottish Governments ‘Third National Planning Framework: Main Issues Report and Draft Framework’, and the Scottish Planning Policy (SPP) consultation draft this week.

The consultation on the NPF and SPP is open until the 23rd July and the Scottish Government will be holding a series of public events around the country. It is expected that following consultation, the SPP will be finalised by the end of 2013, with NPF3 being adopted by 2014.

The National Planning Framework will guide future development and decisions. The planning guidelines will support Scotland’s renewable energy ambitions and safeguard environmentally sensitive areas. It sets out Scottish Ministers’ priorities on where important development should take place across Scotland.

The proposals also include strengthening environmental protection in the areas of Scotland covered by our wildest and most scenic land. The draft Scottish Planning Policy makes clear that the Scottish Government does not wish to see new wind farms in National Parks and National Scenic Areas as well as looking at increasing the distance of developments from towns and villages.

Securing growth and creating jobs are at the heart of the Scottish Government’s priorities and these improvements to our planning system will help to ensure we are able to achieve even more in this regard.

It is only right that planning decisions take into account the economic benefits and new jobs that can be secured by proposed developments, so that opportunities to improve the economic prospects of communities across Scotland are not lost.

It is also essential that we get the right balance between meeting our ambitious renewable energy targets and protecting our wild land and most scenic areas, and this latest guidance will help to ensure we achieve that.

An effective planning system is an essential part of ensuring that Scotland develops as a place we can all be proud to live.

Minimum Pricing Court of Session Ruling

Having supported the Minimum Pricing Bill I was pleased with the Court of Session’s ruling this week which should put paid to those who have opposed the legislation.

The passing of the Bill was an historic moment for the Scottish Parliament leading the way with a ground-breaking policy which will significantly benefit our society.
 
The Scottish Government has shown real leadership on this issue – refusing to give up in the face of opposition.
 
The Bill sets a minimum price for a unit of alcohol as a condition of licence. It also sets the formula for calculating the minimum price (based on the strength of the alcohol, the volume of the alcohol and a price per unit of alcohol).

According to academics this legislation will see in the course of its first year, 60 fewer deaths, 1,600 fewer hospital admissions, a total value of harm reduction of £64 million and around 3,500 fewer crimes per year.

This policy will go some way in ensuring the health of our nation and hopefully in the long term will also change unhealthy attitudes to the consumption of alcohol.

Auld Kirk and Village Heritage Trail

The Auld Kirk and Village Heritage Trail is thriving with Primary 6 pupils from New Cumnock PS, along with teacher Allison Smith, carrying out research in the village’s Auld Kirkyard.

Pupils joined Bobby Guthrie of New Cumnock Liaison Group (NCLG) in the kirkyard to track down family lairs of ten parishioners to help reveal the story of the area’s rich past. The children found the headstones and contributed to recording key data, before sharing their findings.

On establishing the Auld Kirk and Village Heritage Trail project, the NCLG was mindful of the Curriculum for Excellence and in particular the aspiration that ‘Learning … should promote an understanding of Scotland, our culture, heritage and history, our environment and our place in the world’  and this is most definitely evident in the high quality of interactive, hands-on learning which takes place.

The Auld Kirk and Village Heritage Trail project is a partnership between NCLG and East Ayrshire Council, funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund and Barr Environmental.

You can follow the project’s progress at http://newcumnockheritage.wordpress.com/

Increase in Childcare

Scottish families will save costs equivalent to around £700 per child, in funded early learning and childcare under proposals by the Scottish Government.

Under the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill, children will be entitled to an additional 125 hours of early learning and childcare a year. Following an increase in 2007 this represents a total increase of 188 hours under this Scottish Government.

The Scottish Government want Scotland to be the best place in the world to grow up and that is why they are working hard to help families. Around 121,000 children in Scotland will benefit from the provisions proposed in the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill, including three and four year olds, two year olds who are looked after and two year olds who are under the new Kinship Care Order.

Families will save around £700, per child, per year through this legislation. This additional support, along with increased flexibility of provision, will support parents who are working or training.

It is crucial that our children get the best start in life with more time and focus on the very start of their learning journey.

Ayrshire & Arran Tourism

The local tourism industry must embrace different ways of working to achieve more visitors to Ayrshire and Arran’ was the message heard by around a hundred tourism businesses who attended a tourism event held last week.

Ayrshire & Arran Tourism Team, in partnership with VisitScotland, hosted the Tourism Gathering to explore how local tourism businesses can best work together to drive tourism growth in Ayrshire and Arran.

Businesses from across Ayrshire and Arran had the chance to boost their credentials through improved networking, collaboration and making the most of existing marketing opportunities available for the tourism sector. The event also saw the launch of a dedicated website for tourism businesses to network and share information: www.ayrshire-arran.org/register/

Oil & Gas Industry Growing

Latest figures from the annual oil and gas survey of international activity, published this week, show a 5.8 per cent  increase in total sales from the sector to reach £17.2 billion, with international sales rising by 8.4 per cent in 2011-12,  reaching a record 47.6 per cent of total sales. Scottish companies now operate in over 100 markets across the world.
 
Scotland has established a global reputation within the oil and gas sector and these latest figures show an increase in international sales, which now account for almost 50 per cent of total sales.

The value of this activity to the economy and exchequer is substantial.  International sales by Scotland’s oil and gas supply chain rose by 8.4 per cent in 2011-12, to £8.2 billion – almost double the growth from the previous year.

Scotland is leading the way in the world of oil and gas and has a clear competitive advantage in this truly global industry.  There are huge opportunities open to us internationally and we are determined to make the most of them.

The Scottish Government recognises the substantial contribution that the oil and gas industry makes to our economy and are working with the industry to continue to strengthen Scotland’s position as a global leader in the sector and these figures mark further growth in this important part of our economy.

Scams Awareness Month

This month saw the launch of Scams Awareness Month which comes on the back of a Citizens Advice Scotland report on scams which showed that while nearly 50% of us have experienced scams, only 5% of us report them.  If someone came into your house, picked up a £10 note and walked out with it, you’d dial 999. And you’d dial even faster if it was £100 or more. Yet when such a theft comes in the form of a scam, people don’t report it, often feeling embarrassed.

This May, Citizens Advice Bureaux are joining with Trading Standards and other agencies across the country to make people more aware of scams, how people can spot them, and how to report them through Scams Awareness Month. This initiative will give people the knowledge they need to be able to spot scams in the first place; report them, and get the advice they need to help protect themselves in future.

Scams come in a variety of different forms: post, phone, email, online, sometimes via a knock on the door. There are hundreds of different types of scam: fake lotteries and prize draws, bogus health cures, dodgy investment schemes, pyramid selling, phishing, clairvoyants and psychics to name just a few. Types of scam tend to change though, as more people become aware of them and as scammers attempt to keep one step ahead. People from all walks of life get conned because scammers are clever, and always on the lookout for opportunities.

1. Get advice
Phone the Citizens Advice Consumer Service 08454 04 05 06: You can also get online help and information at our national advice website: www.adviceguide.org.uk

2. Report it
If you have been targeted by a scam, or know someone who has then call Action Fraud. 0300 123 2040 www.actionfraud.police.uk  (If debit cards, online banking or cheques are involved in the scam your  first step should be to contact their bank or credit card company.)

3. Tell others
Warning family, friends, colleagues and neighbours can help people avoid scams. If you get a suspicious circular or are contacted make sure you tip off as many people as you can.

News in Brief

• Tenants and landlords in the private rented sector are to benefit from a new Tenant Information Pack (TIP) which will improve access to information on renting and help ensure that accommodation is good quality and well managed as well as putting a legal duty on landlords to provide the TIP to new tenants. The launch of the pack is supported by a new website which offers practical renting guides for tenants and landlords in Scotland’s private rented sector and can be accessed at: https://rentingscotland.org/

• A group of 10 energy specialists from South Africa visited Scotland this week to develop their knowledge in the field of Marine Energy. As well as meeting  the Scottish Government experts, the group met with companies including Pelamis, Aquamarine Power and Nautricity. They also travelled to Orkney, where they visited the European Marine Energy Centre - the world’s only accredited testing facility for wave and tidal energy prototypes. While on the island they saw the Scotrenewables floating twin tidal turbine device. The delegation was led by Yusuf Timol, Minister (Economic) who leads the Department of Trade and Industry at the South African High Commission in London.

• More than £500,000 is to be given to the Holocaust Educational Trust over the next two years, to support the continuation of the successful project, Lessons from Auschwitz which provides opportunities for Scotland’s children and young people to learn about the Holocaust. Announced by the First Minister at a Parliamentary reception for Holocaust Educational Trust Ambassadors, the grant funding will be administered through the Holocaust Educational Trust.

• Scotland will host a second national celebration of reading in 2013. Building on the success of last year’s inaugural Book Week Scotland, Scottish Book Trust will deliver a week-long nationwide focus on books, reading and writing from November 25 to December 1, 2013. This week Scottish authors Denise Mina, Mairi Hedderwick and Richard Holloway launched ‘Treasures’ – Scottish Book Trust’s national writing project encouraging people to submit stories or poems about their own treasured possessions. Entries will be posted online and a selection will be included in a free book to be distributed across the country during Book Week Scotland 2013.

• A consultation on the future of vital funding for rural communities in Scotland gets underway this week. Work is currently ongoing to shape the future of the Scotland Rural Development Programme (SRDP) which distributes funds to projects as varied as village halls, support for less favoured areas, agri environment schemes and funding for farm diversification. The consultation will be supported by a series of 14 road shows – chaired by senior Scottish Government officials -  to give people a chance to find out more before having their say. A podcast will be available for those unable to attend a roadshow.

• Scottish business is backing a new employer assessed work-based qualification to help young people prove they are ready for employment. The Certificate of Work Readiness has been developed in partnership with the business community and aims to give unemployed young people the chance to demonstrate the value they bring to the workplace. Piloted by Skills Development Scotland (SDS) in a number of areas, the certificate will consist of college-based learning time, as well as 190 hours of real life work experience, and is unique in that it will only be awarded following employer assessment.

• Farmers who have been hardest hit by the recent snow and last year’s wet weather are to get help from the Scottish Government. A £6 million package was announced by Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead this week which will provide badly needed assistance for those hardest hit by the recent snowstorms and other severe weather in 2012/13.

Parliamentary Business
 
Tuesday 7 May 2013

2.00 pm Time for Reflection – Reverend Dave Slater, Minister, Gartcosh linked with Glenboig Parish Churches
Parliamentary Bureau Motions
Topical Questions
Public Petitions Committee Debate: PE1441 Flood Insurance
Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
Members’ Business – S4M-05783 Gordon MacDonald: Dads Rock 1st Anniversary

Wednesday 8 May 2013

2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.00 pm Portfolio Questions
Health and Wellbeing
Scottish Labour Party Debate: Childcare
Scottish Labour Party Debate: Health
Parliamentary Bureau Motions
Members’ Business – S4M-06401 Mary Scanlon: Importance of the Freshwater Pearl Mussel

Thursday 9 May 2013

11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
11.40 am General Questions
12.00 pm First Minister’s Questions
12.30 pm Members’ Business – S4M-05921 Anne McTaggart: Mary Barbour Commemoration
2.30 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.30 pm Scottish Government Debate: Young People, Supporting Scotland’s Economy Today and Tomorrow
Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time

Ebrief Week Beginning 29 April 2013

Scottish Government Taskforce

The first meeting of the Scottish Opencast Coal Taskforce took place on Monday this week. The aim of the taskforce, chaired by Fergus Ewing, Minister for Energy, is to secure the maximum number of jobs possible within the industry following the liquidation of the Scottish Resources Group (SRG).

It’s hoped that the great majority of the 590 workers made redundant by SRG earlier this month can be re-engaged to resume coaling operations and to ensure restoration obligations are fulfilled. The taskforce approved a ministerial approach to the liquidator requesting the SRG assets would not be subject to cherry picking.  The consensual taskforce view was that any company selected to take SRG forward should ideally be well-capitalised and ensure responsible restoration of past
and future sites and secure a sustainable future for the industry.

From an East Ayrshire perspective finding robust solutions to the current crisis is absolutely vital given that the coal companies combined are the largest private sector employers in the Cumnock and Doon Valley area.

Skills Development Scotland through the PACE team are holding an initial event for the workforce this week. The Council will be working with Scottish Enterprise and Scottish Development International to seek inward investment and attract new businesses to the area. I hope that new and alternative employment opportunities will be identified and generated by these efforts.

With the Scottish Government taking an active lead with the taskforce I am hopeful that positive outcomes will flow from all these efforts.

A77 Construction Work

I am delighted that construction has started on the A77 which brings to fruition a long promised and long delayed project. Once again this SNP Government has delivered where others have failed.

Campaigners have fought tirelessly to have this upgrade and I have had many exchanges with the Transport Minister Keith Brown on this matter where he assured me that when the funding became available the works would be progressed and he has delivered on his promise today.
 
This upgrade is vital for our local economy and the safety of the local communities. This is very good news for the local area and will be a welcome step forward in ensuring the Symington Bogend Toll junctions are made safe.

This project will see a total investment worth £10.6 million.  On completion, the new road improvements will enhance journey time reliability and improve safety. I and local residents along the A77 are anticipating the completion of the project in 2014 when we will have a local strategic road network that is fit for the 21st century.

Further details on the construction works can be accessed at; http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/news/Minister-kicks-off-work-on-%C2%A336m-road-improvements-in-South-Scotland

Coalfields Community Grants Programme Launch

I was delighted to attend the launch of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust new grant making programme at Dalmellington Community Centre on Friday 26 April.

The Coalfields Community Grants programme will provide grants of between £500 – and £10,000 in four separate tranches, one of them devoted to local organisations that have never received CRT funding before and another to eligible projects in coalfields 'cold spots'.

The programme will not only award grants to eligible coalfield projects but will also provide training and support to local organisations to equip them with the skills required to apply for funding from other sources.

The commitment from the Scottish Government to the regeneration of our coalfield communities is very much welcome particularly when it comes on the back of the demise of Scottish Coal in the local area.

This new programme has the added benefit of not only awarding funds but opening up opportunities to access funding from other grant making bodies by equipping members of the local communities with the skills and knowledge required to submit successful applications.
 
Coalfield communities have high levels of deprivation, worklessness and childcare provision is very poor. The Ayrshire coalfields particularly suffers from geographical isolation. However we have some outstanding examples of community led regeneration in The Zone Initiative based in Dalmellington, and Yipworld in Cumnock.

I believe we should be investing in people rather than physical assets and commend the approach of building on the existing community assets with local people themselves identifying needs and how best to address them.

The Scottish Government has listened to and taken on board my and other MSPs concerns regarding the future of our local areas and the invaluable role of the Coalfields Regeneration Trust. I am delighted that the representations I made have had such a positive outcome and I look forward to seeing Ayrshire communities involve themselves in both economic and social regeneration initiatives.

Scottish Government Currency Paper Published

The Scottish Government’s currency paper, published today, fully endorses the findings of the Fiscal Commission Working Group’s expert report that as an independent country in a Sterling zone Scotland would have the powers needed to exploit areas of comparative advantage and also tackle those areas where we need to improve performance.

A Sterling zone, with the pound as a shared currency will provide the full flexibility to set tax and spending decisions to target key opportunities and challenges in Scotland.

The sharing of the pound between an independent Scotland and the rest of the UK is the common sense position supported by the Fiscal Commission. A sterling zone is also in the overwhelming economic interests of the rest of the UK every bit as much as it is in the interests of Scotland.  An independent Scotland using the pound will mean Sterling’s balance of payments will be massively supported by Scotland’s huge assets, including North Sea oil and gas – which alone swelled the UK’s balance of payments by £40 billion in 2011-12.

The Fiscal Commission Working Group includes two Nobel Laureates, and their expert report – having examined several possible currency options –  concluded that sharing Sterling with the rest of the UK is the best option, offering freedom and flexibility for Scotland to develop our own taxation and spending policies to boost growth and address inequality. At present, the Scottish Parliament controls just seven per cent of Scotland's revenue base, and that would only increase to 15 per cent under the terms of the Scotland Act. With independence, Scotland will control 100 per cent of our revenues, which is what it needs to build a stronger economy and fairer society.‪

Scotland's finances are consistently stronger than the UK's – generating more revenue per head than the rest of the UK in each one of the past 30 years – and Scotland has had a lower fiscal deficit than the UK over the past five years. With the additional economic levers that independence will provide, and the up to £1.5 trillion asset base provided by Scotland’s   oil and gas reserves, an independent Scotland will stand on a strong financial footing.

Next year’s vote is the choice between unlocking the opportunities independence will open up or continuing to allow economic and welfare policy to be set by a Westminster system that isn't working for Scotland.

The paper can be accessed at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Resource/0041/00419554.pdf

Ayrshire & Arran Tourism Expo

Ayrshire and Arran led the way at VisitScotland’s annual Expo at the SECC in Glasgow as public and private sector partners worked together to market the area to travel trade buyers and journalists from around the globe.

This year’s stand was one of the largest at the show, with ten of Ayrshire’s leading businesses and tourism associations working together on a custom-built stand designed to highlight the best of Ayrshire and Arran.

Expo is Scotland’s flagship business to business event for the travel trade. Leading tourism businesses and associations including A D Rattray’s Whisky Experience, Auchrannie Resort, Blair Estate, Carrick Tourism Group, Cook School Scotland, Costley and Costley, Gailes Golf Experience, Park Hotel, SimpsInns, and VisitArran combined to showcase their products and services to key buyers from around the world.

These events and the collaborative approach taken by Ayrshire and Arran is exactly what we need to deliver the action plan and move forward with the five year strategy. The Tourism Team and industry partners worked together to sell our area and ensure we can attract new business.

Ayrshire and Arran’s presence at Expo is well established and demonstrates the benefits of a joined up approach. It is great to see an area presenting a coherent offer to travel trade buyers and really maximising the opportunity to sell their area on a national stage.

Following the success of the collaborative presence over the past five years, plans are now underway to further strengthen Ayrshire and Arran’s position as a key tourism destination with a presence at Expo 2014, when the show returns to Glasgow.

Public Vote for New Forth Bridge

The public vote to decide the name of the new Forth Replacement Crossing gets underway this week.

After receiving over 7,600 suggestions from the public, an independent panel has agreed a shortlist of five names (in alphabetical order):

• Caledonia Bridge
• Firth of Forth Crossing
• Queensferry Crossing
• Saltire Crossing
• St Margaret’s Crossing

Members of the public can now vote for their favourite via the dedicated website: www.namethebridge.co.uk , SMS texting or by requesting a postal vote. The website includes full details on the voting process.

Voting will run until June 7, with the most popular choice being formally announced towards the end of the month. The structure remains on schedule to open in 2016.

News in Brief

• The ban on open display of tobacco products in large shops and sales from self-service tobacco vending machines will come into effect next week. The changes are part of a range of measures to improve health by reducing the number of people choosing to smoke, and comes into force a month after the launch of the Scottish Government Tobacco Control Strategy.

• Bee farmers in Scotland, who have been hit by the bad weather, are to get Scottish Government help to restock their hives. Bee farmers estimate that around 4,000 colonies have been lost due to the prolonged winter weather and Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead announced that up to £200,000 would be available to help with restocking costs. He also indicated that a further financial package would be forthcoming next week for farmers, building on the £500,000 already provided to help with fallen stock costs.

• A £15 million fund to help develop deep-water wind turbine foundations in Scotland has been announced by Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism, Fergus Ewing. The Scottish Innovative Foundation Technologies Fund will support the development of prototype foundations for offshore wind turbines sited in water depths greater than 30 metres.

• A new independent monitoring system is to be established to replace Scotland’s prison visiting committees. Four prison monitors, supported by lay monitors, will be overseen by HM Chief Inspector of Prisons, and will replace the current system of prison visiting committees. The changes announced today come in response to recommendations made by Professor Andrew Coyle in his review of independent monitoring of prisons, published in February. Prison monitors will be given unfettered access to all prison areas when undertaking visits to support their monitoring work, which will include hearing complaints from prisoners. They will be supported by an advisory group which will be made up of key stakeholders from the justice sector who will provide guidance on monitoring, appointments and training.
 
• Under Curriculum for Excellence, more than 90 per cent of pupils are within or above expected reading and writing levels. The first ever literacy results from the Scottish Survey of Literacy and Numeracy have been published this week; the survey assessed pupils in primary four, primary seven and second year of high school in reading, writing and listening and talking.

Parliamentary Business
 
Tuesday 30 April 2013

2.00 pm Time for Reflection – Reverend Jim Ritchie, Senior Pastor, Trinity Church of the Nazarene, Perth
Parliamentary Bureau Motions
Topical Questions (if selected)
Scottish Government Debate: The Implications for Scotland of the Royal Charter on the Self-regulation of the Press
Business Motions
Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
Members’ Business – S4M-05625 John Mason: Social Tourism

Wednesday 1 May 2013

2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.00 pm Portfolio Questions
Rural Affairs and the Environment;
Justice and the Law Officers
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Debate: Funding of the Voluntary Sector
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Debate: Energy
Business Motions
Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
Members’ Business – S4M-05976 George Adam: MS Week 2013

Thursday 2 May 2013

11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
11.40 am General Questions
12.00 pm First Minister’s Questions
12.30 pm Members’ Business – S4M-05594 Neil Findlay: Blacklisting, a Scottish and UK Human Rights Abuse
2.30 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.30 pm Scottish Government Debate: Redesigning the Community Justice System
Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time

Ebrief Week Beginning 22 April 2013

Scottish Coal

The Minister for Energy, Enterprise and Tourism Fergus Ewing announced the establishment of a taskforce for the Scottish coal industry.

The Minister made the announcement during Topical Questions in the Scottish Parliament this week in response to a question on what support would be made available to families and communities affected by the liquidation of Scottish Coal.

Following the devastating announcement of redundancies at Scottish Coal last week I am greatly encouraged by this latest move by the Scottish Government which clearly recognises the importance of the industry to the Cumnock & Doon Valley area.

There were 348 employees from East Ayrshire sites made redundant with 235 of those employees resident in the Cumnock, New Cumnock, Dalmellington and Muirkirk area. This is particularly hard to bear during increasingly tough economic times, however the Minister has pledged the Scottish Governments support for the local workforce, communities and the future of coal mining both here in East Ayrshire and in other mining communities across Scotland.

I am hopeful that through the concerted efforts of the task force led by the Minister we will continue to see coal mining operations in the local area as well as the restoration of the open cast mining sites which is expected to create a substantial number of jobs over time.

The Minister has pledged:

• To set up a taskforce chaired by the Minister to secure a sustainable future for the Scottish Coal industry and the hundreds of jobs involved.
• To support those affected by redundancy through assistance from Skills Development Scotland and PACE
• To establish a Scottish Mines Restoration Trust to facilitate the restoration of opencast mines

Earlier Payment for Off Gas Grid Fuel
 
My colleagues in Westminster increased pressure on the UK Government during a debate this week on off-gas grid fuel to pay winter fuel payments for off-grid pensioners earlier than currently happens.

There will be a number of rural households in the constituency which are off the gas grid and rely on tankered fuels for their heating requirements. For off-grid customers tank gas and oil generally increases in price through the winter but because of the timing of winter fuel payments they are unable to take advantage of lower prices earlier in the year.

Changing the timing of payments would enable more fuel to be bought for the same price in preparation for winter which makes sense.

Our Spokesperson on Energy at Westminster has put forward a private members bill to make payment of the winter fuel allowance to pensioners off the gas grid at an earlier date from the All Party Parliamentary Group on Off Gas Grid, and have called upon the new Energy Minister to take a grip of the issue and get some common sense action over the issue.

I and my colleagues have long argued that bringing forward the payment of winter fuel allowance to eligible pensioners who are off the gas grid would allow them to make purchases of fuel before the winter sets in and prices normally rise substantially.

Many pensioners with off-grid oil and gas heating systems are disadvantaged at present with a system that was designed to work best for on-grid pensioner households. What is being proposed is simply common sense and not enough effort is being put in to make it work.

The whole purpose of the payment is to ensure that funds are available when the winter fuel bill arrives, which the present system does very well for those who pay their bills quarterly. Unfortunately those off the gas grid, such as those with tanked oil and gas heating systems, will generally find prices more expensive at that time and may have had considerable difficulty in getting or paying for supplies over the winter months.

New Cumnock Auld Kirk and Village Heritage Trail Project

The Auld Kirk and Kirkyard in New Cumnock is the focus of a very exciting partnership project between New Cumnock Liaison Group (NCLG) and East Ayrshire Council.
The New Cumnock Auld Kirk and Village Heritage Trail Project, led by Bobby Guthrie, has been supported by the Council’s Cultural and Countryside service, Outdoor Amenities and Corporate Infrastructure who have all provided technical expertise and valuable assistance throughout.

With funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund and Barr Environmental, the two part project will bring New Cumnock’s rich heritage to life for the local community and visitors alike. The first part of the project involved repairing and conserving the Auld Kirk ruins and cleaning and repairing five key headstones.

The second part of the project is the creation of the heritage trail encompassing a theme of ancient and new focusing on significant sites within the Auld Kirkyard. With this theme firmly in mind volunteers from New Cumnock Parish Church, New Cumnock History Club and NCLG spent an afternoon researching the ministers and soldiers who have been laid to rest within the kirkyard.

Please follow the project’s progress at http://newcumnockheritage.wordpress.com/

Response to Rural Education Commission

The findings of the Commission on the Delivery of Rural Education have been broadly welcomed by the Scottish Government and CoSLA.

The Commission, chaired by Sheriff David Sutherland, has presented its report and made a number of recommendations around the issues faced in delivering education in rural areas.

As the Scottish Government has said on many occasions, securing high quality educational opportunities is key to the sustainability of rural communities.
 However, this presents many challenges, which is why the Scottish Government and CoSLA established the Commission to look at the future delivery of education in rural areas.

The Scottish Government will now carefully consider the recommendations and how the Scottish Government, CoSLA and individual councils can improve how education is delivered in rural Scotland.

We know that we need a sustainable network of rural schools that can continue to deliver the best possible education for Scotland’s pupils as we foster a generation of young people equipped with the right skills to succeed in the global jobs market.

Recommendations can be read here: Commission on the Delivery of Rural Education

New Bill to Aid Children and Young People

Three and four year old children will, for the first time in Scotland, be entitled to 600 hours of funded early learning and childcare through the Children and Young People (Scotland) Bill, published this week.

The Bill proposes a range of measures which also include:

• Looked after two year olds and those with a kinship care order will receive the same entitlement as three and four year olds
• A named person for every child and young person from birth to safeguard and support their wellbeing, working with other bodies as required
• Providing kinship carers with more support from local authorities to increase family stability.

An extra £10 million on top of the £20 million third sector fund was also announced to be shared between 45 organisations working closely with children, young people and families, as part of wider investment in prevention and early intervention. This lifts the total budget for the fund to £30 million over two years, an increase on the funding available over the previous two years.

This Bill will improve levels of care and support to children and families across the country through an increase in free and more flexible early learning and childcare from 475 to 600 hours, as well as more joined up services to support the wellbeing of all children and young people through a named person. Further measures will also add stability to kinship care arrangements. The level of investment the Scottish Government is putting into ensuring the Bill works for Scotland’s young people also demonstrates their commitment to investing in our children from the very start.

Resource Bill Savings

A one-stop-shop to help businesses and the public sector use energy, water and raw materials more efficiently could save billions and protect our environment.

The Scottish Government’s Resource Efficient Scotland programme brings together expertise on managing energy, water and materials costs into a single service for the first time. This will make it easier for Scottish organisations and businesses, particularly smaller firms, to operate more efficiently and get more value from the resources they do use.

Resource efficiency – being smarter in how we use valuable resources like energy, water, and raw materials – could save businesses and the public sector up to £2.9 billion a year, making a significant contribution to sustainable economic development in Scotland and protecting our environment.

The Scottish Government are bringing together support into a one-stop-shop offering advice on using energy, water and raw materials. This will make it easier for Scotland’s businesses, and public and voluntary sector organisations to access practical, on-the-ground support to use resources more efficiently, helping them to make even bigger savings and offering longer-term benefits for global competitiveness, and I would urge them to seize this opportunity.

Businesses throughout Scotland can get involved by contacting Zero Waste Scotland who will manage the programme providing a free online and telephone advice and information service staffed by resource efficiency experts on www.resourceefficientscotland.com and Freephone 0808 808 2268. On-site consultancy support will also be available. Alongside this advice and support service, Resource Efficient Scotland will lead targeted initiatives in priority sectors where the largest economic gains have been identified including construction and the built environment, food and drink, hospitality, and the public sector.

The Resource Efficient Scotland programme is funded by the Scottish Government through the Zero Waste Scotland programme budget with £7 million a year allocated for the programme.

More information can be found at: Resource Efficient Scotland

News in Brief

• More small businesses than ever before are securing public contracts through Public Contracts Scotland (PCS), the national advertising portal. PCS figures show that 80 per cent of 13,308 suppliers awarded contracts through the online portal in 2012 were based in Scotland. The statistics also demonstrate that 68 per cent of contracts were awarded to Scottish based small or medium sized companies (SMEs), a rise of 12 per cent since 2010.

• Participation in higher education among young Scots has reached a record high according to figures released by the Scottish Funding Council. The report, which measures participation of initial entrants to higher education, also shows that Scottish participation remains higher than in England, and the participation of 16 to 19 year olds is also at a record high.

• Marine Scotland has announced days at sea allocations for West Coast fishermen that will help to keep the fleet at sea throughout this year.  The Scottish Government has listened hard to the concerns of fishermen. The need to allocate days at sea comes from the EU’s dysfunctional Cod Recovery Plan (CRP) that controls vessels’ time at sea even when they catch very little cod.

• Around 750 lives have been saved in Scotland since the introduction of the national bowel screening programme in 2007. The figures have been revealed to coincide with Nudge Day, a national day of action to encourage Scots to ‘nudge’ older family members to get tested for bowel cancer. Since the Scottish Bowel Screening Programme was introduced, it is estimated that around 750 premature deaths from bowel cancer have been prevented. The latest figures show that just over half of those eligible for the programme actually do the test (54.5 per cent). As part of Nudge Day (#nudgeday), family and friends are being urged to encourage people aged 50-74 to do the test.

Parliamentary Business

Tuesday 23 April 2013
2.00 pm Time for Reflection – Reverend James Falconer, Hospital Chaplain, Aberdeen Children’s Hospital
Parliamentary Bureau Motions
Topical Questions
Welfare Reform Committee Debate: Impact of Welfare Reform on Scotland
Preliminary Stage Debate: The National Trust for Scotland
Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
Members’ Business – S4M-06097 Alex Johnstone: Welcome to the National Cricket Teams of Japan
Wednesday 24 April 2013
2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.00 pm Portfolio Questions
Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth
Ministerial Statement: Making the Most of Scotland’s Canals
Scottish Labour Party Debate: Justice
5.30 pm Decision Time
Members’ Business – S4M-05708 Jamie Hepburn: Future of Scotland’s Crown Post Offices
Thursday 25 April 2013
11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
11.40 am General Questions
12.00 pm First Minister’s Questions
12.30 pm Members’ Business – S4M-05930 John Pentland: Workers’ Memorial Day 2013
2.30 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.30 pm Stage 1 Debate: Land and Buildings Transaction Tax (Scotland) Bill
Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time

Ebrief Week Beginning 15 April 2013

Many of you would have read in the local paper that I was in hospital having suffered a mini stroke. I am very happy to report to you all that I have returned home and I’m well on the road to recovery.

I would like to thank all the staff at Crosshouse Hospital who were extremely efficient and professional and to all the people up and down the constituency who have sent messages of support.

Scotland’s Balance Sheet

Scotland’s Balance Sheet - a detailed assessment of Scotland’s public finances which shows that Scotland is in a stronger financial  position that the UK - has been published this week. It provides detailed estimates of Scottish public spending, taxation, annual fiscal balance and share of UK net debt.

The paper considers two scenarios for allocating Scotland a notional share of UK debt following a vote for independence.  Both of these scenarios are based on estimates from 2011-12, putting UK public sector net debt at £1.1 trillion or 72 per cent of UK GDP.

If the debt is allocated to Scotland on a simple per capita basis it would be equivalent to £92 billion or 62 per cent of GDP.

However, if UK debt is assigned to Scotland on an illustrative historical basis, using estimates of public spending and tax receipts in Scotland over the past thirty years, in other words, on the basis of what Scotland has actually contributed to UK tax revenues then Scotland’s share of UK net debt is estimated to be £56 billion, equivalent to 38 per cent of GDP.

This research forms part of a detailed analysis of Scotland’s long running financial position and contrasts Scotland’s position with that of the UK and the EU 15. It includes figures published last week which showed that pension and welfare costs account for a smaller share of the economy in Scotland than is the case for the UK as a whole and most of the EU 15 - and that tax receipts in Scotland, on a per capita basis, have been higher than those of the UK for the last thirty years.

Scotland's share of the UK's public sector debt will obviously be a crucial part of the negotiations following a vote for independence and this analysis shows that Scotland will be in a strong position in these negotiations.

It is clear that, whatever way we look at it, Scotland is in a much better financial  position than the UK, including on the issue of  national debt.   Both of the methodologies show that Scotland's estimated share of national debt takes up a smaller proportion of our economy than is the case for the UK - which means that in all circumstances Scotland will be better off with independence.

The analysis also shows that Scotland more than pays her way in the UK.   The average tax receipt per person here has been higher in each of the last 30 years than it has been across the UK as a whole.

The mismanagement of the UK economy by Westminster has led to a situation where we are all burdened with a massive UK debt - that is an argument for independence, not against it.  What share of UK debt Scotland takes with independence will be one of the crucial areas of negotiation between the Scottish Government and the UK Government, and Scotland will be in a strong position.

There will need to be some hard talking on the debt issue and it stands to reason that Scotland's  share of debt should take account of the substantial and disproportionately large contribution that Scotland has made to the Westminster coffers over the past thirty years.

Pension Costs More Affordable in Scotland

The Scottish Government has published an analysis demonstrating that pension and social welfare costs are consistently more affordable in Scotland than in the rest of the UK – and that Scotland is in a better position than the majority of EU15 countries when it comes to meeting the costs of social protection.

The research also shows that in the last year total public spending for Scotland accounted for a smaller share of our economy than for the UK as a whole.  To reach the same level as public spending as a share of GDP across the UK, Westminster would have needed to allocate a further £4.1 billion to Scotland.

Key facts from the analysis show

•           Spending on social protection – which includes welfare, pensions and social services - is more affordable as a share of Scotland’s economy than it is across the UK.
•           Spending on social protection is estimated to have been lower as a share of Scotland’s economy than in the majority of EU15 countries during 2011
•           Overall public spending in Scotland has accounted for a lower share of our economy than it has across the UK in each of the last 5 years. For Scotland to have the same level of spending as a share of the economy as the UK would have required a further £4.1bn to have been allocated to Scotland in 2011-12
Households are facing damaging welfare cuts and looking at reductions in the state pension in the years ahead as the Westminster system delivers cuts to support for the elderly and the vulnerable.

Instead of accepting that situation where cuts are imposed against the wishes of the vast majority of Scotland’s MPs a Yes vote in next year’s referendum will allow us to take welfare and pensions into Scotland’s hands and use the full strength of our economy to provide the support people across Scotland deserve.

As this analysis shows spending on pensions and welfare is currently more affordable in Scotland than in the rest of the UK and in many EU countries, taking up a lower share of our overall economy.

Compared to the original 15 member states of the EU, 13 of them use more of their national wealth to pay for social protection than Scotland does.  With full responsibility for our economy these figures clearly show that welfare and pensions are more affordable in Scotland.

With access to all of Scotland’s resources and the full responsibility for economic growth that comes with independence, Scotland will be able to invest in a welfare system that supports people in their old age, helps families with childcare and  increases equality, rather than one which reduces taxes for the wealthy whilst  cutting support for the vulnerable.

MP’s Should Reject Air Passenger Duty Hike

Scottish MPs must stand up for Scotland and reject the rise in Air Passenger Duty, which will be included in this weeks Finance Bill debate in Westminster.

My SNP colleague MP Angus MacNeill will be making the case during the debate emphasising that increasing the cost for airlines to fly to Scottish airports is the last thing they need and will move an amendment to have APD devolved, in line with the policy in Northern Ireland.

Bosses of Scotland’s three main airports – Edinburgh, Glasgow and Aberdeen - recently warned that they could lose as many as two million customers over the next three years as a result of the proposed hike in APD and I know that bosses at Glasgow Prestwick Airport are in favour of the move.

The budget hike in Air Passenger Duty (APD) is extremely bad news for Scotland’s airports and the wider economy, at a time when communities are struggling to get any kind of growth at all.  Increasing the cost for airlines to fly to Scottish airports is the last thing they need.

This is a poll tax of the skies - it hits businesses and families hard. However this is just another example of the economic damage that can be done to Scotland when we do not have power over our own taxes.

Scottish MPs must listen to the dire warnings of our airport bosses.

It is already devolved to Northern Ireland. We need decisions over Scotland’s taxes to be made by people in Scotland, who are by definition the best-placed to put our interests first.

Funding to Reduce Reoffending

Six projects are to receive a share of almost £7.7 million to establish a national network of mentoring schemes to tackle Scotland’s high re-offending rates.

The funding, to be invested during the next two years, will be targeted towards prolific male offenders and women offenders who are at risk of re-offending. They will be given one-to-one support, provided by around 130 mentors, to deal with their problems, including practical support to get their lives back on track, help to access public services and encouragement to comply with court orders and community sentences.

This investment – the latest round from the Scottish Government’s Reoffending Change Fund - includes £2.658m for a partnership of voluntary and public organisations led by Sacro to work with female offenders, and £2.9m for a partnership led by the Wise Group to undertake mentoring with prolific male offenders. Each of these programmes will be delivered Scotland wide.

Four further Public Social Partnerships will receive funding for local or specialised schemes. These are:

• Tayside Council on Alcohol -  £311,270 to build on their work with women and persistent male offenders in Dundee, Perth and Kinross, and Angus
• Action for Children & Barnardo’s -  £1,267,751 to work with young prolific male offenders in East Ayrshire, Renfrewshire, Inverclyde and Highland
• Includem - £374,399 to work with problematic young offenders in Greater GlasgowVoluntary Action
• South Lanarkshire - £179,742 to work on mentoring and employability with offenders in that area

Although crime in Scotland is now at a 37 year low, re-offending rates remain stubbornly high. Without the right support, those leaving prison will all too often end up back behind bars – in some cases, time and time again. We need to break that cycle so that offenders make a more meaningful contribution to society, enter a life free of crime and stop our communities suffering from the impact of their repeat offending.

This funding will help six partnerships expand or set up mentoring schemes across Scotland to improve throughcare and support for younger offenders leaving prison and in the community.
 
News in Brief

• A transatlantic project that will digitally document in 3D the homes of Scottish conservationist John Muir using cutting-edge scanning technology was announced by First Minister Alex Salmond during his visit to New York last week. As people on both sides of the Atlantic celebrate the 175th anniversary of Muir’s birth in 2013, the First Minister announced that Muir’s birthplace in Dunbar and his home in Martinez, California would be captured in virtual form in a new partnership to help promote his life and work in Scotland’s Year of Natural Scotland.

• Scientists at the Scottish Government are collating rhino DNA to set up a database to be used by police investigating rhino horn theft. With rhino horn now fetching more than its weight in gold, the illegal trade in rhinoceros horn has become increasingly lucrative in recent years. This is driving not only poaching of wild rhinoceros but also thefts of horns from private collections. More than 50 thefts were reported from European museums, galleries and auction houses in 2011.

• An Oscar-winning director has arrived in Scotland to mentor the next generation of film-makers. Mark Andrews, the director of Disney•Pixar’s Oscar-winning animation Brave, will give lectures and lead workshops at the internationally renowned Glasgow School of Art (GSA) for the next two weeks. It is the first time one of Pixar's senior creatives has undertaken a mentoring project in the UK.

• A total of 285 Scots have received life-saving transplants in the last 12 months as latest figures show that Scotland has achieved a 74.1 per cent increase in organ donors. The statistics, released by NHS Blood and Transplant also show a UK-wide increase of 50 per cent, a target set by the Organ Donation Taskforce in 2008, and met in Scotland a year early in 2012. In 2012/13 there were a total of 94 donors in Scotland – up from 54 in 2007/8.

Parliamentary Business
Tuesday 16 April 2013
2.00 pm Time for Reflection – Professor A C Grayling, philosopher, writer and broadcaster, Master of the New College of Humanities, Vice President of the British Humanist Association and an Honorary Associate of the National Secular Society.
Parliamentary Bureau Motions
Topical Questions (if selected)
Scottish Government Debate: Universal Services
Business Motions
Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
by Members’ Business – S4M-05710 David Torrance: Congratulating Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society
Wednesday 17 April 2013
2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.00 pm Portfolio Questions
Education and Lifelong Learning
Scottish Green Party and Independent Group Debate: There is Still Such a Thing as Society
Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
Members’ Business – S4M-05609 Kezia Dugdale: One Billion Rising
Thursday 18 April 2013
11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
11.40 am General Questions
12.00 pm First Minister’s Questions
12.30 pm Members’ Business – S4M-05696 Nigel Don: Scotland’s Butchers Lead the Way with Quality Produce
2.30 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.30 pm Infrastructure and Capital Investment Committee Debate: Public Procurement Reform
5.00 pm Decision Time