Earlier this year the SNP led Scottish Executive refused to participate in a UK wide consultation on the disposal of nuclear waste. They indicated that they would not be in favour of deep storage (an option in the consultation which was also going to look for prospective sites) and despite the involvement of the Executive requiring no commitment to agree to the result of the consultation (given that certain aspects of the disposal of waste are devolved to the Scottish Parliament and Executive) they made a decision that Scotland would deal with Scotland’s waste. Well, it looks like they have been taken at their word. Peru has returned some Scottish nuclear waste back to source, clad only in a duffel coat with a label noting “please look after this waste”. Perhaps the waste sent to Sellafield and other sites south of the border might be returned too?
Thankfully for all concerned the matter falls within the general responsibility of “Blinky Dick”, Richard Lochhead Scotland’s environment and rural affairs secretary. That an intellectual giant with the capacity to digest multi-page reports and synthesise and analyse the information in seconds is in charge of policy matters in this area certainly helps me sleep safer. I would only sleep sounder if he allowed his assistant Stewart “Beaker” Stevenson to be involved in the process too.
Parochial? Us?
It’s clear that we need in this era of globalisation and interconnectedness is to pretend that the outside world doesn’t exist and that everything a True Scot needs to function is produced in Scotland.
I’m looking forward to seeing where this bites next. The Edinburgh International Festival is rather international don’t you think? Perhaps we need more Scottish acts in it? Or why Scots? Why not just people from the Lothians?