Has Devolution Delivered for Women?

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Hansard Society speech

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Scottish Government Debate: Scottish Government’s Response to the Pre-Budget Report

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): This debate is about a PBR that adds £23 million extra to and removes nothing from the Scottish Government’s budget of more than £30 billion for next year. We are having a debate on a pre-budget report that changes by less than 0.01 per cent what the Scottish National Party has known for nine months it would have to spend next year.

It is predictable that the SNP sees the PBR as a chance to have a good girn; it sees it as another chance to have a go at Westminster. It has offered little serious economic analysis. It has a main girn, which we now hear in almost every debate: it blames its own policy failures on the alleged tight-fistedness of London Labour. Read more »

Scottish Parliament Further Powers Debate

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): I, too, welcome Fiona Hyslop to her new position, whatever it might be with respect to the constitutional question. Perhaps she will enlighten us at some stage.

As other members have said, the motion before the chamber is a wasted opportunity. Instead of a motion on the merits of the Calman plans—a definitive motion on where the Parliament stands on the totality of the Calman plans—we have an exercise in political positioning. Indeed, only the polite commentators will say “positioning”; the less-polite will call it mere point scoring. Read more »

There is no alternative: Calman is only way to go

The following submission was made by Ms Alexander for the Scotsmans above titled article on 25th November 2009:

Two years ago on St Andrews Day 2007 I proposed a new Commission on the Scottish constitution. A week later the Scottish Parliament embraced the concept, the UK Government followed and Calman, as it became known, was born.

There were many sceptics.  They could be forgiven their cynicism. For years Labour had maintained that devolution did not require reviewing. Even after defeat in 2007 resistance to reform prevailed. Read more »

Economy Debate

I welcome this govt debate on the economy. The first since we came back in early September. This year it has taken only 8 weeks to get around to the economy.

Last year despite the financial crisis raging around us we had to wait 10 weeks after we came back till 12 Nov after before the govt could find time for a debate on the economy its response to the credit crunch.

Today we have a new document An economic recovery plan update – published at 2.55 just as ministers got up to open the debate – so timed to presumably ensure members could not possibly read it in advance of the debate.
So much for respecting the chamber. Read more »

Scotlands Energy Future Debate

Calman Commission Report Debate

Calman Commission Report: The Future of Scotland – Scotsman Article

I write this in the Donald Dewar library of the Scottish Parliament. The symbolism appealed. Because as the sound and fury of elections, expenses, political coups and counter coups fade – what will endure?

I am convinced that tomorrow’s Calman Commission report on the future governance of Scotland will endure.

It was in Donald’s footsteps that I proposed the establishment of a constitutional commission on St Andrew’s Day 2007. My message to Scottish Labour was clear: “When Labour are the party of ideas on the constitution it typically commands support. There is unfinished business from the 1999 Scotland Act and it is Labour’s job – in partnership with other parties – to fix it. Read more »

Scottish Parliament Climate Change Speech

Ms Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): Like others, I welcome the fact that the United Kingdom and, with the passage of the bill, Scotland are providing leadership in the strategic framework for tackling climate change. As others have said, the bill is a vital start, but it still leaves us with a choice: either we can stop at setting ambitious targets for tomorrow’s policy makers or we can challenge ourselves now to start setting targets for the current generation and to put in place policies to deliver those cuts in emissions. Read more »

Scottish Parliament Education Debate Speech

Wendy Alexander (Paisley North) (Lab): I begin by thanking the Liberal Democrats for introducing a useful debate this morning. As members have made clear, it is unarguable that education has been the poor relation in the first two years of the SNP Government. On teacher numbers, it has failed. On class sizes of 18, it has failed. On physical education in schools, it has failed. On nursery teachers, it has failed. On the school building programme, it has failed. Read more »