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NEWS IN BRIEF
Ireland, met Declan Ganley, the head
of Libertas, a pressure group that
campaigns against the treaty and
was a key force behind Ireland’s ‘No’
vote in June. Irish Foreign Minister
Micheal Martin called the action
inappropriate.
SCotLaNd
MSPS quIz CouNCILS ovER FREE
SChooL MEaLS
MSPs have questioned council repre-
sentatives on the Government’s free
school meals policy.
Education representatives from
Aberdeen, East Ayrshire, Inverclyde
and the Scottish Borders were before
the Education Committee to explain
their councils’ positions on the
controversial policy and how they
intended to implement it.
uK-WIdE REFLatIoN PaCKagE
NEEdEd, SayS SCottISh
govERNMENt
The UK Government needs to commit
to a substantial reflation package
to prevent the economy suffering
further, the Scottish Government
has said.
dent that the commitment and beginning to be seen. “My view is up the organisational hierarchy.
Enterprise Minister Jim Mather
strong vision of all agencies will that things are changing,” he said. Previously, the chief social work
made the call after new unemploy-
strengthen the delivery of these “Staff see they have got someone officer has sat within the strategic
ment figures showed Scotland in a services to safeguard children and on their side leading them forward leadership directorate, leading the
slightly better position than the UK as support families,” he said. [and] morale is picking up.” Accounts Commission to voice
a whole, with 4.7 per cent unem-
Alan Baird, president of the The report will strengthen the concerns earlier this year about
ployment compared to the national
Association of Directors of Social case for incoming chief executive lack of leadership and direction in
average of 5.8 per cent.
Work, said that improvements were Sue Bruce to bring social work the service. HM
Unemployment in Scotland
remains slightly lower than the
same period a year ago, down 0.1
per cent, compared to a 0.5 per cent Scotland’s public health challenges “completely reversible”
increase across the UK over the last
12 months. The change in the
By Katie Mackintosh of young people are HIV positive. It is actually a fairly positive set of
unemployment rate in Scotland is
Many of Scotland’s public health And that is not reversible. problems to have, compared to the
roughly similar to a year ago, suggest-
challenges are “completely revers- “So which is the bigger chal- third world.”
ing the impact of the downturn has
so far been less serious north of the
ible,” according to the head of the lenge?” he asks. “In a way, there Frank, a Canadian, also said he
border.
Scottish Collaboration for Public is more hope here, even though was attracted to coming to work in
Health Research and Policy. I know it is a well-established Scotland because of Scots “open
RoW aS oNLy 1 PER CENt oF Asked whether he thinks Scots pattern and people feel discour- mindedness to change.
oLyMPICS BuSINESS CoMES to
have become resigned to the fact aged sometimes. But, heck, people “You also have to feel that peo-
SCotLaNd
that public health challenges such can change and many of these ple are sufficiently open minded
A row between Holyrood and West-
as obesity and alcohol misuse are health problems can be turned and willing to try new things and
minster erupted as it merged that
only about 1 per cent of contracts
part of our culture, Professor John around. I think that is true of Scotland. I
awarded for the 2012 Olympic Games
Frank told Holyrood: “It is not that Mother Nature think there is a culture, which I’m
had gone to Scottish firms.
“There are other societies in has consigned them to the dust- very impressed by here, of being
In an angry war of words, a the world fighting against much bin,” he continues. “It is not that rational about things, discuss-
spokesperson for First Minister Alex
worse demons... Young people they are pre-ordained to have that ing it, arguing it out if necessary,
Salmond said the revelation showed
being overweight, that is com- disease. It is remarkably reversible but using powers of reasoning to
that Scotland was an afterthought
pletely biologically reversible. They until quite far on. So you have got decide what to do and then every-
when it came to awarding contracts.
Meanwhile Olympics Minister Tessa
can go back to normal weight to look at it that way. We all know body putting their shoulder to the
Jowell accused the Scottish Govern-
within a year by just changing their people who turned around a drink- wheel, and I like that.” HM
ment of doing too little to promote
life around. But in Tanzania, there ing problem or a smoking problem
Scottish-based companies. are whole regions where one third or a drug problem, so guess what? For the full interview, see page 50
16
| 17 November 2008 | Holyrood magazine |
www.holyrood.com |
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