Talking-up Scotland

(c) ALAMY

According to the Times on 12^th November, ‘Nicola Sturgeon has been accused (no sources) of fighting a class war’ as the Scottish government brings in the requirement that private schools pay full business rates. Small schools educating children with special needs will almost certainly be exempt. They then suggest that the Scottish Government is ‘tacking to the left’ with plans to raise income tax for high earners and to reduce university entry requirements for children from deprived areas. All of this is good news for Scotland, I’d say, though not so good for the Labour Party here as it struggles to find a boat, any boat, in which it can ‘tack’ even further left. I see the article was written by a John Boothman. Can it be the same John Boothman ‘moved on’ by BBC Scotland News after accusations of bullying in his department? Did he buy a yacht with his compensation and now thinks and writes like a yacht-owning Tory?

https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/scottish-tax-rise-puts-english-private-schools-on-alert-bqcfqmsgx

Just in case you need a reminder of why private education is bad, for all of us, see this from Owen Jones in the Guardian:

As the latest Sutton Trust study into the backgrounds of Britain’s elites underlines, we shouldn’t be surprised. It underlines the findings of repeated studies: that from politics to the media (yes, this newspaper included) to high court judges to film and theatre, the privately educated – 7% of the population – reign supreme. More than seven in 10 of Britain’s top military brass had parents with the means to send them to private schools; the proportion is even higher with top judges. The world of journalism is dominated by gilded backgrounds: according to the study, over half of the top journalists are privately educated, with just 19% having attended a comprehensive. As for politics: well, half the cabinet went to fee-paying schools very few of their electors could hope to attend. Further, over two-thirds of all Oscar-winning Brits are privately educated; and while that figure drops to 42% among Bafta winners, it still remains completely out of sync with the population as a whole. Unless you believe that being privileged and being gifted are the same thing, then nobody can look at these figures as a fair distribution of talent and ability.

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/feb/25/private-school-elite-dominance-damages-all

 

(c) http://expeditionsonline.com

Scotland is to host the next meeting of the Arctic Circle Forum on 19^th-21^st November 2017 in the Assembly Rooms. The event is to be named ‘Scotland and the New North’ and will have an emphasis on innovation, science and sustainable development. This follows on from the First minister’s keynote speech at the Arctic Circle Assembly in Reykjavik in October and visits by her and Scottish Government ministers to Scandinavia, Canada and Ireland. Not only that, they have developed a Nordic-Baltic Policy statement which you can read in full at: Nordic-Baltic Policy Statement.

Here are three earlier reports on the wider issues:

Scotland’s Nordic-Baltic Co-operation

SNP Government making new links to North and East in preparation for Brexit failures by UK Government

https://news.gov.scot/news/economy-secretary-visits-us-and-canada

Much of this activity is, in part, motivated by the mad uncertainties being currently generated by the Tory Government in Westminster as it dithers over Brexit and refuses to release a report which suggest a hard Brexit will be especially damaging for the Scottish Economy. Here are some of the reasons based on our expertise and shared interests identified by the First Minister as to why Scotland can play a major part in the New North:

• Hywind Scotland is the largest floating wind farm anywhere in the world. But it is maybe even more important as a sign for the future, as we develop offshore wind in deep waters.
• Scotland is already home to the world’s largest tidal power array.
• We have impressive capabilities in other areas – for example smart grids and battery storage.
• Our renewable electricity output has almost trebled in the last decade and is now equivalent to more than half of the electricity used in Scotland.
• We decided last week not to allow fracking in Scotland.
• Scotland will establish a new publicly-owned energy company.
• By 2032 Scotland aims to eliminate the need for new diesel and petrol cars and vans.
• We see tackling climate change, first and foremost, as an overwhelming moral imperative.
• We believe that if we set a clear ambition to lead technological change, not trail in its wake, we will better position ourselves to be the inventor and producer of new technologies, not just the consumer of them.
• Scotland is also currently working with Norway and other European nations on carbon capture and storage.
• Arctic nations already provide 5 of the 10 largest sources of foreign investment into Scotland. They also provide 3 of Scotland’s 6 largest export markets.
• Since August of this year, parents of new born babies across Scotland have received baby boxes. That’s a policy we learned about from Finland. We are also finding out about Denmark’s experience in delivering disability benefits. And we are working with Iceland and others on issues such as the protection of vulnerable children.
• Arctic countries on many measures are doing pretty well. For example, they account for 5 of the top 11 countries in the United Nations Human Development Index. So, for Scotland, it clearly makes sense for us to look north as well as south when we tackle major social and economic challenges.

https://news.gov.scot/speeches-and-briefings/arctic-circle-assembly-1

I hear BBC Scotland will be doing a special documentary on ‘Scotland and the New North.’ Sorry that should be ‘should’ not ‘will’. Seriously though, they’d love to have the time for it but they have Ruth Davidson, Willie Rennie and Anas Sarwar already scheduled for most of the available slots.

 

We’ve heard much from Unionist politicians and media of the supposed terminal decline of the North Sea as a source for revenue. We know now that was propaganda and several major figures have suggested a Third Wave boom to come in the next few years. See for example:

Scottish oil now worth $63.58 per barrel as boom continues

New technology to extend life of North Sea oilfields. Reports of its death have been greatly exaggerated

Hammering home the point that oil is no burden for Scotland: US supplies fall as world-wide demand begins to soar.

Now the Chevron CEO has said:

‘There is no sign of peak demand right now. For the next 10 or 20 years, we expect to see oil demand growth.’ Also, BP have predicted [See above graph] a growing but too small, growth in renewables to enable any major replacement of fossil fuels.

According to Oil & Gas People:

‘Cars account for about a fifth of oil consumption, BP estimates. So, if electric vehicles do eventually capture mass markets, oil firms would still expect growing demand from the air, rail and trucking industries.’

https://www.oilandgaspeople.com/news/15497/peak-oil-majors-arent-buying-into-the-threat-from-renewables/

Like most of you, I want to see a greener economy but it’s worth reminding those of a Unionist bent that they cannot use the supposed end of Oil to undermine the case for Scottish independence.

 

I wrote first about the massive growth in income from our expertise in energy creation as much as from energy production itself in December 2016, quoting the Aberdeen Evening Express:

 ‘Scotland’s “expertise in renewable energy” is in demand around the world, with businesses working in more than 40 countries, according to new research. Projects include advising the government of Japan, providing cranes to build wind farms in Morocco and South Africa and working with the World Bank in Chile, industry body Scottish Renewables said.’

Since then, we seen a flurry of reports of Scottish expertise earning billions for the UK economy and presumably becoming a factor in our trade surplus. See for example:

Scotland’s European Marine Energy Centre (EMEC) to be test centre for 3 out of 6 new EU-funded offshore renewable energy projects as our expertise begins to earn billions

Scotland’s expertise in renewable power generation now worth billions

Now we read in Subsea UK:

‘The Aberdeen-based National Hyperbaric Centre (NHC), which has been operating in the North-east for more than 25 years is set to see an increase of more than £3m in the annual figures following growth in its consulting, training, testing and hyperbaric welding sectors, over the past six months. The substantial increase is mainly due to securing contracts with global organisations and expanding into new markets, including Africa and Brazil.As a result of the growth, the NHC has taken on an additional ten employees this year to cope with the demand for their wide range of technical dive support services.’

https://www.subseauk.com/3670/multi-million-growth-for-national-hyperbaric-centre

In May this year, recognising this demand, presumably, the Scottish government invested £1 million toward the costs of a new £2.5 million centre of excellence for testing emerging subsea technologies. To be run by Balmoral Offshore Engineering in Aberdeen, the new hyperbaric pressure testing facility will more than double the capacity of large-scale testing vessels from two to five.

http://subseaworldnews.com/2017/05/12/scottish-enterprise-grant-for-subsea-testing-centre/

Reported today in Insider magazine the Bank of Scotland’s monthly report on the Purchasing Managers’ Index or PMI showed a rise from 52.2 to 52.7 over the last month. The figures don’t look much, at first sight, but this is, it seems, evidence of quite strong growth and the strongest since July. It suggests new orders and an increase in both the manufacturing and services sectors. See this:

‘Why is the PMI so important? One of the most reliable leading indicators for assessing the state of the U.S. economy is the PMI, formerly known as the Purchasing Managers’ Index. PMI is the headline indicator in the ISM Manufacturing “Report on Business,” an influential monthly survey of purchasing and supply executives across the United States.’

http://www.insider.co.uk/news/bank-of-scotlands-pmi-index-11510401

I’m assuming that this applies to Scotland too. Regular readers of this blog will know this is just another of many signs of strength in the Scottish economy. Just in the last few months we’ve had:

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

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.

Scottish businesses report much greater optimism about their futures for the third quarter in a row but the Fraser of Allander ‘Institute’ can’t help scratching their ‘buts’.

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

Ruth and Kezia sob as they hear Scotland is ranked as the best place in the UK to start a business. Will this good news never end?

Scottish businesses showing signs of greater health than those in the rest of the UK

I know I’m repeating myself, but I think it’s important to keep on hammering away at the notion that the Scottish economy is not robust which is a common distortion in the mainstream media.

Add this to rising oil prices, massive wind-farm output and the only positive trade balance in the UK, and Scotland, we need to keep reminding everyone, is in a better situation to go independent than England is.

In October 2017, there was a performance gap of almost 10% between Scottish and English A&E departments. Note that this is based on English Type 1 A&E departments (those with specialists available). As I understand all Scottish A&E departments have specialists in the adjoining hospital. I think the English separation of types of A&E departments is a trick to conceal the figures for the Type 1 departments within figures for ‘all’ A&E departments. I feel sure the presumably Type 2 departments would not meet the criteria to be termed A&E in Scotland.

In NHS England, in October 2017, 84.9% of patients were seen within 4 hours in type 1 A&E departments, compared to 84.6% in September 2017 and 83.7% for the same month last year.

https://www.england.nhs.uk/statistics/wp-content/uploads/sites/2/2017/06/Statistical-commentary-October-2017-SDFFD.pdf

In NHS Scotland, in October 2017, 94.0% of people attending Emergency Departments were seen and subsequently admitted, transferred or discharged within 4 hours. In September it was 93.5%.

https://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Emergency-Care/Publications/2017-11-07/2017-11-07-ED-Weekly-Summary.pdf?7923525572

http://www.isdscotland.org/Health-Topics/Emergency-Care/Publications/2017-11-07/Summary/index.asp

 

There are around 3 500 living wage employers across the UK with 28% of them in Scotland but the Scottish government is clearly not satisfied and has launched an ambitious plan to turn Scotland into a ‘Living Wage Nation. Here’s the link to my earlier report:

8% of the UK population and 28% of living wage employers. More evidence that we are different enough to want to run the whole show?

Working with the Poverty Alliance, the Scottish Government has put in place a plan to boost the income of those on low pay over the next three years. The plan includes the following:

• At least 25,000 more people over the next three years to benefit from their employer becoming Living Wage accredited
• Launch a regionally-focussed accreditation scheme to create the UK’s first Living Wage towns, cities and regions
• Increase the proportion of accredited organisations in low-paid sectors, such as hospitality and tourism

https://news.gov.scot/news/living-wage-nation

Once more, we see an SNP-led administration with a vision for a better society and the will to take action on it. The contrast with the ailing Labour Party in Scotland’s lack of any sense of purpose and the callous disregard of the Tory Government in Westminster, could not be sharper. The idea of living wage towns, cities and regions is one which has huge potential to transform communities into places that are more cohesive, that take pride in their achievements and which ultimately will become more creative and more productive as all their citizens come to believe in a shared project.

 

I can’t bear to place a picture.

I’ve heard anecdotally of the likelihood of puppies bought from the farms being more prone to behavioural and medical problems than those bought from recognised breeders. Now new research from the Scottish SPCA and the University of Edinburgh have confirmed it with clear statistical evidence. The precise details will be revealed at today’s K9 conference and the Scottish Government cabinet secretary responsible will be there so hopefully we can expect more aggressive action soon on shutting these places down. I have seen evidence of a police raid on an Ayrshire puppy farm in the last few weeks, but I see no evidence of a real nation-wide crackdown despite the Scottish parliament debating the issue in December:

https://www.theyworkforyou.com/sp/?id=2016-12-21.16.0

However according to a Daily Record piece in June this year, HMRC are taking action against the ‘worst’ cases:

‘The multi-million-pound purge by a specially convened HM Revenue and Customs taskforce follows a huge operation which has seen several dealers dragged through the courts for breaching animal cruelty laws.’

http://www.dailyrecord.co.uk/news/scottish-news/scotlands-worst-puppy-traders-targeted-10682566

I’m puzzled as to why/how HMRC are able to prosecute on the grounds of cruelty rather than tax evasion.

Scottish SPCA Head of Education & Policy Gilly said:

‘Week after week, animal rescue organisations across the UK and Ireland and devastated owners are picking up the pieces of a multi-million-pound industry which treats these dogs as nothing more than commodities, with no concern at all for animal welfare.’

The Edinburgh research lead said:

‘Our research has now proven that dogs from puppy farms have more behavioural issues and are more likely to have medical conditions impacting their long-term health compared to dogs from other breeding backgrounds.’

https://www.scottishspca.org/newsroom/latest-news/new-research-to-be-unveiled-at-scottish-spca-puppy-trade-conference/

Hopefully this hard evidence will strengthen the case against all of the puppy farms, across the UK, and soon.

A debt decree is, according to the Registry Trust, ‘incontrovertible proof of failure to manage debt or to put in plainly a business in trouble

Debt decrees were down 43% in Quarter 3 of the year after a fall of 33% in the first six months of the year. The average value of a decree was down 91% and the total value was down 93% in those same three months though, as the authors point out, there were two very big decrees in 2016 which help make the reduction seem so large. It’s not clear how rare that is.

http://www.insider.co.uk/news/debt-decrees-against-scottish-businesses-11499376

The role of the Scottish Government in assisting smaller businesses can be seen here:

£226 million given in relief to small businesses in 2017-18 as part of most generous scheme in the UK

This is clear evidence of a strengthening economy and come after a string of other reports reinforcing that view, such as:

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.

Scottish businesses report much greater optimism about their futures for the third quarter in a row but the Fraser of Allander ‘Institute’ can’t help scratching their ‘buts’.

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

Ruth and Kezia sob as they hear Scotland is ranked as the best place in the UK to start a business. Will this good news never end?

Scottish businesses showing signs of greater health than those in the rest of the UK

The above are merely the more recent reports. If you search the blog for ‘business’ and go back further, there are many more.

(c) instantoffices.com

We saw similar evidence in July with a massive increase in demand in Edinburgh. See:

‘Staggering’ 175% increase in Edinburgh office take-up is further evidence of booming Scottish economy

Now Glasgow looks like following suit with levels of demand the highest since before the crash in 2007/8. According to BQ:

‘Investment in Glasgow office space has exceeded levels last seen a decade ago and could be in line for a record-breaking year, according to Knight Frank. The independent property consultancy said that the recent sales of HFD Group’s 122 Waterloo Street, which Knight Frank advised on, and St Vincent Plaza took investment in the first 10 months of the year to more than £422m – close to the 2007 total of £428m. With another £183m under offer, total investment could breach the £600m mark by the end of 2017.The previous best performing year was 2006, when investment in Glasgow offices reached £485m – records are only available dating back to 1999. The 10-year average is £206m.’

Businesses investing in office space means more employment and, of course, more economic activity contributing to the national tax revenue and justifying the spend on public services.

Add this news to that from Edinburgh, falling unemployment levels, increased business confidence, a strong trade surplus, the boom in renewables and the resurgence of oil prices and you can only conclude Scotland is in a strong and improving economic position.

See these for evidence of these claims:

Scotland’s 2017 trade surplus grows as England’s deficit soars saddling the UK with ever more debt

Evidence of Scotland’s ‘strong and sustained entrepreneurial spirit’ in trade mark applications

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.

http://www.bqlive.co.uk/scotland/2017/11/08/news/glasgow-office-investment-set-for-best-ever-year-28798/