SNP Conference will this week hear a proposal for a special Scottish loyalty points scheme to reward the purchase of healthy Scots produce in corner shops and supermarkets.

Reward Shoppers for Buying Scottish Goods - The Scotsman, 15th April 2009 

Call for reward for shoppers who buy Scottish produce - STV, 15th April 2009

The proposal put forward by SNP MSP Aileen Campbell for a “Saltire” label is based on a similar “Shamrock” scheme in Ireland which sees receipts marked with Shamrocks next to purchases of Irish produce and supermarkets and stores offering loyalty points specifically for purchases of “Shamrock” items.

Ms Campbell is proposing the scheme as a means of encouraging shoppers to purchase Scottish produce, to support our farmers and food producers and to cut food miles.

Aileen Campbell, SNP MSP for South of Scotland, has warmly welcomed news that an archaeological discovery near Biggar has been confirmed as evidence of the oldest human habitation in Scotland. 

Flint find at Biggar adds 3000 years to Scottish man - The Times, 9 April 2009

Scotland's most ancient home found - at 14,000 years old - The Scotsman, 9 April 2009 

Scotland's oldest ever human settlement discovered in Biggar - STV, 9 April 2009

Members of the Biggar Archaeology Group discovered the flint artefacts at Howburn Farm, near Elsrickle by Biggar in 2005, but the dating process has only recently confirmed that the artefacts are around 14,000 years old (dating to 12,000BC) – making them the earliest example of human habitation in Scotland.  The story has been included in the March/April edition of British Archaeology Magazine.

Aileen Campbell has sent her congratulations to the group, and has lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament to mark the discovery.  The Biggar Archaeology Group is now encouraging any interested volunteers to join them on a ‘Big Dig’ at the site, starting on 2nd May, to fully excavate the site.

Aileen has launched a campaign calling on people across Scotland to donate their unwanted and unloved musical instruments to be passed on to children across the country to give them the opportunity to enjoy the benefits of music. The campaign has the support of Franz Ferdinand bassist Bob Hardy.

Musical cast-offs play it again - BBC News, 2nd January 2009

Franz Ferdinand bassist in call for old instruments - The Herald, January 2009

Franz Ferdinand star's guitar gift to budding musicians - Daily Record, 2 January 2009

Bassits backs instruments campaign - Scotsman, 2 January 2009