Scots have been urged to do their bit
for the planet's future by pledging to
go greener in 2008. Minister for
Environment Michael Russell said by
signing up to one or more of the
Scottish Government's 10 Greener
Pledges, people would reduce their
impact on the local and global
environment.
The
10 Greener Pledges are:
* Recycle household waste using
locally-provided facilities
* Turn the tap off when brushing your
teeth
* Switch to using energy-saving light
bulbs
* Leave the car at home at least once a
week and cycle, walk, share a car or use
public transport more often
* Use rechargeable batteries instead of
disposable ones
* Reuse carrier bags when you shop
* Buy more seasonal and unpackaged food
* Hang your washing up to dry rather
than using a tumbler dryer
* Organise or volunteer in an
environmental project in your local
community
* Pay back the environmental impact of
any flights you take and choose not to
fly when there's a suitable alternative
Mr
Russell said:
"Climate change is a challenge for all
of us. It is already affecting the world
around us - with Scotland already seeing
the affects through increasing
temperatures and dramatic increases in
rainfall in the winter.
"Every time we throw away rubbish, get
in the car or turn on the lights we are
leaving our mark on our planet.
"The visible affects of climate change
and a growing awareness of the
consequences of our actions have already
made many of us stop and think about
what we can do to reduce our impact on
the environment. Many of us are already
taking action - recycling more, driving
less and using energy-efficient light
bulbs.
"But we can - and must - do more. Our 10
Greener Pledges offer everyone the
chance to go greener in 2008 and make a
real difference. Most of them are simple
but very effective ways of becoming more
environmentally-friendly.
"Together, even by making some small
changes, we can contribute to a greener
Scotland in 2008."
People can sign up to one or more
pledges at www.infoscotland.com/ourfuture
Scotland
Has 'Stronger Protections on Civil
Liberties'
SNP
Westminster Home Affairs Spokesperson,
Pete Wishart MP, has welcomed a report
by leading international civil liberties
organisation Privacy International whose
'2007 International Privacy Ranking'
states that there are "stronger
protections on civil liberties" in
Scotland.
The
report also said that the "Scottish
government appears more responsive and
open to informed debate" on privacy and
civil liberties.
This
was in contrast to the UK as a whole
which was said to have a "lack of
accountability and data breach
disclosure law" and an identity scheme
which was "planned to be the most
invasive in the world". The UK scored
1.4 on Privacy International's scale -
the lowest score of any of the European
countries whilst Scotland was given a
mark of 2.5.
Commenting on the international yearly
audit Mr Wishart said:
"This report highlights how people's
civil liberties are safer in Scotland –
particularly after the Scottish
Parliament voted to oppose ID cards just
last month.
"Considering the loss of personal data
over the past few months Gordon Brown
should be ruling out a compulsory ID
card system just as the SNP has. This
report only adds weight to that argument
and the UK Government should pay heed to
it.
"Alistair Darling's statement on the
missing HMRC data was astonishingly
complacent, and his refusal, twice, to
answer specific questions on how the
password supposedly protecting the data
was transferred suggests that security
procedures may have been even more lax
than first thought.
"Sadly, thanks to the incompetence of
the UK government, people in Scotland
are still going to have to remain
particularly vigilant of their personal
details for many more years to come."
1. The human rights group Privacy
International published its privacy
rankings for 2007, and for the first
time it ranked Scotland separately from
England and Wales.
The
UK scored 1.4 on Privacy International's
scale - the lowest score of any of the
European countries whilst Scotland was
given a mark of 2.5.
The
Privacy International report stated:
"For the first time Scotland has been
given its own ranking score and
performed significantly better than
England and Wales."
2. What Privacy International's
'2007 International Privacy Ranking'
says of the UK:
1.
UNITED KINGDOM
•
World leading surveillance schemes
•
Lack of accountability and data breach
disclosure law
•
Commissioner has few powers
•
Interception of communications is
authorised by politician, evidence not
used in court, and oversight is by
commissioner who reports only once a
year upon reviewing a subset of
applications
•
Hundreds of thousands of requests from
government agencies to
telecommunications providers for traffic
data
•
Data retention scheme took a significant
step forward with the quiet changes
based on EU law
•
Plans are emerging regarding
surveillance of communications networks
for the protection of copyrighted
content
•
Despite data breaches, 'joined-up
government' initiatives continue
•
Identity scheme still planned to be the
most invasive in the world, highly
centralised and biometrics-driven; plan
to issue all foreigners with cards in
2008 are continuing
•
E-borders plans include increased data
collection on travellers
2.
England & Wales
•
Inherited constitutional and statutory
protections from UK Government and many
of the policies
•
National policies are not judged, e.g.
Communications surveillance, border and
trans-border issues
•
Councils continue to spread surveillance
policies, including RFID, CCTV, ID and
data sharing, road user tracking
•
Few democratic safeguards at local
government level, even though local
government may be more accountable to
electorate because of smaller numbers,
decisions do not appear to be informed
by research, prototyping
3.
Scotland
•
Inherited constitutional and statutory
protections from UK Government and only
some of the policies
•
National policies are not judged, e.g.
Communications surveillance, border and
trans-border issues
•
Stronger protections on civil liberties
•
DNA database is not as open to abuse as
policy in England and Wales
•
Identity policy is showing possibility
of avoiding mistakes of UK Government
•
Scottish government appears more
responsive and open to informed debate
than local governments in England
Areas
prone to flooding, vulnerable children, battered spouses,
New Year celebrations… taken at face value, nothing was safe
from the heartless Philistines of the SNP. Except… each was
essentially the same story regarding the removal of £2.2bn
of next year’s £11.4bn local council grant from ring fencing
– the means by which central government can direct how local
government spends portions of its budget. 
Everyone
has their own horror story to tell about a surly London
cabbie refusing to take Scottish notes, many of which I dare
say grow a bit in the telling. As it happens, most places in
the centre of London are quite happy to take any kind of
note you proffer. Vending machines can be a bit
temperamental, although that applies every bit as much in my
experience to many of those installed in Scotland too.
