Sturgeon bid to keep indy critics at bay

FM set to outline priorities for new term

NICOLA STURGEON will this week respond to critics who claim she only cares about independence by setting out her priorities for the new Holyrood term.

The First Minister will unveil her government’s plans for 2016/17 on Tuesday as the Scottish Parliament gets to grips with a raft of new taxation and welfare powers.

A bill to create Scotland’s new department for social security, paving the way for a maternity and early years allowance offering financial support to parents on low incomes, is expected to be outlined.

Pledging greater action on climate change is also planned, with a bill to reduce emissions by at least half of the current level.

MSPs will also hear plans to increase transparency of land ownership in Scotland.

And it is expected there will be a Zero Waste Bill, which could lead to the launch of “reverse vending” facilities, giving people money back for returning empty bottles and cans.

The Scottish Government’s commitment to major education reforms and cutting air passenger duty is also likely to be reaffirmed.

Miss Sturgeon said: “The backdrop to our programme for government has clearly changed significantly since the referendum on EU membership.

“But what hasn’t changed, and never will change, is our determination to deliver on our promises and our desire to make improvements that benefit everyone in Scotland.

“We have started work to reform education and give our children the best opportunities in life, our A&E departments are the best-performing in the UK, and we’re taking forward plans for legislation on child poverty and social security.”

Miss Sturgeon’s intention to keep the focus solely on “bread and butter” matters will hinge on whether her programme for government contains a bill for another referendum.

SNP sources were tight-lipped on the issue but, in June, the First Minister said: “We will begin to prepare the legislation that would be required to enable a new independence referendum to take place if and when Parliament so decides.”

But there are doubts over whether the bill could be ruled as competent given the relevant powers currently lie at Westminster and there is no guarantee it will be put forward for the 2016/17 session.

Civil servants could instead be asked to work on the bill in the background, a task made easier by the legislative legwork undertaken in the run up to 2014’s referendum.

Scottish Conservative leader Ruth Davidson said Scots were fed up with talk of another referendum.

She said: “If the First Minister wants to know the feelings of thousands of Scots across the country, I can give it to her right now.

“It is anger at an SNP government which has both broken its word and decided to put its own narrow political interests before those of the wider country.

“And it is frustration that we have a Nationalist administration which is acting like a drag on Scotland’s progress.”