MSP CONGRATULATES YOUNG BROCH FOOTBALLERS ON VALIANT EFFORT

Banff & Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson has congratulated the team from Fraserburgh Academy on their strong performance in tonight’s Scottish School’s Football Association Senior Shield Final at Hampden Park in Glasgow.

Mr Stevenson, who attended tonight’s match at the invitation of the SSFA, watched the Broch hold Inverkeithing High to a nil-nil draw for 120 minutes only to be pipped at the last minute on penalties, going down 4-3.

Speaking from Hampden after the match, Mr Stevenson said:

“This was an excellent match with both teams having their chances throughout. Unfortunately, when it came to it, the Broch were just pipped at the post on penalties and they can hold their heads high.

“This was a terrific achievement to reach the final of this national competition and a great honour to play at our national stadium. Both teams conducted themselves in a spirit of complete sportsmanship and were a credit to their schools.

“I am sure that Fraserburgh Academy will continue their excellent record in national competitions.”

Fraserburgh Academy To Be Cheered on By Local MSP At Hampden

Banff & Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson will be cheering on the team from Fraserburgh Academy tomorrow (Thursday) when they take to the pitch at Hampden Park for the Scottish Schools’ Football Association Senior Shield Final.

Mr Stevenson has been invited to attend as local MSP to watch the final, when the Broch will play Inverkeithing High.

Commenting, Mr Stevenson said:

“Fraserburgh Academy is notching up an extremely impressive record with teams from the Broch winning through to the finals of several major national competitions, such as the Global Rock Challenge, ‘Young Consumers’ of the Year and now the Scottish School’s Football Final.

“These are all tremendous achievements and reflect extremely well on the pupils involved and the school in general.

“I have already written to Rector Brian Thomson with my congratulations to the team on making it to the final and I hope that the Broch team can go all the way and bring the trophy home to Fraserburgh.”

LOCAL MSP WELCOMES BIG LOTTERY FUND PROPOSALS

Banff and Buchan MSP Stewart Stevenson has welcomed an announcement by the Big Lottery Fund (BLF) who undertook a major UK wide consultation asking for people’s views about the kind of funder they wanted the BLF to be and how they wanted it to work.

Commenting on the Big Lottery Fund’s proposals, Mr Stevenson said:

“I am delighted by the news that the BLF received over 2,900 responses to their consultation, which goes to prove that the Lottery is highly regarded as a main funding body by many groups and voluntary organisations. I am equally pleased that the BLF have taken account of these and have used them to inform future direction.

“It is good news that the BLF have decided to adopt a mixed approach to funding, with no less than a third of their portfolio being delivered via demand-led, lightly prescribed, accessible programmes which will include an expanded Awards for All scheme.

“I welcome the plan to introduce more flexibility in the length of funding and the fact the the BLF will adopt the principle of full cost recovery by allowing legitimate overhead costs to be recovered by voluntary and community organisations.

“I very much look forward to learning the results of the second phase when they are announced next month and when they will make available their new portfolio of programmes. Maximising lottery funds for Banff & Buchan remains one of my top priorities and these changes should help make funding more accessable.”

MSP WELCOMES CRIMOND SCHOOL REPORT

Banff and Buchan SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson has written to the Headteacher of Crimond School, congratulating her and her staff following the publication of the latest HM Inspector of Education (HMIe) report on Crimond School.

Commenting on the report Mr Stevenson said:

“This is an A1 report, which has been achieved thanks to the commitment of the headteacher and staff at Crimond School. The school is leading the way in providing a very high standard of education.

“Numerous key strengths were identified during the report and I am sure that the efforts of all involved at the school has not gone unnoticed by parents, nor the wider community.

“The school is a prime illustration of what can be attained, and I am sure that Crimond School will continue to go from strength to strength.”

No Fooling – Government Figures Don't Add Up

SNP Research has revealed widespread errors in Scottish Executive answers provided to MSPs.

Banff and Buchan MSP, Stewart Stevenson has today [Friday] submitted a specimen set of 31 questions asking for Parliamentary Answers from 26 ministers, past and present and including mathematician Jack McConnell, to be updated in the light of errors in totalling arithmetic.

Speaking today, Stevenson said,

“We have always treated government numbers with scepticism but when I started to look in detail at minster's answers I was astonished at the widespread inability to make their numbers add up.

“In one week alone in February eleven answers were given with tables of data which were totalled. I found seven errors in that small number of questions.

“The Parliamentary search facility has enabled me to look at each minister's performance individually. Practically none has a perfect record.

“The SNP have never believed that a Labour government added up for Scotland. Now we know it.”