Former Scottish National Party MSP for Angus
This will be one of the last speeches that I will make as an MSP, and it is my final scheduled contribution as convener of the Parliament’s Finance Committee. Therefore, I welcome the fact that I will address a topic—preventative spending—that has the potential to deliver long-lasting social and financial change, and to transform the way in which our public services are delivered. I...
Such questions are better posed elsewhere. I am relaying to Parliament a positive report, rather than the usual negativity that is produced in debates. I say to Elaine Smith that early interventions can significantly help to prevent or reduce the likelihood that children will develop social problems that might necessitate a future intervention by the state. Such an approach could save...
I declare an interest as a former business studies and public administration lecturer at Dundee College and senior lecturer at Angus College. I pay due tribute to Scotland’s further education colleges, which are the engine for skills in Scotland—they work locally with people, communities and businesses to improve knowledge, employability and productivity. Their strength lies in their...
As someone who was born in Cardonald and saw Cardonald College being built, I share the member’s admiration for the work that it has done. However, I point out that Angus College has overcome a 6 per cent cut, which shows what can be achieved through the ability and talents of those run who the colleges.
Before I turn to the detail of our report and recommendations, I will briefly outline some of the changes to this year’s budget process. The fact that the UK spending review was published only in October and that the Scottish Government’s budget was published in November meant that the time for parliamentary scrutiny was constrained. Rather than have a separate debate on the Finance...
Forgive me, but I have a great deal to cover. The key issue of efficiency savings has exercised the Finance Committee and our predecessors in sessions 1 and 2. There are many well-rehearsed issues around efficiency savings, including the problem with having year-on-year targets, which means that the easier options were taken some time ago and therefore future efficiencies are ever harder to...
4. To ask the Scottish Government what plans it has for future provision of police and fire services in Angus. (S3O-12691)
I thank the cabinet secretary for his answer and welcome the news that major reform of our outdated police and fire service structure is to take place. Even if we were not facing unprecedented financial cuts from Westminster, there would still be a strong case for reducing the number of police and fire boards. Given the financial pressures that Westminster is imposing on us, can the cabinet...
