Wednesday 9 May

News that young people in Scotland will be supported into work with a cash boost of around £25 million has been welcomed by SNP MSP Humza Yousaf.

The money will be used for projects designed to help young people either gain or stay in employment, and support a range of initiatives from training to business development and recruitment incentives.

Mr Yousaf said:

"The 25 million of funding is in line with the SNP’s commitment to helping young people to get and keep jobs and I have no doubt these funds will be used to great effect to do just that.

"This funding boost will prove to be a vital support for those young people from economically disadvantaged backgrounds, allowing them to develop new and existing skills to increase their chances getting a rewarding career.

"The SNP are resolute in our aim of a Scotland for the many, not just for the few and this is backed-up with a guarantee for every 16-19-year-old a place in education or training.

"This cash injection - which almost doubles the dedicated youth employment budget of £30 million - will make a real difference to the lives of many of our young people."

NOTES

To date the Scottish Government has allocated £650 million from European Structural Fund supporting 14,000 individuals, creating 20,000 jobs and provided advice and support to 240,000 individuals to enter or progress in employment.

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/News/Releases/2012/05/ESF-jobs09052012

Wednesday 9 May

SNP MSP Mark McDonald has welcomed comments from the top Scottish executive at Lloyds Banking Group saying the independence debate "is no bad thing" for promoting Scotland to international investors.

Philip Grant, chairman of the Scottish executive committee, told the Scottish Parliament's Finance Committee the independence debate has made global markets more aware of "the brand of Scotland".

He said: "Scotland has great strengths, great national opportunities and great talent and strength in its universities sector. For people to be more aware of the brand of Scotland and the capability that we have, and the opportunities, I think, is no bad thing in a global market."

Mr Grant added that the decision is something for the people of Scotland, but that there are "parts of the world where people are getting interested in Scotland again."

Mr McDonald, SNP MSP for North East Scotland and member of the committee, said:

"This is a welcome and positive contribution to the independence debate which also recognises all of Scotland's strengths.

"Mr Grant acknowledges the debate on our country's future has put Scotland, our talent, opportunities, our universities and the fact we are leaders in the renewables sector into the global spotlight and is generating new interest in Scotland's potential.

"A recent Ernst and Young survey found Scotland was the most attractive nation in the UK to do business in 2010, which has been vindicated by the investment of companies such as Gamesa, Amazon, Mitsubishi and Glaxo-Smith-Kline.

"As Mr Grant rightly said Scotland's future is a matter for the people of Scotland, its parliament and its government but anything which increases Scotland's profile creates opportunities for business, enterprise and trade.

"The Scottish Government's consultation Your Scotland, Your Referendum ends this week and I would urge the people of Scotland to have their say."

Wednesday 9 May 2012

Responding to the Queen’s speech SNP Westminster Leader Angus Robertson MP said the Coalition Government’s legislative programme failed to deliver for Scotland on key tests of boosting jobs and growth.

Mr Robertson said:

“With the UK having fallen into a double-dip recession, we needed the Queen’s speech to focus on jobs and growth but, just like the Budget, this programme fails to meet the economic challenges we face.

“After saying that more powers for Scotland, beyond the Scotland Act, were on the table there is nothing in this legislative programme to devolve real economic powers and responsibility so that the Scottish Parliament can act where Westminster fail.

“The Coalition’s legislative programme shows the difference in priorities between Scotland and a UK Government that is out of touch. While the Scottish Government focuses on job creation and the economy, the UK Government is obsessed with process issues and has failed to bring forward essential investment in 'shovel-ready' projects.

“People in Scotland have the right to know what the alternative to independence is – and the UK Government has an obligation to tell the rest of us what it is.

“The UK is in a double-dip recession as a direct result of a sharp fall in construction output over a period when the Scottish Government has consistently called for investment in 'shovel-ready' projects.

“At a time when we needed capital investment to support employment, help small business and promote economic security, there is little in this Queen’s speech to meet the challenges we face. This fall back into recession in the UK shows that the Tory/Lib Dem coalition has its priorities all wrong, and that we urgently need a change of direction.

“Labour inertia first led us into recession, and Tory ineptitude, aided and abetted by their lib-dem partners, has taken us back there.

“It’s time economic powers were in the hands of a decisive Scottish Government who would take action to create jobs and grow the economy out of the mess they have got us into.”


The full list of the shovel ready projects submitted by the Scottish Government to the UK Government is available here

Wednesday 9 May

The SNP today welcomed reports in the Wall Street Journal’s Market Watch website which adds more weight to the case for Scottish independence and further discredits the anti-independence parties’ efforts.

This follows news that the majority of oil companies are unconcerned by the result of the independence referendum.

The Wall Street Journal Website says: “There is now little dispute that Scotland on its own can be a viable economy.”

And continues: "The claim that a penurious Scotland is a subsidy junkie has already been proved a myth."

Welcoming the reports, Linda Fabiani, SNP MSP and Convener of the Scottish Parliament’s Scotland Bill Committee, submitted a motion on the report.

She said:

“More and more informed opinions across the world recognise that Scotland can stand on its own two feet - the case for Scotland is strengthening all the time.

“Scotland is country rich in natural resources, big on skills, attractive to foreign investors and a world leader in renewable energy.

“As the Wall Street Journal points out, it is objectively the case that Scotland pays more in taxes to the UK Treasury than it receives in expenditure.

“The longer that the anti-independence parties continue to talk Scotland down, the further they will alienate themselves from the people of Scotland.”


NOTES

Read the WSJ Market Watch articles here and here

Linda’s motion can be viewed here

• The latest GERS figures, published at the beginning of March, found that every man, woman and child in Scotland would have been £510 better off last year if Scotland had been an independent country.
• In cash terms in 2010/11, the relative difference in Scotland and the UK’s fiscal positions was equivalent to £2.7bn. This is equivalent to £510 for every man, woman and child in Scotland.
• Scotland continues to be in a stronger budget position than the UK as a whole, contributing 9.6% of UK and public sector revenue while receiving 9.3% of total UK public sector expenditure, including a per capita share of UK debt interest payments. Scotland’s population is 8.4% of the UK total.
• The GERS publication shows that North Sea Oil revenue makes up 15% of Scotland’s total tax take. In Norway, the figure in 2011 was 29%
(source: US State Dept http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3421.htm )
• In December, the Social Attitudes Survey found that 65% of those questioned would support independence on the basis that they would be £500 better off with a higher standard of living.
• 60% of recipients said they felt that independence would make Scotland’s economy the same or better.

Wednesday May 9, 2012

Following the proposal from Conservative MPs, including former Welsh Secretary John Redwood and former Shadow Home Secretary David Davies, for the devolution of all taxes to Scotland except VAT and national insurance, the SNP said independence was the only clear solution to Tory confusion over the constitution.

SNP Constitutional Affairs spokesperson Pete Wishart MP said:

"This contribution to the debate on Scotland's future shows the confusion in the ranks of Westminster government parties.

"The Tories are all at sea over what devolved powers Scotland should have. The ink is barely dry on the new Scotland Act, yet even senior Tories now recognise it is irrelevant.

"The case for economic powers for Scotland is a positive one. The latest Government Expenditure & Revenue Scotland figures(GERS) show that, last year alone, Scotland was in a stronger financial position than the UK as a whole to the tune of nearly £2.7 billion – or £510 for every man, woman and child in Scotland."

"As for solving the West Lothian question, SNP MPs already refrain from voting on exclusively English matters which do not impact on Scotland.

“But there is a clear and elegant answer to the West Lothian question which is fairer for both nations - independence.

"The decision on Scotland's future will not be made by Tory MPs. It will be for the Scottish people to decide their own future in an independence referendum in 2014.

"Both Scotland and England should be fully in charge of their affairs by becoming independent and equal nations."

NOTES

The Conservative MPs published their views on the "Conservative Home" website, as part of an "Alternative Queen's Speech." The draft "Double-Devolution" bill proposed more powers for Scotland and for English votes for English laws at Westminster, to tackle the so-called West Lothian question.

http://conservativehome.blogs.com