The Scottish Government

Fiona Hyslop, Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning

Friday, November 30, 2007

In May of this year the people of Scotland voted for a new approach and better future for Scotland. Now we are asking you to take part in a National Conversation on whether more powers would be beneficial for our country.

For example, skills for work is a devolved area, but the UK Government often leads in the design of employment and skills policies. UK Government employment and benefit-related policies generally address the wider skills needs of the UK but don't always take account of what's best for Scotland.

We recently launched the first ever skills strategy for Scotland 'Skills for Scotland' to address Scotland's skills issues, some of which are different from those in the rest of the UK. Further transfer of powers in the area of employment services could provide greater coherence and accountability for delivery of employment and skills development policy.

We just have to look to small independent countries across the water to see that further powers could help Scotland become smarter.

We could deliver a more comprehensive early years strategy if we had more say over reserved areas. The ability to set maternity and paternity leave, for example, would allow us to support parents in those crucial early years. We need only look to Iceland to see the benefits. It can set maternity and paternity rules which currently give fathers three months leave when mothers decide to return to work. This not only makes the return to work easier for mothers but also ensures fathers take more interest in their child's upbringing.

Our National Conversation is the first step to exploring what extra powers could do for Scotland - I for one am convinced we would thrive and compete on the world stage, providing a better standard of living and quality of life for families.

This blog is now closed to further comments.

Comments

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• 61. Angus Og 3 - Fife

  Monday, November 12, 2007 21:32

  #59 Donald
  
  Sorry Donald but the Scots who fought with BPC were 'done' by more Scots on the other side. Presumably they had difficulty understanding the Gaidhlig and French!!
  
  Perhaps you should have converted to Auld Scots or Doric or even German?

• 62. Angus Og 4 - Fife

  Tuesday, November 13, 2007 14:03

  #59 Donald MacKinnon
  
  A wee PS to your submission.
  
  
  Do you really believe that if Charles Edward Stewart? or is that Stuart? had had the courage of his convictions and carried on to London, instead of beating a retreat to Scotland, and WON the battle for the throne, that he would have set up court in Edinburgh?
  
  As his native language was French would he have conducted the affairs of state in Gaidhlig? (got it right this time?) Grow up! The big prize was the throne of England and the throne of Scotland would have been secondary to this prize. We are citizens of the same land mass and will do better working together than arguing with each other.
  
  As for Welsh being the second language in the UK you and they are welcome to it! Stick two Welsh speakers, or Gaidhlig speakers in a room with 200 Non Welsh or Gaidhlig speakers the 200 would be as well on a different planet!! A more insular race than the Welsh I have yet to meet.

• 63. Donald MacKinnon - Edinburgh

  Tuesday, November 13, 2007 14:19

  True enough that there were many lowlanders in the English army that fought at Culloden, most of which were Campbell’s. The only reason the Campbell’s fought against the rest of the clans was because they hated Catholics and they did not want a Catholic monarchy not because they hated Gaidhlic and the geals of course they them self’s still spoke the language and called them self's geals.
  Also predicting your replay being that lowlanders did not particularly like BMC as you call him I would draw attention to the population ratio back then when more that 70 % of the Scottish population lived in the Highlands and Islands and SPOKE Gealic and loved BMC. Of course I fought he was daft but his cause was true.
  
  Any way I am sick of this stupid argument with this stupid old fashioned Queen loving unionist whose arguments LOST all merit on the 3rd of may 2007 when Scotland saw the light, regained her self respect and self belief and chose a path which will lead us to a Scotland that is rightfully proud of its past and of its present. A Scotland that will become the 3rd or 4th most prosperous small nation in Europe next to Belgium and Ireland.
  
  

• 64. Kev - Edinburgh

  Tuesday, November 13, 2007 16:22

  "Any way I am sick of this stupid argument with this stupid old fashioned Queen loving unionist whose arguments LOST all merit on the 3rd of may 2007 when Scotland saw the light, regained her self respect and self belief and chose a path which will lead us to a Scotland that is rightfully proud of its past and of its present. A Scotland that will become the 3rd or 4th most prosperous small nation in Europe next to Belgium and Ireland."
  
  You tell them Donald!, Angus lets his true colours shine with his post #52
  
  "What have the Irish and Welsh got to do with Scottish Culture?"
  
  Shame on you Angus have a word with yourself get out of the 17th Century son.

• 65. Nigel - United Kingdom.

  Tuesday, November 13, 2007 23:23

  DON'T break up the Union! We're stronger TOGETHER.

• 66. Callum MacPherson - Edinburgh

  Wednesday, November 14, 2007 19:26

  300 years ago our Parliament, rightly or wrongly, signed us up to the Act of Union. Yet the people of Scotland, thanks in large amounts to the caveats that were negotiated in that union, clearly still have a sense of national identity. Gaels, Easties, Westies, Highlanders, Lowlanders, Islanders, even the immigrants that come here from all corners of the world (and England!), feel that Scotland is a 'country' in itself. Yes there is huge diversity within the population but we generally all feel we share in Scotland's national culture.
  
  So, Scotland is a country, a nation. That is not in question.
  
  The question is, has Scotland's union with the rest of Britain ran its course?
  
  The British Empire that existed from the time of the Union and that was so important in giving opportunities to Scots has gone. It went at least fifty years ago. We can be proud of the part we played in that enterprise but the world is now a much smaller, much different place. Think about it. In fact all of the reasons that the Union was signed for in the first place are gone. Read up on your history!!
  
  Furthermore there is lots to indicate that Scotland would thrive as an independent, sovereign nation. The notion that we could not survive is frankly absurd. How does any country survive?!?! So get that notion out of your head! No, in fact Scotland has lots to offer the world in commerce and in culture. But perhaps even more importantly, Scotland, with full powers to choose its own path once again, has lots more to offer itself, its people, you and me.
  
  Has Scotland's part in the United Kingdom ran its course? I believe it has.
  
  Here's to the future.
  
  

• 67. Gordon - Buxton, Derbyshire

  Thursday, November 15, 2007 13:30

  Having lived in England for over twenty years I find it strange as a Scot to read and listen to the bluster about independence; Scotland has much to work on and improve, and independence is most definitely not a prerequisite.Recent opinion polls seem to reflect this, with only one in four desiring independence.
  Alex Salmond, the most plausible of the SNP cohort so far, seems also to have accepted the poll's verdict when he says he envisages an independent Scotland in 10 year's time.
  So get to grips with the real issues; the small- mindedness, the parochialism, the bluster, the "here's tae us" Tam O'Shanterism, the spurious Braveheart tack, the diet, the lifestyle, the roads(!!) and yes, the bigotry that still pervades.
  Education will play a great part in all this so anyone who truly champions education in Scotland has my support, irrespective of party allegiance.
  
  P.S. Alex Salmond continually refers to the "people of Scotland". Who are they?
  Are they Scots, English, Poles, who live in Scotland or people born in Scotland or is it just people born in Scotland who live in Scotland?
  Rules out St.Sean, then?

• 68. Angus Og 4 - Fife

  Thursday, November 15, 2007 22:06

  #63 Donald
  
  Who is BMC? I said BPC, Bonnie Prince Charlie, who escaped dressed up as a lassie! A procedure we now hold up to ridicule as terrorists use this guise to elude capture! But then we are in the 21st century so opinions change. Just as the Lowlanders across the central belt are now in the majority as is Parliamo Glesga, the Auld Scots of the 'modern' Scottish bards and authors, e.g. Babbie Burns, Robert L Stevenson, Walter Scott ......, the country that gave the world logarithms, steam power, television...
  
  I am more Scottish than any GAELIC speaker, check the spelling at the Scotsman, the Herald....
  
  64% of the population don't want Alex Salmond as their spokesman, and following the budget with the manifesto promises lying in the dust that figure is going up as we speak.
  
  Gaelic Schmaelic.

• 69. Susan Grant - Ross-shire

  Saturday, November 17, 2007 09:49

  I agree with Jem that real confidence in ourselves and in our ability to be responsbile for running our own country is what matters. We do not see Finland, Iceland and more recently countries like Latvia and Lithuania doing anything but loving their independence and prospering economically - of course! Yet a bright final year student commented to me recently that if things didn't work out with independence, then how would we be able to go back to the union. This level of lack of self belief is the real problem.
  
  Other yooung people have commented that we no longer have cheap labour to compete with the Far East in industries like shipbuilding but again Finland is also in this situation and has a very successful shipbuilding industry. I have pointed out that we would not be spending money on going to war with Iraq and on nuclear weapons if Scotland were independent. These resources would be freed up for education, apprenticeships, research and development and investment in the future in the way we ourselves choose.
  
  Our young people are as intelligent and keen to prosper as anywhere in the world. Let us hope that the SNP government can provide inspiration and a new picture of Scotland where the latest technologies can flourish, good jobs be provided and the environment be safeguarded. Why not?

• 70. James Turner - Switzerland

  Saturday, November 17, 2007 23:49

  I am not sure if this actually get read, but I thought I would say something about scotland, I left scotland in 2006 for a better future in Switzerland (a small country just like ours) I am gay, I am a lawyer but although there were and still are opportunties for Lawyers in scotland - as a culture I am excluded for being gay - this is not the case here in Basel. What does the SNP intend to do to allow those who love scotland to return regrdless of their sexual orientation as currently I cannot live inscotlad for fear of persecution or ridicule as a result of my sexual orientatuin - we will never be a great nation until we can work togeather -

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