The Scottish Government

Jim Mather, Minister for Enterprise, Energy and Tourism

Friday, November 30, 2007

This Government's purpose and ambition of increased sustainable growth is the 'North Star' to which we should all be steering a constant course.

Our objective of matching the UK growth rate by 2011 is important but it is only a step on the way to building a stronger economy able to match and exceed our competitors.

We need to face the fact that Scotland's growth record over the last three decades has been mediocre. But the current situation is a great opportunity to catch up and converge with the arc of prosperity that surrounds our country - Ireland to the west, Iceland to the north, Norway to the east.

These countries are amongst the wealthiest in the world and they illustrate Scotland's potential for sustained economic growth.

As a nationalist, I don't think we can fully release Scotland's boundless potential without independence. However that doesn't mean we cannot begin to move in the right direction with the effective exploitation of microeconomic levers currently at our disposal and an agenda to de-clutter and increase confidence in Scotland.

I believe strongly that the best way to make progress - and the only way to achieve our fullest potential - is independence.

We operate in a global economy where competition is fierce and getting fiercer, where the pace of change is accelerating all the time. But that situation is tailor-made for a small flexible asset-rich nation of able talented people - with an international reputation for integrity and reliability - and the full power to compete.

I have absolutely no doubt that we have the capacity within us as a Government and as a nation to achieve a real, positive and beneficial change in our economic prospects in the years ahead.

This blog is now closed to further comments.

Comments

[Latest First] | [Earliest First] Page: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]

• 61. martin - Edinburgh Scotland

  Monday, October 8, 2007 16:47

  its me yet again - Fife 59.
  
  Are u witnessing the great leadership from Gordon at this minute? I think not. What A mess!
  
  Yes he is a big feartie... of the polls in England with the Tories, and as Des browne of Labour (yes him again yawn) saying Salmond is the only one scared of an election! Well obviously he knows and is aware of the truth and with his comment today of all days revealing to us that they are scared of the polls in Scotland too with the SNP in power and riding high in the polls and STILL in honeymoon period in his own words! AND of course things wouldnt be complete without another cock-up from Wendy Alexander's brother Dougie that he was behind this mess with preparing and hyping up of an election just like the votes shambles he presided over recently in Scotland for Mays elections!
  
  So what does Gordon say, it wasnt the polls that put him off!!! so insteps Jack straw and says it was the polls partly! You could not make it up folks.
  
  Who could ever trust them??? Seemingly Gordon wanted more time for to prove his policies ... you see this is where people are saying wasnt he the one in 11 downing street who bankrolled the illegal war in Iraq? I think we all know what his priorities are having been subjected to his and tony blairs failings over foreign policy etc etc for the last TOO many years.
  
  If he cant be trusted to tell the truth and gets in such a mess of terrible proportions then what hope is there.
  
  I KNOW an independent Scotland can do so much better than this shambles of a labour party and just for the record Scotland has never and does NOT want a Tory government here.
  
  The SNP with this national conversation alone have engaged with the people and allowed us our say which is the measure of Alex Salmond and co unlike Gordon's labour party who cant even play straight with the people.
  
  Their is hope for Scotland with independence with an SNP government acting like a competent government
  Lets face it, we cant be any worse than what we have and have had to date with that shower at westminster.
  
  Independence cant come quick enough to get us away from the shambles we have had and are still witnessing.
  
  bring it on.
  
  
  
  
  
  
  

• 62. Here We are Again - Fife

  Wednesday, October 10, 2007 14:10

  #60
  
  What has reading 'The Record', got to do with Socialism?
  
  The SNP are NOT in power, they are in GOVERNMENT! They can only process their policies with the goodwill of other parties.
  
  Why don't they enter into discussions with other MSP's to present a properly costed budget with an assured voting majority? Because they won't give up the dream? Or because they won't listen?
  
  Show the economic case for seperation, I am listening.
  
  Replace the Community Charge with a local income tax? We are waiting, believe me we are ALL waiting for that one!!
  
  £2,000 handout to first time buyers? Okay by me. WHEN
  
  1,000 more police on the beat? Fat Chance!
  
  £1.5 BILLION saving in running costs, as proposed by Mr Swinney. Enough to cover just about everything promised. Only problem with that one is that most of goernment spend goes on WAGES, so how many people will end up on the dole to achieve that promise.
  
  Who pays the State pension now and who will pay it after separation?
  
  Let's not forget the jobs created building the supercarriers until 2014 - 2016, at shipyards and Rosyth, the support staff at Faslane and Leuchars....
  
  Before you get too carried away these are the people YOU need to convince to support you, so you do need really compelling arguments to get their votes.
  
  We are ears.

• 63. martin -

  Wednesday, October 10, 2007 23:27

  YOU tell me about the daily record. who is kidding who!
  
  the SNP ARE in power as they ARE the government. the TRUTH hurts you i know.
  
  they can only process their polices with the goodwill of other parties you say ... well remind us all about the other parties when the SNP were in opposition, they produced a bill to rid
  Scotland of the council tax but the other parties voted against it and especially the lib dems on a minute detail and menzies campbell yesterday is stating in westminster to rid us of the council tax! hyprocrcy at its worst and the unionist opposition have shown time and again their is NO goodwill to Scotland on their part, they wont even apologise for their failures 'me again'. dont think Scotland will hold its breath for them.
  
  you say 'we' so much i thought you needed the toilet!
  
  All these things you mention about the police, first time buyers and so on you seem desperate for an answer as we all do but remind us ... why has this not been done up until now with your beloved dependent unionist parties? after all 'WE' have been waiting 300 years have we not! so im glad to see at least you have agreed there is one heck of a mess in the unionist garden but they did tell us everything in Scotland was milk and honey but then it was maybe our oil they had designs on keeping dont you think.
  
  we dont need to convince anyone as the SNP have OVERTOOK labour in power and it will be a long time before labour are back in power. OPEN your eyes man, cruel to be kind and all that.
  
  You say separation yet your a socialist, get real. that would be why every time there is an election in Scotland the worlds press and media run to Scotland in the hope that WE too get our independence.
  
  no amount of non reporting by the unionist media can supress that.
  
  Im glad that you see that we need to do all these things to get Scotland right and then a heck of a lot more due to years of neglect by your unionist parties but if you had the guts to speak out years ago then maybe labour and the tories wouldnt have got away with the destruction they have inflicted on Scotland.
  
  i'd rather be independent spending/saving my own money as i see fit than holding out a begging bowl to another country when i know fine well that the oil and gas that has went into another countries coffers have saved their bacon for years.
  
  its called PRIDE and im proud to be SCOTTISH.
  
  
  
  
  
  

• 64. Gordon Murray - Livingston

  Thursday, October 11, 2007 00:48

  62. Delusions of gradeur - Fife
  Wednesday, October 10, 2007 14:10
  
  Is this the Royal We or is that just what we tend to spout, with a not so silent 'p'?
  
  We have a high opinion of one's own opinions, should we perhaps call one Mssr Ecosse?
  
  Rosyth: An unfortunate example to choose, after Whitehall's shame over the RN's nuclear sub maintenance contract. Transferring the work to a dock at Devonport which hadn't the facilities to carry it out, leaving behind half a dozen or so rusting hulks, still waiting to this day, for their nuclear reactors to be made safe. Remember?
  
  The reason to keep the Union is the defence of our shipbuilding jobs? Priceless!!
  Just as well no Polish yards get to tender for 'grey' ships, eh?
  
  Faslane/Coulport: Just think of the jobs that could be created along that beautifull stretch of the Firth of Clyde coast if it wasn't tied up with nuclear installations and razor wire.
  
  The economic case for ending dependence on handouts from London?
  You mean other than: We pay in more than we get out?
  Even according to the accepted as under reported figures from GERS, for 2004-5 we contributed £36.4bn(add a £1bn or two for this year)to the UK Treasury.
  That does not include the £10-12bn+ the Treasury in Whitehall is expecting from North Sea Oil this year.(At $65 boe for Brent Crude)
  
  How much are we due back, a whacking great £30bn? Who gets the other £20bn?
  That is £30bn a year, right?
  
  I'd say the fact that our Barnett dole money is dependent on what Chancellor Darling does with funding on English NHS hospitals and English Schools is a pretty compelling argument for ending the link.
  
  Even with Whitehall's admittedly dodgy figures, Scotland's GDP per person is near enough in line with the UK's.
  So questions about national debt, defence and pension provision, as of today's figures, I cannot see being effected except for the better as the Scottish economy is stimulated for greater future growth.
  
  
  Personally I'd go for independence even if the figures did not add up.
  eg. In extremis:
  During the darkest hours of WWII, when Churchill faced up to Hitler across the Channel was he thinking:"Oh dear, what if this gets too expensive, wouldn't we be better off just welcoming them on the beaches"?
  Bet your life he wasn't.
  

• 65. Gordon Murray - Livingston

  Thursday, October 11, 2007 00:49

  62. Here We are Again - Fife
  Wednesday, October 10, 2007 14:10
  When?
  The Budget.

• 66. Here we go yet again - Fife

  Saturday, October 13, 2007 12:27

  #64 Gordon Murray
  
  Rosyth doesn’t have the order to assemble the super carriers then? You better inform the FE centres who are gearing up to provide the craftsmen who will be engaged in the work they won’t have.
  
  I forgot that, according to the SNP Health Secretary, the Scottish yards WON the contracts to build the individual units on merit. Did she include Polish shipyards in her assessment that we beat the opposition ‘hands down?’ (Poetic License).
  
  Faslane /Coulport jobs in what industries? I would really like to know what they would be and how much they would contribute to the economy and well being of the citizenry of the area. Next question, why is nobody exploiting the rest of locations around the West coast available for exploitation? Maybe they are making a living already.
  
  Your figures may be right as far as possible income is concerned but the expenditure in Scotland does not stop at the £30 billion the parliament has to cover devolved responsibilities.
  
  I will repeat the questions I have asked in prior submissions, who will pay for the State pensions, defence costs, (Including Trident replacement as well as the super carriers above). Will we join NATO and provide personnel and equipment from our own army, navy and air force? If so how much more will that come to?
  
  If the Scottish GDP is near enough in line with the UK’s why are the SNP only claiming to MATCH the UK by 2011?
  
  Pride comes before a fall if promises made by an individual or organisation to gain an advantage are not delivered. Blaming a third party on personal failure is not an acceptable excuse. This country is full of individuals who made a success of their lives and created businesses that have brought work and prosperity to the country. They have achieved their success in spite (?) of being shackled to the mainland.
  
  If the truth were to be told they would agree that the fact they were able to freely exploit the association with the UK, same business rule, common currency, same language, freedom of movement and so on, made their businesses MORE successful.
  
  Alex Salmond should be ashamed to stand up and admit he was surprised at just how much the Scottish IT / Electronics industry contributed to the economy, (without his help obviously). Where has he been for the last 30 years? Down in Westminster for a good part of that time obviously, building up his pension? If he is unaware of Scotland’s industrial successes then he wasn’t doing his job in that place. Still trust him to make a success of Scotland?
  

• 67. Here we go yet again 2 - Fife

  Saturday, October 13, 2007 12:32

  #63
  
  Since 1999 when the devolved parliament operated as a COALITION between Labour and the Lib – Dems. The idea that the first two parliaments were controlled by a LABOUR government is a myth. That myth exists in the minds of the SNP MSPs. By definition a government should be able to deliver on its manifesto commitments, or be held to account by the electorate. The reality is that the SNP manifesto can only be delivered by presenting those parts that will be acceptable to opposition, since they have chosen to go it alone. However, on the evidence of the last few weeks, they are unlikely to present much of their manifesto promises to parliament as they have realised they failed to cost them to start with.
  
  Number one ‘We will cancel they Edinburgh trams, as they have been badly costed’. Costings proved to be correct so the will of the parliament was accepted. More to follow? See previous submissions.
  
  I have already said I would support the case for independence if it can be made. I can also state that I have always supported socialist policies, so my political credentials on that front are not in question, more than can be said for the SNP. The Scottish people are entitled to have the FULL consequences of separation laid out before a decision on separation presented to them. ‘We’ the electorate are entitled to that as a minimum requirement. ‘We’ are also entitled to a commitment that a ‘NO’ vote will be accepted as the settled will of the people and left on the shelf for ever. If not, why have a referendum in the first place?
  
  Why is it that the SNP are prepared to join with the Northern Irish and Welsh devolved assemblies to push Westminster for a bigger slice of the UK cake but is not prepared to discuss forming a partnership with fellow MSPs to work with the cash in hand to present a workable budget in the interim? I’m sure MSPs of all parties are prepared to work towards that end.
  
  Further to that comment The Welsh Nationalists are in coalition with a Unionist party to do just that, as are the Northern Irish MIPs. After 30 or so years of conflict warring factions are in concord in that province.
  
  It speaks volumes that the SNP are NOT prepared to follow suit. AS has nothing in common with the representatives of the other two devolved parliaments, and is clearly embarking on a process of confrontation with Westminster, the last thing Scotland needs. Maybe Jack McConnel was right after all, and Mr Salmond’s claim to have won the election on the promise of governing for Scotland, not a narrow minded nationalist programme, is wrong!!
  
  
  

• 68. -

  Monday, October 15, 2007 11:53

  I've tried to post this a few times now.
  Fingers crossed.
  #59. It's me , yet again - Fife
  Sunday, October 7, 2007 19:50
  
  Well, bully for you, so you're that socialist?
  Have you been approached yet to have a blue plaque set outside your door?
  
  Are you one of those 'New' ones that have renounced your membership of CND, nuclear disarmament and nuclear power stations?
  btw Did you watch last night's documentary on the Windscale disaster?
  How Britain came within moments of becoming a charred radioactive desert just because a UK foreign minister had his pride dented by the way he was spoken down to in the USA and decided we must keep up with them in the nuclear arms race.
  
  From information only now available after 50 years, the fact that you and I are alive today, it seems to me, was more down to luck than judgement.
  
  Pouring water into a burning nuclear reactor fire, in a desperate failed attempt to extinguish the blaze, could reasonably have been expected to have caused an enormous atomic explosion, very similar to the near thing that almost happened at the Chernobyl nuclear meltdown 30 years later, the radioactive fallout from either of which could have rendered much of Europe uninhabitable.
  
  Calder Hall A, the first nuclear power station, apparently actually drew more electricity from the national grid than it produced when making material for nuclear weapons.
  It's primary purpose.
  
  Likewise, were you impressed by Margaret Thatcher's 'conviction politics' and Norman Tebbit's endorsement for Gordon Brown and his 'New' Labour?
  
  Clause 4?
  
  My party right or wrong:
  How does it feel these days to support the party our grandfathers fought to create and what do you think they'd make of what it has become now?
  The phrase 'birling in their graves' comes to my mind.
  Ask Denis Healey, Roy Hattersley or Tony Benn what they think the smell is, I bet it ain't coffee.
  
  Nursery schools in Edinburgh:
  I have no idea, and to be honest I can't be bothered to find out.
  I suspect that it may be linked to the fact that Edinburgh is no longer as attractive to young couples who want to raise children, and an ageing demographic.
  
  Back in April the council's Labour party education spokesman indicated that by 2011 there will be the equivalent of 20-odd schools in the Lothians with no pupils in them to teach and that by this autumn they'd have to be discussing school closures.
  I'm guessing that would have to include nursery schools too.
  
  Parents at the local village primary school down the road from here are fighting to keep it open for its four pupils, inspite of the fact that due to neglect the building has now been declared unsafe. I expect the kids are outnumbered by the staff looking after them.
  The cynic might suggest that the council, rather than trying to shut down the school themselves, let it fall into disrepair so that it would be parents calling for the closure not them.
  
  Incidentally you might also want to take a look at the City of Edinburgh Council and see who actually pulls the strings there.
  
  Polis on the beat: Bella Goldie promised an extra 1500, look where that got the Tories. Hardly a deal breaker?
  Personally, I'll give them until 2010/11 to make up my mind on that one.
  
  For the record, I am not and never have been a member of any political party or organisation.
  
  I was a printer in my youth back in the 70's, printing election material for all of the parties except the tories, for obvious reasons.
  I learned then to regard all politicians with a healthy dose of cynicism.
  Eg I met the 'committed socialist' former shop steward, turning up at the printers with his agent to pick up his election material in his new Jag and flash suit, then putting on the tatty old suit and driving on down to the hustings in an old beat up MkIV Cortina, to confirm his 'class credentials'.
  These days he's a belted noble Lord.
  
  I would like Scotland to regain her full statehood for reasons I have made clear elsewhere.
  The SNP at the moment are broadly in line with my views, haven't always been and may not always be.
  
  Last word, how about giving some constructive comments on what you want for our kids rather than banging on about what you're against?
  

• 69. livilion - livingston

  Monday, October 15, 2007 13:21

  66. Here we go yet again - Fife
  Saturday, October 13, 2007 12:27
  
  Rosyth, Have you been over there recently?
  It is hardly what I'd call a hive of industry, these contracts are only about four years late.
  
  How many ships have Babcocks launched on the Forth in that time?
  
  I'm sure the RN and the French Navy will be reassured to know their ships are to be assembled by graduate students from Fife.
  How many apprenticeships will these ships provide for the Forth and how many Scottish ship builders will find jobs there?
  
  btw If these are super carriers, what does the USN have?
  
  Any ideas what we are going to be allowed to use these carriers for?
  What aircraft they will be carrying, ie American?
  When will we be seeing the order for the Clyde designed type45 frigates they'll need for screening them from future attack?
  
  Rosyth won the contract on the merit of having the only dock in the country big enough to assemble these ships.
  It was built to handle Trident nuclear submarine refits.
  
  Devonport.
  
  Poland does not get to tender for UK 'grey ships', unlike Fisheries Protection Vessels (which are only painted grey), and CalMac car ferries.
  
  
  Nobody had been investing in the West Coast towns since the USN left at the end of the Cold War and took away their dollars.
  
  Take a look at the upper Clyde and across the water at Port Glasgow and Greenock and see what is happening there if you would know what could be done with the land currently behind razor wire.
  
  Questions of who pays for pensions etc?
  The same people who pay for them now, us.
  NATO, why do we need to be members, who do we intend to nuke?
  What has NATO done since its inception apart from stick a big nuclear bullseye over Scotland?
  Why would independent Scotland need nukes or aircraft carriers?
  
  All but a very few Scots do not need or want either.
  We can happily continue to design and build warships for foreign navies as we do at present.
  
  The new Scottish government has undertaken to match UK growth rates.
  I suggest you Google the two terms to aquaint yourself with the differences between GDP and Scottish Economic Growth.
  
  Here's a link to start you off:
  http://www.economics.stir.ac.uk/staff/dnfb1/scotland/Scottish%20GVA.htm
  
  'Truth be told' if we lifted our eyes from the limited/ing horizons of the UK to the wider horizons of the EU, and the world in general, our potential is only limited by our imagination and our will.
  
  I think of it in these terms:
  Scotland under Westminster is like our football team under Berti Vogts, nuff said.
  
  Scotland under SNP is like under Walter Smith, turning it around and giving us back our pride.
  Same people, same resources to call on, very different outlook.
  
  Independent Scotland would be like our national team under Alex McLeish and Roy Aitken:
  Currently 14th in the FIFA rankings, second in the world only to Croatia for nations with populations under 10 million, and who knows how far we can go and what we can achieve?...
  

• 70. martin - Edinburgh Scotland

  Monday, October 15, 2007 15:43

  re; 67 here we go yet again.
  
  Yes we had a coalition with labour/lib-dems that no one wanted or voted for, the lib-dems came fourth remember? You can shut your eyes and cover your ears all you want but labour controlled that coalition and as we all know gave a 'few' lib-dems their mondeos for one of the greatest stitch ups in Scotlands history and yes your right we had to endure that through 2 parliament terms! Dark, dark days indeed.
  The SNP chose to go it alone in governmet you said - well firstly like others have said id get your facts straight first, the lib-dems didnt WANT to join with the SNP due to the independence question so threw their dummy out the pram, now we all know that the independence referendum was in the SNP manifesto and since they were the biggest party hence they are in power at holyrood, it is only right and democratic that the SNP stuck to their guns as we all know that you and your unionist media would have never let them forget that had theyd reneged on their promise to the people who voted them in and youd have said they cant be trusted to fulfill their promises, you KNOW thats the case, but then they dont sell out their people like labour have done and the lib-dems have shown they are anything but their said name and have no respect for the Scottish people in doing so.
  
  My god you are so scared of this independence referendum, you want it left on the shelf for ever, well at least give us the choice to have this independence referendum first! after all we have been waiting 300 years...and remember, we have never had the choice to be part of this unequal union, SOME socialist you are.
  
  Oh we copy what Wales and NI do in government do we? remind us, socialist that you are, is devolution not about making our own choices down our own paths? well so we were told, but this seems to scare you. You see, the SNP has not only a present vision but one for the future of Scotland too, more than can be said for Gordon Brown.
  
  YES at last we have a holyrood government and a First Minister who have a 'BACKBONE' unlike the labour/lib-dem lot who stood by and let westminster pick off Scotland at will for their own political ends AND you know it.
  
  Its brilliant to see this SNP government confronting westminster and 'standing up' for Scotland something Jack McConnell couldnt or wouldnt do and even less chance from Wendy Alexander with her brother tied to her boss's apron strings.
  Still no answer from you to some of my questions about your beloved unionist stitch ups like taking away your own Country Scotlands fishing waters and redrawing the boundaries???
  Last week thanks to the SNP bringing to light that Gordon and co reneged on their promise and withdrew their financial offer to Scotland's farmers who by the way are threatening the westminster government with legal action. THIS would never have come to light in front of the Scottish people if it had been due to any of the last lot we had to endure. Long may it continue id rather have my rights fought for than a weak weasel with self interest who rolls over and takes defeat so readily, its what 'we' put them there for!
  
  These are the reasons this union is discredited and dead as a do do. The Scottish people deserve so much better, if it was only due to the 30 year rule that we just found out that they gave the biggest lie of all to us that there was no oil left, well weve paid a hefty price and still they are at it on that score.
  
  You have gave me no reason whatsover to convince me of staying in this dependent un equal union. We have a right to govern ourselves like any other nation on earth.
  
  Until you take the blinkers off and open your eyes to the inevitabilty that whether you like it or not independence is coming for Scotland. Start addressing this unionist sham towards Scotland and the disgraceful slurs we have to endure that we are not quite good enough on a daily basis then you will come up to scratch with the reality of the mood in Scotland. Socialist? yet you love weapons of mass destruction on our beautiful countryside? dont make me laugh.
  
  Finally, well done to the Scotland football team for beating Ukraine and topping their group, you have done Scotland proud, do your best against Georgia, this country is jumping!
  
  

[Latest First] | [Earliest First] Page: [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12]