Scottish Government Growth Strategy

As an amendment to S4M-02808 in the name of John Swinney (Scottish Government Growth Strategy), leave out from "supports" to end and insert “believes that the UK Government’s austerity programme has failed, given that the UK economy has shrunk yet again despite repeated warnings to change course to avoid a double-dip recession; agrees that both the Scottish and UK governments need to pursue policies that will promote sustainable growth, secure employment and lead to a low-carbon economy, but fails to see how the SNP administration’s actions in cutting the housing budget by more than £100 million are consistent with pursuing shovel-ready projects;  is dismayed that, in the face of 100,000 unemployed young people,  the Scottish Government has seen fit to cut funding to colleges by more than 20%, following on from last year’s cut of more than 10%, and further calls for an urgent change of policy on procurement to prevent contracts such as the Forth Replacement Crossing being awarded to China, particularly at a time when Lanarkshire’s steel mills lie underused.”