Category Archives: Scotland

European Union, Government, Politics, Scotland

Scottish independence and the other five unions…

FIRST MINISTER OF SCOTLAND PROVIDES CLARITY ON INDEPENDENCE

The First Minister of Scotland, Alex Salmond, has said that a separate Scotland would abandon only one of its ‘six unions’ on gaining independence.

Mr Salmond said only the historic ‘political union’ between Scotland and the rest of the UK would be destroyed by a Yes vote in next year’s referendum on Scottish independence.

The First Minister of Scotland made clear that five other unions would remain intact: the ‘currency union’, membership of the European Union, a defence union through NATO, the Union of the Crowns and a ‘social union between the people of these isles’.

Mr Salmond has already tried to allay Scottish voters’ fears by promising to keep the Queen as Head of State, to continue use pound sterling as the currency in Scotland, and to share welfare services with England following a referendum victory.

The SNP leader also gave a pledge that an independent Scotland could remain part of a United Kingdom because the term first came into use before the 1707 Act of Union.

Those who oppose Scottish independence have claimed that the speech delivered by the First Minister signals a shift in SNP policy towards ‘independence lite’. They also say that Mr Salmond cannot guarantee EU and NATO membership as Scotland would have to apply and enter into tough negotiations. Unionists are also promoting the view that it would be highly unlikely that Westminster would agree to a pound-sterling ‘currency union’. This, despite the fact that pound sterling is as much Scottish as it is English, and, how would Scotland be expected to pay its fair share of the national debt if a pound-sterling currency union did not prevail?

The SNP leader’s speech, in Nigg in Easter Ross, last Friday, marked the start of a summer tour that will see Mr Salmond taking the case for independence to the Scottish people.

In his speech, Mr Salmond said:

… We must address and fundamentally change the political and economic union as a matter of urgency. This political union is only one of six unions that govern our lives today in Scotland – and the case for independence is fundamentally a democratic one.

… A vote for independence next year will address the democratic deficit which sees policies like the punitive Bedroom Tax, the renewal of Trident or Royal Mail privatisation imposed on Scotland against the wishes of Scotland’s democratically elected representatives.

… But that will still leave five other unions intact. We will embrace those other unions while using the powers of independence to renew and improve them.

Mr Salmond said a ‘social union’ would still unite ‘all the peoples of these islands… People will still change jobs and move from Dundee to Dublin, or from Manchester to Glasgow. With independence, we will continue to share ties of language, culture, trade, family and friendship.

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Government, Scotland, Society

Police stations in Scotland face threat of closure to save £190m…

POLICE BUDGET CUTS

POLICE station offices across Scotland face closure or reduced opening hours following a major national review.

Victims of crime may have to report to police officers in libraries or housing association offices if a cost-cutting strategy by Police Scotland is agreed.

Some police in rural areas already speak to members of the public in the officers’ own homes because of a lack of police buildings.

Police Scotland needs to cut its budget by £190 million over the next two years as a result of the unification of regional forces which took place on April 1.

The single national force is reviewing its office buildings ‘in light of the challenging budget’, according to a letter sent by Police Scotland to politicians.

Consideration will now be given to cutting the force’s costs by sharing space with councils, housing associations and other public agencies.

Police Scotland is also assessing the traffic warden service, which could see parking enforcement transferred to the control of councils. This would allow local authorities to keep parking fines which at present are transferred to the UK Treasury.

Lib Dem justice spokesman, Alison McInnes, responding to the police review, said:

… In many communities the local (police) station is the most visible police presence and the easiest way for people to access justice.

… For people in rural areas in particular the prospect of reduced opening hours of public counters will be a real concern. Coming so soon after the SNP’s court closures this would come as another blow to locally delivered justice in Scotland.

South of the Border, Scotland Yard has plans to move its officers into post offices and supermarkets as part of a £500 million budget cutting programme.

Police Scotland already has officers in civic centres and other community buildings, such as Drumbrae Library in Edinburgh, where a safer neighbourhood team is based. Others could be moved into libraries and housing associations to make officers more visible and accessible.

Police Scotland’s letter to MPs, MSPs and councillors states:

… Recent experience has shown there is a decrease in the volume of visitors who actually attend at public counters at police stations.

… Taken in the context of an increasingly challenging financial climate and the need to make best use of all our staff, it is now prudent to examine this aspect of service delivery to the public.

Police Scotland has guaranteed a consultation to give the public a say when the review is published.

Taken together, the review of the 230 police front counters (with some facing closure) along with a review of the traffic warden service, are expected to be the first in a huge overhaul of the police force in Scotland.

Police Scotland is reviewing its policing operations across the service to deliver efficiencies. By doing so it aims to have the right structures in place to deliver local priorities. It is understood that any significant changes will be subject to local engagement.

The letter from Police Scotland concludes:

… Policing continues to face unprecedented financial challenges, with a requirement to find savings and provide best value for public services.

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Business, Government, Scotland

Accenture lands IT contract with Police Scotland…

POLICE SCOTLAND IT PROJECT

A FIRM at the centre of one of the world’s biggest public sector computing disasters has been handed a Scottish police IT contract.

Accenture will be in charge of developing a crime-fighting computer system – currently costing £60 million – for Police Scotland.

The project was already under fire as the projected bill has risen about £15 million in recent weeks.

Accenture was involved in the disaster-prone development of a £12.7 billion computer system for the NHS in England and Wales.

In 2006, it pulled out of the contract – then one of the world’s biggest IT projects – at a time when it was running about two years behind schedule. The entire project was eventually abandoned in 2011.

The IT and technology giant, with its Headquarters in the Republic of Ireland but with offices around the world, has also faced questions over alleged moves to minimise payment of UK corporation tax, although there is no suggestion of wrong-doing.

Graeme Pearson, a Scottish Labour justice spokesman, said that changing the entire IT system for Police Scotland is going to be massive, and says it’s right that the very best advice is available. But Mr Pearson also pointed out that before this contract had even been announced, costs have continued to spiral. He says that the contract has been awarded to a company with a chequered track record of delivering major change programmes in our public sector.

Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority (SPA), the civilian body which oversees it, selected Accenture to develop and maintain the new IT system – called i6 – for the single force, which is still using the eight systems inherited from the old regional forces.

The contract will run over ten years but with a possible two-year extension. It is worth £39 million out of the projected £60 million total budget.

Police Scotland says it can now start its journey with Accenture that will allow it to have (national) policing processes that are supported by a modern IT solution.

Accenture’s industrial experience in providing support to global policing, along with the company’s strong local expertise in Scotland, is believed to have been central to its selection by Police Scotland.

Accenture generated global net revenues of £21 billion in 2011-12. But in May the firm faced claims it was one of a group of internet and technology companies allegedly minimising UK corporation tax payments by sending some revenues to Ireland.

A spokesman for the firm, said:

… Accenture pays UK tax on all of its UK business. It reports revenue under those contracts and files accounts in the UK annually.

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