Michael Marra (North East
Scotland) (Lab):...We are being invited to celebrate
other broad concepts. The high bar of this Government is to not
do ridiculous things, to decide not to continue to do ridiculous
things or to decide to pause doing ridiculous things for a short
while before starting them again. What do the Deposit return
scheme, the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill and
the ban on alcohol advertising all have in common? The answer is
the ineptitude of a Government that can turn any crumb of a
decent idea into a toxic morass almost as quickly as it tries to
blame Westminster. Of the mess that the Government has made of
the Deposit return
scheme, the Association for the Protection of Rural
Scotland said:
“This is a bitter betrayal of Scotland’s natural environment.”
...The manner in which the Deposit return
scheme was devised would have been ruinous for
businesses, and Scottish firms deciding to sell only outwith
Scotland is a perverse situation. It is right that the scheme is
put back on the blocks for the moment, which is entirely due to
the Government’s incompetence. Yesterday, said that it is a Westminster
delay. I assure him that the businesses that I speak to are not
asking for a derogation from the single market regulations: that
is not their reason for feeling that the scheme has been a
complete disaster. They want a scheme that is appropriate for
consumers and businesses and can increase recycling without
costing jobs. The first thing that they want is a scheme that is
led by a Government minister who can answer the most basic of
questions about it....
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland
and Fife) (Con):...However, despite the great
weather and the warm welcome, all is not well in the rural
economy. Those I spoke to in the hospitality sector were not
optimistic. They face a range of serious challenges. They know
that businesses south of the border have been given a 75 per cent
rates reduction for the current year to assist with post-Covid
recovery. Despite having the Barnett consequentials to do the
same in Scotland, that has not been passed on by the SNP
Government. There are real concerns about the proposed
restrictions on alcohol promotions and very serious concerns
about the proposed Deposit return
scheme which, despite being a good idea in principle,
has been implemented in a most calamitous fashion.
On top of that, those in the Highlands and Islands are suffering
from the on-going delay to deliver the promise to upgrade the A9
to a dual carriageway and the on-going debacle with the ferries
hitting island communities, and now they face the threat of
highly protected marine areas devastating the fishing sector.
Every one of those issues comes under the control of the devolved
Administration, and it could choose to put every one right. I
therefore welcome the U-turns that were announced by the First
Minister yesterday on the alcohol promotion ban and on delaying
the Deposit return
scheme. It seems that the continuity candidate in the
recent leadership contest is already ditching the legacy of his
predecessor as fast as he can; he is in full retreat...
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