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Despite rumours to the effect that no >> Scottish SPCA
conclusions would be refl ected in Calm-
WWW.HOLYROOD.COM COMMENTS
an’s Interim Report, fi scal autonomy has T
he Scottish SPCA has raised the is-
sue of whether a donor should know
Budget secured after Labour and Lib Dems give support
been declared a non-starter because of its exactly where a charity works and where
Andy, Perth, Unregistered
alleged connotations with independence. their charitable donation will be spent with
What about the Greens? have we now lost all money that was
That decision was based on advice a high-profi le campaign making it clear to
on the table for their very practical plan to insulate Scotland’s
from the Independent Expert Group the Scottish public that the RSPCA only
housing stock at the same time as providing a much needed
led by Professor Muscatelli of Heriot- operates in England and Wales.
boost to employment in the housing sector? This was a reall
Watt University whose paper is avail- For years, prominent RSPCA adver-
win! win! proposal for the country, which should have been
able in full on the website. Section 7.1 tising in Scotland has not been explicitly
accommodated by SNP. It will be a terrible shame if their
is too lengthy to repeat here, but the gist clear that the English and Welsh char- principled efforts to get this measure into the budget have
is that, if a region is funded other than ity can only rescue animals south of the now come to nothing as a result of the posturing & U-turn
via block grant, then borrowing might border. shenanigans of Labour & Lib Dems over the past week.
be valid – so it would not be relevant in Research has demonstrated that 70
Posted 2009-02-04 14:50:14
the present circumstances. The exposure per cent of the Scottish public believed
to revenue risks and the consequent bor- the RSPCA operated in Scotland.
Labour confusion over no-confi dence motion
rowing requirements would impact on This has led to many people in
Georgie porgie, Unregistered
the administration of a sub-national gov- Scotland contacting the RSPCA when
Arrogance? Well Mr Foulkes knows all about that when he
pontifi cates on behalf of all of us. While we’re losing our jobs
ernment in that it would have to develop discovering an animal in distress, poten-
and pensions, he and his chums are engaged in petty one
the capacity to forecast and manage rev- tially delaying any rescue.
upmanship just because they still can’t believe they lost an
enues and also to control the borrowing It has also had a knock-on effect on
election. Get over it your Lordship!
function. What it boils down to is that fundraising, with many members of the
Posted 2009-01-29 14:09:33
there would have to be some form of col- Scottish public also making donations
lateral to back up the borrowing, and the they mistakenly believed would help ani-
Labour confusion over no-confi dence motion
devolved fi nancial arrangements do not mals in Scotland.
A_Scottish_Voice, Unregistered
allow for that. We have been overwhelmed by the
What can I say - Labour are absolutely mental. If you were to
But even if we could have borrow- positive response to our campaign, with put them in a room with sharp objects, I doubt that any of
ing powers, these would be apposite hundreds of people having contacted them would survive.
only for long-term capital projects, such us either to make a donation or offer us Posted 2009-01-29 20:54:34
as the proposed new Forth Bridge. If their best wishes.
borrowing powers are not devolved, This has included people changing
Labour confusion over no-confi dence motion
then they must be reserved to West- their membership from the RSPCA to
PMK, Unregistered
minster. That means the latter would the Scottish SPCA, with many having
Foulkes, once again confi rms his place as the jester of Scottish
have to act as the nominal borrower as been shocked to have learned that not
politics (at best).
Posted 2009-01-29 23:06:32
the agent for the Scottish Government, one penny of their previous donations
with responsibility for repayment resting had been spent in Scotland.
Labour confusion over no-confi dence motion
with the Holyrood administration and From the Scottish SPCA’s point of
Derek Ross, Unregistered
recoverable from the block grant. That view, the immediate issues have always
Labour, get a life. Waken up and smell the coffee. Just get the
means the Scottish Government could been animal welfare in Scotland and the
budget passed.
negotiate terms directly with the Trea- enormous extra pressure placed on our Posted 2009-01-30 09:39:40
sury without recourse to Calman, and resources by confusing RSPCA advertis-
without Scottish Secretary Jim Murphy ing.
Labour confusion over no-confi dence motion
becoming involved. If that was not the The wider issue is again that of
Anonymous, Unregistered
intention, then, effectively, the Scottish ensuring the donor is fully aware of
Labour has to relise now that no one in this country believes
Government is debarred from indulging where their money will be used. It is
anything they say, they had 10 years of making a mess of
scotland and the SNP are the only ones that are for Scotland
in major, long-term funded projects of simply not enough to use small print and
and are not dictated by the English based parties.
any kind, including the proposed bridge. ambiguous language such as ‘registered
Posted 2009-01-30 12:10:59
It is absurd to maintain that its funding in England and Wales’.
should come from available short-term To do so is to possibly leave your
fi nancial resources intended for hospitals charity open to the charge of wilfully
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and schools. Neither should the Scottish misleading the public.
administration be tied to using the dis- At the Scottish SPCA we are explic-
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credited PPP/PFI system. itly clear about who we are and where
current affairs magazine.
Does all of this not prove that Enoch we rescue and rehome animals. The
Powell was right when he declared that strapline on our logo says it all: Scot-
Subscribe now at
“power devolved is power retained”? land’s animal welfare charity.
www.holyrood.com/content/view/131/11043/
DOUGLAS MAYER STUART EARLEY
| www.holyrood.com | Holyrood magazine | 9 February 2009 |
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