Enhanced Devolution, the Smith Commission - views wanted

On 19 September, Prime Minister David Cameron announced that Lord Smith of Kelvin had agreed to oversee the process to take forward the devolution commitments on further powers for the Scottish Parliament.

The terms of reference for the Smith Commission are to convene cross-party talks and facilitate an inclusive engagement process across Scotland to produce, by 30 November 2014, Heads of Agreement with recommendations for further devolution of powers to the Scottish Parliament. This process will be informed by a Command Paper, to be published by 31 October and will result in the publication of draft clauses by 25 January. The recommendations will deliver more financial, welfare and taxation powers, strengthening the Scottish Parliament within the United Kingdom.

Interested parties have until 31 October to submit views, and UNISON Scotland will do this directly and through the STUC.

In February 2013, UNISON Scotland had adopted Fairer Scotland and Devolution, our contribution to the debate on how devolution settlement can be strengthened.

http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/scotlandsfuture/FairerScotlandDevoPaperFeb2013.pdf

It is evident that the grounds of the debate have altered since that time and it would be appropriate to review that statement.

In the absence of a meeting of the Scottish Council before the submission date of 31 October, the Scottish Committee Policy seminar will meet on 23 -24 October and will consider submissions from branches.

Any comments should reach me by 5.00pm on Monday 20 October, 2014, at m.kirby@unison.co.uk

Mike J Kirby
Scottish Secretary
UNISON

We will continue to press for a Just and Fairer Scotland

#indyref Mike Kirby UNISON Scottish Secretary: This independence referendum has been extra-ordinary. The turnout alone (84%) the highest for any election in over 60 years– tells you how seriously voters took their responsibility. It is a truly humbling experience to see the power of democracy at times like this.

UNISON is the biggest trade union in Scotland. We took our role to ensure that the debate about Scotland constitutional future delivered concrete benefits for working people very seriously too.

We engaged our membership through the formal processes at UNISON Scottish Council and a series of area consultations. The extent of the engagement amongst our members was reflected in what we have seen across community and town halls throughout Scotland.

Douglas - It's what you do with what you've got that matters.

Douglas Alexander has gotten a lot of publicity in advance of a speech tonight where he will advocate more powers for the Scottish Parliament. Mr Alexander urges Labour's devoiution commission to 'range widely and act boldly'. But he should remember, it's not devolving powers that is bold - it's using them.

The speech is of course part of the referendum campaign. But given that much of that has been at the level of Eddi Reader v Bowie ... and not so much perfect as a godawful small affair. It should probably be welcomed.

Not that UNISON is advocating for support for either side - UNISON has not as yet formed a view about what option is the best in the independence referendum. We are looking at both sides and challenging them to show how their priorities match up with our longstanding policies and priorities. These are outlined in A Fairer Scotland. But with the parties advocating a no vote developing plans for further devolution we've also put forward our proposals as to how we'd like to see that go; we've outlined those in A Fairer Scotland and Devolution. So when Mr A calls for expanding devo to mean "considering taxation, employment and skills policy or indeed the responsibilities of the Crown Estates, or the running of elections" we should be glad that he's catching up with us.

More powers are fine, good, even welcome. But if its a different Scotland we want, it's what is done with those powers that matters. As the STUC have pointed out at length and in detail in their second A Just Scotland report. There is plenty that could be done now. Never mind with the extra powers that will be coming under the Scotland Act, or the further powers that would come with independence. There are many areas where what's been missing hasn't been constitutional authority but political will.

Mr Alexander obviously wants to make an impact and build support for his side in the referendum. It's not our place to help him with that - but here is some advice (that applies every bit as much to his opponents). Perhaps he should say not what powers he wants the parliament to have - but what he wants to see done with them..

It's only a thought, but most UNISON members will probably be more interested in what he intends doing for people - rather than what he wants to see done to Parliament. His boss Ed Miliband has talked a lot recently (and accurately) about a 'cost of living crisis. If Mr Alexander gives us a bit of detail on how he would use more powers to tackle that - it might hold attention a wee bit more than proposals for institutional engineering.

Debate on the fate of the nation must be on the state of the nation

#stuc13 Trade unionists have to push both sides in the referendum debate on how their plans will deliver a just Scotland, a fairer Scotland and a Scotland whose economic policies will tackle inequalities, poor health and deprivation.
     UNISON’s Hazel Marshall told Congress that we have an opportunity to influence and drive the debate on Scotland’s future in a way that can engage our members and the wider population.
See report at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/stuc2013/21.html
See the full text of her speech here.

Unions can drive the debate on A Just Scotland

#stuc13 “We have an opportunity to influence and drive the debate on Scotland’s future in a way that can engage our members and the wider population”, UNISON Scotland’s Hazel Marshall told the STUC today. The full text of her speech is below.

"And Congress given the way our politicians seem to prefer insult to argument - I’m not sure that anyone other than us is capable of making this debate seem relevant to ordinary people.

And frankly congress – the way to do that isn’t to line up behind YES Scotland OR it’s Better Together mirror image.

It’s to continue the process outlined in the Composite, to analyse and to challenge both campaigns.
To ask questions and demand answers of all the political parties.

We need to move the referendum debate on from talk about what COULD happen because anything could happen.

We need to make parties and campaigns tell us what they intend to do. Congress we need to make sure that the debate on the fate of the nation is a debate on the state of the nation

A debate where the value – or otherwise - of constitutional change, or no change is whether it will drive the SOCIAL change that we need    

We are very well placed to do that – political parties in Scotland, put together only have around fifty thousand members. (And they seem to spend most of their time shouting at each other)

Collectively the unions in Scotland have more than 600 Thousand members! So what does that mean?

Well I would suggest that it would be a foolish politician or campaign that chooses to ignore us.

Which incidentally is what the Better Together campaign have done – At least we’ve had a response to the Just Scotland report from the YES campaign.

Even though it raises more questions than it provided answers for - it is a response

That’s more than the ‘Better Together’ campaign has managed so far.

But Congress can we expect either of these campaigns to develop a vision for a Scotland’s future?

At the launch of YES Scotland there was a video message of support from Jim McColl - one of Scotland’s wealthiest men.

I say Scotland’s wealthiest men - but he is so patriotic and cares so much about Scotland he lives in Tax exile in Monaco.

And Better Together have Ian Taylor - a man in the oil business whose interests are, I’ll say ‘wide ranging’ he’s got a sharp team of lawyers so I won’t be saying anything else.

Are these people interested in a Just Scotland? A Fairer Scotland? A more equal Scotland?
I don’t think they are - but I know that we are.

Over the next 17 months we must continue to shape the debate and insist on coherent, focused answers that will allow voters a genuine choice.

If we want to see real change in the politics of this country then we as a collective representing 600 thousand voting members have the power to influence that change.

Please Support the Composite"

UNISON calls for new devolved powers to create a Fairer Scotland

Thu 28 Feb 2013

UNISON today launched a set of policy proposals calling for fresh powers, including pensions and income tax, to be devolved to Scotland.

The union’s ‘Fairer Scotland and devolution’ document opens up a debate which has so far focused on fiscal issues and argues that new devolved powers for the Scottish parliament are essential to create a Fairer Scotland and improve the lives of working people.

UNISON Scotland says a range of fresh powers should be devolved: public sector pensions, health and safety, labour market regulation and broadcasting – as well as stronger fiscal powers, including all of income tax revenue.

The focus for UNISON of decisions about which powers to devolve and which to leave at UK level is social change and the creation of a more equal society.

Lilian Macer, Convener of UNISON Scotland said: “Our union hasn’t made a decision about which option to back in the referendum - but we are intent on putting public services and the people who provide them at the centre of the debate.”

In common with much of the trade union movement, UNISON has not as yet taken a stance on the referendum itself. Instead the union has challenged all parties to the debate to explain how their preferred option will match UNISON’s priorities laid out in the previously published document ‘A Fairer Scotland’.

Today’s publication marks a development of longstanding UNISON principles in relation to devolving power to the lowest practical level, and includes devolution below the Scottish Parliament, with a stronger statutory footing for local authorities.

Mike Kirby, UNISON Scottish Secretary said: “We have always been strong supporters of devolution - and supporters of strong devolution. As political campaigns and parties are discussing more powers for the Parliament we want to make sure we are part of this debate.

“Our concern isn’t with constitutional mechanics. Our aim is to create a fairer and more equal Scotland. The referendum debate so far has focused on fiscal matters. These fresh new powers which we are calling for should be devolved to the Scottish Parliament and used – along with the many existing powers it already has –  to improve the lives of working people.”  

.

Match our vision for a Fairer Scotland – UNISON issues referendum challenge

30 November 2012

Scotland’s largest union in public services today issued a challenge to campaigners in the independence referendum.

UNISON Scotland said both sides must answer questions about how their scheme will match the aspirations and vision of UNISON members.  

Tomorrow (Saturday) sees the formal launch in Glasgow of “For a Fairer Scotland” – a document which outlines the union’s priorities in the forthcoming debate on the constitution.

Alongside this, the union has framed questions that members will be encouraged to put to all those campaigning around the referendum in the coming months.

“For A Fairer Scotland” does not advocate support for either the “Yes” campaign or “Better Together”.  Instead it challenges those campaigns and others to show how their plans can match UNISON’s vision.

For a Fairer Scotland states:

“UNISON’s approach to constitutional questions is one that is driven by the interests of our members, by the sort of Scotland we want to, and deserve to, live in.  This means that for us precise constitutional arrangements are the end, not the starting point of the debate. We must first define the sort of Scotland we wish to see and then try and examine the likelihood of differing constitutional arrangements on offer to deliver on that vision.”

UNISON Scottish Secretary  Mike Kirby said:  “We are not interested in an argument about national identity.  It’s not where the power lies, but in whose interest that power is exercised that really matters. Today we have outlined our principles for a better, fairer Scotland. It is the task of others to show how their proposals match up to those principles.”

Lilian Macer, Scottish Convener, said: “What we are looking for is a willingness to tackle inequalities, poor health and deprivation. Doing that is social change. Unless it is explained how this is to be achieved, arguments for or against constitutional change mean very little.”

ENDS

Notes to Editors

1.       The “For a Fairer Scotland” document and the accompanying questions are both on the UNISON website at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/scotlandsfuture/index.html

2.       The document was drawn together following a consultation with members throughout Scotland over the summer.

3.       It is launched at UNISON’s Scottish Council meeting in Glasgow on Sat 1 December.

.

Constitutional debate not about powers but what we do with them

#STUC12 As the STUC sets out on a historic campaign to engage working people in the debate on the future of Scotland, it should not be about what powers politicians want, but about “what they want to do with those powers”, UNISON’s Stephen Smellie told Congress this morning. See full story at http://www.unison-scotland.org.uk/stuc2012/18.html  

Independence Referendum

UNISON Scotland has published its submission to the UK and Scottish Government consultations on the proposed independence referendum.

We support an simple, neutral question on independence in the referendum such as “Should Scotland become an independent country?”. We also believe that the referendum on Scotland’s constitutional future is too important to be rushed and therefore support autumn 2014. However, that time should be used effectively by Civic Scotland to develop a credible proposal for extended devolution that may be able to form the basis for a second question. The Scottish Government should also publish its proposals on independence without further delay and by early 2013 at the latest.

We believe the franchise should be as for Scottish Parliament elections with the exception of UNISON's long standing support for extending the vote to 16 and 17 year olds. The referendum should be supervised by an independent commission and the Electoral Commission is the obvious body to achieve that.

UNISON Scotland understands the need for this early emphasis on fair procedures and independent oversight. However, we believe the debate should move on to consider a vision for the sort of Scotland we would want to live in, against which we can judge constitutional proposals. We intend to fully engage our members in that process.