Let's get our world treasure back to health
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But Scotland is attracting big inward investment to back the renewables revolution, our unemployment in Caithness and north Sutherland is far less than the Scottish average and we have firms with a world reach and an attractive environment to live in.
Happiness does not always mean more income. In the most successful countries it delivers a lower ratio between the richest and least well off. See Scandinavia and ask, why not here? First though, a check on the drag factors that we must be rid of. New statistics from the European Commission have revealed the UK takes the highest proportion of taxes from both petrol and diesel in the EU. The figures show tax represents 59.7 per cent of petrol prices and 57.7 per cent of diesel prices, a higher percentage than in any other EU country.
The SNP has repeatedly called for action to be taken to address sky-high fuel prices, including through the introduction of a fuel-duty regulator that would see increased Treasury receipts brought in from high oil prices used to fund a corresponding reduction to fuel duties. Our main competitors have taxes nearer 58 per cent on petrol and 47 per cent on diesel.
High fuel prices hit households and businesses, yet thanks to Westminster we face the highest rates of taxes on petrol and diesel in Europe. They are a barrier to economic recovery and are driving up the cost not just of motoring but of everything we buy in our day-to-day lives.
High fuel prices also have a disproportionate effect on the budgets of households and businesses in rural areas, yet despite all of these facts the Scottish Government is prevented from taking action to address the situation. Decisions made at Westminster mean people in Scotland face paying the highest rate of taxes on fuel in Europe.
Those decisions on the levels of tax paid at the pump in Scotland should be made by people in Scotland and only a Yes vote in 2014 will secure the independent Scotland we need to give us that opportunity.
RIGHT on our doorsteps, stretching from the Causewaymire to Ben Griam, there’s a world treasure. The flows are of world importance and the Scottish Government is engaged in finding ways to measure the carbon losses from decaying peat.
At ministerial level this week Paul Wheelhouse is in Doha at the Kyoto round meeting. If we can re-wet the areas that are decaying we can staunch the greenhouse gases that give our climate change targets such a challenge. Millions of pounds in research and spade work will do the trick.
My recent motion in parliament commends the Scottish Government and RSPB for funding combined research by the Thurso-based Environmental Research Institute of the University of the Highlands and Islands and the universities of St Andrews and Stirling into the impact the removal of forestry in the Flow Country peatlands has had on allowing it to return to its natural state.
Across Scotland, we believe the restoration of raised and blanket bogs is an absolute priority as they act as a natural carbon sink that can also improve water quality and support biodiversity. So the recent Scottish Government announcement to make £1.7 million of funding available to restoring peatland is to be commended.
These calls for continued support from the Scottish Government and other agencies in restoring Scotland’s peatlands are shared across the parliament. All parties, bar any Lib Dem MSPs, have signed so far.
Our visit to Forsinard last Friday to the centre of peatland strategy included a scientist from the Centre for Environment and Energy. After its recent conference it can provide a platform for the development of a national initiative on peatland research.
As the ERI says on its website: “In Caithness we have the Flow Country in our back yard – the world’s largest expanse of blanket bog and an ecosystem that undertakes carbon capture and storage on a vast scale – naturally! Understanding on how best to use, manage and conserve this unique environment is urgently needed. The team at the ERI seeks to lead universities and research centres across Scotland to address these challenges.”
Every little helps because the earlier the bogs are in best health the sooner we cut huge chunks out of our carbon emissions. An estimated 400 million tonnes of carbon is stored in the peat in the Flow Country, which is double the amount of carbon in all the UK’s forests.
Therefore calls for continued support in restoring Scotland’s peatlands are shared across the parliament.
I hope local communities and Highland Council can play their part.
DURING the week leading up to St Andrew’s Day, many of us will find ways to celebrate. I spoke in the Celebrating Scotland debate in parliament. Members mentioned Scottish Book Week which has allowed us to distribute a book entitled My Favourite Place – A tribute to Scotland’s best-loved places.
My team has been distributing these around the county, with some going to pupils in Wick and Thurso high schools, care homes and also to the recent Chinese visitors to the ERI.
How appropriate, as one of the poems is by LM Morgan entitled “Flow Country”. That’s called reading for Scotland!
Rob.gibson.msp@scottish.parliament.uk
