ROWLEY TO WARN OF RACE TO THE BOTTOM ON TAX

Alex Rowley – Labour 

The SNP’s  plan to cut Air Departure Tax will kick off a race to the bottom on tax, Alex Rowley warned today. (Monday)

The interim Scottish Labour leader told UK Labour conference that the SNP cutting the tax in Scotland will encourage the Tories to do the same across the UK – meaning another tax break for the richest.

The Tory-DUP agreement commits to reviewing Air Passenger Duty, the equivalent of Air Departure Tax in the rest of the UK.

The DUP manifesto in 2017 committed to abolishing Air Passenger Duty.

Mr Rowley will also renew calls for the SNP government to use powers over social security to increase Child Benefit, and say that Scotland can make the difference in returning a Labour government at the next General Election.

Interim Scottish Labour leader Alex Rowley is expected to say: 

“Friends, Labour’s mission was about building a lasting legacy and giving people the opportunities they needed to succeed.

“Today, we need that vision in Scotland again.

“We need to set out a plan for our major industries – for oil and gas, for shipbuilding, for finance and food and drink.

“And we also need to attract the jobs of the future – in advanced manufacturing, in renewable energy and in science and technology.

“We need to provide this next generation of Scots with better opportunities than the last by investing in education, training and skills.

“And we need to renew our commitment to the public services that look after us from cradle to grave – the welfare state and the NHS.

“That means being honest about what we have to do to pay for these services and, as Labour, making the argument that our duties to each other mean that we can afford to pay a little more.

“Not like the Tories in Scotland, or like the SNP Government that only has one tax policy. A tax cut for the airlines that will benefit the richest the most.

“The SNP can’t have a serious debate on tax if its only policy kicks off a race to the bottom against a UK Tory government, propped up by the DUP, who are desperate to see that tax abolished.

“The SNP faces a choice – work with Labour to use the tax powers to protect public services – or give Philip Hammond and Arlene Foster the excuse they are looking for to give the richest yet another bonus.

“And, conference, the Scottish Parliament’s new powers do not end with tax. And as new powers over the welfare state come into force, we need to think about how we can use them to show the kind of society we want to build.

“And that is why I renew my calls today for the Scottish Government to use their new powers to add £5 to Child Benefit – a move that would lift tens of thousands of children out of poverty.

“This would send a clear signal that in Scotland we are willing to pay so that every child can get the best start in life.

“Conference, we can afford this change and we should make it, for this generation and generations to come. “

On Scotland and the next General Election, Mr Rowley is expected to say:

“Being a strong opposition should never be enough.

“Our aim must be to win the next election in Scotland.

“Because let me be absolutely clear.

“Scotland can make that difference at the next election.

“The choice will be between a Labour Government that will tackle poverty, increase family incomes and raise the standards for all.

“Or more decline, decay and drift with a Tory Government.

“Conference, it’s not the SNP who can deliver an end to the Tories. It’s the Scottish Labour Party. “

THE COST OF THE TORIES: SCOTTISH HOUSEHOLDS £500 WORSE OFF

Alex Rowley – Labour

The average Scottish household is £500 worse off since the Tories came to power.

Analysis from Scottish Labour as UK Labour conference begins reveals that average household income today stands at £24,336.

In 2009/10 – the last year before the Tories came to power but in the immediate aftermath of the global financial crisis household income was  £24,846.

This is income available to households after taxes, including council tax and income tax, are paid and all benefits and tax credits have been received.

Labour said the figure exposed the Tories economic mismanagement of the UK, and that the tax and benefit changes the Tories have pushed through have not boosted the pay packets of working people.

Scottish Labour leader Alex Rowley said:

“The Tories used to boast about a long term economic plan – in reality Scottish households are over £500 a year worse off.

“A Labour Government, in the immediate aftermath of a global financial crisis, did more to protect living standards that the Tories have.

“Tax cuts for the wealthy and big business may please the Tories around the cabinet table but they do nothing to boost the incomes of working class families.

“Only Labour has a plan to make our country work for the many rather than the privileged few. With a £10 minimum wage, ending the benefits freeze and investing in Scotland through a National Investment Bank to create good quality jobs we can reverse the cost of the Tories.

NOTES

 

Year	Median equivalised  household income in Scotland
2009/10	£24,846
2015/16	£24,336

Source:  Labour analysis of data available  at http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0051/00515392.pdf  (see Table A8).

Background

The income measure used in HBAI is weekly net (disposable) equivalised household income. This comprises total income from all sources of all household members including dependants. Income is adjusted for household size and composition by means of equivalence scales, which reflect the extent to which households of different size and composition require a different level of income to achieve the same standard of living. This adjusted income is referred to as equivalised income.

Income Before Housing Costs BHC includes the following main components: net earnings; profit or loss from self-employment after income tax and NI; all social security benefits, including housing and council tax benefits; all tax credits, including Social Fund grants; occupational and private pension income; investment income; maintenance payments; top-up loans and parental contributions for students, educational grants and payments; the cash value of certain forms of income in kind such as free school meals, free welfare milk and free school milk and free TV licences for the over 75s (where data is available).

Income is net of: income tax payments; National Insurance contributions; contributions to occupational, stakeholder and personal pension schemes; council tax; maintenance and child 62 support payments made; and parental contributions to students living away from home.

TORY BENEFIT CAP IS ATTACK ON SINGLE MOTHERS

Lesley Laird, the Shadow Scottish Secretary, has branded the Tory benefit cap as an ‘attack on single mothers’, as new figures reveal that the policy disproportionately affects one parent families.

The figures show almost two thirds of capped claimants are lone parents – and 96 per cent of affected parents are female.

Tory welfare changes have previously been lambasted for having a disproportionately harmful impact on women.

The worst of which is the Conservative government’s ‘rape clause’, which forces women who have been victims of rape to fill out an intrusive eight page form before being able to receive child tax credits.

Labour outlined welfare changes in its 2017 manifesto, which the party has said would help redress gender inequality in social security. These included abolishing the ‘rape clause’ and lifting the benefit cap.

Labour is beginning its party conference with National Women’s Conference in Brighton today (Saturday).

Speaking ahead of Labour’s National Women’s Conference, Shadow Secretary of State for Scotland, Lesley Laird MP said:

“The Tories’ benefit cap forms an attack on single mothers, as these new figures show.

“Almost two thirds of all claimants affected by the cap are single mothers.

“The Conservative Party’s welfare reforms, driven by its austerity agenda, have been cruel and have disproportionality harmed women.

“A Labour government would lift the benefit cap altogether, ending a system which has forced many to rely on foodbanks to get by.

“Labour would redress the gender inequality in our welfare system by reforming social security to build a system based on the principles of fairness and equality.”

Laird added:
“The horrific rape clause, which forces women who have been victims of rape to fill out forms before receiving child tax credits, is one of the most abhorrent policies ever introduced by a Tory government.

“Labour is clear – we would abolish the rape clause and no Labour government would ever introduce such a policy again.”

NOTES 

 

Source: DWP Statistics

 

Proportion of capped claimants:
Single, no children	9.85%
Couple, no children	0.32%
Lone parent	64.08%
Couple with children	25.78%
Gender of capped lone parents:
Male	2.74%
Female	95.79%
Unknown	1.43%
May-2017

BEAMISH JOINS CAMPAIGNERS DEMANDING STRONGER CLIMATE CHANGE BILL

Claudia Beamish MSP – Labour 

Claudia Beamish has today joined campaigners in demanding the SNP government strengthen its proposed Climate Change Bill.

Ms Beamish, who is Scottish Labour’s environment spokesperson, has previously urged the SNP to be bolder on the environment, leading the charge to ban fracking in Scotland.

The list of international development organisations challenging the SNP to strengthen the bill includes:
·         Oxfam Scotland
·         Christian Aid Scotland
·         Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF)

Labour has said the SNP government’s Climate Change Bill must deliver climate justice.

Scottish Labour’s environment spokesperson Claudia Beamish said:

“I welcome this call from global climate change campaigners for a strong Climate Change Bill in Scotland.

“We only have to look at the environmental disasters around the world in the last few weeks to see the damage that will be caused if we don’t take robust measures to fight climate change.

“Sadly, the SNP’s record in the environment gives me cause for doubt that this bill will be tough enough.

“The SNP government are in the process of cutting the tax on flights in half, with a view to abolishing the tax altogether, and have repeatedly refused to ban fracking in Scotland.

“It is vital for our environment that the forthcoming Climate Change Bill contains the necessary provisions to enable Scotland to be a global leader by example for climate justice. Scotland must show that our own commitments are fair and inclusive to communities and working people. This must include a Just Transition Commission as we shift to the low carbon and ultimately a net zero emissions economy.”

STURGEON MUST DROP TAX CUT FOR THE RICHEST

Alex Rowley – Labour 

Nicola Sturgeon must drop her plan to cut Air Departure Tax, Labour demanded today.

Speaking at First Minister’s Question, interim Labour leader Alex Rowley revealed that the SNP’s plan to cut Air Departure Tax would cost almost twenty times what it proposes to spend on fighting child poverty.

The SNP’s Programme for Government announced a Tackling Child Poverty Fund worth £10 million a year.

However, SNP plans to halve Air Departure Tax will cost £189 million by 2021/22.

Cutting Air Departure Tax is more likely to help higher earners.

Labour’s demand follows Holyrood voting last night to endorse Labour’s principles on income tax, and increases the pressure on the SNP to take a more progressive approach to tax.

 

Scottish Labour interim leader Alex Rowley said:

“The SNP plans to spend almost twenty times more on a tax cut for frequent flyers than it does on tackling child poverty.

“Halving Air Departure Tax would cost £189 million in a single year compared to £10 million a year on the Tackling Child Poverty Fund.

“Every single time the SNP has a tax decision to make it sides with the millionaires rather than the millions.

“The SNP cannot run away from this debate forever. Nicola Sturgeon must drop this tax cut for the airlines and use the tax powers of the Scottish Parliament to tackle child poverty.

NOTES 

Analysis from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe) shows that ADT would be expected to raise £378million in 2021-22. But the SNP said in its 2016 manifesto it would reduce the tax by 50 per cent by the end of this parliament – a potential cut of around £189million.

The SNP 2016 manifesto states: “When the power to do so is devolved, we will reduce the overall burden of APD by 50 per cent, with the reduction beginning in April 2018 and delivered in full by the end of the next Parliament. Air Passenger Duty will be abolished entirely when resources allow.”

Source: https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/thesnp/pages/5540/attachments/original/1485880018/SNP_Manifesto2016-web_(1).pdf?1485880018

Office for Budget Responsibility figures for Scottish APD revenue are set out on page 20 of the SPICe briefing on the Air Departure Tax (Scotland) Bill:

 Source: http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/ResearchBriefingsAndFactsheets/S5/SB_17-05_Air_Departure_Tax_Scotland_Bill.pdf

Analysis from Think-tank Fellow Travellers has shown that the wealthiest in society would benefit from the SNP’s planned cut to Air Departure Tax (ADT):

“Direct benefits to UK leisure passengers are heavily skewed towards the wealthiest sections of society. 8.3% of the total tax break pie – £13.5m in 2018/19 – will go to leisure passengers in the richest 10% of Scottish households, while only 2.4% (£4m) goes to the poorest 10%.”

Source: https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/air-departure-tax-plans-to-scrap-air-passenger-duty-are-tax-giveawayfor-the-rich-3mgvdhdcq

 

People on higher incomes tend to fly more and would therefore benefit from any cut. The Civil Aviation Authority has previously identified that the mean income of those who fly from Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Inverness is consistently higher than £40,000, strikingly similar to the higher rate tax band.

The Programme for Government announced a tackling Child Poverty Fund, worth £10 million a year.

Source: http://www.gov.scot/Resource/0052/00524214.pdf

More than 100,000 Active Schools sessions recorded in last year

School pupils across West Dunbartonshire took part in a record 101,000 Active Schools sessions in the last year ─ the first time the 100,000 mark has been breached.

New figures released by sportscotland show that the West Dunbartonshire Active Schools programme is performing better than ever, with the 101,000 participant session in the 2016/17 school year, a marked increase on the previous year’s 88,000.

The figures also reveal that there were 5700 different pupils in the last year ­- up from 5600 distinct participants the year before – and that each of these pupils took part in an average of 18 sessions throughout the year.

The news was celebrated by pupils at Edinbarnet Primary School this week, where they were joined by West Dunbartonshire Leisure Active Schools Co-ordinators Adam Gibson and Louise Morrison.

West Dunbartonshire Leisure delivers the Active Schools programme across the area, which offers opportunities for school pupils to get involved in sport and physical activity before school, during lunch and after school. The Active Schools Network is delivered by all 32 local authorities in partnership with sportscotland, the national agency for sport.

The figures show that 329 local volunteers are signed up to help deliver the Active Schools programme and that 32 local sports clubs have established links with Active Schools, up from 31 the year before.

The Active Schools programme is in operation at every primary and secondary school in West Dunbartonshire, delivering 6000 separate sessions over the course of the school year.

West Dunbartonshire Active Schools are always on the lookout for new volunteers and local sports clubs with which to join forces. To find out how you can volunteer, visit www.west-dunbarton.gov.uk/asvolunteer

LABOUR SECURE URGENT QUESTION ON GLASGOW CLADDING SCANDAL

Pauline McNeil – Labour 

Labour has secured an urgent question on the Glasgow City Council cladding scandal.

Glasgow MSP and Housing spokesperson Pauline McNeill will question Housing Minister Kevin Stewart on what action the Scottish Government took following Glasgow City Council informing them that 57 privately owned buildings have the same combustible cladding that was used in the Grenfell tower.

This is the first time that an urgent question has been asked in the Scottish Parliament, following recommendations made by the Commission for Parliamentary Reform.

Glasgow City Council informed the Ministerial Working Group on building and fire safety on 8 September but not the Fire and Rescue Service or the residents of the buildings.

 This information was only made public because a council official was questioned at the Local Government and Communities Committee on whether combustible cladding had been found in any private properties.

HOLYROOD ENDORSES LABOUR TAX PRINCIPLES AS SNP ABSTAIN

Alex Rowley – Labour 

Responding to tonight’s vote on tax in the Scottish Parliament, Scottish Labour Interim leader Alex Rowley said:

“This is a significant moment ahead of the budget. Parliament has endorsed Labour’s basic principles on tax and public spending.

“If we are to protect public services we need to be willing to increase taxation – when push came to shove SNP politicians sat on their hands.

“That simply is not good enough. Scotland deserves better than a government that doesn’t know whether it thinks taxes should go up or down.

“The SNP now must respect the will of parliament. Only Labour’s tax plans can stop the cuts and protect public services.”

SWINNEY IS WRONG TO DOUBLE DOWN ON REFORMS

Responding to John Swinney’s speech on education today, Labour education spokesperson, Iain Gray, said:

“John Swinney is wrong to double down on these reforms, in the face of mounting criticism from teachers, parents, unions and academics.

“We have a schools’ system that has 4,000 fewer teachers and £1.5 billion cut from local authority budgets since 2011. Labour has been clear – Holyrood should use the new powers over tax to increase investment in education.

 “John Swinney’s own consultation on reforms agreed with Labour – parents, teachers and unions all agree that we need to see more investment in the system.

“Instead Mr Swinney plans to force the changes no-one wants through parliament – with Tory support.

“We have tried to amend the last two Scottish budgets to that effect and the SNP has voted against our plans.

“The real reform our schools need is more funding – but the SNP government plans to spend more money cutting taxes for frequent flyers than it plans to spend on closing the attainment gap between the richest and the rest.  A new quango and more SNP centralisation will not reverse the devastating impact of years of cuts to school budgets.”

COMMENT ON YOUNG CARER GRANT

Mark Griffin – Labour 

Responding to the Scottish Government announcement of a new Young Carer Grant, Scottish Labour’s social security spokesperson Mark Griffin said:

“We welcome this additional support for young carers.

“Carers are the unsung heroes of our country. Thousands of people dedicate their lives to caring for others and save the government – particularly our NHS and social care system – billions of pounds because of their selfless care and attention.

“While we back the introduction of this grant, the reality is young carers are not getting the support the deserve under the SNP.

“The Nationalists have slashed local government budgets, with £1.5 billion cut since 2011.  These are the budgets which are there to support young carers in the first place.

”In order to properly support young carers, we have to put an end to austerity and invest in our public services.”