Culture Secretary responds to BBC announcement (via www.gov.scot)

Scotland’s new BBC TV channel is a welcome step in the right direction, but must be properly resourced, Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said today.

Responding to today’s announcement that a new TV channel for Scotland will begin broadcasting next Autumn and an additional £20m will be made available for Scotland to make UK-wide programmes, Ms Hyslop said:

“This is a real shift in the right direction from the BBC and responds to calls we’ve made for some time for a new TV channel for Scotland. While the increased investment in both journalism and wider production in Scotland is long overdue, this is a very positive development.

“The Scottish Broadcasting Commission estimated in 2009 that a similar channel would cost around £75 million a year – more than double the £30 million announced today. It’s vital that the new BBC Scotland channel has complete commission and editorial independence, and is provided with the funding needed to match ambition.

“The new channel will increase the proportion of the licence fee raised in Scotland that is spent in Scotland in years to come – but sadly will still fall well short of the proportiate share being spent in Northern Ireland and Wales. We continue to call for the BBC to put Scotland on an equal footing with other devolved nations.

“I welcome the additional £20m for Scotland to make BBC network programmes, which will strengthen growth in our vibrant creative industries. We want to see this investment continue to increase so that Scottish content on the wider BBC network is not sidelined.

“Investment in 80 new journalism jobs is fantastic news, and goes to underline that Scotland has the talent and skills to produce an hour-long news and current affairs programme covering issues from home and around the world.

“In the intervening 18 months before the new TV channel is established, the BBC must invest in quality news and affairs programming so that they deliver content that is relevant to the people of Scotland as we move through Brexit, the triggering of Article 50 and beyond.”

Article Source: http://news.gov.scot/news/new-tv-channel-for-scotland

Additional backing for more than 9500 premises. (via www.gov.scot)

9,500 more businesses across Scotland will benefit from a tailored package of additional business rates support, Finance Secretary Derek Mackay announced today [Tuesday, February 21].

Under existing support seven out of ten premises are expected to pay the same or less in rates next year and more than half of all premises will pay no rates at all.

The tailored package will help businesses in the key sectors of hospitality and renewables nationwide and those with offices in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire to deal with increases to their property values under the forthcoming national revaluation of business rates. Mr Mackay announced details of the support in a statement to parliament.

The Scottish Government has already acted to cut the poundage by 3.7%, take 8,000 businesses out of the Large Business Supplement and extend the Small Business Bonus scheme so 100,000 properties – half of all business premises – benefit from 100% rates relief. Now, the additional support package includes:
•Almost 8,500 hotels, pubs, restaurants, cafes and other accommodation will benefit from a cap on any increase to bills of 12.5%
•Support for more than 1,000 offices in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire with increases in bills capped at 12.5%
•Relief for renewables companies, including hydro
•Confirmation of free revaluation appeals – with no fees or restrictions as in other parts of the UK
•Early Government action on the findings of the Barclay review into Business rates – due in July
•Working with any local authority to introduce a local rates relief scheme to support key sectors or localities

Mr Mackay said:

“This is the first Business Rates revaluation since 2010 and takes account of the changes in property values during the economic recovery. It is conducted by independent Assessors appointed by local government.

“Although councils retain all the revenue from business rates, and have the power to offer rate reductions, it has become clear that there are some sectors and regions where the increase in rateable values is out of kilter with the wider picture of the revaluation.

“I have listened and decided that we will act nationally to tackle the impact. Hospitality businesses, such as hotels and pubs, across Scotland will see rises capped at no more than 12.5%, recognising the concerns that have been raised with me over the scale of the increases and the valuation methodology which sets them apart from other sectors.

“In addition offices in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire will see any rise capped at 12.5% in recognition of the effect of the drop in oil price on the local economy.

“Companies working in the renewables sector, including in hydro, will also receive further support, with continuing relief for those projects with a community ownership model.

“These additional measures come on the back of significant support for business already set out in our Draft Budget 2017/18. I have already committed to raising the threshold for those who qualify for 100% relief under the Small Business Bonus – meaning 100,000 properties will pay no rates at all under the scheme next year and around 9,000 properties will be up to £7,000 a year better off than their equivalents in England. To reduce the impact of bills overall, I confirmed plans to reduce the poundage – the rate at which the tax is paid – by 3.7%. With these changes, seven out of ten business properties will pay the same rates or less than this year – with more than half paying nothing at all.

“With the further measures we are now taking, combined with the powers and investment we have provided to local councils, that is a good deal for businesses, a good deal for public services, and a good deal for the Scottish economy.”

Article Source: http://news.gov.scot/news/boost-for-business-with-rates-support

Clarity On Brexit Required (14/02/17)

The UK Government has failed to provide devolved administrations with necessary information or clarity on how exiting the EU will impact their economies and budgets, the finance ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have said.

Following today’s Finance Ministers Quadrilateral in Edinburgh the devolved administrations have voiced their disappointment at the UK Government’s lack of assurances that there will be meaningful engagement over the approach it proposes to take on Brexit. The Scottish, Welsh and Northern Ireland Ministers also underlined the economic and public finance challenges this lack of clarity presents.

The meeting was attended by Finance Secretary Derek Mackay, Chief Secretary to the Treasury David Gauke, the Welsh Government’s Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford and Stormont Finance Minister Máirtín Ó Muilleoir.

Mr Mackay said:

“While I am disappointed about this lack of progress with the UK Government, we will continue to work with the Welsh and Northern Ireland Governments as it is essential for the devolved administrations to be at the heart of any decision making. We need clarity from the UK Government as we have the right to have our say on how devolved budgets and our economy will be affected by a hard Brexit.

“I asked again today that the UK Government give serious consideration to the proposals the Scottish Government has put forward in response to the outcome of the EU Referendum and responds constructively, in the interests of the people of Scotland.

“We have been clear, keeping Scotland in the European single market is absolutely essential for Scottish jobs, investment and long-term economic wellbeing.”

Welsh Government Finance Secretary Mark Drakeford said:

“Our White Paper, Securing Wales’ Future, which was discussed at the recent JMC (EN) provides a comprehensive, credible plan for the negotiations as the UK prepares to exit from the EU. It focuses on Wales’ priorities but in a way which would work for the whole of the UK.

“We have always been clear that a hard Brexit would be highly damaging to the Welsh and UK economy. That is why we have repeatedly called for full and unfettered access to the single market in our negotiations with the UK Government. Our economy is closely integrated into the single market and our success in attracting foreign investment owes much to this access.

“The fact of Brexit is not in doubt but we need to ensure a good outcome for Wales. We will continue our discussions with the UK Government through the JMC (EN) but we need to see these discussions intensify over the next few weeks as the triggering of Article 50 approaches. We need a clear signal from the UK Government that the views of the devolved administrations are taken into account so we secure a future post Brexit that works for Wales and works for the rest of the UK.”

Stormont Finance Minister Máirtín Ó Muilleoir said:

“I have previously been on record saying that there is a lack of understanding of the calamitous effects that Brexit would have on our local economy and there has been no appreciation of the need for a special status for the North within the EU. Nothing I have heard today changes that.”

Source: http://news.gov.scot/news/clarity-on-brexit

Scottish Parliament opposes beginning of process to withdraw from EU. (07/02/17)

The Scottish Parliament has today agreed that the UK Government’s European Union (Notification of Withdrawal) Bill should not proceed.

Welcoming the vote, Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe Michael Russell said the Parliament’s view should now be listened to.

Speaking following the debate, Mr Russell said:

“Scotland’s national Parliament has today sent a clear message to the rest of the UK and Europe – we oppose a catastrophic hard Brexit that dumps Scotland outside of the single market against its wishes.

“The Prime Minister promised Scotland would be ‘fully engaged’ in agreeing a common UK approach to triggering Article 50. We have taken those promises at face value and developed constructive, detailed compromise proposals showing how we can keep our place in the single market, which is around eight times bigger than the UK’s alone,

“Yet so far the UK Government has offered nothing – not a single compromise in return, or even a view on our proposals.

“We do not yet know when Article 50 will be triggered, and have not been given any information about how the UK Government will seek our involvement. The promise of a ‘UK Agreement’ on its content looks to be an empty one.

“Today’s vote is therefore a key test of whether Scotland’s voice is being listened to and whether our wishes can be accommodated within the UK process.

“There is still time for the UK Government to recognise the existence and importance of devolution, the views of this Parliament and the clear, democratically expressed voice of the people of this country – but that time is running out.”

Source: http://news.gov.scot/news/article-50-bill

Scot Gov: Additional funding for Enterprise, policing and local government. (02/02/17)

An additional £220 million investment next year in police, Scottish Enterprise and local services has been confirmed today as part of the Scottish budget process.

Finance Secretary Derek Mackay confirmed that an additional £25 million will be made available to Police Scotland through the Police Reform and Change fund to support delivery of a police service capable of meeting the changing demands of crime and society over the next 10 years.

In addition, a further £35 million of funding will be made available to Scottish Enterprise to support Scotland’s economy.

Following discussions with other parties, the Finance Secretary also confirmed, as part of an agreement with the Scottish Green party to support the passage of the budget bill, Scotland’s local authorities would benefit from an additional £160 million investment – including £30 million capital – to support local services.

Amendments to the budget will be made later in the process and the additional funding for local government will be included in the local government finance order.

Confirming the changes during the Stage 1 of the budget debate, Mr Mackay said:

“At a time of significant challenge in our economy, this is a budget that will support jobs and lay the foundations for future growth.

“The Budget provides a strong settlement for local government, including additional funding for Educational Attainment, increased capital resources and increased revenues from council tax.

“It provides real terms protection for frontline policing, a real terms increase in total funding to the Health Service and increases to frontline NHS budgets for investment in primary care, community care, social care and mental health.

“I have entered into discussions with all parties in good faith in order to build the consensus we need to deliver a budget for Scotland. I particularly welcome the constructive approach taken by the Scottish Greens.

“My latest assessment of the financial position this year and our projections for 2017/18 has enabled me to identify available resources to support additional spending. This additional spending will be funded through the use of the budget exchange mechanism, updated profile of the Scottish Government contribution required to bring the non-domestic rates pool into balance and a reduction in the anticipated cost of borrowing repayments next year.

“I therefore propose, with the support of the Scottish Green party for all stages of this budget to allocate additional resources, of £160 million, to Local Government to be spent at the discretion of individual authorities.

“Once again this Government has listened and acted.”

Mr Mackay continued:

“The Draft Budget already protects the police resource budget in real terms and provides additional reform funding of £36 million to continue the process of transforming the police service and meeting the VAT costs imposed by UK Ministers.

“Today, I can announce further funding of £25 million, an equal split of revenue and capital, within the ‘Police Reform and Change’ budget to support this new phase of transformation, funded through a combination of capital and resource headroom that will be available in 2017-18. This will support the delivery of a police service capable of meeting the changing demands of crime and society over the next 10 years.

“I am also able to announce today an additional £35 million for Scottish Enterprise. This will support the activities including loans and equity investments that flow from the Scottish Investment Bank and the planned future activities of the Business Development Bank.

“By any measure, this Budget delivers for Scotland.”

Source: http://news.gov.scot/news/budget

Scot Gov: Ministers examine impact on workforce and clinical research (01/02/17)

Leaving the EU will present a significant challenge for planning Scotland’s NHS and social care workforce, as well as its potential to be at the forefront of clinical research excellence, Scottish Ministers have said today.

Meeting EU and EEA health and social care staff in Glasgow this morning, Health Secretary Shona Robison and Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe Michael Russell said the free movement of labour across Europe had made a huge contribution to NHS Scotland’s reputation for world-leading care.

Hearing from health and social care workers from other EU countries, Ms Robison and Mr Russell said the rights of EU and EEA staff working in this country must be protected as a priority.

They also visited the University of Glasgow’s new Imaging Centre of Excellence, based at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital, which will house the UK’s first ultra-high field 7 Tesla (7T) MRI scanner, located in a clinical setting.

Opening in Spring 2017, the new scanner was part-funded with £2.3 million of European Regional Development Funding and will be the centrepiece of the ICE building – providing new world-leading clinical research facilities and bringing together academic, scientific and NHS clinical expertise.

Minister for UK Negotiations on Scotland’s Place in Europe, Michael Russell, said: “Over 360,000 people across Scotland work in health and social care services – working day-in and day-out to support people to live longer, healthier lives.

“The contribution of EU and EEA nationals to these services cannot be overestimated. Doctors, nurses and care workers from across Europe help to staff our GP surgeries, our hospitals and our care homes. We must as a priority protect their right to live and work in this country, as well as our ability to attract their successors in years to come.

“As we have also seen today, EU research funding has helped to attract some of the best and brightest from the continent – meaning our patients get access to some of the world’s most pioneering treatments.

“This together means that over the years of our membership, the European Union has played a vital role in NHS Scotland’s reputation for delivering world-leading care and in our negotiations for exiting we will seek to protect this.”

The Scottish Government also launched a consultation today, seeking views from health and social care organisations, frontline staff and stakeholder groups, on a new national workforce plan.

Health Secretary Shona Robison said: “The uncertainty surrounding the UK’s withdrawal from the EU presents us with many challenges for planning the future NHS and social care workforce. It adds to what is already a complex picture as our health and social care services transform to meet the needs of an increasingly elderly population with more complex, long-term conditions.

“The consultation I am publishing today on the new national health and social care workforce plan aims to set out some initial thinking around how we can improve staff planning for the future. But we want to take this forward very much in partnership with our staff and the vast range of organisations that employ them.

“That is why I would encourage all organisations and stakeholders with a stake in the future of our health and care workforce to respond to the consultation and give us their views.”

Professor Dame Anna Dominiczak, Vice Principal and Head of the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences at the University of Glasgow, said: “ICE and the 7 Tesla scanner are both very important for the city of Glasgow, the NHS, Scotland and the UK. The scanner – an important ‘first’ for Scotland – wouldn’t have been possible without £2.3m of European Union funding.

“Beyond the benefits of EU funding, the ability to form collaborations and networks across Europe will be a key part to the long-term success of this project. Also key, will be bringing skilled staff from the EU to work on such advanced technology.”

Source: http://news.gov.scot/news/eu-vital-to-nhs-and-social-care-services

Scot Govt: Cabinet Secretary asks European Parliament to ensure Scotland’s voice is heard during Article 50 process (30/01/17)

External Affairs Secretary Fiona Hyslop has urged the European Parliament to stand up for its citizens and challenge whether Brexit negotiations respect the rights of citizens in all parts of the UK.

Ms Hyslop made the call as she put forward the case for Scotland remaining within the single market even if the rest of the UK leaves, to the European Parliament’s Constitutional Affairs Committee.

Ms Hyslop told the Committee:

“While the UK as a whole voted to leave the European Union, the people of Scotland voted categorically to remain within it.

“We believe that finding a way to continue Scotland’s membership of the European single market, including the four freedoms, is central to the health of our economy and our prosperity as a nation.

“I accept that Article 50 negotiations will be between the UK and the EU and that’s why we are committed to working positively and creatively with the UK Government.

“We know the UK Government will need to be flexible when dealing with the border and free movement issues posed by Northern Ireland, and it looks like it will seek a differentiated approach for particular sectors. So I see no good reason why flexibility shouldn’t also apply to Scotland when there is a very clear democratic mandate to protect the interests of the people of Scotland within the EU, and within the UK.

“And we also believe that the European Parliament – which represents the voice of EU citizens – has the right to challenge whether the Article 50 negotiations respect the rights of citizens in all parts of the UK.

“It is therefore essential that differentiation is a key part of the Article 50 process – at the outset, during the negotiations and as the future relationship with the EU develops.

“The bonds of friendship between Scotland and other countries in Europe are as deep, strong and mutually beneficial today as at any time in our shared history.

“As a nation which voted overwhelmingly to remain within the European Union we seek your solidarity and support.”