BBC News report 12/10/17

The Scottish government is to set up a publicly-owned, not-for-profit energy company, Nicola Sturgeon has confirmed.

The SNP leader told the party’s conference that the company will sell energy to customers at “as close to cost price as possible”.

Ms Sturgeon said it would be set up by 2021, and would give people – particularly on low incomes – more choice of which supplier to use.

She also said the SNP will “always make the case for independence”.

Scottish government will create “publicly-owned not-for-profit” energy company, Nicola Sturgeon announces #SNP17 pic.twitter.com/y7qEpf3qpl

— ScottishPoliticsNews (@ScoPoliticsNews) 10 October 2017

And while the Scottish government has delayed plans for a second independence referendum, Ms Sturgeon insisted that the SNP still had a mandate for a vote on the issue.

She described the “essence of independence” as being “in charge of the decisions that shape your destiny” and “being in the driving seat and not simply at the mercy of events”.

The first minister declared: “We are the party of independence. The case for independence doesn’t depend on Brexit. But Brexit does show us what can happen when we don’t control our own future”.

Among Ms Sturgeon’s other announcements were:

A “truly transformational” doubling of spending on early-years childcare to £840m by 2020

A new scheme to provide free sanitary products in schools, colleges and universities from next August

All young people leaving care will be exempt from paying council tax

A £6m fund to help the tourist industry in Scotland’s more remote areas

Confirmed the 1% public sector pay will be lifted in Scotland

Announced that permission has been granted to the people of Ulva, an island off the west coast of Mull, to bring their island into community ownership

Article Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-scotland-politics-41560397

Huge expansion of free early learning and childcare.

(Article from gov.scot news 10/10/2017)

Spending on childcare will double to £840 million a year by 2021-22 in a bid to transform the life chances of children in Scotland.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has reaffirmed the Scottish Government’s commitment to invest in a near doubling of entitlement to 1140 hours – around 30 hours a week – of free early learning and childcare from August 2020.

The move will ensure high-quality learning and care is available for all 3 and 4 year olds and eligible 2 year olds and is expected to save parents around £350 per child, per month.

The First Minister said:

“Our expansion of nursery education is truly transformational.

“Currently we deliver around 16 hours of early education and childcare a week – that’s already an expansion. But some parents still struggle to find and fund the childcare they need to allow them to work. We are going to change that.

“By 2020, we will deliver 30 hours a week for every three and four year old and eligible two year olds. It will give children the best start in life. It will free parents to find work. And each month it will save families around £350 per child on the costs of childcare.

“Over the past few months, we have undertaken detailed work to assess the investment needed. Right now, we invest around £420 million a year. By the end of this Parliament, that will double to £840 million a year.

“That is the kind of real, practical help that young parents need.”

EU Withdrawal Bill talks continue.

Speaking after today’s meeting with UK First Secretary of State Damian Green on the issues surrounding the current draft of the EU Withdrawal Bill – which was also attended by Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe Michael Russell and Scottish Secretary David Mundell – Deputy First Minister John Swinney said:

“Today’s meeting was a useful opportunity for an exchange of views between ourselves and the UK Government on Brexit and to discuss the current draft of the EU Withdrawal Bill.

“The discussions were constructive but we remain absolutely clear that, as things stand, we will not recommend to the Scottish Parliament that it gives its consent to the EU Withdrawal Bill.

“We made clear, we are not opposed in principle to UK-wide frameworks in certain areas – but this must be on the basis of agreement among equals, not imposed by Westminster.

“The bill as currently drafted is impractical and unworkable. It is a blatant power grab which would take existing competence over a wide range of devolved policy areas, including aspects of topics like agriculture and fishing, away from Holyrood, giving them instead to Westminster and Whitehall.

“That means that unless there are serious and significant changes to the proposed legislation, we will not recommend that the Scottish Parliament give consent to the bill.

“We will continue to talk to the UK Government so that the bill is changed to protect devolution. We emphasised to the First Secretary of State that the consent of the Scottish Parliament is required if there is to be agreement in this process.

“UK Ministers should be in no doubt – to override a vote of the Scottish Parliament and impose the EU Withdrawal Bill on Scotland would be an extraordinary and unprecedented step to take.

“The current proposals are a direct threat to the devolution settlement which the people of Scotland overwhelmingly voted for in 1997.”

Article Source: https://news.gov.scot/news/devolution-must-be-protected

The UK Government must ‘urgently stop any power grab’ over policy areas exercised at EU level through the draft Withdrawal Bill, Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe, Michael Russell has warned.

Speaking ahead of a meeting with UK First Secretary of State Damian Green on the issue of the repatriation of powers following Brexit on Monday (25th) – which will also be attended by Deputy First Minister John Swinney and Scottish Secretary David Mundell – Mr Russell said:

“Earlier this week, the First Ministers of Scotland and Wales placed on record their disappointment with the current Withdrawal Bill and the reasons why it cannot be recommended to the Scottish Parliament and Welsh Assembly. As the bill stands it does not respect devolved policy areas and the UK Government must urgently put a stop to this power grab.

“This meeting provides a fresh opportunity to set out the fundamental flaws in the bill and to encourage the UK Ministers to take on board our amendments. This situation is easy to resolve and our amendments would, if adopted, enable the bill to go forward for the consent of the Scottish Parliament.

“If the UK Government agrees to consider these amendments carefully and stops this attack on devolution, then I have no doubt we can work together to reach a sensible consensus between all governments

“The UK Government has taken a step forward in its negotiations with Brussels so it is now time for them to fully recognise the principle of devolved powers and take a step forward in their relations with the Scottish Government.”

Commenting on the continued dispute between the governments of Spain and Catalonia on proposals for a referendum on Catalonia’s constitutional position, Cabinet Secretary for External Affairs Fiona Hyslop said:

“The decision over Catalonia’s future direction is a matter for the people who live there, and the Catalan and Spanish Governments are perfectly entitled to take positions for and against independence.

“However, all peoples have the right to self-determination and to choose the form of government best suited to their needs, a principle which is enshrined in the UN Charter.

“The Edinburgh Agreement was an example of how two governments, with diametrically opposed views on whether or not Scotland should become independent, were able to come together to agree a process to allow the people to decide. It is essential that democracy and civil rights are respected in all countries.”

Article Source: https://news.gov.scot/news/statement-on-catalonia

Scottish Government says devolution must be defended.

Holyrood ‘stands to lose 111 powers’ if Repeal Bill passed, says Mike Russell https://t.co/1Xh2QXp0s7 pic.twitter.com/vSAYekCxIC

— The Scotsman (@TheScotsman) 12 September 2017

The Scottish Government cannot recommend the Scottish Parliament give its consent to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill in its current form, the Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe Michael Russell has told MSPs.

In a statement at Holyrood, Mr Russell set out the Government’s opposition to the Bill’s proposals to transfer responsibility for all EU law to Westminster, even for devolved matters.

He explained that this would mean the Scottish Parliament would have no say on changes to existing EU laws in areas including agriculture, fisheries, justice, forestry or research.

Mr Russell confirmed that a series of amendments, jointly agreed with the Welsh Government, will be published shortly. He also said that if no agreement is reached on the content of the Bill, Scottish Ministers will consider other available options for legislation in the Scottish Parliament to prepare devolved laws for the impact of EU withdrawal.

Pointing out that that the devolution settlement is based on the principle that policy areas are devolved unless they are specifically reserved in the Scotland Act, Mr Russell said:

“The EU (Withdrawal) Bill appears to represent a deliberate decision by the UK Government to use the process of Brexit as cover for taking powers in areas of policy which are clearly within the responsibility of this Parliament.

“In areas of Scottish devolved responsibility vital to the success of our country, such as agriculture, the environment, fisheries, forestry, research, or justice cooperation, the Scottish Parliament will have no say over what comes back from the EU on withdrawal or what is done with these important policy areas afterwards.

“It is not a logical, or essential, part of any Withdrawal Bill that new limitations are placed on the Scottish Parliament’s powers, on the National Assembly for Wales’s powers, or on the powers of the Northern Ireland Assembly.”

Mr Russell added:

“This is not a debate about whether we should leave the European Union. The position of this government and indeed the position of the people of Scotland expressed in last year’s referendum is clear on that matter. We don’t want to leave.”

But, he said: “We have frequently made it clear that, despite our wish to maintain EU membership, we recognise our obligation to prepare Scotland as best we can for what might transpire. Indeed Brexit is going to be such a dramatic, damaging upheaval to the UK’s legal systems and to our laws that it is imperative that we do everything we can to prepare responsibly for the consequences of EU withdrawal.

“The only appropriate way to divide powers between the governments is this: powers in relation to policy areas which are devolved must be for devolved ministers and devolved legislatures. Thereafter, there will be space, time and willingness to agree cooperation over the shared use of these powers in a way which respected the responsibility of this Parliament to hold to account those who make decisions in devolved areas.”

Article via https://news.gov.scot/news/eu-withdrawal-bill-1

EU Withdrawal Bill

The Scottish Government cannot recommend the Scottish Parliament give its consent to the EU (Withdrawal) Bill in its current form, the Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe Michael Russell has told MSPs.

In a statement at Holyrood, Mr Russell set out the Government’s opposition to the Bill’s proposals to transfer responsibility for all EU law to Westminster, even for devolved matters.

He explained that this would mean the Scottish Parliament would have no say on changes to existing EU laws in areas including agriculture, fisheries, justice, forestry or research.

Mr Russell confirmed that a series of amendments, jointly agreed with the Welsh Government, will be published shortly. He also said that if no agreement is reached on the content of the Bill, Scottish Ministers will consider other available options for legislation in the Scottish Parliament to prepare devolved laws for the impact of EU withdrawal.

Pointing out that that the devolution settlement is based on the principle that policy areas are devolved unless they are specifically reserved in the Scotland Act, Mr Russell said:

“The EU (Withdrawal) Bill appears to represent a deliberate decision by the UK Government to use the process of Brexit as cover for taking powers in areas of policy which are clearly within the responsibility of this Parliament.

“In areas of Scottish devolved responsibility vital to the success of our country, such as agriculture, the environment, fisheries, forestry, research, or justice cooperation, the Scottish Parliament will have no say over what comes back from the EU on withdrawal or what is done with these important policy areas afterwards.

“It is not a logical, or essential, part of any Withdrawal Bill that new limitations are placed on the Scottish Parliament’s powers, on the National Assembly for Wales’s powers, or on the powers of the Northern Ireland Assembly.”

Mr Russell added:

“This is not a debate about whether we should leave the European Union. The position of this government and indeed the position of the people of Scotland expressed in last year’s referendum is clear on that matter. We don’t want to leave.”

But, he said: “We have frequently made it clear that, despite our wish to maintain EU membership, we recognise our obligation to prepare Scotland as best we can for what might transpire. Indeed Brexit is going to be such a dramatic, damaging upheaval to the UK’s legal systems and to our laws that it is imperative that we do everything we can to prepare responsibly for the consequences of EU withdrawal.

“The only appropriate way to divide powers between the governments is this: powers in relation to policy areas which are devolved must be for devolved ministers and devolved legislatures. Thereafter, there will be space, time and willingness to agree cooperation over the shared use of these powers in a way which respected the responsibility of this Parliament to hold to account those who make decisions in devolved areas.”

Article Source: GOV.SCOT https://news.gov.scot/news/eu-withdrawal-bill-1

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