SNP DELIVERING ON SAFER SCOTLAND

SNP DELIVERING ON SAFER SCOTLAND

17% REDUCTION IN FIREARMS OFFENCES

SNP MSP Angela Constance – a member of the Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee – has welcomed the publication today (Tuesday) of the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey which shows that more people in Scotland think the crime rate is decreasing in their local area compared with previous years.

The survey follows last month’s statistics which showed that recorded crime in Scotland is at its lowest level in nearly 30 years and further statistics released today also showed that there has been a 17% reduction in firearms offences in 2008-09.

Commenting on today’s publications Ms Constance said:

“The SNP said it would deliver on a safer Scotland and this survey along with the release of further statistics on firearms offences shows that our approach is working. We are not complacent but all politicians should be welcoming a reduction in the fear of crime which can debilitate communities.

“The reality is that recorded crime is at its lowest level for nearly 30 years, there is a lower risk of being a victim of crime in Scotland compared to England and Wales, and we have record numbers of police officers protecting Scotland’s communities.

“We promised 1,000 extra police officers and we have delivered more than 1,000 extra police officers. The delivery of that promise is obviously seeing a greater level of confidence in our criminal justice system and a safer Scotland.
“Today’s survey also puts an onus on the opposition parties to explain why they continue to try and undermine the hard work of our police and prosecutors by scaremongering about levels of crime.

"Creating a safer Scotland was a top priority for the SNP in the 2007 election and we are doing that by taking action focused on cutting crime and reducing the fear of crime.”

BENEFITS WORRIES UNACCEPTABLE – REFORM LEAVES PAYMENTS IN CHAOS

BENEFITS WORRIES UNACCEPTABLE – REFORM LEAVES PAYMENTS IN CHAOS

CONCERN OVER FUTURE CHANGES TO PARENTS BENEFIT

SNP MP and Work and Pensions spokesman John Mason has been joined by his
Holyrood colleague Glasgow MSP Bill Kidd in raising concerns over worrying
reports from Citizens Advice Scotland of the failure of reforms to
incapacity benefit and income support.


Citizens Advice Scotland today state that the new Employment Support
Allowance is now worse for those dependent on it than the previous
incapacity benefit system, with benefits unpaid or paid incorrectly,
private firms conducting health checks, increased numbers of appeals and
increasing stress, pressure and financial hardship on people who are
unable to work due to illness or disability.

SNP Work and Pensions spokesman and Glasgow East MP John Mason said:

“From the start the DWP have been warned that they were going about these
reforms in the wrong way.

“It is wrong that people with genuine disability and incapacity should be
subject to this kind of mental and financial pressure. The UK Government
has approached these reforms in an utterly irresponsible manner.

“That GPs are being overruled by private firms, subcontracted to the DWP
to do medical checks is a disgrace.

“As the first step in Labour’s plans for benefit reform this has been a
disaster with people facing increased stress, hardship and financial
difficulty.”

Glasgow MSP Bill Kidd warned of problems for further changes

“Many single parents across Glasgow and Scotland will be reading today’s
report with trepidation.

“The failure to get this change in the system right is reminiscent of the
failures over child support and tax credit payments.


"With parents next to be targeted by the government, with benefit cuts
used to force parents back into work or face benefit reductions regardless
of circumstance the next step of benefit reform looks like a disaster
waiting to happen."

“The DWP’s one size fits all approach is more about cutting its benefits
bill than helping those who can work back into employment or allowing
parents to support their children.


“Before any further changes are made and anyone else is left in hardship
the DWP must listen to Citizens Advice and get this system right.”

CREDIT CARD PLANS SHOULD CAP INTEREST RATES

CREDIT CARD PLANS SHOULD CAP INTEREST RATES

As the UK Government outlines proposals which would force borrowers to pay
back more of their debt earlier and stop issuers raising credit limit
without consent, the SNP has also called for restrictions on the credit
card market to include a cap on interest rates.

The UK Government is putting forward proposals which would prevent rates
being changed – however Highlands and Islands SNP MSP Dave Thompson, a
former trading standards inspector, is keen to see rates capped, as in
other countries around the world.

Mr Thomson said:

“There is a constant concern over the level of interest some organisations
charge for credit cards.

“This is not just the door to door lenders, but some reputable high street
banks have been caught charges rates up to 30 times higher than the Bank
of England rates.

“Today’s measures are a welcome step but they do not stop banks and
lenders offering credit cards and loans at sky high prices. Other
countries have lower personal lending and fewer problems with debt.

“The system of rate caps works perfectly well in other countries and
should be introduced here.”

SNP Treasury spokesperson Stewart Hosie MP added:

“If we are cleaning up the banking industry then we have to crack down on
credit card lenders as well.

“Personal debt levels in this country are alarming and for too long the
balance has been against consumers. Of course individuals have a
responsibility to manage their finances, but very often card companies
impose confusing and complex conditions, and we need to put customers back
in the driving seat. Introducing a cap on interest rates would be a common
sense move that would go a long way in helping people manage their
finances and get out of debt.”

GLASGOW LABOUR BLOCKED £6 MILLION INVESTMENT IN CITY ROADS AND STREETS,

GLASGOW LABOUR BLOCKED £6 MILLION INVESTMENT IN CITY ROADS AND STREETS,

OFFICIAL STATS EXPOSE LABOUR SCAREMONGERING ON GLASGOW FUNDING,

AFTER 74 YEARS CAN ANYONE TRUST A WORD LABOUR SAYS IN THIS BY-ELECTION?

Minutes from Glasgow City Council show that the Labour administration voted against an SNP proposal for EXTRA investment in Glasgow’s roads and street lighting amounting to £6 million in capital investment.

The minutes were highlighted by Glasgow SNP MSP Bob Doris to show how Labour’s negative scaremongering about Glasgow’s overall funding and investment in roads was not only misleading but hypocritical.

Minutes from a Glasgow City Council meeting on 12th February this year concerning the 2009/10 Revenue and Capital Budget show that Labour councillors voted against the SNP’s proposals to spend £4 million capital investment in roads and a £2 million capital investment in street lighting. Despite this fact the Labour campaign in Glasgow North East is trying to claim the SNP Government has cut funding – even although Glasgow is the best funded mainland council in Scotland.

Commenting on Labour’s latest attempt to mislead the voters of Glasgow North East Mr Doris said:

“After 74 years of Labour representation and corresponding decline can anyone trust a word Labour tells the voters in Glasgow North East?

“This is the height of hypocrisy. The non-trunk roads in Glasgow are funded from the council’s budget and despite a proposal from the SNP Council Group to invest £6 million in the city’s roads and street lighting it was the Labour party which voted it down.

“Labour’s attempts to mislead the voters of Glasgow North East are becoming a hallmark of this campaign.”

SNP councillor Alex Dingwall, the Shadow City Treasurer, said:

“How else can you explain their attempts to say Glasgow is being ‘ripped-off’ when the grant from the Scottish Government means spending is the highest per head of any mainland council?

“It is simple hypocrisy to mislead the people of Glasgow whilst the city enjoys the best funding per head of any mainland Scottish council yet fails to back local SNP proposals to invest in Glasgow’s roads and streets.”

1. Page 8 of the minutes from the Glasgow City Council meeting on 12th February this year concerning the 2009/10 Revenue and Capital Budget can be read here:

http://www.glasgowcitycouncil.co.uk/committee_minutes/public/Documents/Live/Council/20087/1330_12_02_2009_2461_Minute_%231202FC.pdf

The minutes show the following SNP proposals:

Infrastructure investment in roads (£4m capital investment) 400,000

Lighting Strategy (£2m capital investment) 200,000

The vote is shown on page 14.

2. The following Parliamentary Question and Answer shows how Glasgow is the best funded council per head in mainland Scotland:

30 September 2009

Index Heading: Finance and Sustainable Growth

Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much funding was made available on a per capita basis to each local authority in 2009-10, broken down by amount. (S3W-27589)

Mr John Swinney: The 2009-10 funding per capita information requested is provided in the following table.

Local Authority - Funding per capita £

Aberdeen City - 1876

Aberdeenshire - 1946

Angus - 2125

Argyll & Bute - 2755

Clackmannanshire - 2145

Dumfries & Galloway - 2321

Dundee City - 2427

East Ayrshire - 2157

East Dunbartonshire - 1961

East Lothian - 2007

East Renfrewshire - 2125

Edinburgh (City of) - 1994

Eilean Siar - 4769

Falkirk - 2055

Fife - 2032

Glasgow City - 2871

Highland - 2477

Inverclyde - 2431

Midlothian - 2186

Moray - 2307

North Ayrshire - 2251

North Lanarkshire - 2180

Orkney Islands - 4032

Perth & Kinross - 1973

Renfrewshire - 2185

Scottish Borders - 2233

Shetland Islands - 4821

South Ayrshire - 2062

South Lanarkshire - 2068

Stirling - 2204

West Dunbartonshire - 2533

West Lothian - 2001

Scotland – 2254