The Scottish Parliament is expected to back an amendment by Green MSP Alison Johnstone as part of a debate on Scotland’s growing obesity problem.

The amendment to the Government motion recognises the importance of green priorities such as active travel and access to open space, as well as the need to improve public facilities to increase participation in sport.

Green MSP Alison Johnstone said:

“Common-sense policies are central to defusing Scotland’s obesity time-bomb. We need to rewire physical activity back into our everyday lives and challenge those who profit from promoting junk food. The Government must now match its promises and words on cycling and walking with far more investment to remove barriers and encourage more people to get active on a daily basis.

“Protecting and improving local sports facilities is essential and I urge Ministers to do all they can to ensure that the legacy of the Commonwealth Games is felt in communities that lack access to good facilities or open space. Today’s debate has shown once again that joined-up Green thinking needs to be at the heart of our response to the big challenges facing Scotland.”

Now that the Total Elgin gas leak has been plugged, Alison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian, is urging the Scottish Government to embrace clean energy.

Alison has asked the Energy Minister about the dangers of pollution from aging North Sea infrastructure and a reply has yet to come.

Alison Johnstone said:

“Total’s platform has been leaking up to 200,000 cubic metres of gas every day for the past fifty-three days. Thankfully all 200 staff were evacuated in good time but that shouldn’t prevent us paying attention to a sign of things to come.

“Fossil fuels have undoubtedly benefited us over the decades but now we know the damage done to our environment by extracting them we should leave what’s left under the seabed.

“The First Minister continues to talk up big oil and gas while at the same time hailing renewables. It’s time the government ended its love affair with the dirty and the dangerous and embraced the clean energy that will benefit us all.”

Alison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian, is calling on nuclear operator EDF to learn lessons from this week’s unplanned reactor shutdown at Torness.

The first information about Sunday’s fault was via the media yesterday (Mon) evening with EDF failing to place any details on their website or Twitter.

Scottish Greens understand a letter to local liaison committee members in East Lothian is being issued by EDF, citing a fault with electrical protection equipment.

Alison Johnstone said:

“While it’s a relief the shutdown did not result in any apparent power outage or environmental damage it’s baffling EDF did not seek to inform the public any earlier. Incidents such as these reinforce the view that the nuclear industry has a culture of secrecy.

“Scotland’s energy future is clearly in renewables and I look forward to the day we don’t need to worry about problems at nuclear plants on our doorstep.”

Government ministers have admitted they have no idea how reliable Scotland’s bus services are, in answers to questions from Patrick Harvie, Green MSP for Glasgow.

Bus users have been inundating Mr Harvie’s Better Buses website – www.betterbuses.org – with complaints about the poor reliability of services in Scotland’s biggest city.

In answers to Parliamentary Questions tabled by the Green MSP, Transport Minister Keith Brown admits data on bus punctuality is not gathered by the Government and no data is broken down by bus operator to enable comparisons in performance to be made.

This is despite Scotland having a grandly-titled “traffic commissioner” who has a target of 95% of buses to be no more than 5 minutes late, or 1 minute early.

By contrast, in England and Wales, consumer watchdog Passenger Focus has carried out wide scale surveys of bus passengers, comparing performances of different companies and in different areas. Patrick Harvie has tabled a motion in the Scottish Parliament calling on the Scottish Government to fund a similar survey in Scotland.

Mr Harvie said:

“It is essential the profit-driven private operators who have a strangehold on Glasgow’s buses yet who receive public subsidy are forced to be less tardy. It’s appalling the government has no way of telling us whether targets are being met, nor which companies are the worst offenders.

“This is yet another example of SNP ministers treating anyone who uses a bus as a second class citizen. The experiences being submitted to the Better Buses website suggest the traffic commissioner’s target is pie in the sky.

“I suggest the minister finds some spare change in his enormous road-building budget to fund a survey so we can start tackling this important issue.”

Patrick’s motion is as follows:

“That the Parliament acknowledges the frustration of bus passengers when services do not run to time; notes that the Scottish Government does not gather information relating to bus punctuality, nor data that differentiates between different bus companies; notes that Passenger Focus has a statutory remit for bus users in England, outside London, and provides quality research data on buses by city, region and bus company; further notes that in Wales, where it has no statutory remit, Passenger Focus has undertaken a bus survey for the Welsh Assembly Government using the same methodology; and calls on the Scottish Government to commission and fully fund a Scotland-wide bus survey using the Passenger Focus methodology that will enable Scotland’s passengers to compare the performance of their bus companies with those in other places and to act as a bench mark from which improvements can be measured.”

Scottish Greens are warning more needs to be done to achieve accountability in the planned merger of Scotland’s fire brigades and police forces.

While still opposed to the idea of a single national police force, Greens acknowledge that with SNP and Labour backing the move, the principle will be agreed.

Following today’s (10 May) debate in the Scottish Parliament on the SNP Government’s Police and Fire Reform Bill, Greens are calling on ministers to look again at national and local accountability, including giving community representatives a say in how services are delivered in their areas.

Patrick Harvie, Green MSP for Glasgow, said:

“Community representatives should be able to influence fire and police budgets in their areas. The new single services will be reliant on central government funding, resulting in less financial flexibility. And it is unclear how competing national and local priorities will be resolved.

“There will need to be accountability at national level, through Parliament, and that will always run the risk that the top jobs will become politicised. This is a bigger concern with policing than with the fire and rescue service – a national Chief Constable would become a figure with the clout to challenge a Justice Minister, and the experience of London shows that political policing is a dangerous thing.”

Scottish Greens are welcoming analysis suggesting new nuclear plants are not commercially viable, and are urging Scottish and UK ministers to press ahead with a renewables revolution.

It is understood French nuclear developer EDF, one two groups planning new plants in England, has in the space of a year almost doubled the cost of building a nuclear facility to seven billion pounds.

Analysis by Citi group suggests this would make nuclear the most expensive form of electricity generation and would put pressure on government to back it to the tune of billions.

While the Scottish Government is against new nuclear, it says it is happy to extend the life of existing plants in Scotland.

Patrick Harvie, Green MSP for Glasgow, said:

“Greens have always been clear that Scotland’s energy future lies in our abundance of renewable resources. We don’t need dirty and dwindling fossil fuels and we don’t need to extend the life of antiquated nuclear plants.

“Those who object to renewable forms of energy such as wind often claim it’s expensive and when pressed usually advocate nuclear as a solution. This latest analysis of costs must surely be a nail in the coffin for that argument.”

Scottish Greens are backing members of the PCS and Unite unions who are set to strike tomorrow (10 May) in protest at planned cuts to their pensions.

Scotland’s two Green MSPs – Patrick Harvie who represents Glasgow and Alison Johnstone who represents Lothian – will show support for the workers by refusing to cross the picket line outside the Scottish Parliament.

The UK government plans to increase the amount public sector workers pay into their pension, raise their retirement age and introduce career-average pensions.

The Greens backed the day of strike action last November which saw 7,000 people take part in a rally outside Holyrood. Workers affected include cleaners, nurses, teachers and civil servants.

Green MSP Patrick Harvie said: “Public sector pensions are affordable and sustainable. It’s not a great surprise these workers are being attacked by David Cameron and his well-off coalition cronies. But the lack of backbone being shown by the SNP and Labour is baffling.

“People in their 60s should have a choice about working longer rather than being forced to. Greens will always stand up for equality and fairness. Scotland should be united in seeking decent pensions for all workers, whether public or private.”

The reliability of Glasgow’s buses is under the spotlight as a survey by MSP Patrick Harvie reveals the extent of passengers’ frustration.

As part of the Green MSP’s “Better Buses” campaign, eye-catching posters have been designed featuring a smartly-dressed commuter whose bus is taking so long to turn up he has expired.

The Better Buses on-line forum includes a survey about bus services and so far 148 people have completed it, with 72 per cent disagreeing or disagreeing strongly with the statement: “buses are reliable”.

Mr Harvie has submitted a series of questions to the Scottish Government on this topic.

He said:

“Half of households in Glasgow have no access to a car so the reliability of buses is crucial, especially for people trying to get to work and meet other appointments. The survey results show how profit-driven private operators and a disinterested Government are letting passengers down.

“I have asked ministers to explain if they’re keeping a check on punctuality. If we are serious about making public transport an attractive option and a genuine public service we must crack down on unreliability.

“I recently highlighted the views of contributors to the Better Buses forum in the Scottish Parliament chamber. I aim to give bus users a loud voice that can’t be ignored.”

The campaign can also be followed on Twitter.

Community groups Greener Leith and PEDAL have hit a stumbling block with their plans for a community wind turbine.

Alison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian, said:

“The community wind turbine at Seafield is an excellent proposal, supported by local Greens, and it’s a real blow to learn of this bureaucratic impasse.

“I urge Scottish Water, its PFI partners and the Scottish Government to get round the table and sort this out. This valuable renewable energy project giving direct benefits to the communities of Leith and Portobello deserves saving.

“I have asked Scottish Water for more information and will press ministers on the issue.”

Ahead of this Saturday’s Pedal on Parliament Lothian MSP Alison Johnstone is highlighting the actions already taken by the Scottish Greens to progress the issue of safe cycling.
 
In early March Greens called for a summit on the issue, prompting SNP Transport Minister Keith Brown to invite cycling representatives to a regular meeting of the Road Safety Operational Partnership on 21 March. The minutes of the meeting have just been approved by the minister and show a small number of minor actions to be taken up by various organisations.
 
Since 21 March Greens have used limited debate time at Holyrood to progress the issue, getting cross-party backing for a package of measures including more training for children, infrastructure upgrades and 20mph zones.
 
Alison Johnstone has also lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament urging MSPs to support Pedal on Parliament and she is setting up a cross-party group at Holyrood to discuss cycling issues.
 
Alison Johnstone, Green MSP for Lothian, said:
 
“I’m looking forward to taking part in Pedal on Parliament. I will continue to make the case for action on cycling which has so many benefits for health, the environment and people’s pockets.
 
“Greens have already made a difference by securing cross-party backing for on-road training for every child in Scotland, a rolling programme of infrastructure upgrades and more 20mph zones in residential and shopping areas. SNP ministers must now deliver.”