Single police force among SNP Bills for year ahead

7 Sep 11
The Scottish Government is to press ahead with single forces for the police and fire services despite opposition from councils, the first minister announced today.

By Richard Johnstone | 7 September 2011

The Scottish Government is to press ahead with single forces for the police and fire services despite opposition from councils, the first minister announced today.

Alex Salmond was setting out the Scottish National Party administration’s plans for the year ahead, its first in office with a parliamentary majority.

The government has announced 15 Bills in the programme. They include plans to introduce a minimum unit price for alcohol, which were rejected by the Parliament before May’s election but are now likely to be implemented.

The proposed single police force across the country has been criticised by the Association of Chief Police Officers of Scotland. President Kevin Smith said that the projected savings from merging the eight regional forces, compared with the restructuring costs, ‘simply don’t add up’.

The Convention of Scottish Local Authorities is against both mergers, and has claimed that the combining the eight fire services could lead to cuts of up to 1,500 firefighter posts.

However, announcing the plans, Salmond said that the mergers were ‘the only way’ to maintain staff numbers across Scotland.

He added: ‘Single services will sustain and improve the delivery of local services, while giving all parts of Scotland access to national expertise and assets whenever and wherever they are needed.

‘And single services will enhance national governance, ensuring clear separation from ministers and the services, to ensure their continued operational independence.’

The government will also introduce a Council Tax Bill that will allow councils to charge an additional levy on homes that have been empty for six months or more.

A Water Bill will be introduced give the state-owned Scottish Water more power to drive renewable energy developments.

Salmond added that a new government economic strategy, followed by a Spending Review, would be laid before Parliament in ‘the coming weeks’.

He said: ‘Today we unveil a programme for government – practical measures to make our citizens safer and healthier, capital investment to aid our recovery. I would welcome constructive ideas from our opponents on how to make Scotland better. Making Scotland better is our focus.’

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