‘National mission’ for fairer Scotland
NICOLA Sturgeon has said her government is on a “national mission” to create fairer, green jobs as part of Scotland’s recovery from Covid-19.
The First Minister will use today’s programme for government to set out the “necessary steps to rebuild an economy that is stronger, fairer and more sustainable”. The proposals will include investment in plans for a guarantee for unemployed young people, as well as a programme to help individuals retrain for areas such as low carbon industries.
NICOLA Sturgeon will today set out a “national mission” to create green jobs as part of Scotland’s recovery from the Covid-19 crisis.
The First Minister’s Programme for Government, which will be announced this afternoon, will outline the “necessary steps to rebuild an economy that is stronger, fairer and more sustainable”.
Yesterday, Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross announced his alternative economic plans including proposals for sector-specific job security councils to help those who have lost their jobs find skilled work.
Mr Ross’s proposal, one of a string of uncosted policy ideas, is based on Sweden’s retraining programmes that have been in place for decades.
Labour welcomed Ms Sturgeon’s commitment to create new green jobs but called for an assurance that people will be given job security during the recession.
The First Minister will point to investment in a youth jobs guarantee and help for people to retrain in new areas for the economy, such as low-carbon industries. There will also be specific investment announced in green jobs and skills.
She said: “Equipping people with skills for the future to keep them in work or get back into employment will be critical.
“From our young people entering the job market for the first time to older workers who need to retrain, we will make sure that no-one is left behind.
“We have already announced £100 million investment in employment and skills as part of our wider economic recovery package and this Programme for Government will set out our next steps on this journey.”
Mr Ross’s “Scotland First” proposals include expanding capacity on the M8 and making it easier for local businesses to bid for government contracts.
But Mr Ross has defended his lack of ideas to tackle the climate emergency – whilst his plans make no mention of green industries.
He said: “Trying to add in bits and pieces in this report would devalue what I wanted to bring forward on behalf of the party on this crucial area.
“It will be a series of separate policy announcements and a separate paper focusing purely on that, given the importance of this area.”
Mr Ross has drawn up plans to set up jobs security councils in a bid to get “people from skilled employment back into work”. He added: “We’ve got to have all the tools at our disposal to ensure we can get these people back into meaningful employment as quickly as possible.”
But Mr Ross’s plans to allow the government to spend more money with local businesses have been criticised by the SNP – amid claims they are incompatible with the UK Government’s internal market plans following the end of the Brexit transition period.
The Westminster proposals include a “requirement not to discriminate between individuals or businesses based on residence or origin in the UK”.
Mr Ross said he understood the concerns with the procurement proposals but stressed they could work with the UK internal market plans.
The Tory leader pointed to “many areas that the Scottish Government have not spent taxpayers’ money wisely” – using the hospitals contract fiasco as an example of wasted public funding.
He added: “There are a number of areas that the public can look to and see the SNP Government have not delivered on what they promised at great cost and that has been resources wasted. I want to see that targeted in a better way to ensure we spend people’s hard-earned tax-payers’ money in the best possible way.”
Scottish Labour leader Richard Leonard has called for job security to be prioritised. He said: “Scottish Labour has been warning for months we need a quality jobs guarantee scheme in place before the furlough scheme ends or we risk unemployment on a scale not seen since the 1980s.
“We welcome and support the creation of new jobs in green industries but workers don’t need promises of ‘jam tomorrow’, they need an assurance they will not be thrown on the dole queues next month.
“Workers and families across Scotland fear for their futures. The First Minister now has the opportunity to relieve those fears by guaranteeing not just jobs but quality jobs to all workers who will be adversely affected by this crisis.”
Equipping people with skills for the future will be critical