The Future of HM Coastguard in Scotland
The Future of HM Coastguard in Scotland

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Scottish Affairs Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2012-11-15

Total Pages: 74

ISBN-13: 9780215050694

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This report expresses concern about the decision to close two of Scotland's Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centres and says Government must do more to explain the rationale for the decision and how it will ensure that the same high standard of service is maintained, with fewer resources. Despite an extensive Government consultation, those on the front line felt they had been excluded from the process. There has been no satisfactory explanation for the decision to close Clyde and Forth MRCCs, which will leave the central belt of Scotland, where the population is most densely concentrated, without a Coastguard station. The Committee is particularly concerned at the loss of local knowledge resulting from the closures. Both the Minister and the Chief Executive of the Maritime and Coastguard Agency have assured the Committee that robust and extensive testing was being done before the closure of Clyde Maritime Rescue Co-ordination Centre to ensure that the stations taking over its area of responsibility would do so seamlessly and continue to provide the level of search and rescue cover which the public has a right to expect. The Committee understands the Government's argument that the changes are intended to allow HM Coastguard to do more, better, with less, and says it "hopes that this is indeed the case". The Government must keep the Committee updated on the impact of the proposed changes, and provide reassurance after 31 December 2012 that the Scottish coastline is still being served to the same high standard as before

HC 1241 - The Referendum on Separation for Scotland: Scotland's membership of the EU
HC 1241 - The Referendum on Separation for Scotland: Scotland's membership of the EU

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Scottish Affairs Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2014-05-27

Total Pages: 52

ISBN-13: 0215072839

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Today Scotland's interests in the European Union are represented by the UK which, as one of the largest Member States, has the voting power and leverage to influence decisions to the benefit of Scotland. In leaving the UK, a separate Scotland would lose this advantage. A separate Scotland is likely to have its application to join the EU accepted - but not within the self-imposed timetable of 18 months, nor with the terms, that the Scottish Government is proposing. The proposal that Article 48 of the Treaty on European Union could be used to provide for Scottish membership is not supported by any other EU state; senior EU figures have ruled it out and it is opposed by the United Kingdom Government - which would, under this process, have to initiate it. The additional and exceptional demand for the ability to discriminate against UK students with respect to tuition fees would be voted against by the UK Government and is therefore almost certain not to be met. Furthermore, insufficient attention has been paid to the need to negotiate the UK's retention of VAT zero rating on a wide range of goods. As a separate Member State, not only would Scotland cease to benefit from the UK rebate (currently worth in the region of £300 million per year to Scotland) but it would have to contribute to it. In these circumstances Scottish voters need a more realistic alternative perspective of how joining the EU would be achieved, and what its likely terms and timetable would be.

House of Commons - Scottish Affairs Committee: The Impact of the Bedroom Tax in Scotland: Interim Report - HC 288
House of Commons - Scottish Affairs Committee: The Impact of the Bedroom Tax in Scotland: Interim Report - HC 288

Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Scottish Affairs Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2013

Total Pages: 252

ISBN-13: 9780215065827

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The Scottish Affairs Committee calls for the repeal of the Bedroom Tax. While this is being considered, the Committee calls on the Government to suspend application of the Bedroom Tax for all those tenants to whom a reasonable alternative offer cannot be made. There are not enough smaller houses available for tenants to transfer into. The lack of any alternative offers means that tenants have no choice but to go into arrears if they simply cannot afford the extra costs. Other amendments proposed for the operation of the tax include: exemptions for those disabled people who require a room to store or use equipment or aids; non application where it would be financially perverse to do so - eg where removing fixed aids and adaptations, and then reinstalling them in a smaller home, would be more expensive than the savings over two years; all children of secondary school age should be allowed a bedroom of their own to allow quiet study; all disabled children, of whatever age, should have a bedroom of their own. The Committee also calls for changes to the system of Discretionary Housing Payments, which have been designed by the Government to mitigate the worst impacts of the Bedroom Tax. There should be a standard nationwide entitlement system, across the UK as a whole, rather than the present postcode lottery. The UK and Scottish Governments should make longer term commitments to the provision of DHP payments in order to allow local authorities to plan and structure their budgets.

House of Commons - Scottish Affairs Committee: The Impact of the Bedroom Tax in Scotland: Plan B-Charges, Arrears and Refunds; Incorporating the Government Response to the Committee's Fourth Report of Session 2013-14 - HC 937
House of Commons - Scottish Affairs Committee: The Impact of the Bedroom Tax in Scotland: Plan B-Charges, Arrears and Refunds; Incorporating the Government Response to the Committee's Fourth Report of Session 2013-14 - HC 937

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Scottish Affairs Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2014-03-21

Total Pages: 44

ISBN-13: 0215069722

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The Scottish Government's plan to negate the future effects of the bedroom tax in Scotland is inadequate, and further that the route they have identified - using Discretionary Housing Payments (DHPs) - is flawed. The Committee has taken evidence in Scotland and Westminster on the impacts of the bedroom tax but also on the best and most effective ways of mitigating those effects. The Committee reiterates its call for the Scottish Government to meet all the bedroom tax charges for Scottish tenants, write off all the arrears, and refund all the payments that have been made, as the only fair and workable way forward.

House of Commons - Scottish Affairs Committee: Land Reform in Scotland: Interim Report - HC 877
House of Commons - Scottish Affairs Committee: Land Reform in Scotland: Interim Report - HC 877

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Scottish Affairs Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2014-03-20

Total Pages: 52

ISBN-13: 9780215069665

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This report concludes that any government which is serious about land reform needs full and clear information on existing land ownership and values made widely available. Scotland lags behind most comparable European countries in providing such data, and the Committee calls on the Scottish and UK Governments to address this as a priority. Scotland is also behind other countries in terms of the openness and ease of land transactions. Land reform is an important, neglected and intensely political area of public policy and the Committee is expanding this enquiry more widely than originally envisaged. Evidence is sought from interested parties on a number of topics including: state aid; the Scottish Government's Land Reform Review Group; community land ownership; and opaque and indirect ownership by front companies, trusts and offshore entities

Zero Hours Contracts in Scotland: Interim Report - HC 654
Zero Hours Contracts in Scotland: Interim Report - HC 654

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Scottish Affairs Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2014-04-10

Total Pages: 68

ISBN-13: 0215071581

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Zero hours contracts and other forms of casual labour can benefit workers and employers in Scotland but the Scottish Affairs Committee's inquiry has shown that, too often, the relationship is unbalanced, leaving the employer with all of the flexibility and few costs and the worker in fear of dismissal, denied access to due rights of employment and, in some cases, earning less than the minimum wage. The Government recognises that poor practice exists and needs to be addressed but the UK Government's consultation on zero hours contracts was too narrow. The Government must do more to protect workers who wish to challenge unfair, unsafe or unlawful conditions of employment. Workers should be told from the outset of their employment what type of contract they are on and a written contract setting out the terms and conditions must follow within two months. There should be a minimum notice period of work and workers should not be punished for turning down offers of work made within that period. Where workers arrive for work but find none available then the employer should compensate them for the inconvenience. Travel time between appointments should be paid and pay for zero hours workers should accurately reflect the number of hours that are worked to fulfil contracted duties. The recommendations will improve the working conditions of people on zero hours contracts but the Committee's overriding conclusion is that, in the majority of cases, zero hours contracts need not and should not be used at all.

HC 484 - Power Outages and Extreme Weather Conditions in the West of Scotland
HC 484 - Power Outages and Extreme Weather Conditions in the West of Scotland

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Scottish Affairs Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2014-05-14

Total Pages: 98

ISBN-13: 0215071972

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The local authority and power company response to the severe weather of 2013 in Kintyre, Arran and Wigtownshire shows that important lessons have been learned and improvements put in place since the Committee last reported on this issue, in August 2012. The Committee is satisfied that all three councils affected by the severe weather have in place robust contingency planning for emergencies, which proved effective. Crucially, the compensation for those left without power - with all the damage that can cause - has been brought into line with the rest of the country. The Committee's conclusion's included that: emergency plans should prioritise accessing mobile phone base stations to restore lost signals; the A83 is a vital artery for the Kintyre peninsula and the decision to upgrade it to a trunk road is an important one, as this will allow the resources of Transport Scotland to be deployed to keep it open during extreme weather conditions; the new Hunterston-Kintyre transmission line will mean there will be two transmission lines serving the Kintyre peninsula, so the failure of one of the lines will not see Kintyre & Arran cut off from the power network; and caring for vulnerable members of the community is another statutory responsibility of local authorities: local authorities have done a great deal of work to expand their databases and identify those who are in need but councils should also do more to support the community groups that are engaging local people in the process of caring for the vulnerable

HC 1291 - Blacklisting in Employment-Update: Incorporating the Government's Response to the Sixth Report of Session 2013-14
HC 1291 - Blacklisting in Employment-Update: Incorporating the Government's Response to the Sixth Report of Session 2013-14

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Scottish Affairs Committee

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2014-05-19

Total Pages: 24

ISBN-13: 0215072812

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This is the third report from the Scottish Affairs Committee on blacklisting in the construction industry in Scotland. The earlier interim reports published as 9th report, session 2012-13 (HC 1071, ISBN 9780215056832) and 6th report, session 2013-14 (HC 543, ISBN 9780215069535). The 9th report focused specifically on the work of The Consulting Association (TCA) and considered the issue of compensation for those workers who had been blacklisted. Significant progress has been made in highlighting and addressing issues relating to blacklisting: the Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) has launched its own investigation; many victims of blacklisting are bringing individual case to the High Court and a new compensation scheme, the Construction Workers Compensation Scheme (TCWCS), for blacklisted workers has been launched by eight of the companies that used the services of TCA. The 6th report aimed to identify ways of moving forward, both by addressing the crimes of the past and by identifying rules and structures to prevent such widespread and systematic exclusion of workers from employment from ever happening again. In this third interim report the Committee welcomes the significant progress which has been made in both revealing the practice of blacklisting, and in seeking redress for the victims, and families of the victims, of this odious practice. The Committee will continue to explore what more could be done to redress the crimes of the past and to ensure that reform in the industry to eradicate this practice is genuine, effective and comprehensive in its effects.

HC 928 - Impact of the Closure of City Link on Employment
HC 928 - Impact of the Closure of City Link on Employment

Author: Great Britain. Parliament. House of Commons. Committees on Impact of the closure of City Link on Employment

Publisher: The Stationery Office

Published: 2015

Total Pages: 41

ISBN-13: 0215084500

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There will always be those who lose out when a company goes into administration and cannot cover all of its debts. However, the current system does not represent the appropriate balance, since those who have given secure credit to a company are cushioned from the full impact of an insolvency, because the losses are borne by those who work for a company on a self-employed basis, or as contractors or suppliers. Under the current rules it is clearly in the financial interest of a company to break the law, and ignore the statutory redundancy consultation period, if the fine for doing so is less than the cost of continuing to trade, especially since this fine will anyway be paid by the taxpayer. However, while the financial calculation is simple, ignoring the consultation period has a high human cost that appears not to have featured in the decision making process at City Link. Employees were denied a reasonable notice period in which to seek alternative employment and instead, at a time of financial uncertainty, have to pursue a court claim for lack of consultation if they wish to be compensated. While there were differences of opinion as to whether or not City Link could be made viable, and the desired level of return could be achieved, the Committees regret that Better Capital felt its investors' interests could only be protected at the expense of the future of City Link and continued employment for its workers

Remploy Marine Fife
Remploy Marine Fife

Author: Great Britain: Parliament: House of Commons: Scottish Affairs Committee

Publisher: Stationery Office

Published: 2013-06-26

Total Pages: 58

ISBN-13: 9780215059673

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Following a review of disability employment support in 2011, the Government announced its intention to reduce and ultimately withdraw funding for Remploy. 36 factories were sold or closed in the first phase of this process. In December 2012, it was revealed that the remaining factories would be put up for sale and the Government invited bids. This included Remploy Marine Fife. Remploy Marine Fife is an internationally recognised business producing 30,000 lifejackets a year. It has a full order book, and some capacity to expand. Its products have an international quality Kitemark. The markup - apparently over £100 - applied by the factories' customer, Ocean Safety, seems exorbitant and is difficult to justify. The Government should look again at how Remploy agreed this contract on such generous terms for the client. This business has considerable potential and should be supported accordingly. This high quality manufacturing base in Fife must be maintained otherwise it is likely that it - and the design and expertise developed here - will be transferred overseas. A "one size fits all" approach does not take account of the unique circumstances and potential of Remploy Marine Fife. One of the central criteria by which bids for the Remploy sites will be judged is sustaining the workforce in employment. The Committee rejects the DWP and Remploy's unyielding, inflexible approach and failure to offer adequate transitional support