YOURSCOTLAND YOURVOICE ANATIONALCONVERSATION

IASKEVERYSCOTTOPAUSE ANDREFLECT,NOTJUSTON WHATKINDOFCOUNTRYWE ARE,BUTONTHEKINDOF COUNTRYWECOULDBE,THE KINDOFCOUNTRYWESHOULD BE.IAMCOMMITTEDTOANEW CHAPTERINSCOTTISH POLITICS,ONEINWHICHTHE STORYANDTHESCRIPTIS WRITTENBYTHEPEOPLEAND NOTJUSTBYTHEPOLITICIANS. , FIRST MINISTER OF , 14 AUGUST 2007

i A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE

© Crown copyright 2009

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Published by the Scottish Government, November 2009

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ii A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE

No man has a right to fix the boundary of the march of a nation; no man has a right to say to his country, “Thus far shalt thou go and no further”. Charles Stewart Parnell (1846-1891)

iii A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE

Scotland has a long and proud record of innovation and excellence in health and healthcare, with internationally recognised “medical schools alongside world-renowned clinical and scientific research. Our National Health Service is one of which we can similarly be proud. By wisely using already wide ranging devolved responsibilities for health and wellbeing on behalf of the people of Scotland we have changed the landscape of and potential for improving health and health inequalities. Huge strides have been made in reducing waiting times and our strategies to improve coronary heart disease, stroke and cancer services, among others, have brought with them significant improvements for patients. What has been done is testament to what can be achieved and I am certain that with full powers and responsibilities in an independent nation we can and will achieve much more.”

Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health & Wellbeing

iv A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE

v A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE

For far too long we have been at the mercy of financial and economic decisions taken outside Scotland. Under the current “framework, key economic policy levers, including responsibility for supporting the economy during downturns and the operation of the tax system, are withheld from the Scottish Government. This cannot be in the best interests of the Scottish economy; not now and not for the long- term. Now is the time for change. In order for Scotland to achieve its full potential we must have greater responsibility for our own economy.”

Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth

vi A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE

vii A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE

The current constitutional settlement places limits on Scotland’s ability to fully capitalise on the economic benefits our education and skills system offers us. In “particular our employment and benefits system must be structured to help as many people as possible from all parts of Scotland into sustainable employment. This can be best achieved by placing the needs and expectations of the people of Scotland at the heart of its design and operation.”

Cabinet Secretary for Education and Lifelong Learning

viii A National Conversation – YOUR SCOTLAND, YOUR VOICE

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