(Tuesday 07 October 2008)
MALCOLM BURNS reviews the latest goings-on in Scotland.
Swinney faces grilling
Scottish Finance Secretary John Swinney is due to be grilled on Tuesday over his 2008-9 budget proposals by the Scottish Parliament equal opportunities committee.
Chaired by Tory Margaret Mitchell, the eight-member committee includes Labour's Elaine Smith, Marlyn Glen and Malcolm Chisholm, plus SNP MSPs Bill Kidd and Sandra White.
And the members know exactly what questions they want to ask.
Last week, in a fascinating evidence session with the committee, half-a-dozen experts laid into the provision in the proposed budget of just £40 million to deal with the issue of equal pay in local government.
The issue is complex and vexed. Coming over 30 years after the 1970 Equal Pay Act, the "single-status agreement" was intended to eradicate pay inequalities in Scottish local government.
However, failure by council employers to address the issues - primarily exclusion of women in equivalent manual jobs from men's bonus schemes - provoked mass litigation.
In 2005-6, Scottish councils identified "high risk" claimant groups and sought settlement, spending up to £500 million in equal pay compensation. But discriminatory arrangements were then left in place after that and further liability of around £100m was created.
Some councils have still to implement single status. Others have imposed single-status agreements on terms which unions have opposed. In many cases, the issue of equal pay has not been resolved. So, litigation continues.
Employment solicitor Margaret Gribbon told the committee that there were 40,000 cases in the employment tribunal system at present.
"We will be litigating these cases for decades to come," she said. "Those solutions are not working. They are like putting a plaster on a bullet wound."
UNISON Scotland legal officer Peter Hunter said: "Even if we set aside the equality issues and look at the equal pay gap from an accountant's perspective, we are building up major financial problems for the future ... the five-year liability for all local authorities could be in the region of £750 million."
Half a billion, £750 million - these are budget-busting sums. But the government may well be obliged by law to plan for them in order to meet required equal pay outcomes.
Economist and committee adviser Dr Ailsa McKay noted that council umbrella group CoSLA had identified equal pay in local government as "the greatest destabilising force in local government finance."
"Given the evidence it has heard today, the committee might want to consider in its budget scrutiny that equal pay appears to be one of the greatest destabilising forces in Scottish government finance," McKay argued.
"There is no evidence in the draft budget that adequate account has been taken of the resource implications of either meeting equal pay or managing unequal pay over the next few years at least. That is a serious omission that the committee, after hearing evidence today, is now well placed to point out to the cabinet secretary."
So, can Swinney answer the $1 billion equal pay question?
Visit the equal opportunities committee web pages at www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/committees/equal/
Yes, Labour's Lucifer Peter Mandelson slithers back aboard the doomed ship of state, much to the horror of the left in the party. Whatever happened to the promises to rid the country of sleaze, I wonder.
Meanwhile, in Scotland, we were handed cold warrior Jim Murphy to replace Des Browne as Scottish Secretary. At least the Prime Minister has scrapped the bizarre arrangement of the Defence Secretary moonlighting part-time in the Scotland Office.
Those of you who can still feel sympathy for Labour ministers might wish to remember in your prayers Ann McKechin.
Hoisted into the Scotland Office a couple of weeks ago when the Reverend David Cairns - remember him? - fell on his sword of anti-Brown conscience, the MP for Glasgow North proved a safe pair of hands in effectively covering not just for Cairns but for Des "two jobs" Browne's backshift as well.
She'll now have to hide the light of her brief candle under uber-Blairite Murphy's bushel.
It is hoped that Jack Jones, the 95-year-old former T&G leader who fought in Spain, will be present.
Saturday night social tickets are available for £5 and commemorative T-shirts for £6 each.
Visit www.international-brigades.org.uk for more details or contact Dundee TUC secretary Mike Arnott by email at dundeetuc@hotmail.com or telephone on 07951-443-656 or (01382) 434-386.
This follows a £5 million trial in five council areas across Scotland which ran during the last school year up to June.
The pilots proved successful - uptake of school meals was increased from 53 per cent to 75 per cent overall.
So far, so good. But is the SNP government providing the cash to fund the meals?
Currently, it's a hot political potato.
The SNP says that the councils signed up for the free school meal deal in the concordat last year and there is money in that settlement which they can use to cover the £28 million cost.
Labour says that the SNP is short-changing councils which will be forced by law to provide the meals at a cost of £50 million.
Personally, I am delighted that the argument for universal free school meals appears to have been won, even if there's a fight about the cost and it is being phased in over time and age groups.
Now, how about some more attractive fare in the school canteen - sorry, fuel zone - to help my kids and their pals eat their way to a healthier life.
* FOLLOWING on from Scotland's Future, its excellent pamphlet on the increased powers the Scottish Parliament needs, the Communist Party of Britain has published Scotland's Wealth & Scotland's Poverty. The latest pamphlet explains how unregulated market forces have increased poverty and inequality in Scotland today. Both are available to order at www.scottishcommunists.org.uk
JUST a reminder - Olga Salanueva and Adriana Perez, wives of two of the jailed Miami Five, will join Scottish Cuba Solidarity in a picket of the US consulate, 3 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh between 4-6pm on Thursday. Your support will be welcome.
Chaired by Tory Margaret Mitchell, the eight-member committee includes Labour's Elaine Smith, Marlyn Glen and Malcolm Chisholm, plus SNP MSPs Bill Kidd and Sandra White.
And the members know exactly what questions they want to ask.
Last week, in a fascinating evidence session with the committee, half-a-dozen experts laid into the provision in the proposed budget of just £40 million to deal with the issue of equal pay in local government.
The issue is complex and vexed. Coming over 30 years after the 1970 Equal Pay Act, the "single-status agreement" was intended to eradicate pay inequalities in Scottish local government.
However, failure by council employers to address the issues - primarily exclusion of women in equivalent manual jobs from men's bonus schemes - provoked mass litigation.
In 2005-6, Scottish councils identified "high risk" claimant groups and sought settlement, spending up to £500 million in equal pay compensation. But discriminatory arrangements were then left in place after that and further liability of around £100m was created.
Some councils have still to implement single status. Others have imposed single-status agreements on terms which unions have opposed. In many cases, the issue of equal pay has not been resolved. So, litigation continues.
Employment solicitor Margaret Gribbon told the committee that there were 40,000 cases in the employment tribunal system at present.
"We will be litigating these cases for decades to come," she said. "Those solutions are not working. They are like putting a plaster on a bullet wound."
UNISON Scotland legal officer Peter Hunter said: "Even if we set aside the equality issues and look at the equal pay gap from an accountant's perspective, we are building up major financial problems for the future ... the five-year liability for all local authorities could be in the region of £750 million."
Half a billion, £750 million - these are budget-busting sums. But the government may well be obliged by law to plan for them in order to meet required equal pay outcomes.
Economist and committee adviser Dr Ailsa McKay noted that council umbrella group CoSLA had identified equal pay in local government as "the greatest destabilising force in local government finance."
"Given the evidence it has heard today, the committee might want to consider in its budget scrutiny that equal pay appears to be one of the greatest destabilising forces in Scottish government finance," McKay argued.
"There is no evidence in the draft budget that adequate account has been taken of the resource implications of either meeting equal pay or managing unequal pay over the next few years at least. That is a serious omission that the committee, after hearing evidence today, is now well placed to point out to the cabinet secretary."
So, can Swinney answer the $1 billion equal pay question?
Visit the equal opportunities committee web pages at www.scottish.parliament.uk/s3/committees/equal/
All go on the Titanic
I WENT away for a couple of days and, when I got back, the deckchairs on the Titanic had been shuffled around. The captain even made room for the iceberg.Yes, Labour's Lucifer Peter Mandelson slithers back aboard the doomed ship of state, much to the horror of the left in the party. Whatever happened to the promises to rid the country of sleaze, I wonder.
Meanwhile, in Scotland, we were handed cold warrior Jim Murphy to replace Des Browne as Scottish Secretary. At least the Prime Minister has scrapped the bizarre arrangement of the Defence Secretary moonlighting part-time in the Scotland Office.
Those of you who can still feel sympathy for Labour ministers might wish to remember in your prayers Ann McKechin.
Hoisted into the Scotland Office a couple of weeks ago when the Reverend David Cairns - remember him? - fell on his sword of anti-Brown conscience, the MP for Glasgow North proved a safe pair of hands in effectively covering not just for Cairns but for Des "two jobs" Browne's backshift as well.
She'll now have to hide the light of her brief candle under uber-Blairite Murphy's bushel.
Dundee remembers Spain heroes
THIS weekend, Dundee Trades Union Council hosts a series of Spanish civil war events climaxing in the rededication of the city's International Brigade Memorial and the unveiling of a new plaque.It is hoped that Jack Jones, the 95-year-old former T&G leader who fought in Spain, will be present.
Saturday night social tickets are available for £5 and commemorative T-shirts for £6 each.
Visit www.international-brigades.org.uk for more details or contact Dundee TUC secretary Mike Arnott by email at dundeetuc@hotmail.com or telephone on 07951-443-656 or (01382) 434-386.
School dinners plan finally destined for our kids' plates
LAST Thursday, the Scottish government finally announced the roll-out of free school meals for pupils in years one to three beginning in 2010.This follows a £5 million trial in five council areas across Scotland which ran during the last school year up to June.
The pilots proved successful - uptake of school meals was increased from 53 per cent to 75 per cent overall.
So far, so good. But is the SNP government providing the cash to fund the meals?
Currently, it's a hot political potato.
The SNP says that the councils signed up for the free school meal deal in the concordat last year and there is money in that settlement which they can use to cover the £28 million cost.
Labour says that the SNP is short-changing councils which will be forced by law to provide the meals at a cost of £50 million.
Personally, I am delighted that the argument for universal free school meals appears to have been won, even if there's a fight about the cost and it is being phased in over time and age groups.
Now, how about some more attractive fare in the school canteen - sorry, fuel zone - to help my kids and their pals eat their way to a healthier life.
* FOLLOWING on from Scotland's Future, its excellent pamphlet on the increased powers the Scottish Parliament needs, the Communist Party of Britain has published Scotland's Wealth & Scotland's Poverty. The latest pamphlet explains how unregulated market forces have increased poverty and inequality in Scotland today. Both are available to order at www.scottishcommunists.org.uk
JUST a reminder - Olga Salanueva and Adriana Perez, wives of two of the jailed Miami Five, will join Scottish Cuba Solidarity in a picket of the US consulate, 3 Regent Terrace, Edinburgh between 4-6pm on Thursday. Your support will be welcome.
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