The SNP
Members of the
Westminster
Parliament were
criticised for
lodging a lot of
questions; the
Labour Party said
this was to boost
their question
rate. An
examination of some
of the information
provided here shows
how tortuous the
obtaining of
information can be;
Labour, of course,
do not like
providing the
answers.
Thursday 29th
December
In the next
Parliamentary
session, the SNP
will make moves to
launch a Bill to
give the House of
Commons the final
say over any
expenditure on a new
nuclear missile for
the Clyde.
With
Tony Blair refusing
to rule out a new
generation of
nuclear weapons
after the current
Trident system
becomes redundant,
the SNP in
Westminster believe
Parliamentary
scrutiny and
approval for any new
system is essential.
Explaining the SNP's
move the party's
Defence spokesperson
Angus Robertson MP
said,
"It is ironic that
Tony Blair sent our
troops to war on
Iraq on the pretext
that Saddam had
Weapons of Mass
Destruction - WMD
which turned out to
be non-existent. Yet
at the same time he
bases the UK's
existing WMD in
Scotland and refuses
to rule out a new
generation of
nuclear weapon.
"Over the course of
this Parliamentary
term the SNP will be
highlighting the
contrast between the
billions Labour
wants to waste on a
new generation
nuclear missile for
the Clyde, alongside
the cuts which mean
no future for the
best infantry
regiments in the
world.
"Tony Blair would
prefer the empty
grandeur of a weapon
that is useless in
the struggle against
global terrorism
instead of the
forces who can
actually root out
terrorist groups.
"Over the course of
this term, the SNP
group will publish a
cross-party Bill
giving the Commons
the final say over
expenditure on any
new nuclear missile.
"If the choice is
between dedicated
Scottish soldiers
who can play a role
in peace keeping and
the war against
terror and the
posturing of a new
nuclear deterrent,
our decision is
clear. We will back
Scotland's soldiers
over Blair's weapons
of mass
destruction."
Friday 30th
December
DCMS doesn't spend a
penny on staff or
buildings in
Scotland
SNP Deputy Leader in
the House of
Commons, Angus
Robertson MP, has
condemned the
Department of
Culture Media and
Sport for an
unacceptable London
bias as
parliamentary
answers revealed:
-
the top 10 civil
servants
collectively earn
over £1m and are all
based in London
-
the total salary
bill for the
department is £16.7m
and it is all for
staff based in
London
-
the department pays
£4.5m in rent for
properties, all in
London
-
a further £952,000
in rates is paid to
City of Westminster
and Camden councils
The
DCMS is responsible
for what are
regarded as UK wide
issues including the
National Lottery,
the BBC, the London
Olympics, Visit
Britain and even the
Remembrance service.
Commenting Mr
Robertson said:
“These are shocking
figures which show
the appalling London
bias of the Culture
department. Every
single member of
staff is based in
London, working in
some of the most
expensive property
to be found anywhere
in the world.
“This department is
supposed to
represent the whole
of the UK, but it is
clearly
short-changing
Scotland, Wales,
Northern Ireland and
the regions of
England by spending
millions of pounds
of our money only in
London.
“The government is
quick to point out
the money that is
spent on public
services in
Scotland, but it
ignores all these
millions spent on
civil servants and
government
departments in
London. There is a
real and hidden
subsidy.
“The top 10 civil
servants in this
department earn over
£1 million between
them. That is money
paid for by Scottish
taxes and it is high
time Scotland got
its fair share.”
Note: the following
parliamentary
answers detail the
picture:
Mr.
Weir: To
ask the Secretary of
State for Culture,
Media and Sport how
much was paid by her
Department in
2004-05 in rent for
properties in (a)
total, (b)
each (i) region and
(ii) nation of the
UK and (c)
London. (12 Dec
2005 : Column
1638-39W
)
Mr. Lammy:
The Department for
Culture Media and
Sport paid rents for
properties in London
as follows in
2004-05 (this is the
net figure after
receipt of rental
income from private
sector tenants):
£4,499,755.
The Department
did not pay any rent
outside London in
2004-05.
Angus Robertson:
To ask the
Secretary of State
for Culture, Media
and Sport how much
was paid by her
Department in rates
to each local
authority in the UK
in 2004-05; and how
much was paid in
(a) each (i)
nation and (ii)
region of the UK and
(b) London.
Mr. Lammy:
The Department for
Culture, Media and
Sport paid rates as
follows in 2004-05:
City of Westminster, London—£716,655.07
London borough of
Camden—£167,354.93
The Royal Parks
Agency paid rates as
follows in 2004-05.
City of Westminster
council,
London—£68,400
The Department
did not pay any
rates outside London
in 2004-05.
Stewart Hosie:
To ask the
Secretary of State
for Culture, Media
and Sport how many
staff are employed
by her Department in
each (a)
region and (b)
nation of the UK;
and if she will make
a statement.
Mr. Lammy: As
at 1 December 2005
the Department for
Culture, Media and
Sport had 517
employees (502
full-time
equivalents), which
are all based in
Central London.
Stewart Hosie:
To ask the
Secretary of State
for Culture, Media
and Sport how many
and what proportion
of each civil
service grade in her
Department is
located in each
(a) region and
(b) nation of
the UK; what the
average salary is
for each grade; and
if she will make a
statement.
Mr. Lammy:
All 517 staff (502
full time
equivalents) in the
Department for
Culture, Media and
Sport are based in
central London. The
average salaries for
each grade at 1
December 2005 are
shown in the
following table.
|
Grade |
Civil
service
equivalent |
Head count |
Average
salary (£) |
|
SCS payband
2 and above |
— |
10 |
101,067 |
|
SCS payband
1 |
— |
20 |
63,794 |
|
A(U) |
Grade 6 |
21 |
54,150 |
|
A |
Grade 7 |
96 |
43,577 |
|
B |
HEO/SEO |
175 |
29,509 |
|
C |
EO |
128 |
21,490 |
|
D |
AA/AO |
67 |
17,524 |
Saturday 31st
December
SNP TOP OF THE POLLS
IN LOCAL
BY-ELECTIONS
The Scottish
National Party has
taken a clear lead
over Labour in local
by-election results
across Scotland
since the May
general election.
Taking all 10 local
by-elections the SNP
has:
-
achieved a swing of
almost 9% from
Labour
-
the largest
cumulative vote
-
gained 5 out of 10
by-elections held
and is the only
party to gain seats
-
taken two seats held
by Labour ex-Council
leaders
The cumulative
results show the SNP
is on course for
victory in 2007,
taking seats from
all the other
parties.
Commenting,
SNP Business
Convener, Bruce
Crawford said:
“These are excellent
results and show
that the SNP is on
track for success
across Scotland this
year and in 2007.
“Our community based
campaigns have
focused on
delivering better
public services and
making a difference.
We want a Scotland
that is wealthier,
communities that are
safer and families
with more
opportunity to
succeed. Where
Labour has let
Scotland down, the
SNP is determined to
put Scotland first.
“These next
elections are about
Scotland and only
the SNP can beat
Labour across the
country. We are the
alternative
government and as
Labour’s
unpopularity grows,
more and more people
are turning to the
SNP.
“These results show
a growing mood for
change in Scotland
after almost nine
years of Labour’s
low ambition. We
have an Executive
without vision and a
parliament without
power – it is time
to move on.“
Note – the following
shows a break down
of local results:
1. Cumulative vote
of all 10 council
by-elections* since
2005 election
|
PARTY
|
2005
Vote |
2003
Vote |
2005
% |
2003
% |
% Change |
Seats
Won |
Change
in Seats |
|
SNP |
4,514 |
4,057 |
31.05% |
22.38% |
+8.67% |
5 |
+5 |
|
Labour |
3,965 |
6,592 |
27.28% |
36.37% |
-9.09% |
3 |
0 |
|
Tory |
2,317 |
2,971 |
15.94% |
16.39% |
-0.45% |
2 |
0 |
|
LibDem |
1,840 |
1,763 |
12.66% |
9.73% |
+2.93% |
0 |
0 |
|
SSP |
271 |
705 |
1.86% |
3.89% |
-2.03% |
0 |
0 |
|
Ind |
1,547 |
2,038 |
10.64% |
11.24% |
-0.60% |
0 |
-5 |
|
Green |
66 |
0 |
0.45% |
0% |
+0.45% |
0 |
0 |
Note: The SNP gained
4 seats previously
held by Independents
and 1 from Labour.
2. Winning against
strong Labour
campaigns
In Loanhead the
Labour party’s
Ex-Council Leader
had previously held
the seat for 17
years until narrowly
losing it by 12
votes in 2003 to an
independent. He
stood in the 2005
by-election but was
beaten by the SNP
who increased their
vote by 29%.
In Auchtertool &
Burntisland East the
seat had been held
by John MacDougall
before he became MP
for Fife Central.
The SNP vote
increased by 22%.
In Herbertshire the
SNP took the seat in
a ward they had
never held before
and with a long
tradition of voting
Labour. The SNP vote
increased by
27%.
3.
On target to win
seats from all
parties in 2007
-
Cumbernauld &
Kilsyth would be
gained from
Labour
-
Galloway & Upper
Nithsdale would
be gained from
the Tories
-
Kilmarnock &
Loudoun would be
gained from
Labour
-
The SSP would
lose list seats
all over
Scotland to the
SNP
4. The 10 council
by-elections held
since 2005 election
SNP wins in bold.