Dundee Politicians Welcome Renewables ‘Cluster’ Plan to create 5,000 jobs
Dundee politicians say the city could be building offshore wind turbines as one of three regional offshore energy manufacturing ‘clusters’ built around key port locations.
The politicians were responding to Stage 2 of the National Renewables Infrastructure Plan (N-RIP) published today by Scottish Enterprise and Highlands & Islands Enterprise.
Dundee East MSP Shona Robison said: “This latest report recommends that the sites, including Dundee, are developed into three regional manufacturing clusters that would support the fabrication of offshore wind components and tap into the wealth of subsea expertise that already exists in Scotland.
“If we can get the city established in constructing renewables sector hardware, then that work, and its associated secondary industry of maintenance over the next decade, will be truly vast.
“We are absolutely committed to Dundee being at the heart of the Scottish renewables industry. Apart from the great benefits which Dundee will derive in terms of jobs, society will benefit from lower carbon emissions as we move to greener energy. ”
Joe FitzPatrick, MSP for Dundee West and Vice-Convenor of the Cross Party Group on Renewable Energy at the Scottish Parliament, said: “The report states that a total private and public investment of £223 million would assist the creation of 11 offshore wind manufacturing sites in three regional clusters.
“Dundee Renewables, the high-powered group formed between the key players in the public and private sectors locally, is working hard to ensure that Dundee grabs a significant share of the new industry.
“Being a deep-water port, Dundee has many physical and geographical advantages and is one of the longest established import and export hubs for bulk products in Scotland.”
“Taken together these 11 sites could support the creation of up to 5,180 jobs and an annual economic impact of up to £294.5 million each year.”
Commenting on today’s announcement, Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie said: “Unlocking the potential of these sites will require investment from both the private and public sector.
“It is important that the Treasury urgently releases Scotland’s £185 million Fossil Fuel Levy to allow that to be invested to further develop the Scottish renewables industry.”
MP Welcomes Equitable Life Progress
Dundee East MP and Member of the Treasury Select Committee Stewart Hosie has welcomed the announcement of a repayment scheme for money lost in the Equitable Life collapse but warned that, after a decade of dither and delay over compensation, this progress for policy holders must be maintained.
Commenting, Mr Hosie said: “Equitable Life policyholders have been badly let down – first by regulatory failure and then by a decade of dither and delay by the Labour Government over a compensation scheme.
“While the commencement of the scheme announced today is welcome, there is still a long way to go to compensate those who invested with Equitable Life.
“It’s essential the Conservative-Liberal coalition work for a speedy and fair resolution to this sorry saga which has dragged on for far too long.”
London Parties’ VAT Bombshell will hit Scotland, say SNP
MP Opens Therapeutic Garden in Dawson Park
A therapeutic garden within the Demonstration Garden at Dawson Park in Broughty Ferry was officially opened on Saturday [10 July] by local MP Stewart Hosie. Although the rain was drizzling, a number of service users, local gardeners and members of the public turned up for the event. On opening the garden, the Dundee East MP commented: “This new resource is wonderfully located and is a familiar and friendly green space with lots to see, smell and touch. I’m sure it will provide lots of inspiration and relaxation to users and the public alike.” The MP then pulled apart the ‘curtain’ of Gunnera leaves to reveal the official plaque.
Picture shows Stewart at the plaque with Chris Robb, Area Manager of Gowrie Care.
The garden was handed over to Gowrie Care by Dundee City Council at the start of the summer. Damian McGowan, Managing Director of Gowrie Care, commented that: “Since taking ownership of the garden a lot of hard work has taken place. The garden is an excellent resource for our staff and service users. We are able to offer the people we work with a resource that engages with a variety of their senses in a number of ways.
“We offer support to over 200 people in Dundee with learning disabilities, autism, mental health issues and who are or have suffered from homelessness. As well as the obvious benefits of fresh air and exercise a number of our service users have discovered a new hobby in gardening through our therapeutic garden and have enjoyed engaging with a new group of people.”
The therapeutic garden will remain open to the public as normal. Also present at the event was Julie Lorimer, the gardener at Duntrune Demonstration Garden, who is presently on maternity leave.
MP Impressed by Carnoustie Co-operative Packhouse
Speaking after his visit to the Co-operative Farms’ Carnoustie Packhouse at Clayholes Farm in Carnoustie, local MP Stewart Hosie said:
“I was pleased to meet Bill Longair, Alison Scowen and some of the 70 staff employed at the packhouse and had a thoroughly interesting and rewarding visit.
“I was enormously impressed by the efficiency of the operation and by the huge quantity of potatoes supplied to the Co-operative stores across the country which are grown locally.
“This is bespoke packing with an extremely high quality assurance. The lot numbers used give traceability for every bag of potatoes back to the farm where they were grown.
“The quality of work has undoubtedly been a factor in the expansion of the packhouse which now employs twice as many staff as when it was launched, which is very good news for the local economy.
“Co-operatives contribute up to £3 billion to the Scottish economy each year so we should recognise them as a valuable asset. Having co-operation at their heart has even helped co-operatives ride the recession by being sustainable, competitive and community-focused.
“The Carnoustie packhouse is a good example of this as it continues to bring jobs and money into the region.
“It does a great job supplying excellent quality fresh produce locally grown to ever wider markets through the Co-operative Stores – which is great news for the local economy.”
Stewart with Manager Bill Longair
Fiscal Responsibility is the Solution to Barnett
Commenting on the publication of the Holtham Commission Report on Welsh funding, which restates the case for scrapping the Barnett formula, SNP Treasury spokesperson Stewart Hosie MP said the only acceptable alternative was full fiscal responsibility for Scotland – allowing the country to raise all the money it spends.
Mr Hosie said:
“The only acceptable alternative to Barnett is full fiscal responsibility for Scotland, allowing the country to raise the money it spends. That is the best and simplest solution – anything less would be messy and unsustainable, and could well leave Scotland worse off.
“All parties recognise that the Barnett formula is no longer sustainable and should be replaced – but it must be replaced with a system of financial responsibility giving Scotland the powers over taxation, including oil and gas, and spending that are needed to effectively manage the Scottish economy.
“And the case for financial independence is reinforced by the most recent GERS report [Government Expenditure & Revenue Scotland] which demonstrate beyond doubt that Scotland has built up a surplus of 3.5 billion over a four year period, while the UK as a whole racked up a deficit of £72.3 billion.
“The bottom line is that we must not have another Westminster fix imposed which could leave Scotland worse off than at present – that is why independence and equality represent the best future for Scotland, and why the SNP are the leading party in Scotland.”
Gaza Inquiry Welcomed by Dundee MP
Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie has welcomed news of an Inquiry into the storming of the flotilla of aid vessels carrying aid to Gaza.
The MP wrote to the Foreign Secretary on the 1st of June, the day after news broke about the events in international waters off Gaza and at the height of concern about Dundee man Ali El-Awaisi who was on board one of the ships stormed by Israeli paratroopers.
He urged the UK Government to make urgent representations to the Israelis to determine the whereabouts of Mr El-Awaisi.
In the reply from the Foreign & Commonwealth Office, the Minister, Alistair Burt outlines the process by which Consulate officials in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem were able to make contact 3with Mr El-Awaisi and enable him to contact his family back in Dundee.
The Minister describes the setting-up of the Inquiry, by the Israelis’ headed by former Supreme Court judge Yaakov Tirkel, as ‘an important step forward’.
The UK government in its representations to the Israelis underlined the need for a full, credible, impartial and independent investigation into the events.
Lord Trimble is to be one of the International observers to the inquiry.
Stewart Hosie said: “I welcome the reply from the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and news of this inquiry. Like the Minister, it is very important that it is a truly independent inquiry and that a thorough investigation will be conducted which the international community can respect.
“Although we wanted a full UN Inquiry, what is important is that the inquiry is able to proceed with transparency in its dealings.
“I share the Minister’s concerns that the inquiry cannot be viewed in isolation and must include a wider perception of the situation in Gaza. “In particular the fact that the UN Security Council (Resolution 1860) has called for restrictions on Gaza to be lifted and for the sustained delivery of humanitarian aid to alleviate the situation in Gaza, must be taken into account.
“I completely share the Minister’s hopes for a two-state solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict and his expressions of support for those building the institutions of a future Palestinian state.”
MP Queries Angus Flooding Precautions
Although Summer is well underway, with clear blue skies and warm weather, the thoughts of Dundee East MP have been turning to the forthcoming winter and specifically to preparations to ensure there is no repetition of the extensive flooding that hit Carnoustie, and Barry in September last year.
Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie has written again to Angus Council to find out what preparatory action has been taken to prevent the problems recurring in the winter.
Stewart Hosie said: “As we know from last year’s events, one of the main causes of the trouble was that preparation work had not been undertaken, particularly dredging of Barry burn.
“I have asked the Chief Executive to clarify the permission issue and to advise me whether the dredging work has been completed.
“There was also a general lack of communication between the council and residents about the risks of flooding and a lack of responsiveness particularly in the provision of sand bags once the waters were higher than usual. I have asked him to advise me whether a system is now in place to ensure these difficulties will not be repeated in the event of similar circumstances in future years.
“The most serious suggestion at the time of the floods was that the building of Burnside School had contributed to the flooding.”
“Residents believed that water which previously used to soak away was not doing so and instead running into their properties.
“At the time I wrote to the Chief Executive asking him that Council engineers should investigate whether this is the case and ensure that there is adequate capacity for water to soak away – or be redirected – to ensure there is no repeat of these difficulties.”
“I have asked to be advised on what preparation work has been done since the floods on these and other issues to ensure there is no repeat of the floods this year.”
MP Queries Angus Increase in Community Alarms
Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie has written to Angus Council Chief Executive David Sawers asking for an explanation of why the Council has increased the weekly charge for having a community alarm by 100%.
The MP has had letters from constituents complaining about the increase which is not related to any improvement in service.
Stewart Hosie said: “My constituents point out that the increase is 100%, from £1 to £2 per week and that other councils, especially Dundee Council have not imposed any increase in community alarms; their charges remain at £1 per week.
“Although I am aware of the financial pressures which Councils are presently under, I have asked Mr Sawers to explain the decision to make such an increase in Angus.
“Community alarms are a system designed to provide immediate assistance if a medical emergency arises and are therefore paid for by some of the most vunerable and elderly people in society.”
Tory Plans Would leave Scotland in the Dark
Dundee East MP Stewart Hosie has hit out at comments made by the UK Tourism Minister who admits that the Tory/Lib Dem Government are considering the option to change time zones in order to suit those in the South of England.
The idea of changing time zones has regularly caused concern for people in Scotland as it would have significant safety implications for young children travelling to school in the hours of darkness if such a change were to take place.
Local SNP MP Mr Hosie said:
” Once again the Tories are pandering to voters in the South, forgetting about those in Scotland or, indeed, in the North of England.
“ What is being suggested is a move to ‘double summer time’ for two months of the year. The upshot of this is that nowhere north of Manchester would see sunlight before 9am – in terms of the safety of children going to school that is absolute lunacy.
“There are hugely more important things to worry about, not least of which is the state of public finances and the budget this week has raised everybody’s anxiety levels.
“It had been suggested that we are going back to the dark days of Tory rule but I had not expected this to literally be the case!
“A far more sensible idea would be to move to a more symmetrical changing of the clocks either side of midwinter, thus making the winter clock period shorter and extending the British Summer Time period.
“I feel though that tinkering with clocks will only cause confusion and not really help people with the real issues that we face at this time.”
« Previous Page — Next Page »