Talking-up Scotland

(c) thenational.scot

In the Guardian:

‘Tens of thousands of patients are having their surgery cancelled and hospitals are setting up makeshift wards in an unprecedented move by NHS [England] bosses to avoid the service going into meltdown this winter…..Hospitals have been ordered to postpone non-urgent operations until mid-January and convert clinics and day-case facilities into overflow areas so they can admit more patients, because of what NHS England warned was an impending winter-induced “surge” in demand.’

https://www.theguardian.com/society/2017/dec/21/nhs-cancels-surgery-tens-of-thousands-avoid-winter-crisis

It’s not clear what tens of thousands means but let’s be generous and say 30 000 over the 20 days to mid-January? That would be 1 500 per day. I’ve searched for various combinations of the words ‘NHS Scotland cancelled operations crisis’ over the last seven days and can find nothing. The Unionist media have had much to say about A&E targets but, as usual, have not contextualised them with the English figures nor with the report from Grampian that 39% of those attending during the cold snap at the beginning of the month resulted from falls on ice. It was icy in Ayr, on the Scottish Riviera, so I suspect the Grampian figures were not unique and should have been used to explain them. The only ice on Reporting Scotland would have been in the faces and voices of the presenters, I’m guessing.

(c) solarpowerportal

I’ve reported more times than I can remember on Scottish universities and companies leading the way in renewables technologies. For example:

Three more huge solar farms for North-east Scotland

80 000 panel solar farm to be built in Scotland

Initially surprised that we were doing as well in the solar energy field as we were in the more predictable, given our climate, wind and tidal formats, it’s clear we’re at the cutting edge on this too. Solar panels made by Forres-based AES Solar have been tested in the heat of Dubai and – at the opposite extreme – a deep freeze in Edinburgh. AES are working in partnership with Glasgow-based Soltropy and academic researchers from Heriot-Watt University to lower costs, increase generation and ease installation of the panels.

This is AES’s second international project in 2017. Reported in Energy Voice, their CEO said:

‘The design and manufacture of the collectors were all completed in Forres using our manufacturing space and equipment. However, we were required to test the new system at the Heriot-Watt University campus in Dubai.’

https://www.energyvoice.com/otherenergy/159384/sun-shines-thermal-collection-experiment/

It seems the North-East of Scotland is as well-suited to solar energy generation as southern England and even parts of Northern Europe because it has high levels of light. Sunshine doesn’t really matter that much if you have long summer days and wide skies.

© samsflags.blogspot.co.uk

Russian submarines have been regularly in Scottish waters over the last few years and the UK press have been sounding-off (is that sonar?) about it. See these:

https://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/732188/Russian-nuclear-subs-flood-British-waters-sparking-major-Navy-hunt

https://www.scotsman.com/news/politics/uk-struggling-to-confront-rising-russian-submarine-incursions-1-4326856

In 2014, Britain had to call in NATO surveillance planes to look for a submarine hidden in Scottish waters. One of the planes was French! Oh, the shame of it all. And, it was probably flying the Russian version of the St Andrew’s cross to further confuse the issue.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/defence/11283926/Britain-forced-to-ask-Nato-to-track-Russian-submarine-in-Scottish-waters.html

Wait a minute, don’t I remember from WWII films how British destroyers hunted German submarines? Where were they? Well, we can surely relax now with six new Clyde-built Type 45 destroyers. We can’t relax? They’re relaxing?

(Image: Daily Mirror)

All of them, HMS Daring, Dauntless, Diamond, Dragon, Defender and Duncan, are in dock with equipment failures and even manpower shortages. OK, what about that new aircraft carrier. It will have surveillance planes on board. It doesn’t have any planes on board and it’s sprung a leak?

© EPA

Rule Brittania, Brittania rules the waves? Aye right! How much would it cost to fit sonar and depth charges on the Caledonian MacBrayne fleet?

From Insider business online magazine based on a Business Enterprise Research and Development Scotland 2016 report:

‘Figures for 2016 show Scotland’s R&D spend hit £1.072bn with manufacturing making up more than half the total and the services industry another third.

The R&D spend is dominated by manufacturing (£592 million), followed by the services industry (£366 million) and ‘other’ product groups such as agriculture, waste management and the oil and gas sector (£114 million).’

http://www.insider.co.uk/news/business-research-development-spending-tops-11726980

In the ten years of SNP government, Scotland’s R&D spend has increased by 69% in real terms while that of the UK, as a whole, has only risen by 22%.  Does this contribute to an explanation for the steady flow of good news stories about the Scottish economy recently? See:

Scotland’s economy continues to show signs of good health and growth

Reports of a strong Scottish economy just keep coming. Now debt decrees down 93% in the last three months

More evidence Scottish economy is strong: Demand for office space in Glasgow highest for ten years

Clear signs of a robust economy? 15% increase in Edinburgh office take-up in 2017 and Glasgow set for a ‘stellar 12 months.’

Scottish businesses continue to show signs of health with insolvencies down 23% as the Scottish economy holds strong

Note that Insider is reporting only on private sector, Business-funded, R&D from Business Enterprise Research and Development Scotland 2016 at:

http://www.gov.scot/Topics/Statistics/Browse/Business/RD

However, we know that from the Space Race through the development of microelectronics, the Internet and the massive costs of defence R&D that government investment has often been the basis for development which corporations have then exploited and there are reports of similar processes in Scotland. See, for example:

‘University of Dundee is UK’s highest ranked institution for influencing innovation’

As Scottish Oil and Gas moves into a third wave of prosperity, Scottish Government funding for innovation is increased

Is a revolution in sustainable transport about to begin in Grangemouth? A professor says: ‘I’m not sure I could have done this anywhere else in the world other than Scotland.’

http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0051/00516065.pdf

See the 2015 graph, above, illustrating the relative R&D spend by Business (BERD), Higher Education (HERD), Government (GovERD) and Private Non-profit Sectors (PNP). Remember, much of the HERD figure comes in the form of government grants and is of course subsidised by government-funded building and other infrastructure, staffing costs and even student-fee income. University-funding for teaching is higher than that for Further Education colleges essentially because universities are expected to teach within a research culture where all staff are research-active.

© sky.com (Is she pished in that photo?)

Ruth has hinted that that she might stand for a Westminster seat if she doesn’t win the next Holyrood election. As support for the Scottish Tories falls back below that of the Labour Branch in Scotland, I’d suggest she hasn’t the slightest chance of winning a Scottish election. A coalition with Kezia’s old Blairite party might have been an outside possibility but it’s clear that Richard the Lionheart will be taking Labour leftward, in an attempt to outflank the SNP and join up with the English forces of St Corbyn, so that can’t happen.

If she were to go down to London, I think she’d do well. In the Scottish context, compared with Sturgeon and others in the SNP, she’s far from impressive but look at the Tories in London – Theresa, Boris, Rudd, Fox, Gove, Loathsome. She’s not up to much, I admit, but she could still beat most of them. According to Sky News:

‘Ms Davidson insisted, in a candid interview with The Spectator magazine, that her top priority was to become Scotland’s First Minister in Holyrood elections in 2021.But she said, if that did not happen, she would be open to offers to stand for a Westminster seat, though she was adamant that she would only fight a Scottish constituency. Last month, the charismatic Ms Davidson gave a barnstorming speech when she was guest of honour at a dinner in the mid Sussex constituency of Tory grandee Sir Nicholas Soames. Her appearance prompted speculation that Sir Nicholas, 69, and grandson of Sir Winston Churchill, is preparing to stand down at the next election – due in 2022 – to make way for her.’

https://news.sky.com/story/scottish-tory-leader-ruth-davidson-considers-bid-to-become-mp-11168578

She does have a Churchillian manner about her. As for Soames, didn’t some lady say having sex with him was like having a wardrobe fall on you, with the (wee) key still in?

© (Image: Mirrorpix)

It wouldn’t be fair for us to stand in her way. We’d just have to do the best we can without her and when we leave the UK we can leave her behind at the same time. Sorted!

 

After the biggest increase in export orders for four years, in the three months to December 2017, the Royal Bank of Scotland Business Monitor predicts an even stronger performance in at least the first six months of 2018. Reported in the Insider online magazine today, the service sector (including tourism) recorded a massive 17% rise in exports up from 6% in the third quarter and the manufacturing sector recorded an 11% rise, up from 4%.

http://www.insider.co.uk/news/royal-bank-scotland-business-monitor-11725402

Readers will know that Scotland is the only part of the UK with a trade surplus. Indeed, the trade deficit for the rest of the UK is huge, triggering the need for massive debt repayments. The above news suggests, once more, the the vitality and robust nature of Scotland’s economy. See these other recent indicators of economic health:

Business booms in Scotland under SNP-rule

77% of Scotland’s small and medium-sized businesses report success as Scottish Government reports record numbers exempt from rates and in the wake of figures revealing much greater signs of distress among rUK businesses.

These are only two such reports. If you search the blog for ‘business’, you’ll get dozens more revealing the health of the Scottish economy. Remember, the GERS figures used by Unionist politicians and media are based almost entirely on unreliable estimates and allocate Scotland a share of the debt which we did not incur. See:

25 of the 26 GERS income figures are estimates and not the real figures!

The Scottish Sun’s grammatically incorrect but politically correct and helpfully blunt assessment of GERS

Brexit will, of course, damage this situation so Indyref2 in 2019 at the latest and this kind of good news shared all over social media?

Despite a 10% increase in those attending A&E departments over the last five years, Scotland’s performance across 2017 averaged 92.9% seen within four hours. Scotland’s A&E service has now significantly outperformed those of NHS England by around 10% for more than two years. See:

Despite increased patient numbers and as winter approaches, Scotland’s A&E departments continue to outperform NHS England. Meanwhile Scotland’s Unionist media seem scared to predict a crisis after last year’s crisis failed to materialise.

Due to a spike in flu outbreaks and falls due to ice, the figure for week ending 10^th December has fallen to 86.9%. I can only imagine what Reporting Scotland are making of this. Calls for resignations? NHS England have not released figures for this period yet but for week-ending November 17, it was 83% in Type 1 departments (with consultants).

http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Emergency-Care/Publications/2017-12-19/2017-12-19-ED-Weekly-Summary.pdf?29458254576

An inspection of the Hjaltland Housing Association’s housing support services has been unable to offer any suggestions for improvement. This is unusual. They can typically find something missing in documentation.

The inspectors looked at both the sheltered housing support services and the transitional arrangements for young people leaving care and found both to be ‘Excellent.’

An inspection of the Association’s sheltered housing support services along with The Hub Project – an initiative jointly ran with Shetland Islands Council to provide transitional housing and support for young people leaving care was carried out on September 19 with the services given an ‘excellent’ rating. The audit looked at the quality of care and support and the quality of management and leadership.

Reported in Scottish Housing News, the head of the service said:

‘I’m pleased to hear that service users were highly complementary of the quality of care and support offered. Their feedback, along with the ‘excellent’ rating given by the Care Inspectorate is testament to the commitment and dedication shown by our staff members who work hard to achieve good outcomes for service users.’

http://www.scottishhousingnews.com/19030/care-inspectorate-rates-hjaltlands-excellent-sheltered-housing-support-services/

A nice wee story for Reporting Scotland Fairly or Really Good Morning Scotland? See these related reports on housing and homelessness in Scotland:

Could Scotland end homelessness?

Social Housing spending in England collapses under callous Tories while the SNP pushes on

Homelessness falls in Scotland as it rises in England, mainly driven by heartless Tory welfare reforms

(c) PA

Arguing that rural and remote Scotland has the greatest need for it, the Scottish Government plans to spend £600 million to achieve 100% connectivity in these areas by 2021. In unconnected urban areas, they plan to work ‘with the private sector to encourage their own investment rather than rely on public funds.’

From Connectivity Secretary Fergus Ewing:

‘We have taken the decision not to focus on urban city centre premises in this first phase, but to target investment where it is needed most – in rural and remote Scotland. We are working with the private sector to encourage their own investment in unconnected urban areas, rather than rely on public funds. To deliver our ambition, this government is investing £600 million through the Reaching 100% programme – more than any government in the UK has ever invested in broadband.’

Here’s the breakdown of the public funding spend:

Lot	Areas	Allocated Funding (£m)
North	Highlands & Islands, Aberdeen, Dundee and Angus	384
Central	Central Scotland & Fife	83
South	South of Scotland	133
TOTAL		600

https://news.gov.scot/news/superfast-broadband-rollout-to-benefit-rural-areas

(c) independent.co.uk

I’ve argued before that our pro-Brexit farmers and fishermen might find their interests sacrificed in a EU deal to save the City of London financial sector, Nissan’s car sales and the soft Irish border. Though Tory politicians have said that the fishermen’s interests would be protected, few believe them. See:

Not good news for Scotland. As expected, Scottish fishing fleet to be sold out in Brexit deal

We also know that English Tory leave voters would sacrifice anything relating to Scotland or Ireland in return for their precious ‘independence’ from the EU.

Nearly all English Tory leave voters more than happy to dump Scotland and sacrifice peace in Ireland in return for Brexit

Writing in the Independent today, Richard Power Sayeed has made things clear:

‘Last year I interviewed several retired trade officials about their experiences, and they all described the process of negotiation in similar terms. You treat some products and sectors as bargaining chips, using them to protect the interests of other products and sectors. Brexit means choices. During those conversations I was really struck by how unanimous they were, regardless of their political persuasion, on the question of whose interests the UK negotiators would prioritise and whose they would largely abandon. British farmers and perhaps fishing communities, both frequently impoverished and both broadly pro-Brexit, will likely be sacrificed, because other EU members have nurtured those industries but Britain hasn’t. On the UK’s protected list will be sciences, engineering and pharmaceuticals, especially research and development, as will be the last vestiges of our car industry. Rather more controversially, the Government will also be desperate to look after the City. Our trade negotiators will ask the EU 27 to grant the UK “equivalence” – recognition that our financial services regulations conform to theirs – so that bankers, insurers and wealth managers in the UK can operate as if they were in the single market.’

http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/brexit-single-market-customs-union-putting-bankers-first-a8115156.html

So, that’s clear, we come bottom of the list of priorities. If we don’t like it, we can always leave the UK. That might be good news for the independence movement but I’m not sure it would really impact on No voters that much.

Anyway, it also became apparent today, missed by Sayeed, that a deal for the City of London will not happen. Reported in the Guardian today, The EU’s chief Brexit negotiator, Michel Barnier, said:

‘There is not a single trade agreement that is open to financial services.’

According to the Guardian report:

‘Britain cannot have a special deal for the City of London, the European Union’s chief Brexit negotiator has told the Guardian, dealing a blow to Theresa May’s hopes of securing a bespoke trade agreement with the bloc. Michel Barnier said it was unavoidable that British banks and financial firms would lose the passports that allow them to trade freely in the EU, as a result of any decision to quit the single market.’

https://www.theguardian.com/politics/2017/dec/18/uk-cannot-have-a-special-deal-for-the-city-says-eu-brexit-negotiator-barnier

I’d say this crushing news pushes Theresa closer to paying for a soft Brexit to save the City of London or, even, a second referendum. The latter is becoming more and more likely with public opinion demonstrably in favour of it.

Of course, a second referendum for EU membership makes a second Scottish Independence referendum impossible to deny.