Last week saw the first of Scottish Liberal Democrat allocated ‘opposition days’ in the Scottish Parliament. This meant that Scottish Liberal Democrats were able to choose two motions for debate.
The first debate drew attention to a recent independent report detailing the relatively high costs of childcare in Scotland compared to the rest of the UK. There are also regional variations in Scotland. The motion proposed that the Scottish Executive and local authorities work together to investigate what can be done to better manage supply and demand in order to make childcare more affordable. Attention was also drawn to the £300m increase in childcare tax credits being taken forward by the UK Government.
Regrettably MSP’s from other parties used the occasion to make highly political speeches which attacked the UK Government rather than addressed the problem that there appears to be in Scotland.
A more consensual debate was the second choice. Scot Lib Dems promoted the piloting of Social Impact Bonds to help stop reoffending by those leaving prison. These bonds are an innovative idea. Charities or social enterprises stump up the money to fund exciting new projects to divert prisoners away from offending when they are released from prison. If the projects are successful then the government pays the charity a big reward. If they don’t work, the charity doesn’t get very much. It means that long-standing Scottish Liberal Democrat ideas about how to make sure prisoners can get jobs and support when they leave jail can be tested without needing initial government money.
Most MSPs supported the rough idea, although they supported a ‘nationalist’ amendment to water things down – despite such bonds being in the ‘nationalist manifesto.
Recent Scot Lib Dem Motions in Parliament
Last week saw the first of Scottish Liberal Democrat allocated ‘opposition days’ in the Scottish Parliament. This meant that Scottish Liberal Democrats were able to choose two motions for debate.
The first debate drew attention to a recent independent report detailing the relatively high costs of childcare in Scotland compared to the rest of the UK. There are also regional variations in Scotland. The motion proposed that the Scottish Executive and local authorities work together to investigate what can be done to better manage supply and demand in order to make childcare more affordable. Attention was also drawn to the £300m increase in childcare tax credits being taken forward by the UK Government.
Regrettably MSP’s from other parties used the occasion to make highly political speeches which attacked the UK Government rather than addressed the problem that there appears to be in Scotland.
A more consensual debate was the second choice. Scot Lib Dems promoted the piloting of Social Impact Bonds to help stop reoffending by those leaving prison. These bonds are an innovative idea. Charities or social enterprises stump up the money to fund exciting new projects to divert prisoners away from offending when they are released from prison. If the projects are successful then the government pays the charity a big reward. If they don’t work, the charity doesn’t get very much. It means that long-standing Scottish Liberal Democrat ideas about how to make sure prisoners can get jobs and support when they leave jail can be tested without needing initial government money.
Most MSPs supported the rough idea, although they supported a ‘nationalist’ amendment to water things down – despite such bonds being in the ‘nationalist manifesto.