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NUCLEAR
POWER
It should be
noted that the policy of Clannasaor is to scrap or phase out all
nuclear Power stations and to hold the British Governrnent responsible
for the decommissioning of Dounreay which is a Military reprocessing
facility. The two existing stations will be decommissioned once
their capacity has been replaced on the national Grid by Hydro Electric
schemes. Clannasaor state that it is a firm policy that there shall
be no further investment in Nuclear Power or technology in Scotland
due to the frightful legacy of pollution which will be inflicted
for hundreds of generations on our future children.
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POSTAL
SERVICES.
Clannasaor are
ideologically opposed to privatisation of the Post Office which
serves a vital social need in our far flung rural areas. The Post
Office will remain in the public sector due to its high social value
in maintaining small Rural Communities by the provision of vital
services such as Postal services, Pension disbursements and acting
as a clearing house for paying bills. In the Highlands and islands
the post buses are vital lifelines. The Postal services will not
be Privatised for the reason that Commercial Postal Companies will
cherry pick the highly profitable Cities and big towns and write
off the Rural areas as uneconomic. This is part of the Clannasaor
strategic plan for regenerating the Crofting Counties and islands.
Rather than seek to make Profits for the Scottish Treasury, all
profits will be reinvested in our postal services to improve and
widen the range of services on offer.
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PUBLIC
PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS (P.P.P.)
Clannasaor are
ideologically opposed to Public, Private Partnerships or the Private
Finance initiative on the grounds that it is morally wrong for private
corporations to make very large profits from Government organisations
and services at the expense of the taxpayers. It has been adopted
by the Unionist parties to provide a short term solution to a long
term problem. Over a 25 year time scale a large Edinburgh hospital
will cost the health trust £55 Millions per annum. Funds which are
lost to Patient health care.
Clannasaor propose
to have a long term Public Buildings Construction Fund on a similar
basis to the Investment fund set up to invest surplus Oil revenues
for future generations. These funds from surplus Tax revenues are
invested in the fund and the revenues generated are used for the
construction of new buildings, modification of existing buildings,
Repairs and maintenance of all community owned buildings. So should
it be decided that a new hospital is required, then the funds will
be allocated and fixed price tenders issued to competent firms.
This has the advantage that this spending is not limited by Public
Spending constraints. Firm and critical oversight by the agency
to be known as the Public Buildings Agency or PBA for short will
ensure that there are no cost over-runs by ensuring simple and effective
design at all stages of the project. This will ensure that no charge
is made to the taxpayer as presently happens with Cost over-runs
and 'Extra's.
There is a place
for P.P.P.'s in the Government and Commercial sectors, The proposed
'Freeport' is such a project where Trading, warehousing and other
facilities are provided to the Commercial sector by the Government
and Private investors to make profits which will benefit both the
people of Scotland and her financial institutions which provide
Pensions and life insurances etc.
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PUBLIC
TRANSPORT.
The Towns and
Cities of Scotland desperately need modern public transport. The
days that a city corporation could afford to finance this from public
funds have long since past and of necessity it falls to the private
sector to make good the shortfall. Public transport usually is of
the rail and road type such as light electric railways and trams,
road transport such as bus and mini-bus with the ubiquitous taxi
filling in the gaps.
The advent of
the motor car has given the individual a great deal of freedom which
he or she refuse to give up and this has led to overcrowding of
the roads thus making all traffic move more slowly. Recently the
Aberdeen Press and Journal sent a cyclist and a motor van from Ellon
to Aberdeen a distance of sixteen miles to see how long it took
each form of transport, the cyclist beat the van by three full minutes.
Park and ride methods have been tried with varying degrees of success
whereby cars left on the outskirts of the City and the driver takes
the bus into the city centre. This has helped the problem but pollution
from vehicle emissions is still a major drawback which will not
be resolved until reliable electric vehicles have been developed.
Clannasaor have consulted the public and the major turnoff from
using public transport is the high cost of fares, bad timekeeping,
and infrequency of service. Therefore it is proposed to lower excise
duty on diesel engined buses and trains to zero per cent this factor
alone would reduce fares by twenty five per cent. Despite the high
Initial capital cost of setting up an electric tram system , this
promises the most cost effective measure at reducing fares also
the major conurbations should seriously think about charging tariffs
on none electric engine vehicles.(disabled drivers vehicles will
be exempt)
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PUBLIC
UTILITIES.
Under this heading
Clannasaor includes Water and Sewerage services, Power Generation,
Scottish Railtrack and ports, ferry terminals and Airports. The
Post Office and Roads.
Water and
Sewerage Services.
These are still
fully owned by Local authorities in full public ownership. This
will continue. Water and Sewerage are far too important strategically
to be trusted in the hands of big business. Even into the hands
of a Public / Private partnership. Properly managed after shameful
years of mismanagement, neglect and chronic under investment by
Central and National Government, the Water Authority should return
a net profit on the export of fresh water to our southern neighbour
beginning in 2025 - 2026.
Power Generation.
The British Government
still holds a large stake in the Power Generation Utilities in the
form of Shares and these will be handed over on Independence to
the Government of Scotland. If it is necessary to build the share
holdings up to 51%, then that can be accomplished by purchasing
shares on the open market. With Private and Public Investment, the
implementation of Further Hydro Electric Schemes and Green Energy
policies can take place to the benefit of Scotland. It is the aim
of Clannasaor to see Scotland completely self sufficient in Power
and a nett exporter of power to the English National Grid.
Scottish Gas.
The British Government
still holds a large stake in the Gas Production and distribution
Utilities in the form of Shares and these will be handed over on
Independence to the Government of Scotland. A Similar scenario to
Power Generation, on share holdings may also be necessary. Gas production
is finite and conservation measures may extend the useful life of
the gas fields for another 85 years or so, necessitating a sea change
in peoples cooking and heating habits, possibly changing to electricity.
Scottish Railtrack.
Clannasaor intend
to take Scottish Railtrack back under full public ownership on the
grounds of safety and Public confidence. Full upgrading of the West
coast line to Carlisle and the Electrification of the East Coast
Rail Links to Aberdeen will be proceeded with. Furthermore where
it is adjudged viable and in the Interests of the travelling public,
disused Railway lines and Stations will be re-activated. This is
especially true of branch lines leading into the major cities from
'Dormitory Villages or Towns.' A Case in point would be the reopening
of the Carlisle, Dumfries, and Stranraer Lines to make catching
the ferries easier.
Scottish Airports.
Upon Independence,
the Airports owned by the British Government through the British
Airports Authority will be transferred to the Scottish Airports
Authority. Airports are considered to be strategic Assets and economic
node points vital to the Rural Economies. In addition the Authority
will take over the burden of maintenance of existing Islands and
Highlands airstrips from the local Authorities and in light of projected
policy on repopulation and regeneration of Rural Areas will extend
and improve these facilities which are especially important in the
Orkney Islands. Local authorities will be prevented from levying
exorbitant Rates and Taxes on Airports and Airfields as they do
at present. These result in very high landing and passenger charges
which is stultifying the growth of Air Travel. An International
Airport whose facilities will rival those of Heathrow will be built
as part of the Central Belt Freeport proposals to handle all International
and Holiday traffic. This will remove the discrimination on Scottish
Travellers having to pay surcharges, because their flight overseas
starts or ends in England. This will make Travelling and Holidays
much cheaper for them and will also make it cheaper for overseas
tourists to visit Scotland thus benefiting Scottish Tourism.
Ferry and
Port Terminals.
Clannasaor intend
that all Ferry and Port Terminals are subsidized to defray the effects
of the central Belt Freeport and encourage greater use of the Ferries
themselves. This is part of the strategy for repopulating the Rural
Areas. All Ferries and Ports are to be encouraged to handle Container
Traffic which can either be forwarded by Rail or Road (HGV). In
the Highlands, many roads are not capable of taking the extra traffic
generated due to Single tracking, Bridge weight limitations and
poor maintenance caused by arcane fiscal rules by Central Government
and decades of chronic under investment. Clannasaor plan to upgrade
16 Vital routes such as the main road to Mallaig (Which is still
single track!) Up to modern standards including dualling of sevtions
where practicable. It should be noted as part of the Rural regeneration
plan, that specially subsidized Livestock ferries will be run twice
each year to allow outer Isles and Western Isles Crofters to sell
their animals on mainland markets at economic returns.
Restitution
of Scottish National Assets.
For many years
parts of Scotland have been occupied by a foreign power and by this
Clannasaor refers to the town of Berwick-upon-Tweed and land north
of the historically defined river border on the River Tweed. This
subject must be tackled with as much determination and skill when
negotiations on the 'Ex Regio Territories which includes all the
oil and gas fields belonging to Scotland, take place and the Internationally
recognized Fisheries areas of which 6000 square miles are now under
English Jurisdiction. In like manner, Artistic and Cultural treasures
and artifacts held in English Universities and Museums will also
need repatriation.
Roads.
Clannasaor are
aware that a good roads network is vital for communications and
trade in all parts of Scotland. It has been noted that most major
road spending has occurred in the Central belt and Big Cities to
the detriment of the Rural Areas such as the Borders, the Highlands
and other lowland areas which are sparsely populated. Spending on
Roads in Scotland has historically been extremely poor. Unlike English
Motorists, Scottish Motorists pay TWICE for the roads! Once when
the Road Fund Duty is paid, and twice when the Council Tax is paid.
This practice will cease immediately upon Independence. There are
environmental reasons for reducing vehicle emissions in the Central
Belt and other big Cities in Scotland and it is proposed to levy
charges on fossil fuelled road vehicles entering Cities and large
Towns to finance 'Park n Ride' and similar schemes. The Rural Roads
network is a disgrace and is a contributory factor to the accelerating
decline of these areas. In addition Where Bridges and causeways
are built to improve local infrastructure, these are to be free
of Tolls and charges. Unlike the Skye bridge whose tolls are unbearably
high on the limited average Crofting income of less than £3k per
annum whereas the well heeled tourist on a salary of say £25k Pa
may grumble a bit, but can afford to pay. It is a national disgrace
that Crofters have to pay £276 including VAT to send a loaded cattle
float across the Skye Bridge when the net worth of the Animals is
often less than the Toll. It is the Policy of Clannasaor to nationalise
the Skye Road bridge and place it in the hands of a Public Trust
for the benefit of local people, to accept the smaller revenues
and disburse sums for maintenance.
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RURAL
ECONOMY AND DEPOPULATION.
Clannasaor has
noted the ever steepening decline in our Rural population with the
attendant run down of the local economy. The following measures
are proposed to rectify this position. Clannasaor have made it a
central plank of policy to withdraw from the E.U. With it's profligate
and wasteful CAP (Common Agricultural Policy) which takes no account
of different conditions such as those in Shetland and southern Greece.
The years of wilful neglect by the Westminster Government have allowed
the Crofting Counties to slowly decay because of slowness to respond
to change and then applying the inappropriate remedies. It is Clannasaor's
intention to take into public ownership any sporting estate whose
policies are adjudged to be adding to the problem of depopulation.
The land will be offered to Crofters and hill farmers with grants
to undertake Forestry Projects and similar projects which will enhance
the local economy and cause the population to grow.
It is proposed
to spend 5% more per head in the Rural Areas such as the Highlands
and Borders to help this process and the cost of transport, Ferries,
Road and Rail services will likewise be rebated to encourage people
to settle and raise their children. It is anticipated that some
of the Scots Diaspora may wish to avail themselves of this opportunity
to reverse the 'Clearances.'
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SCOTTISH
HEALTH SERVICE. (SHS)
This Policy is
a Proposal for investment in the Scottish Health Service with increased
funding. This Policy is reformation with far reaching changes across
the SHS. The purpose and vision of this SHS Policy is to give the
people of Scotland a health service specifically tailored for Scotland
and fit for the 21st century: a health service designed around the
patient. When Clannasaor look at the Pre Independence UK NHS which
Clannasaor have at present, Clannasaor can see over the years that
the service has delivered major improvements in health but it falls
far short of the standards patients expect from a modern Health
Service that staff really desire to provide. If you were to ask
members of the Scottish Public what they want from the Health Service
you will usually find the following answers will always crop up
time after time. More and better paid staff using new ways ofworking
, reduced waiting times and high quality care centred on patients.
Improvements
in local hospitals and surgeries. Another area of concern amongst
the Rural communities concerns the Long journeys from outlying rural
areas to centralised monolithic Hospital facilities in the big cities.
For example, a dialysis patient having to attend Hospital three
time a week can spend up to £70 on Fuel and fares, often from a
very limited income especially if they are pensioners or on disabled
benefits. There is often no Government welfare assistance to help
with these costs and Clannasaor are proposing to make these facilities
more widely spread to lighten the financial burden on the poor.
However, investment
has to be accompanied by reform. The NHS has to be redesigned around
the needs of the patient. Local hospitals cannot be run from far
away. There will be a new relationship between the Department of
Health and the NHS to enshrine the trust that patients have in frontline
staff. A new system of devolved autonomy will devolve power from
the Government to the local health service as modernisation takes
hold. The Department of Health will set national standards, matched
by regular inspection of all local health bodies by an independent
inspectorate, the Scottish Commission for Health Improvement. A
Scottish Institute for Clinical Excellence will ensure that cost
effective drugs like those for cancer are not dependent on where
you live. (The Post Code Lottery!) A Modernisation Agency will be
set up to spread best practice.
For the first
time Social Services and the NHS will come together with new agreements
to pool resources. There will be new Care Trusts to commission health
and social care in a single organisation. This will help prevent
patients - particularly old people - falling in the cracks between
the two services or being left in hospital when they could be safely
cared for in their own home.
For the first
time there will be modern contracts for both GPs and hospital
doctors. SHS doctors work hard for the SHS. But the contracts under
which they work are outdated. There will be a big extension of quality-based
contracts for GPs in general, and for single-handed rural practices
in particular. The number of consultants entitled to additional
discretionary payments will rise from half to two-thirds but in
return they will be expected to increase their productivity while
working for the NHS. Newly qualified consultants will not be able
to do private work for perhaps seven years.
if operations
are cancelled on the day they are due to take place the patient
will be able to choose another date within 28 days or the hospital
will pay for it to be carried out at another hospital of the patients
.For the first
time there will be a concordat with private providers of healthcare
to enable the NHS to make better use of facilities in private hospitals
- where this provides value for money and maintains standards of
patient care. NHS care will remain free at the point of delivery
- whoever provides it. These far reaching reforms to the service
will result in direct improvements for patients. Patients will see
waiting times for treatment cut as extra staff are recruited:
How is this to
come about? You have the right to ask. Over the years Hospitals
have tended to be located in the Cities and become bigger. Small
hospitals in the towns have become smaller and are eventually closed
as being too 'Uneconomic to operate' while the huge hospitals breed
larger and larger numbers of Bureaucrats and administrators just
to barely stay in control. Clannasaor are very impressed with the
Norwegian model whereby each community has its own fully equipped
health centre staffed by the local Doctors who can carry out small
routine operations. Each centre has a small number of Hospital beds
which cater for Childbirth and accident recuperation for the locals,
as well as providing Dialysis and Diabetes care locally.
Because weather
conditions are so extreme in winter Hospitals are located no further
than 40 to 50 Kilometres from small centres of population. Compare
the distance from Sleat in Skye to Raigmore Hospital in Inverness
which is about 146 Kilometres by Road. Clannasaor propose that living
accommodation for Doctors, Nurses and ancillary staff be located
on the premises and this has several important benefits. Staff whose
earning power is limited, can live more comfortably, by not having
to fork out huge sums in rents for accommodation in Cities, do not
need to clutter up the roads twice a day with motor vehicles or
fork out large sums in Bus or train Fares.
The Scottish
Health Service will be backed up by the Reserve Military Medical
and Hospital units in a crisis such an Influenza epidemic or sorting
out the aftermath of a major disaster or Terrorist outrage.
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SHIPPING
and SAFETY AY SEA
Scotland has
a large Sea area and considerable land masses or archipelagoes.
Many major Sea-lanes or shipping routes are to be found therein,
as are major Oil Fields, with the resultant need for safety at sea
for all shipping. Many but not all Oil Rigs and Platforms are registered
in Places like Panama and Liberia. Standards in these flags of convenience
ports are very slack and there have been too many instances in recent
years such as the 'Braer' and the 'Green Lily' where badly maintained
vessels have foundered with great pollution and damage to the environment
and in the latter cost the life of a brave winch man.
Clannasaor therefore
propose that all Oil Rigs and Platforms shall be registered in a
Scottish Port and shall have a Scottish Certificate of Safety and
seaworthiness similar to the Lloyds of London and Det Norske Veritas
of Norway certificates. In addition, any Vessel plying Scottish
Waters for Passengers and or Trade shall comply in all respects
to the Scottish Certificate of Seaworthiness. In addition all Vessels
shall carry Insurance to indemnify the Government of Scotland against
all the costs of clearing up Pollution spills and making full restitution
to third parties such as salmon Fishermen whose livelihoods have
been damaged or destroyed. This policy is to be policed by the Scottish
Coastguard Service who will have the powers of arrest even in International
waters, if the alleged offence has been carried out in waters under
Scotland's National Jurisdiction.
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SOCIAL
POLICY
Clannasaor are
of the opinion that not enough debate has been given to the Philosophy
which will effect the lives of our Citizens after the fight for
Independence has been achieved. For a start Socialism runs from
the one extreme of Communism, right down the scale to Social Democracy
with many shades of opinion in between. Let us start by defining
these main ideas of Socialism.
1. State socialism
a political system in which the state has control of industries
and services.
2. Social market
economy (also social market) an economic system based on a free
market operated in conjunction with state provision for those unable
to sell their labour, such as the elderly or unemployed.
The term 'socialism'
has been used to describe positions as far apart as anarchism, Soviet
state Communism, and social democracy; however, it necessarily implies
an opposition to the untrammelled workings of the Capitalist economic
market. (Free Market) The socialist parties that have arisen in
most European countries from the late 19th century have generally
tended towards social democracy, especially the reader should note,
Norway, Sweden, Iceland, Switzerland and Denmark.
What Scotland
should be aspiring to is Social Democracy in which wealth is created
not only for the wealth creators, but the disadvantaged members
of Society can participate as well, thus making Scotland an 'Inclusive
Society.' The Old Clan system was socialistic rather than paternalistic
and for thousands of years Celtic Society was based on the premise
of, to Each according to his needs, from each according to his means.
Although the Clans were mainly composed of Warrior - Farmers who
were vitally needed to fight off the depredations of the Teutonic
barbarians, Romans, Saxons, Vikings and any one else who fancied
their chances in a punch-up, the Clans did practice a Social system
that was very enlightened for its day and in many respects still
is. The Clan was made of many extended basic family units, who lived
in one area and owed allegiance to their chief or Toiseach. The
Toiseach would allocate plots of ground to each family depending
on the numbers to be fed and animal fodder required. The Toiseach
would also allocate the common grazings, the Starna Ceapach where
the cattle, sheep and goats would be pastured, and looked after
by more mature children to ensure the animals did not get among
the growing crops. The head of the Family had to pay rental for
this land, both in Kind, say 10% of his crops and in Military service.
In Return he received the protection of the Clan. Should he die
in Battle or in the service of the Toiseach, then his sons would
be adopted and his wife and dependants provided for by the clan.
The Clansman
was responsible for maintaining the fertility of the land to ensure
it was in as good condition as when he received it. Old people were
revered for their wisdom and were always provided for, with a roof
over their heads, food and fuel to keep them alive and warm. Surpluses
were always distributed to the neediest members of the Clan. Things
changed for the worse in the gaidhealtach, when a succession of
Scottish Kings and Lowland lairds imposed the Norman Feudal system
on the Clans, thus undoing all the good work of King Ceanneth MacAilpin
in unifying the Highlands and Lowlands. So let us skip a few centuries
forward to the Industrial Revolution and its effects on Scotland
bringing forth the birth of the Socialist Movement.
The Industrial
Revolution was a time of sheer drudgery and virtual slavery for
millions of Scots, working in the Mines, Iron foundries, Shipyards,
Jute Mills, Linen Weaving and building the infrastructure of Industrial
Scotland and the pervasive message of Socialism was extremely attractive
to the downtrodden working classes who lived in the poorest social
conditions in the western world. There are numerous records of whole
families living in a single squalid Tenement room, One child in
five died before they reached 6 years of age. Many prominent men
such as the Marxist John Maclean came into public view. Also in
the 1920's and 30's the Labour Party managed to get it's stranglehold
on local politics which it is still maintaining without making any
real impact for good in the lives or Social conditions of our citizens,
thus there is still much misery and deprivation today. During the
1950's to the 1970's, Labour party dogma destroyed much of Britain's
industry and extremely high levels of taxation, caused an exodus
of wealth creators to shut up shop and move to more pleasant financial
climates like Australia, NZ, Singapore, Canada, The USA, Japan and
S.E. Asia. Many UK Taxpayers were faced with anomalous Tax demands
for £1.03p in the pound on each £1 earned which is the main Reason
the 'Beatles' moved to the US with its benign Tax regime.
Dennis Healey
the Labour Chancellor made a statement in Parliament that he 'would
Squeeze the rich until the pips squealed!' One Week later the outflow
of capital was unstoppable, the value of the pound went into a nosedive
and six months Later Britain was bankrupt and sitting outside the
IMF (International Monetary Fund) with a begging bowl. Next on the
scene was Margaret Hilda Thatcher with her ideas on Free market
economics which resulted in the unfettered march of Capitalism which
in turn was highly destructive of Community life and Social Cohesion.
Market forces under the Toraidhs and New Labour Toraidhs with their
emphasis on mass markets and Globalization have been let rip and
once again, the one's who are suffering, are the Poor, the Old,
The Disadvantaged and the Disabled.
To make Clannasaor's
position clear, Clannasaor is implacably opposed to unfettered Market
forces in just the same way that Clannasaor Opposes Communism and
the madness that some forms of Socialism engender. Clannasaor believe
that Scotland must have a caring Social Democratic Government harnessed
to the wealth creation of Capitalism for the good of all our people.
Our Independent government must create the right conditions for
Trade to flourish, (Such as a Freeport) businesses to be created
without Taxation killing the goose that lays the Golden Eggs.
We must have
the long overdue fair treatment of our Old people, that gives them
a decent living pension, affordable, well heated yet cheap to run
housing and the restoration of dignity by recognizing their contributions
in the past. So also the Sick, Disabled, Unemployed have their part
to play in society instead of being excluded. Reducing the cost
of housing by building more Council housing and encouraging Industrial
Firms to do like wise with tax breaks. In our vision of a Social
Democratic Scotland, Railtrack is re-nationalised, Air Traffic Control
remains under state control. Water is kept as a public utility.
Clannasaor will have a Scottish Health Service, free to all. Councils
will be free to build more Cheap Housing and rid our Countryside
of the eyesore view of young families living in cramped unsanitary
caravans, by giving them modern homes. Remote communities will receive
help to reduce ferry costs such as making the Fuel Oil duty free,
free berthing charges and abolition of Passenger taxes. The building
of a modern infrastructure, in Roads, Railways, Ferry Terminals,
Air Links and Digital communications.
All these things
will cost a great deal of money, and it can only come about when
the Social Democratic Government of Scotland works hand in hand
with Business to create wealth which lubricates the economy of all
countries. The more wealth that is created, the greater the Taxation
revenue. Provided Scotland is not greedy and does not levy extortionate
rates of taxation. Clannasaor would keep the basic rate (after allowances)
at 20% for the first £10,000, 25% for the next £20,000, 30% for
the Next £20,000, 40% for the next £50,000 and 50% on all earnings
over £100,000. Clannasaor would restore the Married Couples allowance
and give each person a personal allowance of £6,000 and a Married
Couple with three children a personal allowance of £11,000 so that
Taxation does not bite so deeply, that second jobs are needed. Other
Socially useful ideas would be Tax breaks for businesses using renewable
energy resources. Initially all these reforms will be financed by
Oil Revenues, but as these are finite, they must be replaced by
Trade.
Scotland has
historically been a strong trading nation and the Customs revenues
from just three Ports were often greater than all the revenues raised
in England. No wonder English merchants financed Edward Ist's War
against the Scots, they wanted the lucrative continental markets
for themselves.
Scotland could
do better by taking the Example of Singapore, a Socialist Country
with a Freeport economy, Population of 4 Million people on a landmass
of barely 200 Square Miles. They have no natural resources so they
exist purely by trade and if you wish to see how successfully, try
the following URL.:
http://www.singstat.gov.sg/FACT/KEYIND/keyind.html
We Scots have
so much going for us, Great natural and Human resources. An entrepreneurial
outlook on life, great expertise in running other Countries economies
and banking systems for them (including England's <g>) So
The Scots are uniquely placed to run the Scottish economy if only
Clannasaor are given the chance by the people at the ballot box,
to make this a reality.
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TAXATION.
This is a run
down of the Current UK Tax system. We start first of all with The
Scottish Customs and Excise and the most easily recognized Tax of
all: Value Added Tax. This is a tax on spending such as white goods,
Alcohol, services and Motor fuel. Due to the high costs of transport
in the Highlands and Rural areas, this tax will be 'post coded'
or Reduced in 'Enterprise zones' and certain areas to help defray
the higher cost of living and also to encourage tourism.
Hydrocarbon Oils
is more properly not a Tax but an Excise duty. Excise Duty is payable
when the Fuels leave the Refinery and again to help the rural areas,
there will be rebates in certain post code areas.
Tobacco Duty
is an excise duty on the import and manufacture of Tobacco products.
To encourage people to give up smoking and to defray the Scottish
health service spending on smoking related diseases the levels of
taxation will be set at the present high U.K. Levels.
Alcohol including
Whisky. This duty is charged on all home produced alcohol especially
whisky. To stimulate growth in Scotland's Rural and Highland areas
where distilling is an important employer, duty will be set at 10%
less than the current UK Tax levels.
Betting and Gaming,
Air Passenger Duty, Insurance premium Tax, Landfill Tax and other
Excise Duties are lumped together. These taxes are not regarded
as cost efficient to collect and will be abolished in the first
session of the Senate (Aird Comhairle) (Scottish Parliament)
The Scottish
Revenue Service levies the Income Taxes such as P.A.Y.E. and National
Insurance contributions. It is proposed to make Scotland a low taxation
regime with a large Freeport levying small duties on a much wider
base. National Insurance contributions will continue to be set at
the UK levels, but the system will be much simplified. Married couples
allowances will be re-introduced to encourage the stability of marriage
and larger child allowances paid to allow one partner to remain
at home to mind children during their first formative years.
Non North Sea
Corporation Taxes. This taxation will be reduced from the higher
UK levels due to the relative profitability of Scottish Companies
and firms and is especially true of Banking, Finance and Insurance.
This will encourage firms to re-locate in Scotland and there will
be taxation measures introduced to tax Profits which are drawn out
of the business, rather than those which are retained.
North Sea Companies
Corporation Taxes and Petroleum Revenue Taxes from the Scottish
Sector .of the North Sea. It is proposed to give Tax breaks to companies
to exploit marginal fields so increasing the viable reserves.
Capital Gains
Taxes, Inheritance Taxes and Stamp Duties are all lumped together
as Capital Taxes and these Taxes will all be reviewed as many in
the Accountancy bodies and Business world believe them to be retrograde
and do more damage to small family concerns such as farms.
Vehicle Excise
Duty of reflects the Duty paid on a New Car or other motor vehicles.
This Duty is probably the main reason why Cars cost more to buy
in Britain than anywhere else. and Road Fund Duty which is the tax
paid to use the roads. It is proposed to give Rural users a rebate
and scrap the Duty on Motor Buses altogether to make public transport
cheaper and more attractive.
Oilfield Royalties
which reflects the cost of annual royalties on existing Oilfields
still being worked in the Scottish Sector.
Business Rates
of £2.257 Billion Pounds or 16.1% are a regressive tax on profitable
businesses. They are abnormally high in Scotland, because the local
Authorities have never implemented the Standard Business Rate Laws
brought in by the Last Conservative government. Too many Labour
Councils regard the Business rates as a milk cow to be exploited
ruthlessly to make good their shortcomings, and this has led to
far too many companies shutting up shop and moving south or onto
the Continent where Rates or Land taxes are much cheaper. Scotland
has the unenviable reputation of having the highest Business rates
in the western world. Clannasaor intends to rectify this position
in the first session of an Independent parliament.
Social Security
Contributions will be set at current levels and there will be no
upper ceiling as at present, so that an Employee on a Salary of
£400,000 per annum will pay around £40,000 and his employer a like
figure.
Council Taxes
reflect the higher costs of Council services in Scotland and also
the Water charges which are almost double the English norm. A thorough
root and branch reform of local Government will see this tax much
reduced in value and many of the services funded from Income taxes.
Finally Crown
estate rents and Charges, Other Taxes and Royalties and Interest
& Dividends. The Crown Estates have a large income from North
Sea Operations and it is anticipated that these will be transferred
over to the Senate (Aird Comhairle) on Independence. Clannasaor
intend to re-instate the 'Udal Law' rights of the Shetlanders and
Orcadians which have been arbitrarily thrown out in the last Land
reform bill. Clannasaor will extend the rights of Udal Law to all
Scots, overturning the Feudal priorities of the 'Crown Estates.'
In Conclusion.
Clannasaor can give our citizens a higher quality of life whilst
investing part of the Oil revenues into an Oil Fund for future generations
to come. Our pensioners can have pensions on which they can live
in Dignity without poverty. Schools that can invest in new buildings
and teachers. A Health Service, free to all which does not ration
healthcare by postcode or age. Housing Associations that can build
the type of houses people want to live in, not Labours Stalinist
monobloc concrete deserts. Crofters and hill farmers can receive
aid which stops the depopulation of our rural areas. Fishermen can
rely on properly funded Fish conservation measures which will preserve
stocks for their sons to fish in the future, protected by a small
but efficient Navy, Army and Air Force. Businessmen can look forward
to a vibrant economy fuelled by a Freeport with lower rates and
small taxes and in turn can increase the wealth of the nation as
Adam Smith envisaged.
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TOURISM.
This is probably
the most valuable industry in Scotland at the moment and it is in
crisis through systematic gross mis-management by central Government
and the failure to recognize that each area of Scotland is unique
and deserves treatment on an individual basis. Tourism is underfunded
yet at the same time is regarded as a taxation milk cow by many
avaricious local Authorities. Scotland lends itself naturally to
division into the following Boards. 1. Shetland and Orkney. 2. Northern
Highlands and western Islands. 3. Southern Highlands, Argyle and
inner Hebrides. 4. Aberdeen and Kincardine, 5, Dundee and Fife,
6. Greater Glasgow and Ayrshire, 7. Edinburgh, Central belt and
Lothian. 8. The Borders and Galloway. Clannasaor intend to have
a Department of Tourism responsible for co-ordinating all eight
tourist boards with the individual District Tourist Authorities
by using the Internet for bookings. All Attractions will be advertised
across the whole of Scotland unlike as happens at present and the
Nascent Film Industry will be kept busy making promotional films
on the Irish Model.
There is also
scope for promotional video's being shown on the TV Networks as
well, even dedicated Holiday programmes on adventure sports, Trekking,
hill walking etc. Clannasaor intends that local Education Colleges
run more courses on Hotel and boarding House management, Culinary
arts and food preparation. How to give service and making customers
welcome. By such means, Clannasaor intend to double the amount spent
by visitors, thus making the Tourist Industry more profitable and
encouraging entrepreneurs to invest more in the infrastructure.
The Department of Tourism can also subsidise ferry services for
visitors to encourage them to visit the out of the way places.
The Tourist Board
will consult with other bodies on getting road repairs done, and
in the location of new Roads and railways as well as the upgrading
of communications links. The tourist board will work closely with
Film and TV companies to maximise the long term impact of Films
on the local area. A good example being 'Local Hero' set in Pennan,
Aberdeenshire. Even today, thousands of visitors flock to Pennan
to be photographed by the Phone box and to have a drink in the Public
House.
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WOMEN
IN POLITICS
Clannasaor are
fortunate to have a number of highly Talented Ladies working in
the Party Machine. On them falls much of the Policy work in the
manifesto. It is the Policy of Clannasaor to attract as many talented
Women into politics as possible and try to achieve a gender balance
in the Senate (Aird Comhairle). Clannasaor rejects the Politically
correct route of placing Women in positions of power regardless
of abilities for the following reasons. It is not fair on any person
to ask them to do a job for which they have no training, skills
and much understanding of. The Person, the Position and the Country
suffers as a consequence. The Role of Women in the Senate (Aird
Comhairle) is demeaned in the eyes of the General Public, and other
opposition parties, thus lumping the highly competent and motivated,
skilful Women in the same basket as the Incompetent, inept place-women.
This is not doing the vital role of Women in Politics any favours
at all.
Candidates for
election to the Senate (Aird Comhairle) will be chosen on ability
and personality alone and only the highest quality candidate will
be selected for election to the seat regardless what current fashions
dictate should be ideal attributes such as looking good on television
and so on. Candidates for the Senate (Aird Comhairle) will have
to earn the respect of their fellow Senators and the General Public
the hard way, by demonstrating their competence and abilities in
the cross-fires of debates and sheer professional hard work for
the Country and their constituents.
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