The UK Government has been warned it will have to rely on Scotland to “keep the lights on” after its energy regulator said power shortages could hit Britain within three years.

Ofgem has revealed £200billion of investment is needed to guarantee supply over the next two decades because of diminishing gas [...]]]> By Ryan Crighton Press and Journal
Published: 04/02/2010

The UK Government has been warned it will have to rely on Scotland to “keep the lights on” after its energy regulator said power shortages could hit Britain within three years.

Ofgem has revealed £200billion of investment is needed to guarantee supply over the next two decades because of diminishing gas supplies, rising international tensions, and crumbling infrastructure.

In a report out yesterday it raised the prospect of a return to the pre-Thatcher era of publicly controlled electricity and gas boards.

The watchdog said failure to reform the energy system could mean power shortages after 2015, while inaction would lead to a “degree of crisis” in three or four years.

It has predicted average household bills could jump as much as 25% and lists five possible solutions to the problem – the most drastic being the creation of a body like the old Central Electricity Generating Board that would set the amount and type of new power generation required.

The report omitted any final recommendations regarding locational charges, which have meant wind, wave and tidal power companies in the north and north-east being charged more to transmit electricity to the national grid than their English counterparts

SNP energy spokesman at Westminster, Mike Weir MP, said last night the report missed the point.

He said: “It’s rather strange that – 20 years after the break-up and privatisation of the energy companies – Ofgem are proposing a return to centralisation as a way of solving the problems the energy industry faces today.

“Scotland’s renewable energy potential is 10 times our actual need – a resource the UK will undoubtedly have to rely on to keep the lights on.

“The current transmission regime was developed for a grid where the power came from big coal, gas and nuclear stations which were often nearer the centres of population.

“It is not fit for a new century of energy production. Instead of glossing over this massive problem, Ofgem should be addressing it as a priority.”
Uncomfortable

Ofgem said staying with the current market model was “not an option” as power supplies strain under the pressure of the financial crisis, environmental targets, dependency on imported gas and the closure of ageing power stations.

Chief executive Alistair Buchanan said without reform the situation could become “quite uncomfortable” and customers would end up footing the bill for costly short-term solutions.

The government has indicated it will consider the report in its proposals for energy to 2050, due at the time of the Budget.

But Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Miliband said it was confident of meeting energy supply needs, with a low-carbon transition plan delivering secure supplies until 2020.

Ian Parrett, of energy consultant Inenco, warned Britain had already left it too late to bridge the gap between older power stations going off-line and the emergence of new supplies “without making painful choices”.

Read more: http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/Article.aspx/1591442?UserKey=#ixzz0eZoo9Bmu

* The Guardian, Wednesday 30 December 2009 * Rebecca Smithers

Consumer spending on “ethical” products from Fairtrade food to eco-friendly travel has almost tripled in the past decade, a survey reveals today.

The Co-operative Bank’s [...]]]> Ethical sales triple over decade, says Co-operative Bank

• UK ethical market expands from £13.5bn to £36bn
• Fairtrade products enjoy significant growth since 1999

* The Guardian, Wednesday 30 December 2009 * Rebecca Smithers

Fairtrade

Consumer spending on “ethical” products from Fairtrade food to eco-friendly travel has almost tripled in the past decade, a survey reveals today.

The Co-operative Bank’s annual ethical consumerism report, which measures ethical spending, shows that overall the ethical market in Britain has expanded from £13.5bn in 1999 to £36bn a decade later.

The rate of increase in household spending on ethical products outstripped the growth in overall consumer spending, which increased by 58% over the decade.

But overall, the total market for goods that were environmentally friendly, sustainable or supported poor communities remained a small percentage of the £891bn spent by households last year.

Some sectors enjoyed huge growth, including Fairtrade goods, which pay a premium to farmers and producers in poor countries to help them work their way out of poverty, according to the survey.

The Fairtrade market, which now covers products from developing countries ranging from chocolate and coffee to cotton, was worth £22m in 1999. Last year sales of Fairtrade products had grown to £635m and the Co-operative is predicting it could break the £1bn barrier in 2010. The Co-operative was the first major supermarket to support the concept of Fairtrade 15 years ago.

The survey also reveals that spending on “green” products for the home, from energy-efficient boilers to rechargeable batteries, has increased fivefold in the past decade, up from £1.4bn in 1999 to £7bn.

Average household spending on measures tackling climate change has also increased over the decade, from £23 a home to £251, but spending on renewables and eco-travel has remained relatively low. At the same time, the mature financial services market has seen ethical banking and investments triple over the course of the decade.

Neville Richardson, chief executive of the Co-operative Financial Services, said: “Although the report shows that the idea of ethical purchasing is now well established amongst many consumers, there is still a long way to go if we are all going to adopt the low-carbon lifestyle needed to avoid cataclysmic climate change. The growth in energy-efficient products such as boilers, white goods and more recently light bulbs, has been underpinned by government intervention.”

He said that in order for Britain to reduce its carbon emissions by 30% by 2020 “there will need to be a step-change in take-up of low-carbon technologies and this will need a new contract between business, government and the consumer”.

The report showed that average household spending on ethical food and drink had increased from £81 to £244 over the decade, spending on cosmetics had risen from £7 to £20, and clothing had increased from £21 to £49. Overall, average family spending on ethical goods and services increased from £241 to £735 since 1999, and now one in two UK adults say they have made a purchase primarily on ethical grounds in the past year.

SCOTTISH Liberal Democrat MSP, Liam McArthur has criticised the SNP Government for pointless grandstanding on CFP, saying that this will not help Scotland’s fleet. Commenting as the SNP Government have once again called for the CFP to be scrapped, Liberal Democrat Fisheries spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP said: “This is just more pointless grandstanding from [...]]]> www.fishnewseu.com   22/12/09

SCOTTISH Liberal Democrat MSP, Liam McArthur has criticised the SNP Government for pointless grandstanding on CFP, saying that this will not help Scotland’s fleet. Commenting as the SNP Government have once again called for the CFP to be scrapped, Liberal Democrat Fisheries spokesperson Liam McArthur MSP said: “This is just more pointless grandstanding from the SNP.

“The SNP went into the last election promising to withdraw from the CFP.  Having realised that this is impractical and undeliverable, the Fisheries Secretary has dumped the policy of withdrawal and now advocates scrapping the CFP. “There can be little dispute that the CFP is ineffective in helping sustain fish stocks or maintaining a viable fleet.  Even the European Commission concedes that micro-management from Brussels in not working.

“That is why Liberal Democrats have long argued for further regional management of our key fisheries, a policy that is gaining support amongst Europe’s main fishing nations. The SNP need to recognise that managing our common resource will require us to work with others. Simply playing to the gallery by Ministers will not help Scotland’s hard-pressed fishing fleet.”

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has said the party will keep its pledge to scrap tuition fees despite earlier saying they might not be able to afford it.

Mr Clegg told his party conference tuition fees were “wrong” but “we need to treat people like grown-ups” [...]]]>

Nick Clegg has spoken of the need for spending cuts

Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg has said the party will keep its pledge to scrap tuition fees despite earlier saying they might not be able to afford it.

Mr Clegg told his party conference tuition fees were “wrong” but “we need to treat people like grown-ups” and scrapping them would cost billions.

But his words sparked anger among some grassroots members who have the final say over what goes in the manifesto.

Now Mr Clegg says he would phase out the fees over six years.

Under the plans, which would not see tuition fees finally scrapped until the Parliament after next, fees would first be scrapped for final-year students, in the financial year 2010-11, at the cost of £511m.

The overall cost of the policy over six years would be £7.5bn.

The party said full costings would be released nearer the election, but funding would come in part from scrapping or scaling back existing government schemes.

‘Realistic’

In a message to party members, Mr Clegg said the party’s Federal Policy Committee, which has the final say over what goes in the manifesto, had “agreed a way to deliver one of our most important policies, the scrapping of unfair tuition fees”.

We remain the only party that believes fees are unfair, and the only party with a plan to get rid of them for good Nick Clegg, Lib Dem leader

He said: “We’ve developed a plan to phase out tuition fees over the course of the next six years, to ensure this vital policy is affordable even at this time of economic crisis.”

He said the recession had made it “more difficult to find the money to fund our priorities”.

“That’s why we are right to adapt our plans for big spending commitments and why it is right that our general election manifesto will focus this time on a smaller number of key commitments.

“But our message to students is clear: we remain the only party that believes fees are unfair, and the only party with a plan to get rid of them for good.”

At the party conference, when the leadership suggested sticking to their commitment to scrap tuition fees might be too expensive, there was strong public dissent from senior figures, including the former leader Charles Kennedy.

Mr Clegg has been outspoken about the need for spending cuts and to stress the party’s economic credibility.

In a speech to the party faithful in September, Mr Clegg said: “I believe tuition fees are wrong. I believe they need to be abolished. I want to do it as soon as possible.

“But we need to treat people like grown-ups, and we need to be realistic.

“Ending tuition fees would cost billions of pounds every year. We need to be certain we can afford it before we make any promises.

“But I can make this pledge: at the next election we will have the best, most progressive package for students of any mainstream party: that is my guarantee to you.”

Savings of £23m which would mean more than 400 Aberdeen City Council posts being cut have been agreed by councillors.

The council administration had earlier accepted the budget recommendations of officials and it went to full council. They would see a reduction in staffing of 447, including cutting the number of the authority’s [...]]]> BBC Wednesday, 16 December 2009

Savings of £23m which would mean more than 400 Aberdeen City Council posts being cut have been agreed by councillors.

The council administration had earlier accepted the budget recommendations of officials and it went to full council. They would see a reduction in staffing of 447, including cutting the number of the authority’s teachers by 84. Council leader John Stewart said efforts were being made to protect frontline services from the cuts. The council hopes the majority of job losses could be achieved voluntarily.

Local authorities are to receive nearly £12bn in 2010/11, the Scottish Government has announced.

Finance Secretary John Swinney said the 2.9 per cent increase on this year’s annual budget levels was a “fair settlement” in a these tough economic times.

He claimed councils would have got £174m more but for a £500m cut in [...]]]> Public Servant

Friday, November 27, 2009

Local authorities are to receive nearly £12bn in 2010/11, the Scottish Government has announced.

Finance Secretary John Swinney said the 2.9 per cent increase on this year’s annual budget levels was a “fair settlement” in a these tough economic times.

He claimed councils would have got £174m more but for a £500m cut in the Scottish budget from Westminster.

The settlement includes £70m for a freeze on council tax for a third successive year.

Swinney said: “The settlement is good news for Scottish householders and businesses. By working in partnership with local councils and providing the funding for a third successive council tax freeze, we are easing the financial strain on households feeling the effects of these tough economic times.”

The total of £11.984bn compares with a figure of £11.830bn last year, with money for capital spending down from just over £1bn to £870m. It reflected the fact that councils have already been allowed to bring forward some capital spending earmarked for future years. The bulk of next year’s settlement is revenue spending.

Swinney added that a joint review, undertaken with COSLA, found no need to adjust the existing needs-based mechanism of distributing the funding.

Labour condemned the budget as a “bad deal” for local government, while Liberal Democrat local government spokesman Alison McInnes said the current method of distributing the cash was “unfair”.

She said: “It cannot be right that there is such a range in funding per head of population when all local authorities have a duty to provide similar essential services. It is also absurd that John Swinney has refused to use the distribution formula to allocate ex-ring fenced funds while advocating the same method for distributing new funding.”

Published: 27/11/2009

A north-east brewer has won permission for a massive expansion on a new site, creating 25 jobs.

Councillors have allowed BrewDog to relocate its operation from its Fraserburgh home [...]]]> Move will allow Broch firm to produce eight times amount it currently makes

By Leanna MacLarty

Published: 27/11/2009

A north-east brewer has won permission for a massive expansion on a new site, creating 25 jobs.

Councillors have allowed BrewDog to relocate its operation from its Fraserburgh home to Potterton on the outskirts of Aberdeen. The move will allow the brewery to produce more than 2million bottles of beer every month, eight times the amount it currently makes. Planning permission was granted at a full meeting of Aberdeenshire councillors yesterday.

Members welcomed the application – against the recommendation of council planners who said they were “significantly contrary” to policy. BrewDog co-founder Martin Dickie said the “very exciting” project required a large site close to the city and good transport links. The expanded brewery on an eight-acre site at Potterton will provide up to 25 jobs in the area, he said.

BrewDog expects to use water from boreholes on the site and barley grown in local fields to produce some of its beer and will be creating renewable energy for power. The development includes a visitor centre which Mr Dickie says will attract tourists to the area.

Planning director Christine Gore told councillors that the plans were “significantly contrary to the development plan” because the development was on greenbelt land.

“There is no doubt it is an exciting development,” she said.

“I think the applicant has provided a strong case for the proposed development on this site.

“Unfortunately, given the particular location of the site, officers do not feel able to recommend anything other than refusal.”

A bid by Fraserburgh councillor Ian Tait urging fellow members to reject the application was thrown out yesterday.

Councillor Paul Johnston said: “They are making waves. They are showing there are products and people out of the north-east which will be of international importance.

“Given the interest in this from all parts of the world I think this is an exciting application.”

The council has imposed a special condition on the development preventing anyone other than BrewDog from using the site. The Fraserburgh plant will not be closed but will run in a reduced capacity, creating more specialist beers, said Mr Dickie.

First Minister Alex Salmond was challenged last night to appear before Aberdeen councillors to hear their concerns over the local authority’s deepening financial crisis.

Opposition councillors made the call amid growing anger at plans to axe a further 600 staff from the [...]]]> Councillors issue call as more staff cuts loom

Press and Journal Published: 10/10/2009   By Calum Ross

First Minister Alex Salmond was challenged last night to appear before Aberdeen councillors to hear their concerns over the local authority’s deepening financial crisis.

Opposition councillors made the call amid growing anger at plans to axe a further 600 staff from the council’s workforce as part of the next wave of multimillion-pound budget cuts in the city.

Members of the local authority’s Liberal Democrat-SNP administration suggested yesterday that as many as 1,200 jobs could go over the next five years as the nation enters a new era of financial austerity, on top of at least 500 shed in the last two years.

The latest round of job cuts, which could include compulsory redundancies, would help the council deliver another package of savings this December, which the Press and Journal understands will be about the £20million mark. It would follow £60million of cuts already being implemented.

The P&J has also learned that Aberdeen City Council was a lone voice calling for a change to the funding formula at a recent meeting of the leaders of local authority umbrella body Cosla.

It failed to gain the support of even neighbouring Aberdeenshire, which also believes it is underfunded.

If Cosla’s recommendation for “no change” is backed by the government, Aberdeen would remain Scotland’s lowest-funded council.

Opposition Labour group spokesman Willie Young said last night: “I issue this challenge to Alex Salmond – come to the next Aberdeen City Council full council meeting and tell us councillors that he is not going to leave us in the lurch, as he declared two years ago.”

He added: “I won’t hold my breath.”

Opposition Tory group secretary Alan Donnelly backed the call, but the SNP’s deputy council leader, Kevin Stewart, said: “Maybe Councillor Young should call on Prime Minister Gordon Brown to attend every council meeting and every public body meeting in Scotland to account for his £514million cut in funding.”

A spokesman for Mr Salmond said: “The reality is that Aberdeen’s overspends were run up by previous administrations, starting with Labour, and the SNP government is increasing the budget share going to local government after years of Labour-Lib Dem decline.”

LIBERAL Democrat politicians have raised concerns about jobs after Johnston Press announced plans to close its Edinburgh printing presses.

It was revealed yesterday that the firm wants to shut Caledonian Offset (COL), at Newhaven Road, leaving more than 100 jobs at risk.

The firm has [...]]]> Printing of scores of Scottish titles could go south

Published: 03/10/2009 Aberdeen Press and Journal

LIBERAL Democrat politicians have raised concerns about jobs after Johnston Press announced plans to close its Edinburgh printing presses.

It was revealed yesterday that the firm wants to shut Caledonian Offset (COL), at Newhaven Road, leaving more than 100 jobs at risk.

The firm has promised to minimise the impact through transfer, redeployment and voluntary redundancy.

Johnston Press, which operates 18 daily newspapers and 300 weekly titles, has been suffering financially. In August it reported pre-tax losses of £94.8million.

Liberal Democrat finance spokesman Jeremy Purvis said: “This is obviously devastating for the staff involved in the Lothians region.

“But it is also deeply regrettable that this will impact on scores of Scottish titles from Stornoway to Selkirk.

“We need to know what discussions the Scottish Government has had with Johnston Press for saving Scottish jobs and for Scottish titles to be printed in Scotland.”

If the closure goes ahead, the majority of titles printed in Edinburgh would be produced at Johnston’s Sunderland works.

The Edinburgh Evening News would be printed by News International’s plant in Lanarkshire, and the Scotsman and Scotland on Sunday by Trinity Mirror at its Glasgow site. A company statement said: “Implementation of this proposal would reduce production costs and risks associated with the ageing COL press and provide improved print quality and flexibility.”