Politicians call for action to save Leith-based Pelamis

Wave goodbye? Local politicians say Pelamis must be saved

Edinburgh Green and Labour parliamentarians are calling for their respective governments to support a troubled local technology company before foreign rivals step in.

Green MSP Alison Johnstone has urged the Scottish Government to intervene to secure the future of wave technology firm Pelamis, which entered administration last week.

Questioning the Energy Minister at Holyrood yesterday,she said there was a real danger that Scotland would lose a global leader in the development of the technology to an overseas buyer, and end up importing wave technology in future years.

Pelamis employs 56 staff, with most based in Leith.

Alison Johnstone, Lothian MSP said: “Pelamis has been a global pioneer in wave technology and a leading Edinburgh company, which we cannot afford to lose. We hear so much about Scotland’s renewable energy potential but we will not reap the rewards without support to turn research into commercially-ready technology.

“Pelamis is a highly respected company which has built up a huge amount of expertise. I urge the Scottish Government to use every possible means to support this company and its employees at this uncertain time.”

North and Leith MP Mark Lazarowicz has also expressed concern and is urging Wstminster and Holyrood to work together to rescue the company. Speaking today, the Labour MP said: “The UK is currently the world leader in marine energy and the expertise of Pelamis Wave Power – based in Leith – has won it grants and awards from the UK and Scottish Governments: I want to see them act now to put together a rescue package.

“I have raised the urgent need to try and save Pelamis in a meeting with the Secretary of State for Scotland and contacted the UK Energy and Climate Change Secretary urging him him to act.

“Scotland and the UK have Europe’s greatest wave resources, but we run a real risk that if wave power technology isn’t given the long term guarantees of support that it needs, other countries will become the leaders in the technology.”

He also raised his concerns in a debate on fracking in Parliament where he referred specifically to the situation affecting Pelamis, and said after the debate: “Supporting pioneering renewable energy technology is what governments should do, instead of giving generous tax breaks to fracking.”

Pelamis Wave Power has been awarded grants for development of its pioneering technology by the UK Department for Energy and Climate Change and earlier this year its Chief Executive, Richard Yemm, was awarded the Scottish Government’s Saltire Prize for marine renewable energy.

Keir welcomes New York flights

Flights from Auld Reekie to Big Apple next summer

Colin Keir, the MSP whose Edinburgh Western constituency covers Edinburgh Airport, has welcomed the news that American Airlines will be launching daily flights between Edinburgh and New York’s JFK Airport.

Mr Keir said: “This is great news for Edinburgh Airport and more widely for Scotland. I congratulate the management of Edinburgh Airport for securing this direct service to one of the world’s leading financial centres. One of the benefits of direct flights is that the Air Passenger Duty (APD) is less for travellers who don’t have to fly to another UK hub airport such as Heathrow or Gatwick. It will be a huge boost for business and tourism and I am sure this will prove a very successful destination.”

The new service will launch next summer and run between May and September.

Cheers! Local MP votes for fair deal for publicans

Lazarowicz supports clause to protect community pubs

Mark Lazarowicz MP has voted to protect local publicans from the predatory practices of large pub owning companies (known as pubcos) by backing a new cross-party clause to the Small Business Bill earlier this week.

Following a report into the industry by the cross-party Business, Innovation and Skills Select Committee in 2010, Labour has campaigned alongside a broad coalition of groups in the industry – including the Federation of Small Businesses, the Forum of Private Business, CAMRA, FairPint and the GMB and UNITE trade unions – to call for greater protection for local pubs and put a stop to unfair treatment and restrictive practices by pubcos.

The government’s provisions to regulate pubcos in the Small Business Bill, debated in Parliament this week, but these fell some way short of Labour’s plans and campaigners’ demands. Labour therefore supported a cross-party clause to strengthen the Bill. The government opposed this change but were defeated by 284 votes to 269.

The North & Leith MP said: “27 pubs close every week and 57% of landlords who are tied to a large pubco earn less than £10,000 a year. These are scandals which must be addressed, and so I was proud to support the new clause which gives licensees the option of going free of tie – so that they can buy their beers on the open market – whenever they negotiate a new contract.

“This is the best way to ensure that large pub companies offer fair terms to their licensees and to finally address the scandal of so many valued community pubs shutting. The cooperation of the Scottish government will now be required for the proposals to be fully implemented in Scotland, and I hope that they will do this.”

Fracking hell: politicians speak out

Johnstone: ‘I’d urge communities to oppose such developments’

Alison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian and a member of Holyrood’s economy and energy committee, is urging communities around the Forth to oppose plans for underground coal gasification.

Drilling firm Cluff, one of a number of firms with licences to extract gas from coal seams around the Scottish coast, says it intends to apply for planning permission to develop drilling operations under the Firth of Forth.

Gasification involves drilling into coal seams, igniting them and capturing the resulting gas from a borehole.

Even with as-yet unproven carbon capture and storage technology, coal gasification would still emit more greenhouse gases than renewables.

Alison Johnstone MSP said: “Just a week after the IPCC warned that we need to urgently phase out fossil fuels, we have a company preparing to drill for yet more. In recent months I’ve been hearing from local people rightly alarmed at the prospect of unconventional gas drilling in their area, and I’d urge communities to oppose such developments.

“The local authorities and the environmental regulator Sepa must take into account the climate impact from this proposal. It also poses an economic risk by extracting fossil fuel we simply can’t afford to burn, and diverting attention away from the renewables sector that is steadily growing the long-term, well-paid jobs we all want to see.”

Mark Lazarowicz MP has urged the UK Government to devolve the responsibility for licencing fracking in Scotland to the Scottish Government. He was speaking at Energy and Climate Change questions in the House of Commons.

The North & Leith MP said: “This is an issue that many people feel strongly about, and I do not see any reasons why the power to grant licences should not be transferred from the Department of Energy and Climate Change to the Scottish Government.”

“Labour has already called for much tighter safeguards for licencing: companies must be forced to disclose the chemicals used in fracking and tests must take place for 12 months before the final go-ahead to find any trace of water contamination.

“Many issues relating to fracking are already devolved, including planning and environmental regulation, consent for electricity generation and transmission are all devolved. It makes sense for all aspects of the control of fracking to be devolved.”

Currently, companies must first apply for a licence from the Department for Energy and Climate Change (DECC) to explore for shale gas and another to then actually drill and extract it.

The company also needs a licence from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA), who regulate the way that the development will affect the local environment, in particular discharges of fracking fluid to local water sources.

Companies must also apply to the local authority for planning permission to deal with matters covered by planning law and the Scottish Parliament already has full authority over that, so Mr Lazarowicz argues that it makes sense for overall control of licencing to be devolved too.

Keir welcomes trams announcement

Colin Keir MSP for Edinburgh Western has welcomed the news that the Edinburgh Tram Inquiry has been converted from a non-statutory to a statutory Inquiry.

The Scottish Government has placed the enquiry on a statutory footing which will compel those involved in the Trams project to give evidence following a request from the inquiry chair Lord Hardie.

Mr Keir said: “This is great news that the Scottish Government has acted on the advice of Lord Hardie to convert the Edinburgh Tram Inquiry from a non-statutory to statutory status.

It is shocking that there has been a lack of co-operation by some of those who were involved in the project, this is clearly unacceptable. As the cost has risen to frightening levels over the years, surely the residents of Edinburgh – as well as taxpayers beyond the city boundaries – are entitled to know why this project became a financial liability and embarrassment to the city.”

The Edinburgh Tram Inquiry will convert from a non-statutory to a statutory inquiry following advice from the Chair Lord Hardie. On Friday, Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon instructed the conversion under the Inquiries Act 2005 after Lord Hardie advised that the Inquiry is not receiving the participation it requires.

Making the Inquiry statutory will allow Lord Hardie to compel the production of evidence, the participation of witnesses and enable a robust final report to be prepared. It is not anticipated that the change in status will affect the cost or timescale of the Inquiry.

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “It was the view of the Scottish Government that a non-statutory inquiry with the co-operation of those with knowledge of the project was the simplest way to ensure the swift answers that people want.

“Lord Hardie has however now reported a lack of co-operation by some, which is clearly unjustifiable. I have therefore given the Inquiry the statutory powers he has requested to ensure that the necessary evidence is secured and a robust final report produced.

“Lord Hardie has assured me that converting the Inquiry to a statutory basis will not increase the costs and time required as he had intended to apply similar procedures. I continue to attach great importance to an inquiry that is quick, efficient and cost effective.”

The Inquiry’s terms of reference are threefold:

To inquire into the delivery of the Edinburgh Trams project (‘the project’), from proposals for the project emerging to its completion, including the procurement and contract preparation, its governance, project management and delivery structures, and oversight of the relevant contracts, in order to establish why the project incurred delays, cost considerably more than originally budgeted for and delivered significantly less than was projected through reductions in scope.

To examine the consequences of the failure to deliver the project in the time, within the budget and to the extent projected.

To otherwise review the circumstances surrounding the project as necessary, in order to report to the Scottish Ministers making recommendations as to how major tram and light rail infrastructure projects of a similar nature might avoid such failures in future.

Greens: cuts must prompt Council Tax reform

‘we have to question the wisdom of a seven year Council Tax freeze’

Alison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian and local government spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, has urged ministers to make reform of the council tax an urgent priority.

Ms Johnstone used yesterday’s Finance Questions at Holyrood to raise growing concerns among communities where council cutbacks have prompted parents to pay for basic school equipment, and where leisure facilities face being axed.

The Scottish Green MSPs published ideas earlier this year for renewing local democracy, including restoring local tax raising powers, something other European towns and districts take for granted.

Alison Johnstone MSP said: “When we see local authorities cutting budgets already pared to the bone, putting leisure facilities and frontline services such as education at risk, we have to question the wisdom of seven years of a council tax freeze. This sticking plaster solution proved popular but is now undermining the services our communities rely on.

“Scots are more engaged in politics than ever and I believe they want to see fairer funding of properly empowered local government. Ministers cannot duck this issue any longer and must meet their commitment to consult with others on a way forward.”

Keir surgery at Millennium Centre tonight

MSP Colin Keir holds his next surgery here at Muirhouse Millennium (Community) Centre TONIGHT (3 November) from 4pm. If you are a constituent and have a problem, enquiry or complaint, you are more than welcome to come to one of Colin’s surgeries, which take place on the first Monday of each month. No appointment necessary.

James McGinty

Lazarowicz: Government ‘turning it’s back on fellow human beings’

‘not just cruel but totally without logic‘

Mark Lazarowicz MP has attacked the Government for refusing to work with other European states to put in place search and rescue operations across the Mediterranean to save the lives of refugees and migrants desperately trying to reach Europe at risk of their lives.

He put down an Urgent Question to the Government to challenge its policy as the Italian Navy operation comes to an end this week without a comprehensive EU operation to replace it.

It is estimated that already this year more than 3000 people have drowned in the Mediterranean trying to reach Europe and the total number to have lost their lives over recent years is likely to be at least 20,000.

The North and Leith MP (pictured above) said: “Refugees and migrants trying to cross the Mediterranean to reach Europe are exploited by people traffickers and risk dying en route – yet they are so desperate they still make these terrible journeys anyway, many of them fleeing war, poverty and starvation in places like Syria and Libya.

“The Government has said it would not support EU search and rescue operations across the Mediterranean – to discourage, presumably, others from making the journey: that’s not just cruel but totally without logic.

“The right response is to work to bring about a comprehensive EU search and rescue operation and offer safe and legal channels for people to access protection yet the number of refugees from Syria the Government has allowed in to the UK is tiny.

“This is a shameful policy. When fellow human beings face a terrible death, and it is in our power to do something about it, it is our moral duty to act.”

The Italian navy’s search and rescue operation comes to an end this week having it is estimated saved 150,000 lives over the past year but the UK has made it clear it will not support EU search and rescue operations across the Mediterranean to replace it because it believes it would only encourage more people to undertake the journey.

That will leave only a much more limited EU plan that will see operations restricted to within 30 miles of the Italian coast.

The decision has been strongly attacked by the British Refugees Council, Amnesty International and other agencies working in the field.

TTIPing point

Greens urge First Minister to get tough on TTIP

Alison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian and a member of Holyrood’s economy committee (above), is urging the First Minister to oppose TTIP, the controversial EU-US trade deal.

Writing on behalf of the five-strong Green-Independent group of MSPs, Ms Johnstone calls on Alex Salmond to press the case against a power grab by big business that undermines democratic decision-making.

The full text of the letter can be seen online at greenmsps.org. It is supported by Alison’s Green colleague Patrick Harvie, along with independent MSPs John Finnie, Jean Urquhart and John Wilson.

Alison Johnstone MSP said: “”TTIP is a power grab by private corporations which threatens the NHS. Although Scottish ministers have said they oppose the inclusion of health services in TTIP the negotiations have not yet provided any clear protections, and I urge the First Minister to press the case.

“There’s huge public concern at the offshore corporate courts being proposed. These would enable corporations to sue governments for passing laws which may be in the public interest but affect a company’s profits, an outrageous suggestion.

“We could also see watering down of European protections from the likes of GM foods and beef produced with growth hormones, an issue causing real concern for Scotland’s farmers.

“I hope the Scottish Government will write again to the UK Government stating opposition to TTIP. There is mounting public concern that cannot be ignored.”

Are we more progressive or politically blind?

Broughton High School student Ross Cowper-Fraser says it’s now time that sixteen and seventeen year olds get to vote in all elections:

The referendum may be over, but the question of whether 16 and 17 year olds are to gain the vote in the UK general and Scottish elections continues to loom over the politicians at Westminster and Holyrood.

According to the official count 3.6 million Scots engaged in the vote on 18 September: 100,000 were 16 & 17 year olds voting for the first time

A poll of young voters conducted by Lord Ashcroft found that 71% voted yes.
Since the group was gathered relatively quickly only a modest number was interviewed and this does not show the main view of this age category in its entirety. It does raise a question: are the younger members of the Scottish public more progressive than others, or is it that most do not have enough life experience to make an informed decision?

I discovered this when I was taking pictures on the night of the referendum vote when these three girls were shouted at for looking: “f**ck**g twelve!” Similar comment came from both sides of the debate and struck me as quite bigoted from ‘adults’, yet the media cameras flocked in like hawks towards the three girls! This was either for the abuse or the speck of red white and blue (Three young girls are highlighted within a sea of yes voters at the Scottish Parliament., above).

This was the first time many young Scots have voted, and many sceptics have spoken out on this. Nevertheless it has been well documented that the level of engagement has been of a high standard: I know myself from fellow senior peers in my year and at least three years below in S3 (although they could not vote) have all been engaged in discussion.

Not only do I think our age group far exceeded the participation of the vote from sceptical people, I also think that some young people’s knowledge surpassed the awareness of plenty of adults, from watching Andrew Neil on Daily Politics to discussing the papers in the morning. This may be partly to the use mass of the social media platform: young people gained their information most of the time probably used links, friends and posts to gain knowledge.

Then there were the door to door talks, public meeting and school debates across the country as Scotland prepared for possibly the biggest decision of its people for many years.

This may be all well and good but now, how will the franchise age be lowered? At the age of 16 you can do things like pay taxes, join the army and get married, but without having any right to vote how the country can be called fully democratic?

I emailed Alison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian asking what she and her party thought of widening the electorate, and she replied: “After their brilliant contribution to the referendum debate, no-one can seriously argue that 16 and 17 year old’s should not get to vote in all future elections.

“As the debate around more powers for Scotland continues, the Scottish Greens want the rules to be changed in time to allow 16 and 17 years old’s to vote in the Westminster election next year, and certainly for the 2016 Scottish Parliament elections.”

“It has long been Scottish Green Party policy to extend the franchise to 16 and 17 year-old voters and we would like to see this happen in time for the UK General Election next May and 2016 Holyrood election.”

At Westminster, the Conservatives do not believe that this group should gain suffrage, and the UK independence party follow the Tories in this belief: funny really when the don’t agree on much more that not giving young the vote! This could work against them in the future: it may give a foundation of disconnection between them and future voters. Parties like Labour, Greens, SNP and the Liberal Democrats may become the main choice: either way, Scotland and especially the UK could change dramatically.

So essentially the youth vote could be a source of political advantage for the future – David Cameron may have to resort to swearing again so he can try and relate to the ‘impressionable youth’!

However less than half of 18 to 24 year olds voted in the last UK general election: this was much lower of the nation’s average voters. And there is nowhere in the UK where there is a huge number of young people centralised within one area, so spread out like this, can young people make much of a difference to the current flows of decision-making? For years youth groups have tried to be heard and get noticed, so it can be said that many do take an interest in politics. And due to recent events the youth voice may become a more important and relevant factor in current affairs.

I also contacted MSP Sarah Boyack to find out Scottish Labour’s position. She responded: “In the final months before the referendum I met young voters on both sides of the campaign who were keen to debate the issues and play their part.

“It was really exciting to see young people keen to engage in politics and it’s important that we do not allow that enthusiasm to disappear. Many young people are already active in our communities and we need to make sure that their skills and knowledge are fed into decision making.

“I believe that the time is right to extend the voting age for all elections to 16 and 17 year old’s and Labour is committed to this step at a UK level too. It is also important that this is backed by an extensive programme of civic education in schools and work to encourage more involvement in initiatives such as the Scottish Youth Parliament.”

So no-one under the age of 18 will vote in next May’s general election, but if you are an optimist then this may change depending on the party elected in 2015. Say Labour achieved this, then the voting age may be lowered for future Westminster elections. Meanwhile in Scotland this looks like a real possibility for the upcoming elections in 2016, as most parties agree to this movement for change.

Westminster may be left behind, swaying from the road to total democracy. Finally will the irony of placing total focus upon the Smith Commission place this matter in the dark? Let’s hope not.

Ross Cowper-Fraser