Latest news with #GlenRosa
The National
3 days ago
- Business
- The National
I do not share Kenny MacAskill's optimism about Ferguson yard
The shipyard in question is of course Fergusons of Port Glasgow, which is currently trying to complete the ferry Glen Rosa. Kenny suggests that yet another change of management is the solution to the long-term problems of the yard and the return of Jim McColl is perhaps called for. I do not know if Mr McColl has been consulted on this matter but it would be a brave (some might say foolish) move if he were to accept this considerable challenge. READ MORE: Ardrossan Harbour deal 'far from complete', campaigners claim My late father and two uncles worked in another Clyde shipyard, now long gone, in the 1960s and I feel some sympathy for the Port Glasgow workforce – but none for CalMac, CMAL, the various well-rewarded management teams who have come and gone and the politicians who have presided over this national embarrassment. Kenny is to be praised for his optimistic hope that the yard will find other work in the future but it is all too easy for future clients to take into account the events of the past few years. If Kenny's next-door neighbour commissioned a builder to build an extension to his home on the basis of a cost of, for example, £50,000 and a timescale of a year, would he commission the same builder to build a similar extension to his own home if the neighbour's costs had risen to £250,000 and the extension was still not complete after nearly nine years? Work began on the Glen Rosa in June 2016. It is a real shame that Scotland's local authorities, health boards and housing associations do not have the same free and unlimited access to the Scottish Government's bank accounts that is enjoyed by Fergusons. The almost £500,000,000 splashed out (pun very much intended) on two medium-sized ferries could have had a major impact on our NHS waiting lists, relieving the long-term pain and suffering of thousands of our fellow citizens. Perhaps some of the money could have been used to provide decent social housing for some of the 33,916 households and 10,360 children currently homeless in our land. READ MORE: ScotRail must stop using my voice for AI announcements, voiceover artist demands Much, I assume, to the discomfort and embarrassment of our government, it now appears that the Glen Rosa will not carry a single passenger before the May 2026 Scottish Parliament elections. Assorted Unionist politicians will make the most of this situation – and who can blame them. The cost to complete the Glen Rosa is now apparently, at the very least, another £35,000,000 with no real guarantee that this will be enough to complete all the work required. In late November 2022, Audit Scotland announced that it was unable to account for £128.25 million in public money spent by Fergusons on the ferries. Furthermore, it was unable to trace how a £30m Scottish Government loan to Ferguson was spent. For a comparison, the RMS Titanic's construction cost was £1,500,000, which is around £180,000,000 in today's money. It only took around three years to build. It weighed in at around 50,000 tonnes. The Glen Rosa weighs only around 3000 tonnes – about 16 times smaller. These and many other factors will be taken into account when we come to place our marks on the two Scottish Parliament ballot papers in under a year's time. Taken together with the SNP's absence of a clear path to independence, the outcome is far from certain. Sandra West Dundee
The National
3 days ago
- Business
- The National
Ardrossan Harbour deal 'far from complete', campaigners claim
Transport Secretary Fiona Hyslop announced earlier this year that she had asked officials to look at the potential purchase of the harbour in North Ayrshire. For almost 200 years, ferries have left from the harbour for Arran, but for the majority of this year there have been no services from Ardrossan because the Glen Sannox – and its sister ship Glen Rosa that is yet to enter service – are too big to berth there. The Glen Sannox has been travelling to Arran from Troon alongside the MV Alfred, while the Caledonian Isles – which is due to return to Ardrossan next month – has been out of action since January 2024. The Ardrossan Harbour Task Force met for the first time in a year in April after which the Scottish Government said it remained committed to trying to purchase the site. READ MORE: Robin McAlpine: Why I'm angry about the approval of the Loch Lomond Flamingo Land plan However, since then, campaigners from Arran for Ardrossan Harbour have met with CMAL, Transport Scotland, CalMac and Peel Ports – which currently owns the site. Wyllie Hume, chair of the group, claimed they were told at the meeting by Kevin Hobbs, CEO of government-owned ferries and harbours body CMAL, that the public ownership deal is "far from complete". He also claimed CMAL said Peel Ports was asking for 'an exorbitant amount' for the dilapidated harbour that it could not afford. Hume added: 'Throughout the entire meeting, he and the Transport [Scotland] representative treated us as an irritant and gave the impression that they were meeting us under sufferance. 'A no point in the discussions did Mr Hobbs say he was committed to saving Ardrossan Harbour or that he is strongly committed to pursuing the buyout.' (Image: Arran for Ardrossan Harbour) Hume said the group now plans to campaign 'more aggressively' against Peel Ports, including organising a protest outside the company's offices in Glasgow. Peel Ports said it has been working with 'pace and energy' on negotiations, but claimed this has not been matched by other parties at the table. Transport Scotland said a timeline 'can only be reasonably established and published should actual purchase and transfer of control of the port be successful'. Bosses explained that neither CMAL or the Scottish Government could force the sale of a port or use compulsory purchase powers under existing harbours legislation. READ MORE: Highlands and Islands residents split over £100bn investment plan CMAL told The National it remains 'fully committed' to maintaining a 'robust and resilient' ferry service but must ensure 'we deliver the best value for the public purse'. The task force involves Transport Scotland, North Ayrshire Council, Peel Ports, CalMac, CMAL, the Isle of Arran Ferry Committee and the area's MSP Kenneth Gibson. The Ardrossan port requires a costly berth realignment in order to accommodate the new Glen Sannox – which entered service to Arran in January – and the Glen Rosa – which is now not due to be delivered until 2026. The Ardrossan Harbour Project – to develop the port and make it suitable for the Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa – was given the go-ahead way back in 2018 by then transport minister Humza Yousaf, but the project was paused in 2023 and a fresh business case has never emerged. With ferries only going in and out of Troon for the past few months, residents in Arran have been struggling to get to medical appointments at Crosshouse Hospital in Kilmarnock, which is easily reachable by bus from Ardrossan but much more challenging to get to from Troon. There are also fears Ardrossan could suffer a similar fate to Stranraer, which in 2011 lost the ferry to Northern Ireland after more than 150 years. The local economy quickly took a significant downturn after Stena Line moved up the coast to Cairnryan. A spokesperson from CMAL said: 'We met with Save Ardrossan Harbour, Arran for Ardrossan Harbour, CalMac and Transport Scotland at the CMAL offices last week to discuss the current situation. While we recognise this is an emotive issue for the Arran and Ardrossan communities, we are in the middle of a commercial negotiation process, which limits the amount of information that can be shared. 'We are fully committed to maintaining a robust and resilient ferry service for the Isle of Arran, and no option is off the table. However, we must also ensure we deliver the best value for the public purse.' Transport Scotland said it will update Parliament and the community once there is progress to report. A Transport Scotland spokesperson said: 'We absolutely understand people and communities' views in favour of retaining Ardrossan as the mainland port and their frustration that there is not yet more progress to report. 'The Scottish Government remains committed to ensuring the Arran ferry service is fit for the future and we want to see progress just as much as local campaigners do. However, as was explained to them when they met recently with CMAL, Transport Scotland and CalMac, a timeline can only be reasonably established and published should actual purchase and transfer of control of the port be successful. 'CMAL and Peel Ports need time and space to undertake and conclude negotiations.' A Peel Ports spokesperson said: 'We've entered negotiations in good faith, working with pace and energy to a timetable we believed was achievable. Unfortunately, that pace and energy hasn't been matched by those at the negotiating table. 'We appreciate that the buyers have other ferry issues to contend with but reaching a swift conclusion will require them to give this negotiation a higher priority.'
The Herald Scotland
4 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Ferguson Marine: Why has ScotGov kept financing the firm?
It comes as it emerged that the Port Glasgow yard was not certain to get the money it needs to complete a lifeline island vessel at the centre of a "new farce" over soaring delays and costs. Ferguson Marine has struggled with the long-delayed and wildly over-budget construction of MV Glen Sannox and MV Glen Rosa, the first dual-fuel ferries built in the UK capable of running on liquefied natural gas. What is Ferguson Marine? Ferguson Marine is a historic shipyard located in Port Glasgow, on the River Clyde in Scotland. Founded in 1903, it has been a significant part of Scotland's shipbuilding heritage and is one of the last remaining shipyards in the country capable of building large vessels. Why is Ferguson Marine important to Scotland? It represents the legacy of Scottish shipbuilding and provides skilled employment in the Inverclyde area, which has suffered from deindustrialisation. It is seen by many as a national asset in terms of maritime capabilities. Its supporters say the nation needs a domestic shipbuilding base for building and maintaining vessels for ferries, defence, and offshore industries. Politically, it also stands as a symbol of the Scottish Government's ambition to maintain and revive industrial capacity, especially under public ownership. What is the current status of Ferguson Marine? The state-owned shipyard located in Port Glasgow, Scotland, is facing significant challenges. The shipyard has been working on two ferries, the Glen Sannox and the Glen Rosa, which have experienced extensive delays and cost overruns. Originally scheduled for completion in 2018 with a budget of £97 million, the costs are expected to rise to more than five times that figure. The Glen Sannox finally commenced service in January 2025, while the Glen Rosa's arrival has been put back for a further six months and will not see service until between April and June of next year at the earliest - while costs have risen by a further £35m. What are the main challenges facing Ferguson Marine? The primary issues relate to financial sustainability because the shipyard is said to lack confirmed contracts beyond the completion of the current ferries, raising concerns about its future viability. It has just lost a key contract to delivery seven loch-class ferries for Scotland to Poland. There are concerns about its operational efficiency as delays and cost overruns have highlighted issues in project management, And there has been concerns about leadership stability with a series of executive and managerial changes and past difficulties in recruiting a permanent chief executive. It has been by reputational issues with its most high profile problem - the much- delayed and over-budget delivery of two ferries - Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa - which were meant to be operational in the first half of 2018. Reports highlighted serious problems in project management, including design flaws, poor documentation, and quality control failures. CalMac (Image: PA) It led to the Scottish Government's nationalisation of Ferguson Marine to prevent its collapse. This move saved jobs but brought the yard's problems into the public sector. What are the broader implications for Scotland from these issues? It has damaged confidence in the Scottish Government's and the yard management's ability to manage large infrastructure projects. Delays to new ferries have exacerbated transport problems for islanders, affecting tourism, supplies, and daily life. It also raises questions about how and whether governments should intervene in failing industries — and how to do so effectively. Why does Ferguson Marine require support? As the last commercial shipyard on the Clyde, it is a significant employer in Port Glasgow, and its closure would adversely affect the local economy. It has strategic importance as it is the only remaining shipyard on the lower Clyde that builds commercial ships. The success or failure of Ferguson Marine may influence whether Scotland maintains a sovereign shipbuilding capability or becomes entirely reliant on private and international yards. It is considered by its advocates that maintaining domestic shipbuilding capabilities in Scotland is vital for national infrastructure and maritime needs. But investment is needed to modernise facilities and secure future contracts. GMB, the main union representing staff at the yard is instrumental in representing the interests of the workforce. It has been actively advocating for job security - to ensure that employees' jobs are protected amid the shipyard's financial uncertainties. It opposes plans for privatisation, arguing that public ownership is crucial for the yard's stability and future. And it has been calling for government investment. What is the future outlook for Ferguson Marine? The future of Ferguson Marine remains uncertain. While there are opportunities, such as potential contracts for further small ferry replacements and collaborations with larger shipyards, these are said to be contingent on securing the necessary investment and improving operational efficiency. The Scottish Government's commitment and the shipyard's ability to address its challenges are considered to be critical in determining its long-term viability . What steps are being considered to secure the shipyard's future? Ferguson Marine has been exploring collaborations with larger shipyards to enhance competitiveness for new contracts and has been proposing investments to upgrade shipyard infrastructure.
The Herald Scotland
4 days ago
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
Ferguson Marine: Swinney urged to act over funding stalls
The Herald can reveal uncertainty continues to surround whether a vital £14.2m support package for Ferguson Marine will pass due diligence tests. The Port Glasgow yard is also not certain to get the money it needs to complete an island vessel at the centre of a "new farce" over soaring delays and costs. The £35m extra public costs for Glen Rosa being asked for by Ferguson Marine is to become subject to further 'due diligence' probing by ministers before a decision is made on whether the extra money will be provided. Glen Rosa was expected to be taking passengers in September - but now Ferguson Marine has admitted the full sign off and delivery will not be until next year - between April and July. The Scottish Government has already carried out a 'due diligence' exercise over the provision of a direct uncontested contract to Ferguson Marine to build seven new ferries. But that was rejected as it was felt it would be subject to a state aid legal challenge and the contract eventually was given to a Polish yard. Yet the yard's business plan to 2029 assumed direct award for that Scottish Government small vessel replacement programme. It was an integral part of a plan to deliver a "sustainable, profitable, efficient and competitive yard". That business plan was approved and submitted in June last year before being verbally accepted by ministers the following month, when Ms Forbes publicly stated an intention to invest £14.2m to upgrade the yard. The plan is based on the yard remaining under public ownership for at least the next five years. Kate Forbes (Image: Andrew Milligan) Now calls are being made for the First Minister to make an urgent statement to clear up the uncertainty over the continued funding of the yard. It comes after the Herald revealed that the cost to the taxpayer of Ferguson Marine has hit £750m. Financial statements up to 2025/26 have revealed that budgets set by the Scottish Government for Ferguson Marine were overspent to the tune of £210m in the first five years since it was nationalised at the end of 2019 as it attempted to deliver two long-delayed and wildly over-budget lifeline ferries. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- READ MORE by Martin Williams Why does ScotGov keep ploughing public money into the ferry fiasco firm? ScotGov raises 'doubt' on CalMac getting new ferry contract from October 'People going bananas': New ferry fiasco hits vital island supplies 'Mismanagement': Public cost of Scots ferry fiasco firm hits £750m amidst overspends ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ The costs so far of the beleaguered Inverclyde shipyard firm - which includes sums to cover running costs, wages and a dramatic slump in the value of the stricken vessels - soared to nearly £710m before the board last week sought £35m more public money from the Scottish Government because of further rises in costs to deliver Glen Rosa, the second of the two ferries. The Ferguson Marine bill is enough to cover the cost of 13 ferries of the type currently being built for Scotland at the Cemre Marin Endustri shipyard in Turkey. Ms Forbes has consistently told MSPs that the £14.2m support package over two years to help secure Ferguson Marine's future was in place and in March told MSPs that "hundreds of jobs have been protected only because of the actions of the Government". In March she told MSPs that there needed to be support for Ferguson Marine to be as competitive as possible so that it is able to secure work through a fair and open procurement process and that "that is the reason for the £14.2m investment" She further told them: "The bottom line is that we have agreed to invest £14.2 million in equipment for the yard so that it can compete on a global basis." But officials have consistently confirmed to the Herald that the two-year investment remains subject to the kind of due diligence tests that stopped the yard from getting the small vessels ferry contract. That due diligence investigation, which involves passing detailed legal analysis and independent financial and commercial assessments, was supposed to be complete by the autumn of last year. The board of the loss-making Scottish Government-owned firm has admitted that questions over further financial support from ministers is casting a "significant doubt" on the its ability to continue operations. Katy Clark (Image: Parliament TV) Katy Clark, Scottish Labour's spokesman for community safety said: "It's outrageous that the future of the yard and investment plan for the ferries has been left in limbo for so long. "The SNP government has allowed this indefinite cloud of uncertainty to remain by mothballing a clear decision on the yard. "At the same time £750 million of public money has been squandered due to the endless delays. "There's no clear resolution in sight on the SNP's watch with a total lack of leadership from the First Minister." The West of Scotland MSP added: "John Swinney must make an urgent statement at Holyrood setting out once and for all about how and when the investment for the yard and ferries will finally be delivered." The company running the last commercial shipyard on the Clyde has been dogged with issues with the delivery of lifeline ferries Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa which were due online in the first half of 2018 when Ferguson Marine was under the control of tycoon Jim McColl. The last estimates suggest the costs of delivery of the vessels will have soared to more than five times the original £97m cost. Ferguson Marine, which employs over 400 staff including over 100 sub-contractors was taken over by the Scottish Government at the end of 2019 following its financial collapse under the control of Mr McColl as a row erupted over long delays and mounting costs over the delivery of the vessels. Losses incurred by Ferguson Marine have totalled over £2.7 million in the last two full years. Ferguson Marine has a 'letter of comfort' which says that "it is our present policy, including with active consideration of the business plan budget and future work of the group, subject to the approval of the Scottish Parliament and in so far as permitted by applicable laws and withing agreed budgets for at least a period of 12 continue to provide support to the group". Ferguson Marine (Image: George Munro) Despite that, the board in financial papers acknowledged that there [is] uncertainty surrounding the future levels of support due diligence surrounding letters of assurance and investment in the yard [that] indicate a material uncertainty related to events or conditions that may cast significant doubt on the group's ability to continue as a going concern and, that it may be unable to realise its assets and discharge its liabilities in the normal course of business." Ferguson Marine (Port Glasgow) which made a net loss of £1.3m in 2022/23 had previously been concerned about the risks to the business and pointed to a failure to get a committed investment at that point of £25m to support future work at the Inverclyde after the delivery of Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa. Ousted Ferguson Marine chief executive David Tydeman had indicated the reduced £14.2m over two year would not itself be enough. Under his leadership, the loss-making shipyard firm, which relies on public funds, had previously stated that a failure to get a committed investment of £25m to support future work had cast "significant doubt" on its ability to continue. Investment was required for a vital new plating line and software to raise productivity and help it compete for future work and it was hoped there would be delivery by December, last year. But that hasn't happened. At the time Ferguson Marine admitted it was not as competitive as other yards that have modern plating lines and modern facilities. As the plating line cannot be installed for nearly two years the yard would not get decent productivity until 2027, even if ordered now, which makes pricing for future work harder. Mr Tydeman was fired on March 26 after a tumultuous two years at the helm of the nationalised shipyard after he told ministers there would be even further delays to Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa being built for state-owned ferry operator CalMac at the Inverclyde yard. Further delays to the delivery of Glen Rosa have come after wellbeing economy secretary Màiri McAllan said last year that Ferguson Marine considered the latest delays and costs forecasts - which had Glen Rosa ready to use in September - was the "final position" after the firing of chief executive David Tydeman. As the deputy minister Kate Forbes communicated her "disappointment and frustration" to the board about the further delays and costs rise, it was confirmed that the additional £35m funding needed to complete Glen Rosa "will need to be considered in accordance with a stringent due diligence process." This is expected to be a thorough examination of the business and investment, before further project financing is given and would assess the technical, legal, financial, and operational risks and opportunities associated with it.
The Herald Scotland
21-05-2025
- Business
- The Herald Scotland
£750 million spent on the ferries fiasco? Yes, and the rest...
Jim McColl bought the buildings and land at Ferguson's for £1.625m and put them into a separate company such that on the triumphant announcement of the nationalisation of the shipyard by the hapless Derek Mackay it did not own the land and buildings; all he had nationalised was a heap of scrap steel. The Scottish Government then had to set up a company to obfuscate the purchase of those assets and the cost is also hidden. I somehow think it was cost-plus, shall we guess £10m? Then there is the cost of acquiring Ardrossan harbour for which CalMac continues to pay rent from Peel Ports, a company not known for its philanthropy. Ardrossan will then need to be upgraded. Total cost? I don't think £150m will be too far from realistic. Then we add the additional rental and use of Troon Harbour owned by Associated British Ports, which spent £6m upgrading fendering and parking facilities. This charge will continue until Ardrossan Harbour is completed in, optimistically, five years. £5m per annum? Let's add £25m. And of course the ubiquitous Alfred, the catamaran that performs economically and reliably and which the customers love despite CMAL's absolute denial of suitability as a form of marine transport. £1m per month, three years' rental awaiting the completion of the Glen Rosa, £36m, which is incidentally two and a half times her construction cost. Then we can add the extra cost of fuel and wear and tear due to the increased route length of using Troon instead of Ardrossan and the reduced income due to the decreased number of passenger and vehicle journeys available over five years, shall we say £20m? So add to the £750m, £31+10+150+36+20m and we have a real cost of £997m, not quite a billion but I am sure they will get there. Where did all this money go? No Scottish Government member seems interested. But at least we are saved, as "the Scottish Government is currently doing due diligence over the further request for taxpayer backing". Well, that's OK then. Peter Wright, West Kilbride. Read more letters Little sympathy for fishing sector I used to have sympathy with Scottish fishermen who risked their lives to put food on our tables. However that has progressively diminished over the years. Revelations about quotas being deliberately ignored and black fish landed in order to maximise income together with rising instances of drug abuse amongst fishermen due to the money being made changed my view. Now they are calling the deal with the EU which keeps quotas as they are for the next 12 years "a capitulation" ("Starmer hails new EU deal that 'turns page' on Brexit", The Herald, May 20). They demand annual negotiations instead. There appears to be an assumption that EU quotas will continue to be reduced annually and that this will eventually give them control of fishing in the UK waters. But a reduced EU quota simply means the rest of us have to suffer higher costs elsewhere as a consequence of their intransigence. What really antagonises me however is to learn that nearly 20% of the catch from UK waters is not even landed in Scotland. Our fishermen can get better prices in Denmark and Norway so they go there. That means that we pay more for what fish is landed here whilst Scottish fish processing workers' jobs are put at risk as a direct consequence. Whilst Scottish fishermen strongly supported Brexit they were the first to complain about being excluded from Norwegian waters as a consequence. That's because the EU had negotiated access for its member states in exchange for reducing tariffs on Norwegian exports. In other words they voted to make themselves worse off. So why are these same fishermen now getting £360 million of support from the taxpayer to help keep them in a job? Last week the same fishermen's organisations were complaining that new visa restrictions just announced would further jeopardise their industry because they employ cheap foreign labour (31% of the fleet) who in many cases do not speak good English. In an industry as dangerous as fishing I would have thought that the ability to understand instructions was a prerequisite. But as always it appears money is the overriding criterion. Last year a BBC documentary revealed that many of these foreign workers were being paid below the minimum wage and were working in dangerous and unsafe conditions. Yet no boat owner has ever been prosecuted. To this can be added their opposition to marine protected areas whilst some indulge in illegal scallop dredging in those areas that are protected. Then there is the French discovery last week of steroid contamination in Scottish farmed salmon where pens are already damaging the environment and putting wild salmon stocks at risk. Perhaps you can therefore understand why my support for the fishing industry has almost completely evaporated. Robert Menzies, Falkirk. Submissive Starmer Various words have been used to describe the supposed 'deal' that Sir Keir Starmer has negotiated with the EU such as 'humiliation' and 'capitulation". However one might add 'submissiveness' to that list. Is it not somewhat ironic that in this 80th anniversary year of VE Day, he concedes to Europe (and in particular to France) on almost every aspect of the deal and in particular, the betrayal of our fishing industry? The Prime Minister lauds his 'deal' and yet cannot detail what the UK will pay to access the EU Defence Fund nor the costs nor the detail around how we align to the food standards system. This country will fall under the jurisdiction of the European Court of Justice in addition to the European Court of Human Rights. The UK will have absolutely no input into the laws and structures of such courts. Can one imagine the likes of the USA or Canada or Australia or Japan becoming subservient to foreign courts? Whether one agreed with Brexit or not, there is little doubt that this deal undermines our sovereignty and our ability to control our own destiny. The likes of President Macron, Chancellor Merz and Ursula von der Leyen will have huge smiles, if not smirks, on their faces following this 'deal'. Richard Allison, Edinburgh. Keir Starmer with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen on Monday (Image: PA) Now show some backbone Keir Starmer's reset with the EU has been characterised by the usual suspects as a betrayal of Brexit. If events were looked at dispassionately, it would be seen clearly that Brexit was the betrayal. Boris Johnson's battle bus had emblazoned on its sides one of the major fibs about the fresh funding for the NHS awaiting it once we left the EU. That campaign with its clarion call to restore sovereignty and control to the UK Parliament turned the heads of a disaffected electorate. That disaffection had been fuelled by the growth in inequality and the decline in smart regulation which left the general public clinging on to a raft of failing public services. It was no wonder they jumped to join the bandwagon only to find out too late, once our departure from the EU was done and dusted, that they were riding on tumbrels heading towards the economic guillotine. Now the plain unvarnished truth is there for all to see and the Government is trying to find some way to bring us back down to earth to face the reality of what has transpired since 2016. Sadly it is making slow progress out of fear of an adverse political reaction which could seriously jeopardise its re-election prospects. It is time the Government showed its backbone and declared that our future rests entirely on rejoining the EU where we will have strength in numbers and a strong voice in the decisions and development of the EU. That is the vision the country needs – to see a government ready to face down its critics whose agenda is to achieve a small state with low taxation and services barely at the safety net level. Denis Bruce, Bishopbriggs.
