First Minister Alex Salmond has given the Scottish Parliament the details of 15 new pieces of legislation which will form the basis of his government's work in the next year.
Rationalising police and fire services is at the heart of a number of measures aimed at saving money.
It was a heavier legislative programme than in recent years reflecting the fact that the SNP now have a majority and do not have to get legislation through on a consensual vote by vote basis. There are 16 Bills in all, 15 of them new.
Scotland's eight police forces will be merged into one ending a long debate on this issue. A Bill will introduce minimum pricing for alcohol, an SNP proposal in the last Parliament that failed to win enough support in Holyrood.
A Bill will be introduced to allow for papers to be published relating to the appeal of the Lockerbie bomber and another will be progressed to deal with offensive behaviour around football matches, the so called anti-sectarian drive.
The Government will bring forward an Agricultural Holdings Bill to breathe new life into farming. There will be changes to council tax on empty homes and a Bill on children's rights.
Mr Salmond also announced a Next Generation Digital Fund to help business activity, mainly in rural areas, as part of investment in broadband connectivity.
On youth employment, he announced an Opportunities For All initiative - a commitment that every 16 to 19-year-old will be offered a learning or training place if they are not already in a job, modern apprenticeship or education.
The First Minister said: "Political leaders owe it to these young people to create the conditions that encourage growth. With growth comes work and with work comes security and confidence, with confidence comes prosperity and a deeper sense of well being not just for individuals and families but for the wider community.
"That's how we come to the good society, the fair society, and it's at the heart of the programme for government that I outline today."
Rationalising police and fire services is at the heart of a number of measures aimed at saving money.
It was a heavier legislative programme than in recent years reflecting the fact that the SNP now have a majority and do not have to get legislation through on a consensual vote by vote basis. There are 16 Bills in all, 15 of them new.
Scotland's eight police forces will be merged into one ending a long debate on this issue. A Bill will introduce minimum pricing for alcohol, an SNP proposal in the last Parliament that failed to win enough support in Holyrood.
A Bill will be introduced to allow for papers to be published relating to the appeal of the Lockerbie bomber and another will be progressed to deal with offensive behaviour around football matches, the so called anti-sectarian drive.
The Government will bring forward an Agricultural Holdings Bill to breathe new life into farming. There will be changes to council tax on empty homes and a Bill on children's rights.
Mr Salmond also announced a Next Generation Digital Fund to help business activity, mainly in rural areas, as part of investment in broadband connectivity.
On youth employment, he announced an Opportunities For All initiative - a commitment that every 16 to 19-year-old will be offered a learning or training place if they are not already in a job, modern apprenticeship or education.
The First Minister said: "Political leaders owe it to these young people to create the conditions that encourage growth. With growth comes work and with work comes security and confidence, with confidence comes prosperity and a deeper sense of well being not just for individuals and families but for the wider community.
"That's how we come to the good society, the fair society, and it's at the heart of the programme for government that I outline today."
On education, the First Minister confirmed there will be a new programme of Scottish Studies.
He dismissed criticisms of the plan, telling MSPs: "Our colleagues on the Conservative benches have dismissed Scottish Studies as indoctrination.
"I cannot imagine any other nation where teaching your own history, arts and literature in an impartial way would be dismissed in such a negative fashion."
Mr Salmond also levelled criticism at the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government at Westminster.
He added: "This (SNP) government prefers to think big for Scotland because this government knows where it is going. We have Scotland's interests at the heart of the programme I outline today.
"The people recognise our ambition and trust us to take Scotland further on its journey. So should this chamber."
Labour leader Iain Gray started his response with a note of "envy" at the SNP`s unprecedented overall majority.
He said: "What an opportunity he has. An absolute majority. The chance to achieve so much. The chance to put into practice the policies he preaches."
However, he said Mr Salmond's majority meant he could not blame anyone else if his policies fail.
Mr Gray said: "For four years of an SNP minority administration the First Minister dutifully brought forward his centrepiece measures and legislation, then dutifully withdrew, cancelled or smothered them. And it was always, always, someone else's fault."
Mr Gray cited the failure to cut class sizes to 18, the ill-fated attempts to find an alternative to the council tax and a "watered-down" bill originally designed to "make Scotland the first hydro economy on the planet".
He also called on the Scottish government to bring forward its referendum on independence. He said: "He has no credible excuse for not bringing that bill forward, except that he does not think the people of Scotland are ready to have their say because he might not get the answer he wants."
Independence
Conservative leader Annabel Goldie also questioned why independence was not part of the SNP`s legislative agenda for its first year in majority.
She said: "No date, no question, and, it would seem, no idea of what independence actually means any more.
"The summer offered Alex Salmond an opportunity to reflect, innovate and reform.
"But instead the summer has been one long whinge from Alex Salmond. One long rant about what everyone else is getting wrong.
"People are getting fed up with his diet of negativity and gripe. The SNP is relentlessly hostile to anyone who dares to speak out against them or question their version of reality or challenge their proposals."
Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said his party has reflected on its previous opposition to minimum price on alcohol.
He said: "We will support the SNP's plans to tackle the blight of alcohol, which holds back communities.
"It's backed by a wide range of health bodies. Alcohol hits communities with anti-social behaviour. The health effects are severe. It impacts on children and families."
However, he urged the First Minister to follow his lead and reconsider plans for single police and fire services, which he said would be costly and concentrate too much power in too few hands.
He dismissed criticisms of the plan, telling MSPs: "Our colleagues on the Conservative benches have dismissed Scottish Studies as indoctrination.
"I cannot imagine any other nation where teaching your own history, arts and literature in an impartial way would be dismissed in such a negative fashion."
Mr Salmond also levelled criticism at the Conservative-Liberal Democrat coalition government at Westminster.
He added: "This (SNP) government prefers to think big for Scotland because this government knows where it is going. We have Scotland's interests at the heart of the programme I outline today.
"The people recognise our ambition and trust us to take Scotland further on its journey. So should this chamber."
Labour leader Iain Gray started his response with a note of "envy" at the SNP`s unprecedented overall majority.
He said: "What an opportunity he has. An absolute majority. The chance to achieve so much. The chance to put into practice the policies he preaches."
However, he said Mr Salmond's majority meant he could not blame anyone else if his policies fail.
Mr Gray said: "For four years of an SNP minority administration the First Minister dutifully brought forward his centrepiece measures and legislation, then dutifully withdrew, cancelled or smothered them. And it was always, always, someone else's fault."
Mr Gray cited the failure to cut class sizes to 18, the ill-fated attempts to find an alternative to the council tax and a "watered-down" bill originally designed to "make Scotland the first hydro economy on the planet".
He also called on the Scottish government to bring forward its referendum on independence. He said: "He has no credible excuse for not bringing that bill forward, except that he does not think the people of Scotland are ready to have their say because he might not get the answer he wants."
Independence
Conservative leader Annabel Goldie also questioned why independence was not part of the SNP`s legislative agenda for its first year in majority.
She said: "No date, no question, and, it would seem, no idea of what independence actually means any more.
"The summer offered Alex Salmond an opportunity to reflect, innovate and reform.
"But instead the summer has been one long whinge from Alex Salmond. One long rant about what everyone else is getting wrong.
"People are getting fed up with his diet of negativity and gripe. The SNP is relentlessly hostile to anyone who dares to speak out against them or question their version of reality or challenge their proposals."
Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said his party has reflected on its previous opposition to minimum price on alcohol.
He said: "We will support the SNP's plans to tackle the blight of alcohol, which holds back communities.
"It's backed by a wide range of health bodies. Alcohol hits communities with anti-social behaviour. The health effects are severe. It impacts on children and families."
However, he urged the First Minister to follow his lead and reconsider plans for single police and fire services, which he said would be costly and concentrate too much power in too few hands.
News By:
news.stv.tv/politics
news.stv.tv/politics
0 comments:
Post a Comment