A TALE OF TWO GOVERNMENTS SHOWS SNP DELIVERING ON POLICIES.
WEEK HIGHLIGHTS SCOTTISH DELIVERY WHILST LABOUR FAIL.
A TALE OF TWO GOVERNMENTS SHOWS SNP DELIVERING
WEEK HIGHLIGHTS SCOTTISH DELIVERY WHILST LABOUR FAIL
Last week highlighted the contrasting policy differences between the SNP Government and Labour’s government in London with the SNP delivering real help whilst Labour fails.
In the last week:
* It was announced by the English & Welsh Local Government Association that council tax south of the border will increase by an average of 3% compared to Scotland where it is frozen
* It was reported that large numbers of police forces south of the border are planning to cut thousands of officers whilst the SNP Government is delivering record numbers in Scotland
* It was reported that the Labour government would miss its target of 130,000 apprenticeships being completed every year by 2010-11. This contrasted with a Scottish Government announcement on new modern apprenticeships for Scotland's creative industries, and nearly 8,000 additional apprenticeships next year.
These reports follow previous instances highlighting Labour failure compared to the SNP Government’s policies in Scotland.
These included:
* Figures from the Pre-Budget Report which show that the Labour government in London will slash the budget for fuel poverty programmes by 50% south of the border by 2010 whilst the SNP Government's programme would, by 2010 see increased funding
* In October 2008 it was reported that the UK Government was cutting grants for thousands of students at English Universities following a £200 million overspend by the Department for Innovation whilst the Scottish Government has reintroduced the principle of free education by scrapping graduate endowment fees and provides grants for 20,000 part-time students in Scotland.
Commenting on the contrasting styles of government SNP MSP Michael Matheson said:
“This week’s news highlighted how Labour does not have the answers to ensuring how people are helped in these hard economic times. It also stands as an example of how things could have been if Labour were still in power in Scotland.
“Thankfully we have an SNP Government delivering another council tax freeze, increasing police numbers to an all time high in Scotland, providing more apprenticeship places, and delivering more central heating support and helping students.
“In these uncertain economic times that is a record we are proud of and shows the SNP is focussed on delivering for the people of Scotland
“That is why the SNP are ahead in the polls for Holyrood, and are now moving ahead of Labour for Westminster.
“In contrast Labour has had a week that highlights their failure and is a timely reminder of how things would have been if they had still been in power in Scotland. The Labour government in London is failing to meet the needs of the people south of the border.
“And in Scotland, Labour want to slash Scotland’s budget by £500 million a year from 2010.
"In terms of the tale of two governments between Holyrood and Westminster, the SNP are delivering for people in these difficult times whilst Labour is floundering just when people most need support. We are delivering the programme and the policies which meet the needs and aspirations of the Scottish people."
MORE INFO HERE;
1. COUNCIL TAX
A report on the 3% rise in council tax south of the border can be read here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/
The Scottish Government’s announcement on a council tax freeze can be read here:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/
2. POLICE OFFICERS
The report from on police officer numbers south of the border being cut can be read here:
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/
The Scottish Government’s statement on police officers numbers can be read here:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/
3. APPRENTICESHIPS
The report on the Labour government missing its target of 130,000 apprenticeships can be read here:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk_
The report on only 30 of 3,000 workers at the London Olympics site being apprentices can be read here:
http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/
The Scottish Government’s announcement on new modern apprenticeships for Scotland's creative industries can be read here:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/
The Scottish Government’s announcement on 1000 apprenticeships for Glasgow can be read here:
http://www.scotland.gov.uk/
4. CENTRAL HEATING
The Scottish Government's budget figures for central heating programmes over the next 3 years are shown in the table below.
|
| 08-09 | 09-10 | 10-11 |
| Original | £45.9m | £45.9m | £45.9m |
| Additional | £8.2m | £9.9m | £9.9m |
| Total | £54.1m | £55.8m | £55.8m |
Note:
a. The additional funding in 2008-09 relates to the Cabinet Secretary's announcement of 18 October in which she announced an extra £10m to be invested in the Central Heating Programme (of the £10m around £8.2 was additional funding found from within health and wellbeing budgets).
b. The additional funding in 2009-10 and 2010-11 relates to funding streams from fuel poverty (£45.9m) income maximisation under the tackling poverty framework (£2.5m) energy efficiency advice through ESSacs (£3.9m) and household renewable (£3.5m).
As a percentage the resources committed to the Scottish fuel poverty programmes are proportionately more than the English Warm Front scheme in each of the next 3 years i.e.
• For 2008-09 budget in Scotland, of £54.1m is almost 14% of Warm Front Budget (£400m)
• For 2009-10 budget in Scotland, of £55.8m is almost 15% of Warm Front Budget (£374m)
• For 2010-11 budget in Scotland, of £55.8m is almost 28% of Warm Front Budget (£200m)
5. STUDENT SUPPORT
The report on the Labour government that the UK Government were cutting grants for thousands of students at English Universities can be read here:
http://www.studentbeans.com/
The Scottish Government’s announcement on scrapping the graduate endowment can be read here:
Posts
No comments:
Post a Comment