SNP recovery plan comes with warning

Published on Saturday 25 April 2009 15:27

THE Scottish Government will unveil a range of measures this week aimed at tackling the economic downturn and prompting further confrontation with the Treasury.

John Swinney, the Finance Secretary, will detail improvements to the planning system, funding for innovation and public sector efficiency savings in a series of announcements intended to show that Holyrood has a firm economic recovery programme.

But he will warn that his measures will be put in jeopardy by the cuts in Scotland's budget imposed by Chancellor Alistair Darling last week.

"This Government is delivering the kind of comprehensive and strategic recession-beating measures that Scotland is crying out for. This package of action will help business and households and can drag Scotland out of recession," he said. "But it is in stark contrast to the crude cuts in public spending being imposed from Westminster that puts all our efforts to nurture a strong recovery in jeopardy."

Swinney will set out plans aimed at saving businesses and taxpayers money. Among them are further moves he says will make Scotland's planning system simpler, faster and cheaper.

On Wednesday, the Government will launch an ePlanning system, enabling people to apply for planning permission online, lodge appeals, track applications and find out more about individual development proposals.

The Government will also award a contract to supply electricity to the entire Scottish public sector, saving taxpayers money and cutting energy bills. Procurement Scotland has tendered for the contracts and by bulk buying it expects to save about 200m a year. The contracts will also include efficiency measures to reduce public sector energy consumption, cutting emissions.

Swinney will also announce more than 3m of grants to R&D and knowledge-transfer projects from the Government's SEEKIT programme.