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Nats to target social divide in Scotland



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THE Scottish Government today put equality at the core of its aims to improve society.
Communities minister Stewart Maxwell set out how the SNP administration is tackling inequality across all parts of the social divide.

He highlighted funds to improve access to schools, scrap university fees and tackle problems faced by people because of disability, gender or sexual orientation.

Mr Maxwell said: "Addressing the inequalities in our society will be essential if we are to meet the challenges of globalisation and demographic change and if we are to ensure the wellbeing and cohesion of our communities."

In a statement at Holyrood, he claimed the abolition of the graduate endowment fee would help 50,000 students – particularly those on low incomes.

He added that children of asylum seekers will be able to access tuition fee support.

The minister also announced that £9 million would be made available over three years to teach English to speakers of other languages.

Green MSP Patrick Harvie's Hate Crime Bill would be supported by the government, he said.







The full article contains 179 words and appears in Edinburgh Evening News newspaper.
Page 1 of 1

  • Last Updated: 15 May 2008 2:30 PM
  • Source: Edinburgh Evening News
  • Location: Edinburgh
 
1

Foulkes Off the CyberNat,

Edinburgh 15/05/2008 14:40:33
Good they can start wie me. Gimmie gimmie gimmie.
2

Alan B,

15/05/2008 14:46:40
With the lack of power in the sp i doubt they can really make much of a difference. Pensions, social security, much taxation are all reserved.
3

karinxxx,

15/05/2008 15:14:22
Why does the headline say nats to tackle surely the headline should read scottish government to tackle....


i have a suggestion for the scotsman why dont you print two editions of the same paper except have one paper written with the poltics section written from an snp perspective and one from a unionist persperctive and then you can see which edition sells more papers.


4

Merouane,

Edinburgh 15/05/2008 15:17:34
#3. Or better yet.. why not write from a neutral perspective. That would be enough to get me buying the News again.
5

Vladimir Ilyich,

Red Square 15/05/2008 16:02:57
#3,

Perhaps because the Nats are running the show?

It's not a government anyway - it's a big, amateur, parochial cooncil.
6

Merouane,

Edinburgh 15/05/2008 16:04:39
#5. That's right... how parochial... they don't even have the power to invade anyone!
7

kimba's proctologist,

15/05/2008 16:24:07
Thread drifting after only 6 posts!
8

Jwil,

15/05/2008 17:08:32
This is exactly why Wendy wanted to go for a referendum now rather than later. All these SNP policies (the so called broken promises) will be fullfilled before the next election and the carpet will have been pulled out from under the opposition parties.
9

ochone,

Sauchie, Clack's 16/05/2008 01:06:36
Jwil, not to worry, Wendy's crew will support these, remeber she's a socialist now!

Just so long as wer'e not asking for any of our own money back from Westminster to pay for the vanity things like free personal care.
10

Liberal for life,

Dunblane 16/05/2008 09:08:54
Yet more "double talk" from the NATS.

How can they "improve access to schools" or "address inequalities in society" and "ensure cohesion" when they continue to support denominational schools which are at the root core of west of Scotland bigotry. A few blue and white scarfs laid in memory of a well loved football player is merely a scratch on the surface of helping break down the prejucices that exist within a significant part of our countrys society. Sadly we have seen it all before and its like "disappearing snaw aff a dyke", believe me.

Lets get real and acknowledge the SNP simply don't have the bottle to tackle the issues principally raised by Donald Gorrie MSP during the time he was in the previous Holyrood administration. That approach to genuinely confront the real destructive causes that block efforts to set us on track to become a truly modern forward thinking and liberal society will be considered too difficult for an administration that places populism ahead of substance.

Salmond and his ilk claimed last May "Its Time", well if it is time then tackle the difficult issues head on as its actions we seek, not more fine words. They really are not fit for purpose and the longer they are in the more this will become apparent.
11

The Master,

16/05/2008 10:57:18
This abolition of the graduate endowment fee really makes my blood boil: the policy’s soundly based for the poorest families, but why benefit rich horsey folk from the SNP’s Perthshire heartland? There’s a concept known as “means testing” which could usefully be applied to this policy, as well as to “free care for the elderly”, although I understand that you have to be a specialist lawyer to work out what this actually covers.

Why can’t the Nats get it into their heads that means testing frees up funds to help the socially disadvantaged in other areas. As with the blanket abolition of prescription charges, the Nats just can’t help buttering up their core support, who by and large can well afford to pay: look no further for an explanation as to why the recent SNP resurgence started with the capture of one time staunchly Tory areas in the north east.
12

Andrew Allan,

16/05/2008 17:26:49
#10.,Liberal for life.
Tell me this then Liberal for life, if it is denominational schools that are at the root of all the problems why don't these problems manifest themselves in all countries with denominational schools, wait for it, wait for it, it's because it isn't the denominational schools which cause the problems in the first place, keep up won't you. Try and climb out of your bubble now and again so called Liberal for life, and then if you are lucky you might even really become a Liberal for life.
13

911 was an inside job.,

16/05/2008 19:18:07
"THE Scottish Government today put equality at the core of its aims to improve society."

Another socialist government. That's why the country is going down the Euro-toilet.
14

Endangeredscot,

16/05/2008 22:12:53
The Master

Means testing? Oh yes, that great socialist invention. It is a fine tradition, going back to the days when if you owned a wireless you were b*ggered. Ask yer granny, who might have put hers in the pram when the means testing guy was coming round. Means testing means "Can you disclose to us every little bit of your life, even though you are proud and might have a little kept behind to ensure you don't have to ask again?"

Means testing. MEAN testing. Whilst billions flows to London every day. Maybe we should 'means test' the UK.

Bet that would choke yer pipe.

 

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