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Salmond draws up economy aid plan | Salmond draws up economy aid plan |
(29 minutes later) | |
The Scottish Government is drawing up a six point action plan to try to save the Scottish economy from recession. | The Scottish Government is drawing up a six point action plan to try to save the Scottish economy from recession. |
The plan, agreed by a meeting of a special economic cabinet, is designed to boost development and help the poorest households. | The plan, agreed by a meeting of a special economic cabinet, is designed to boost development and help the poorest households. |
First Minister Alex Salmond told cabinet colleagues there was no doubt the financial crisis would have a serious impact on the wider economy. | First Minister Alex Salmond told cabinet colleagues there was no doubt the financial crisis would have a serious impact on the wider economy. |
The action plan includes bringing forward investment programmes. | The action plan includes bringing forward investment programmes. |
Inject demand | Inject demand |
This has already been done on social housing. | This has already been done on social housing. |
It also hopes to stimulate economic development by promoting tourism through events such as the Year of Homecoming and by simplifying the planning system. | It also hopes to stimulate economic development by promoting tourism through events such as the Year of Homecoming and by simplifying the planning system. |
Three further measures seek to help individual households. | Three further measures seek to help individual households. |
These relate to energy efficiency, financial and benefit advice and action on fuel poverty. | These relate to energy efficiency, financial and benefit advice and action on fuel poverty. |
Specific details have yet to be fixed but ministers hope to make announcements on each point of the plan within the next few weeks. | Specific details have yet to be fixed but ministers hope to make announcements on each point of the plan within the next few weeks. |
Labour's leader in the Scottish Parliament, Iain Gray, said the first minister needed to ensure the plan was "not all spin and no action". | |
He said: "Labour welcomed the announcement of £100m allocated to the affordable housing investment programme back in August. | |
"However so far we are very disappointed that only £9m has actually been brought forward. That leaves a shortfall of £91m and of that £40m has still to be agreed with councils. " | |
He added that Labour would continue to urge the Scottish Government to bring forward capital building programmes and warned that delays to the new Scottish Futures Trust were leading to a "black hole" in funding for public projects. |