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Until and unless the Executive becomes much more focused on getting results for the money it spends, we can have all the well-meaning debates we like, but we will not necessarily get where we want to go.
That would allow representatives from both sides of the small business community—employers and trade unions—to get much more actively involved with the Parliament and Executive in the development of the business agenda in Scotland.
However, we do not think that simply waiting would be good policy or good decision making. We want to get on and to bring about those benefits by ensuring that the very large coal trains are removed from the Forth rail bridge and can get to Longannet by a more direct route.
Against the background of that difficult problem, there is an increasing emphasis on early intervention at the right time, to avoid families getting into a position where children are damaged in the long term by those early difficulties.
If we are going to move Scotland on, it would be helpful if we could agree that those two elements are in place and consider practical ways of getting that message across rather than try to deny it.