Apr42017

SNP set to finally give go ahead on Pentland Studio

Scottish Conservatives
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4 Apr 2017

JCChoice

The Scottish Conservatives have welcomed the news that a major new film studio looks set to receive planning permission after ministers said they were minded to approve it.

The decision about whether to give the go ahead on the proposed £55 million Pentland Studio on the outskirts of Edinburgh had been with the Scottish Government for months, despite all funding being in place.

But developers received notice from the Scottish Government’s chief planner that ministers were intending to approve the application, subject to conditions and the completion of a planning obligation.

One of these conditions related to improving infrastructure on the Edinburgh city by-pass, but if completed it would provide Scotland with a world class 96-acre site with a water stage and six sound stages.

The latest instalment of the Avengers franchise recently began filming in Edinburgh, but not all of the filming can take place in Scotland due to the lack of a world leading film studio.

It is hoped that once completed, the new facilities could attract more programmes to be shot in Scotland, and help retain industry expertise.

Scottish Conservative culture spokesman Jackson Carlaw, who recently raised the matter of studio capacity at FMQs, said:

“Having dragged their feet for months I’m delighted that the Scottish Government has seen sense and decided to give this project the go ahead.

“Provided that the conditions of the approval are met, this should provide Scotland with an international, world leading film studio complex.

“I have no doubt that this will help attract major film and television productions to Scotland, and finally allow us to match and exceed facilities elsewhere in the UK.

“It will also give us a real opportunity to develop and nurture creative arts skills in Scotland, and give us the ability to retain talent rather than see it go elsewhere.

“Once finished, this new development will see us have a capacity and talent base to match the unrivalled variety of our natural landscape locations.”

The Scottish Conservatives urged the SNP to approve the application back in January:
http://www.scottishconservatives.com/2017/01/ministers-must-reveal-fate-of-55m-film-studio/

Apr42017

UKIP’s Foreign Affairs spokesman condemns yesterday’s devastating attack on innocent passengers of the St Petersburg Metro

UKIP
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UKIP’s Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs spokesman James Carver MEP condemned yesterday’s devastating attack on innocent passengers of the St Petersburg Metro, which left 14 dead and dozens more injured.

Mr Carver said: “My heartfelt sympathy goes to all those affected by this atrocity and to the Russian people. It was nothing less than an act of sheer barbarism.”

“This is the fifth time Russia’s transport infrastructure has been attacked since 2007 – all of which have claimed serious loss of life.

Apr42017

Disgraceful that Theresa May calls for closer UK ties with brutal Saudi Arabia

UKIP
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MargotParker.jpgResponding to calls from Theresa May today for closer ties with Saudi Arabia, UKIP’s Women’s and Equalities spokeswoman, Margot Parker MEP said:

“Whilst visiting Saudi Arabia, we call on the Prime Minister to raise the issue of horrific human rights abuse which takes place in that state every day.

“Theresa May must convey to the Saudi authorities that women are not second class citizens.

“To ignore brutal abuses on women and the flagrant discrimination against religious minorities in Saudi Arabia is to condone what is going on in this brutal regime.