Strathaven based MSP and Minister for Europe, External Affairs and Culture, Linda Fabiani, has condemned opposition parties in the Scottish parliament for leaving local government budgets in limbo, following their rejection of the Scottish Governments budget proposals.

The vote saw Labour, Liberal Democrats and the Green Party combine to oppose the Scottish Government’s budget for 2009/10; a decision that threatens planned investment in the Scottish economy including an additional £1.8 billion in expenditure.

Ms Fabiani said:
“This ludicrous decision has been taken by a Labour Party more intent on boosting its crumbling ego than in acting responsibly towards the people of this country.

“It beggars belief that in the current economic climate that sees the country in recession, jobs being lost, astronomical debt levels and peoples homes repossessed; that instead of voting for stability, Labour, the Liberal Democrats and the Greens have voted to throw everything up in the air in the hope that the pieces fall to their own political advantage.

‘The UK Labour government have helped cause the current economic environment that sees hundreds of billions of pounds of taxpayers money being thrown after badly run businesses and poorly regulated industries, how then can they justify putting the Scottish economy and local authority spending plans on hold while they make up their minds as to whether they value the life of their party above the life of the country.

“Our budget plans would have brought jobs, homes and economic investment, it would have reduced or removed rates for thousands of small businesses, paid for extra police, pay rises in the public sector and additional funding for the NHS.

“All this is threatened by an ill conceived grandstanding by an opposition aiming to score a petty political point and forsaking the welfare of the country in the process.

“If the SNP Governments proposals are not passed, far from having another freeze on the council tax as we did last year we could instead be looking at huge increases by as much as 22 percent in East Kilbride alone. If such a scenario comes about it will be because Labour, Lib Dems and the Greens have failed to consider anyone other than themselves.”

The vote against the budget jeopardises the following projects:

· £230 million of capital expenditure brought forward by the UK Government’s pre-budget report
· support for 5000 jobs – particularly in the construction sector
· brought forward funding for road improvements across Scotland · £50 million of additional spending in the NHS · £70 million of early investment in affordable housing · Council tax freeze and increased funding for local authorities
· £40 million increase in funding for free personal care
· Investment in tackling hospital acquired infection
· Investment to reduce waiting times and to cut prescription charges further
· Abolition of business rates for 120,000 small businesses
· More bobbies on the beat

This is the first time in the history of the Scottish Parliament that a major party has voted against the national budget. The Scottish Government now has to proceed on a month by month basis based on last year’s budget figures.

Strathaven based MSP, Linda Fabiani, has welcomed a cash injection from the Scottish Government that will help struggling homeowners in East Kilbride. An extra £10 million worth of investment is being made in a Scottish Government scheme to help homeowners that are struggling with mortgage repayments.

The new money will mean the Home Owners’ Support Fund is being backed by £35 million over the next two years.
The fund will build on and improve the existing Mortgage to Rent scheme, and include a new Mortgage to Shared Equity scheme.

Those eligible for Mortgage to Shared Equity will retain ownership of their home and enter into a shared equity agreement with the Scottish Government, having had their secured debt reduced to a manageable level.

Speaking after the announcement was made Ms Fabiani said:
“The Scottish Government knows that many people are encountering problems due to the current economic climate and we want to do what we can to help households and businesses deal with the impact of the economic downturn.

“That is why we are acting to decisively bolster the Home Owners’ Support Fund and put an additional £5 million on top of the £5 million already announced in December into the fund, bringing a total of £35 million worth of investment in the fund over the course of this year and next.

“East Kilbride has a very high rate of owner occupiers and anyone that is running into difficulties should check out the details of both the Mortgage to Rent Scheme and new Mortgage to Shared Equity Scheme on the Scottish Government website at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Topics/Built-Environment/Housing/access/grants/4418.”

The improved Mortgage to Rent Scheme and new Mortgage to Shared Equity Scheme will start on March 16, 2009.

Strathaven MSP, Linda Fabiani, has praised the Scottish Government for its £82 million cash injection to NHS Boards across the country.

The money will be used to improve dental provision, provide new surgeries and upgrade facilities.

In Lanarkshire the health board will receive 6.47 million pounds to implement its plans: spending £2,600,000 on supporting existing services and £3,870,000 investing in general dental practices and community pharmacies.

Speaking after the announcement Ms Fabiani said:

“This is very welcome news from the Scottish Government, at a time when so much attention is on the financial sector, the Scottish Government has not lost sight of the other things that are important to every one of us.

“The projects outlined in the government announcement do not just represent better health facilities but are also a lifeline for some of the hardest-hit sectors of our economy like construction, and they are a crucial way for the Government to stimulate the economy by providing local employment opportunities.

“This Government has made NHS dentistry a top priority since it came to power and already we have seen the number of dentists rise and the highest ever number of dental registrations for both adults and children.

Strathaven based MSP, Linda Fabiani, has welcomed the backing of parliament for proposals that would allow members of the public to stand for election to health boards.

Speaking after the debate on the Health Boards (Membership and Elections) (Scotland) Bill, Ms Fabiani said:

“We know that the NHS means a lot to people all over the country and we have in East Kilbride and Lanarkshire saw strong reactions from our own local community when proposals where made that threatened the future of local A&E units.

“We believe there is a desire for NHS Boards to be democratically accountable and for representation to be available to members of the public so that public concerns and opinions have a more prominent place in the delivery of health services.”

The Health Boards (Membership and Elections) (Scotland) Bill was published in June, with the aim of re-energising public engagement in the health service.

The Bill, if passed, will ensure that:

* Elected members – including local authority representatives and
those directly elected by the public – will form a majority of health board members. A chair and other members will be appointed by Ministers, as at present.

* Pilot elections will be held and independently evaluated before
any decision on further rollout is taken by Parliament.

* Elections will be on a proportional representation (Single
Transferable Vote) basis. A single ward will cover the whole health board area.

* The voting age in health board elections will be lowered to 16.

Strathaven based MSP, Linda Fabiani, has welcomed a business cash boost that could create 23 new jobs and safeguard another 62, at a factory in East Kilbride.

Controlled Therapeutics (Scotland) Ltd, a research, development and manufacturer of pharmaceutical products, based at Peel Park, have been offered a grant which could total £930,000, enabling them to create the new posts and bringing security to the current workforce.

Across the country more than 1,300 jobs are either being created or safeguarded after 18 businesses accepted Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) grants worth over £16 million.

This Scottish Government grant scheme is available to industry for investment projects that create and safeguard employment in areas that have been given Assisted Area status, a designation under European Community law that allows applications for regional aid to help grow the economies and infrastructures of the qualifying regions.

Ms Fabiani said:

“I am delighted with this news. At a time of uncertainty in the global market place, and worries over rising unemployment, it is good to hear of a local manufacturing company with the potential to create employment opportunities and some job security to its current staff.

“This money when it comes on-line will help to support employment in the town and other companies should look at the qualification criteria for accessing Regional Selective Assistance (RSA) grants because it may assist their future business; information on RSA can be found on the Scottish Business Grants website at: http://www.scottishbusinessgrants.gov.uk/rsa/208.html.”

Strathaven based SNP MSP Linda Fabiani, has welcomed the proposals contained in the Scottish Government’s budget bill for 2009-2010, detailing a range of measures  designed to help the country through the current economic difficulties.

The SNP budget proposes to bring forward capital spending of £230 million to boost the Scottish economy and will include a further years freeze on council tax and allow for further reductions in the rateable values of small businesses benefiting almost 13,000 small business in the South Lanarkshire area,

Ms Fabiani said:
“For the second year running we will see a freeze on the council tax at a time when family budgets are getting tighter and a reduction of the rateable values of small businesses to help boost employment prospects.

“Almost 13,000 small businesses in South Lanarkshire will benefit from the reduction in business rates with just under 5,000 businesses ceasing to pay any rates at all, these are important measures to aid employers during a worrying economic downturn and uncertainty for employees.

“These measures are allied to the Scottish Governments infrastructure projects on affordable housing and schools across the country, investment in energy efficiency, more police on our streets and a further cut in prescription charges.

Strathaven resident and Minister for Culture, Linda Fabiani MSP, is encouraging East Kilbride residents to enjoy the Year of Homecoming, when many cultural events will be taking place to celebrate the 250^th anniversary of the birth of the country’s national poet   Robert Burns.

During the Year of Homecoming ex-patriot Scots and the descendents of the worldwide Scottish diaspora are being encouraged to return to Scotland to participate in the variety of activities that have already been organised to welcome them and give them a taste of what Scotland has to offer.

Ms Fabiani said:
“This is a very special year due to the number of events that are being organised specifically to celebrate Scotland’s culture. There is a great variety of activities taking place from concerts, comedy, exhibitions, sporting events and much more.

“So far nothing has been organised in East Kilbride but if a local artist wants to put something on in conjunction with the Year of Homecoming then they would be contributing to what is already proving to be a very popular occasion with 300 events currently organised across the country and more set to be added.

“There are a great many events taking place within the general Glasgow area and Hamilton Town House is hosting its own event when the well known singer Alastair McDonald performs with other artists a Celebration O’Burns at the end of January.

“There will be something to entertain everyone and with the celebrations running all year it is a terrific opportunity to enjoy an evening out and see the excellent entertainment that Scotland has to offer.”

Culture Minister Linda Fabiani has urged Scots to get involved in the latest consultation on World Heritage Sites.
The Department of Culture, Media and Sport is reviewing how the UK protects and promotes its sites of outstanding universal value, and whether to continue nominating new sites.

Ms Fabiani said:
“In East Kilbride we may not have something that quite comes up to the standard of a World Heritage Site but I am sure that most of us have a favourite place not to far from the town that we consider as a place of special value to us.

“The UK government is conducting this consultation and it is vital that the experience we have of Scotland’s five World Heritage Sites is reflected in its findings. I am constantly impressed by the passion and commitment so many people have for these sites and I would ask them to get involved to help shape how these sites are nominated and protected in the future.”

Currently all UK nominations to be considered for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List are taken from the 1999 tentative list. This shortlist is updated every ten years. St Andrews; Arbroath Abbey; Glasgow School of Art/ Hill House and Loch Ness and the Great Glen have been suggested for future consideration.

Since the current list was drawn up, UNESCO’s World Heritage Committee has asked countries with the greatest number of existing World Heritage Sites to slow down or suspend their nominations in favour of less represented nations. In 2005 it also recommended that priority would be given to natural sites such as grasslands, wetlands or deserts.

The consultation will close on February 24, 2009.
The Minister added: “There can be no question that many people across Scotland are justly proud that so many sites in our country are recognised on this global scale. I would urge those with direct experience of managing these World Heritage sites, those with ambitions for possible future nominations and those that have an interest in them take this opportunity to express their views.”

Copies of the consultation document and a report into the cost benefit analysis of World Heritage status can be found at www.culture.gov.uk.