18 Jul 2020

More than 2,000 fixed penalties have been issued to motorists in Scotland’s cities for vehicles which aren’t road worthy in the last year.

New figures reveal more than a quarter were handed out for emissions code-busting motors as local authorities strive to drive down greenhouse gases in city centres.

Scottish Conservative shadow justice secretary Liam Kerr praised Police Scotland for ensuring the highest level of safety is maintained on some of the country’s busiest streets, while ensuring emissions regulations are met.

But he warned police shouldn’t be left to handle SNP failures in meeting Scotland’s carbon reduction commitments.

Plans to implement low emission zones (LEZs) in all cities — Glasgow’s was in place in 2018 — have been put on hold due to COVID-19.

A total of 1,014 penalty notices were issued in Glasgow, the highest number in Scotland.

Of these, 612 were given for the general condition of the vehicle such as an illegal exhaust. A further 292 were issued for registration or identification mark offences and 110 for lighting offences.

Mr Kerr said: 

“I commend Police Scotland for clamping down on vehicles which aren’t suitable for our roads but they shouldn’t be left to pick up the pieces of the SNP’s poor handling of meeting Scotland’s carbon reduction commitments.

“There are serious issues here which can’t be ignored and more needs to be done to make electric vehicles more attractive for people to use.

“At the moment, the Scottish Government needs to listen to motorists concerns about the standardisation, the location and the quantity of electric charging points.”

Aberdeen was the second highest, with 600 penalty notices issued for illegal vehicles.

Motorists in Dundee received a total of 398 fixed penalties while 182 were given to drivers in Edinburgh.

Fines for driving a vehicle which isn’t road worthy can vary between £50 and £300.

Mr Kerr added: “It’s not acceptable to risk driving a vehicle which isn’t suitable for the road, putting lives at risk in the process.

“While the MOT extension scheme is in place, the SNP have a duty to ensure drivers are aware there is still a responsibly to keep vehicles roadworthy – this is a message that must be made clear.

“The Scottish Conservatives have set out a number of ideas and measures that we would like to introduce to encourage the take-up and growth in ownership of vehicles which are more environment friendly.”

17 Jul 2020

Adam Tomkins, Scottish Conservative MSP for the Glasgow region has announced that he will not be seeking re-election at the 2021 Scottish Parliamentary election.

Adam has been a Scottish Conservative MSP for Glasgow since 2016 and will return full-time to his role as the John Millar Professor of Public Law at the University of Glasgow.

Adam Tomkins, Scottish Conservative MSP said:

“Serving as one of our party’s elected representatives for Glasgow has been an enormous privilege and leaving the Scottish Parliament in 2021 will be a wrench.

“I am not leaving the Parliament for political reasons. I wish Jackson and his team every success.

“My reasons are personal, to do with the work I want to pursue in the coming years and to do with the kind of father I aspire to be to my four children.

“I know that I will be stepping down in circumstances where the party is so much stronger than it was five years ago.

“Crucially, however, we have a momentous election in only nine months’ time. Between now and then we must all work tirelessly to ensure that we return and elect the highest possible number of Conservative candidates, not only in Glasgow, but right across the country.”

Jackson Carlaw, Scottish Conservative leader said;

“I would like to thank Adam both for his personal support and advice, and also for the immense contribution he has made to the Scottish Conservative parliamentary group and the party as a whole.

“Adam has been an invaluable source of energy and intellect, compassion and humour.

“While Adam has made important interventions on the union, his work on social deprivation, drug addiction and live music in Glasgow truly demonstrate the breadth of his interests and capability.

“We will all miss him and we wish him well.”

16 Jul 2020

Almost a week after the scheme has officially closed, just under 20,000 Scottish businesses are still waiting for financial aid to help them through the Covid crisis, according to the latest official figures published today.

The statistics show that while 105,585 businesses had applied for grants from the Scottish government by the deadline only 86,505 have received this crucial help, leaving 19,080 on the waiting list.

This is an increase of 1,743 from last week when 17,337 firms were still waiting for their applications to be processed.

The Scottish Conservatives have criticised this increasing waiting list and pointed out that Scottish businesses have received less financial help from the SNP government than their counterparts south of the border, making speedy access to this financial aid even more important.

Donald Cameron Scottish Conservative shadow finance secretary said:

“It’s pretty appalling that most businesses are now reopening and yet almost 20,000 firms are still waiting for financial support from the SNP government.

“These funds are crucial in helping people keep their jobs and ensuring businesses stay afloat, as we try and restart our economy.

“The SNP government has already short-changed Scottish businesses in comparison to their counterparts south of the border.

“That means it’s even more important that Scottish workers and businesses get the help they are entitled to, quickly.

“The SNP government has already badly let down Scottish business, this extra delay may well be the last straw for many.”

16 Jul 2020

The Scottish Conservatives have raised concerns about vulnerable children being left behind after the Scottish Government published guidance on the reopening of schools.

The publication, Advice from the COVID-19 Advisory Sub-group on Education and children’s issues, contains guidance to ensure children and staff can operate safely when schools reopen on the 11th August even though the SNP government will wait until 30^th July to formally decide if this is possible.

Measures includes no social distancing between pupils but two- metres ‘wherever possible’ between teachers and pupils.

In addition, the guidelines could be altered and perhaps a variation introduced depending on transmission in the local community.

Most importantly, the guidance acknowledges that learning loss worse will be worse in secondary schools and high poverty backgrounds.

The Scottish Conservatives have called for special attention to be paid to those from deprived backgrounds, school transport and increasing teacher numbers.

Jamie Greene, Scottish Conservative shadow education secretary said:

“Prior to the pandemic, the SNP government had completely failed to reduce the attainment gap and it is clear that vulnerable pupils have suffered the most during the crisis.

“Serious thought must now be put into how schools can help these children bridge that widening gap so they are not permanently left behind.

“Programmes focused on deprived children must be given priority, but the SNP government must increase teacher numbers, something they have also totally failed to do.

“School transport also continues to be a hugely problematic area, especially in rural areas.

“With many services still cancelled and local authority funds depleted, John Swinney must put his money where his mouth is and ensure councils can return bus services to pre-pandemic levels.

“With only a few short weeks before school starts, the SNP government is going to have to move quickly to ensure schools have what they need if this promise is going to be delivered.“

15 Jul 2020

Jim McColl, a member of the Scottish Government’s council of economic advisors, has today criticised the lack of business experience in the SNP government.

Speaking on BBC radio this morning Mr McColl said that criticism that Ministers do not have enough understanding of business was ‘valid’ and “There’s not the same background in business in Scottish Government.”

Mr McColl raised serious concerns that the economy in Scotland could struggle for up to 10 years and warned the country faces losing half its small and medium sized firms due to covid-19.

Dean Lockhart, Scottish Conservative shadow business secretary said:

“Jim McColl is not alone – the SNP government’s own Advisory Group on Economic Recovery led by Benny Higgins also concluded that after 14 years in government the SNP does not properly engage with stakeholders in the economy.

“This SNP government’s lack of business understanding has been highlighted severely during the Covid crisis.

“The SNP’s economic response to the Covid crisis has been roundly criticised as incompetent, weak and slow.

“Throughout this pandemic firms in Scotland have received less financial support than their counterparts elsewhere in the UK.

“This will simply result in even more job losses here in Scotland directly as a result of the SNP’s incompetence.

“The SNP must set aside their anti-economy agenda or even more Scottish jobs will be lost.”