Scottish news bulletin: 27th January 2009
- Reform Scotland
- 27 January 2009
All newspaper references refer to Scottish editions. Where there is a link to a newspaper’s website, the relevant page reference is blue and underlined.
Economy
Job Losses: More than 69,000 job losses were announced yesterday as companies such as Pfizer, Caterpillar, ING and Philips, shed staff in the United States and Europe to try and ride out the global financial crisis. (Scotsman page 5, Herald page 1, Times page 1, Guardian page 27, FT page 1)
RBS: Bill Jamieson comments in the Scotsman on RBS’s collapse by providing a summary of statements since December 2007. ( page 31)
Economic Protectionism: Gordon Brown yesterday warned against the ‘deglobalisation effect’ saying that countries faced with the worldwide recession should not retreat into economic protectionism. (Herald page 4, Telegraph page 6, page B5)
Sterling: The pound last night traded around $1.3965 - up more than three cents on its pre-weekend close against the dollar. This marked a significant recovery from the intraday low of $1.3550 it hit yesterday. (Herald page 32, Telegraph page B5, Daily Express page 7)
Crime
New Prison: Justice Secretary Kenny MacAskill will come under renewed pressure this week to build a prison to replace Craiginches in Aberdeen when it closes. (Press and Journal page 6)
Transport
2014 Games: A group of MPs yesterday called on the UK Government to provide extra cash to upgrade Glasgow’s transport network in time for the 2014 Commonwealth Games. (Scotsman page 10)
Health
Zero-tolerance: The Scottish Government launched a ‘zero-tolerance’ policy yesterday under which health workers could be disciplined and ultimately lose their jobs if they fail to comply with strict hygiene rules to stop the spread of superbugs and food poisoning among patients. (Press and Journal page 9, Courier
page 3)
Education
Unruly pupils: Teachers yesterday called for more disruptive pupils to be expelled from school as the Scottish Government hailed new figures showing a drop in the number of expulsions. The Scottish Secondary Teachers Association said the figures hide an underlying and continuing problem with discipline. (Scotsman page 16, Herald page 1, page 6, Telegraph page 13, Courier page 1, Daily Express page 11)
Politics
Budget: The future of the Scottish Government’s Budget was less sure last night as both Labour and the Greens appeared to have failed to win concessions from the SNP. The final and crucial Stage 3 vote is tomorrow. (Times page 18, Telegraph page 1)
Civil Servants Bonuses: Cabinet Office civil servants received almost £1m in bonuses last year, according to figures released last night. A total of 105 pay-outs were given to senior civil servants in 2008, with an average bonus of £9300. (Scotsman page 10)
Resignations: Hamish McDonnell comments in the Scotsman on the Labour Party’s recent demands for the resignations of Scottish Ministers and the ‘crying wolf’ effect. (Scotsman page 24)
Mischief-making: Opposition MSPs may have been ‘mischief-making’ in a recent row over claims that First Minister Alex Salmond misled MSPs, it was claimed yesterday. Presiding Officer Alex Fergusson had asked a committee to look into the Lib Dem claims that the First Minister had misled MSPs over the funding of a voluntary body, the Scottish Inter Faith Council. (Herald page 8, Courier page 3)
Green Energy Capital of Europe: Alex Salmond will meet the EU’s North Sea grid co-ordinator today to discuss the creation of an electricity super grid which would export surplus renewable electricity from Scotland to the rest of Europe. Scotland, which has a quarter of Europe’s wind, wave and tidal energy potential, could become the green energy capital. (Herald page 8)
Kofi Annan: Alex Salmond is reportedly embroiled in a diplomatic row with Kofi Annan, the former United Nations Secretary –General over claims that Mr Annan will visit Scotland as part of the year of Homecoming to give a lecture on Robert Burns. Mr Annan will be travelling to Scotland, but it is to deliver a speech on Adam Smith, at the invitation of Gordon Brown. (Times page 3)
Reform Scotland is an independent, non-party think tank that aims to set out a better way to deliver increased economic prosperity and more effective public services based on the traditional Scottish principles of limited government, diversity and personal responsibility.