Category: Press Releases

PRESS RELEASE : Scottish First Minister and COP27 [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Scottish Government on 7 November 2022.

The First Minister will today call on world leaders to deliver on the commitments they made in the Glasgow Climate Pact, as she attends the first full day of the COP27 climate conference in Egypt.

The First Minister will take part in an all-female panel discussion on financing decarbonisation with government leaders, including the Prime Minister of Barbados.

The First Minister will also meet representatives of countries from the Global South to hear their experiences of the climate crisis and what they want to see delivered at the climate talks.

Ahead of the formal opening of COP27 the First Minister met on Sunday with the Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC Simon Stiell, Director General of the International Organization for Migration Antonio Vitorino and Prime Minister Mia Mottley of Barbados.

The First Minister said:

“COP26 in Glasgow delivered real progress on tackling the climate crisis, with strengthened commitments to curb emissions, build resilience to climate change, and provide the finance needed to reach net zero. World leaders must use the next two weeks to take meaningful steps to deliver on the promises made in the Glasgow Climate Pact.

“We are gathering against a tense backdrop and the geopolitical landscape has changed significantly in the last year, not least as a result of Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine. However the climate crisis has not gone away and the answer to many of the global crises we face, such as energy security and food shortages, lies in going faster.

“For many countries, particularly in the global south, this must be the COP where the global north not only delivers on our promises to finance adaptation and mitigation, but recognises the need to address the loss and damage experienced by countries already impacted by climate change.

“Last year, Scotland became the first developed nation to pledge finance to address loss and damage and others have now followed suit, including Wallonia and Denmark. This shows just how important the action of smaller governments can be, and I know many countries and campaigners hope to see other countries, particularly in the north, step up and make COP in Egypt the loss and damage COP.”

November 10, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Scotland to mark the Royal Coronation [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Scottish Government on 6 November 2022.

Celebrating His Majesty the King.

Monday 8 May 2023 will be a national bank holiday to mark the Coronation of His Majesty King Charles III.

This will allow individuals, businesses and other organisations in Scotland to celebrate the Coronation.

His Majesty King Charles III’s Coronation will take place on Saturday 6 May 2023, and the introduction of an additional bank holiday on the following Monday will result in a three-day “Coronation Weekend”.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said:

“The Coronation will be an historic moment for Scotland, and the Scottish Government wants to give as many people as possible the opportunity to join the celebrations.

“Scotland will want to send its best wishes to His Majesty, King Charles III, and The Queen Consort.”

Background

This bank holiday will operate in the same way as other bank holidays, and there is no statutory entitlement to time off. Employers may include bank holidays as part of a worker’s leave entitlement.

The bank holiday will be for one year only and The Proclamation of the bank holiday will be delivered to the Privy Council in time for the meeting of Wednesday 9 November.

November 10, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Extension to Edinburgh recovery service [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Scottish Government on 3 November 2022.

Residential rehabilitation capacity increased through Scottish Government funding.

Additional residential rehabilitation and detox capacity has been created at a life-saving drugs service in Lothian with almost £3.3 million of Scottish Government funding.

Lothian and Edinburgh Abstinence Programme (LEAP) has added eight residential rehabilitation places and four detox places – bringing the total number to 28 and 12 respectively – in one of the first projects to be funded through the Residential Rehabilitation Rapid Capacity Programme.

This contributes towards the Scottish Government’s aim to treble the number of publicly funded residential rehabilitation placements to 1,000 by 2026.

Drugs Policy Minister Angela Constance said:

“I am pleased to launch these additional services at LEAP which provide invaluable, life-saving care to people affected by substance use in Edinburgh and the Lothians.

“Of course, work on residential rehab is not just about creating more beds. We want to improve pathways through and out of residential rehab, and LEAP is a perfect example of good practice in this area with their three-month holistic programme of therapeutic care.

“We are investing £250 million over the course of this Parliament in a range of different treatments and services in order that all those affected, and their families, can receive the support which is right for them when they need it. £100 million of this is available for the development of residential rehabilitation services and associated aftercare.”

LEAP Clinical lead Dr David McCartney said:

“We are thrilled to be launching significant developments to the LEAP residential rehabilitation service including improved access, greater capacity and more comprehensive aftercare.

“These improvements are being made possible due to investment from the Scottish Government and the Lothian Alcohol and Drug Partnerships. LEAP and our partners will see improved outcomes for our patients and their families who are struggling with addiction to substances, helping them move to recovery – something that will benefit individuals, families and communities.”

November 10, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Supporting children and families in Scotland [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Scottish Government on 3 November 2022.

Early learning and childcare savings.

Families of more than 83,200 children are saving around £5,000 per eligible child per year, thanks to the Scottish Government’s Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) offer.

Latest figures show a year-on-year increase in children accessing funded ELC.

The number taking up the full offer of 1,140 hours a year is also up from this time last year. If families paid for this themselves, it would cost them around £5,000 per eligible child per year.

A total of 93,902 children aged two to five were accessing funded ELC at the start of September – a 3% rise from the same time last year. Of those, 83,237 – 89% – were benefiting from the 1,140 hours offer.

Children’s Minister Clare Haughey said:

“Scotland is the only part of the UK to offer 1,140 hours a year of funded early learning and childcare to all three and four-year-olds and eligible two-year-olds.

“This offer saves families a significant amount of money, which is particularly important at a time when so many are struggling with cost of living pressures. It also supports parents into work, training or study.

“High-quality ELC benefits children, too, by enriching their early years and giving them the confidence and skills they need to prepare them for school.

“We intend to expand our childcare offer even further, including building a future system of school age childcare and a new early learning and childcare offer for one and two-year-olds, starting with those who need it most.”

COSLA Children and Young People Spokesperson Councillor Tony Buchanan said:

“I’m pleased that today’s figures confirm that nearly 94,000 two to five-year-old children are accessing funded Early Learning and Childcare delivered by Scotland’s Councils and their partners, which represents a 3% increase on the position a year ago.

“A greater proportion of children are accessing the full 1,140 hours entitlement, compared with April this year. The increased availability of funded ELC is allowing children more time to play and learn, and more opportunities for parents and carers to work, study or volunteer, as well significant financial savings for families at a time when this is so desperately needed.”

November 10, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : New stats show Wales remains a high recycling nation [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 10 November 2022.

Wales has long been a stand-out performer in the UK when it comes to recycling rates and the new stats published today show that the national recycling rate has exceeded the statutory target of 64%, with a rate of 65.2%.

The Welsh Government’s £1billion investment since devolution in municipal recycling has helped see rates catapult from just 4.8% in 1998-1999, to more than 65% today.

In 2024-25, the statutory target will be raised to 70%, which has remarkably already been met by four Welsh local authorities: Conwy, Vale of Glamorgan, Bridgend and Pembrokeshire.

In total, sixteen of Wales’ twenty-two local authorities have exceeded this year’s statutory minimum target of 64%, with ten local authorities reported an increase in performance on the previous year.

The recycling rate is the percentage of local authority municipal waste that is reused, recycled or composted, and in a true Team Wales effort household waste per person has decreased when compared with last year’s figures.

This supports the Welsh Government’s ‘Beyond Recycling’ ambition which has set a bold target to achieve zero waste in Wales by 2050 by moving to a circular economy which keeps resources in use.

According to the last global study from Eunomia in 2017, Wales was ranked third in the world behind Germany and Taiwan on the global recycling leader board.

Figures released earlier this year also showed Wales was the only UK nation to uphold stellar recycling rates during the pandemic, with the other nations of the UK seeing a drop in performance.

As world leaders gather in Egypt for COP27, Wales can be proud that its recycling efforts already make a significant difference to emissions, saving around 400,000 tonnes of CO2 per year from being released into the atmosphere.

Minister for Climate Change, Julie James said:

These brilliant stats show us exactly what can be achieved when we all work together to tackle climate change and put in the hard work to ensure we’re building a green and prosperous Wales for future generations.

Earlier this week, I cautioned world leaders gathering at COP27 that now is ‘not the time to rest’. The same goes for us here in Wales.

Our recycling track record is a fantastic platform for us to build on to tackle the climate and nature emergencies – and now is not the time to get complacent.

We have recently introduced a Bill to ban the blight of single-use plastics that damage our wildlife and environment – and we’re working to make sure those companies responsible for the most commonly-littered items that blight our communities and countryside, cover the clean-up costs.

Local authority recycling targets will increase to 70% in a matter of years, and while I’m thrilled some councils here are already going above and beyond, I ask everybody in Wales to continue the great progress we’ve made on this journey for the common good – and really think before throwing away.

November 10, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Wales edges closer to target with 20 millionth tree planted in Uganda [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 9 November 2022.

The Mbale Trees Programme – orchestrated by the long-standing Wales and Africa initiative – aims to plant 25 million trees by 2025 in the hilly, heavily deforested area of eastern Uganda in a bid to increase community resilience to the impacts of climate change.

Working with the charity Size of Wales, the Mount Elgon Tree Growing Enterprise (METGE) and four other local NGOs, distribute free tree seedlings are distributed to local farmers and schools to be planted on smallholdings and land in the community.

The tree planting programme is having a significant impact on the area. Satellite imagery has shown tree gain within 5km of nursery sites is seven times higher than further away

It is also reducing the need for logging of mature, established trees at the edges of forests further away, including the Mount Elgon National Park, as well as providing a sustainable fuel wood source.

Benefits from the tree planting programme also include: producing fruit to improve nutrition and health of local families, providing medicine for local families and fodder for animals, providing shade and shelter for crops, schools and farmsteads, stabilising slopes, and providing forage for bees and other pollinators.

The programme also helps install fuel efficient stoves to reduce the need for firewood and works with women to increase their participation in climate change action across the region.

The programme, which aims to plant more than 3 million trees a year, is helping communities living on the front line of the climate crisis adapt and improve their livelihoods.

More than 100 staff have been recruited and 50 community-led tree nurseries have been created.

The project links with the Welsh Government’s Plant! Scheme, planting two trees for every child born or adopted in Wales – one planted in Uganda and one planted here in Wales.

Minister for Social Justice Jane Hutt met with representatives from METGE and Size of Wales at the Temple of Peace earlier this week (November 7) to congratulate them on their progress and discuss the future of the tree planting programme.

She said:

This isn’t just about planting trees, it’s about engaging people of all ages in Wales and Africa on climate change and the importance of trees and forests as part of the solution.

We have made phenomenal progress in recent years, edging towards our ambitious target of 25million trees planted by 2025, benefitting not just the environment but many people’s livelihoods too.

Minister for Climate Change Julie James said:

The Mbale Trees programme and Plant! show our commitment to tackling the climate emergency, by both raising awareness of the plight of deforestation and how we can tackle it.

Reaching the milestone of planting 20 million trees in Uganda just as world leaders are preparing to gather for COP27 and to mark Decarbonisation Day, shows how through persistence and working together we can make a real difference.

Our pledge to plant three million more trees every year for the next five years will deliver substantial benefits, not just for people living in the Mbale region, but much wider as it will have a considerable impact on climate change.

Director of Size of Wales, Nicola Pulman, said:

This programme is important for both the global and local climate. The landmark of 20 million trees is an important one and is a testament to the efforts of the communities and local organisations in Mbale, who have worked tirelessly to make it happen.

This programme has become well-known across the region and is changing peoples’ attitudes to trees. This will benefit not just the environment, but future generations to come.

George M. Sikoyo, Executive Director at the Mount Elgon Tree Growing Enterprise (METGE), said:

Hitting the 20 million trees landmark is great news! It authenticates the partnership and determination that METGE and Size of Wales have and with funding from the Welsh Government, which is highly appreciated, to reverse environmental degradation and increase climate resilience in the Mount Elgon region of Uganda.

The tree planting programme is playing an integral role in land restoration and making it more sustaining for farmers, their community and entire landscapes.

These collective benefits of trees help to enhance food security, self-reliance, economic development besides resilience to climate change and environmental restoration.

November 10, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Cost of Living Support for Further Education Students in Wales [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Welsh Government on 8 November 2022.

Full-time Further Education is Free

Full-time learners in Wales can access further education free of charge, regardless of age. Funding is also available for learners undertaking a range of part-time courses in further education, contact your FE college to find out what you could be entitled to.

Free Meals

You might be eligible for Free Meals for Learners during the college holidays. The Minister for Education and Welsh Language has recently extended this in Wales until the end of March 2023.

Help with study costs

If you’re aged 16-18, you could be eligible for £30 a week in Education Maintenance Allowance to help with the costs of full-time further education, like transport or meals.

If you’re 19 and over, you could qualify for a Welsh Government Learning Grant for further education to help with study costs. Full-time students can get up to £1,500 and up to £750 is available for part-time studies.

Financial hardship support

The Financial Contingency Fund can help eligible learners in a FE college who are facing financial difficulties. This could help with costs such as fees, course related costs, transport, meals, and childcare costs. The type of support provided, and eligibility is determined by the individual FE college.

Free Period Products

Your FE college has had funding to ensure access to period products, free of charge, in the most dignified way possible. The funding should be used to support everyone in the college community who needs access to period products, prioritising those from low-income households.

Help with transport costs

Help with transport costs to college may also be available. Contact your college or local authority to see if you should apply.

MyTravelPass provides up to 30% off travel costs in Wales. You must be aged 16 to 21 and the pass isn’t limited to just transport to school or college.

Further information

Visit Student Finance Wales or your FE college’s website for further advice and help on what financial support is available.

November 10, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : UK aid funding open to Oxfam [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 November 2022.

Oxfam can once again bid for UK aid funding to carry out lifesaving work around the world, Minister for Development Andrew Mitchell announced today.

A pause was put on the charity bidding for funding in 2021 while an external investigation was carried out into safeguarding allegations in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).

Since then, the charity has made significant improvements to its safeguarding systems in DRC – this includes the appointment of a national safeguarding advisor, a new network of safeguarding experts who work across their offices and respond to concerns, and training for staff on how to report a concern.

These measures are all in addition to other actions taken by Oxfam since 2018 to improve their overall safeguarding approach.

UK Minister for Development Andrew Mitchell said:

Oxfam has made significant improvements to how it deals with safeguarding, including introducing more effective preventative measures.

However, we are not complacent. We want to encourage reporting and a robust but sensitive response in every case, ensuring more reporting and better responses to cases. All providers of aid must have practices in place to make sure that safeguarding is always put first and foremost in planning and operations.

In February 2018, the Charity Commission announced a statutory inquiry into Oxfam, following safeguarding allegations in Haiti. Oxfam voluntarily withdrew from bidding for new UK aid and the pause remained in place since, apart from a short period in 2021. Oxfam has since invested in and expanded its safeguarding function and increased oversight by appointing their first Ethics and Integrity Director to uphold standards across the organisation. It has also introduced mandatory safeguarding training for staff working around the world.

Since 2018 the UK has made huge progress in tackling abuse in the sector and used its convening power and funding to improve safeguarding standards, identify perpetrators and support survivors and victims.

This includes backing a tougher screening system, which allows charities to share data about staff misconduct and stop perpetrators moving from job-to-job, working with Interpol and the UK’s ACRO Criminal Record Office on Project Soteria to improve criminal records checks and promote information sharing between aid and law enforcement agencies. It has also launched a £10 million Resource and Support Hub to support aid organisations operating on the ground to improve their safeguarding standards.

November 10, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Report by Head of OSCE Mission to Moldova – UK response [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 November 2022.

Deputy Ambassador Deirdre Brown thanks Head of OSCE Mission to Moldova, Ambassador Keiderling, for their efforts to support peace and stability in Moldova.

Thank you, Mr Chair, and welcome Ambassador Keiderling to the Permanent Council. Thank you for your report.

Russia’s unprovoked and unjustified invasion of Ukraine has had a significant impact on Moldova, the region and globally. Moldovans have shown generosity and hospitality to more than half a million refugees, including around 90,000 who remain in the country. To echo President Sandu’s words, Moldova is living the reality of a devastating war at its borders. A war that is killing innocent people in Ukraine and endangering regional stability and European Security. Russian missiles targeting Ukrainian infrastructure have infringed Moldovan airspace and territory and, because of the war, Moldova is going through a major energy crisis with winter looming. Gazprom’s decision to reduce supply of gas to Moldova is unjustified and appears to be designed to cause hardship to citizens on both banks of the Nistru river.

Ambassador, we thank the OSCE Mission for your continued efforts in monitoring the Security Zone and we underline the importance of freedom of movement of Mission members in order to carry out this important function.

We agree with your assessment of the importance of ongoing talks between Chisinau and Tiraspol and thank the Mission for its support to, and facilitation of, 1+1 meetings. With citizens on both sides of the Nistru united in their desire for peace and security, the current situation provides grounds for optimism that we might soon see movement towards a settlement of the conflict which respects Moldova’s sovereignty and territorial integrity within its internationally recognised borders, and with a special status for Transnistria.

The Mission’s ‘Conflict Prevention and Resolution programme’ remains vitally important, including on confidence building measures and preventing and reducing tensions, as well as monitoring and investigating efforts. We regret that there have been, again, no developments in the withdrawal of illegally deployed Russian troops and ammunition. We once again call on Russia to remove its forces stationed in the Transnistrian region of the Republic of Moldova without host nation consent, in accordance with UN General Assembly Resolutions. And we call on Russia to urgently formulate a proposal for resumption of the process of removal and destruction of ammunition from the Cobasna site. The continued presence of the ammunition at the site is a concern and is due to Russia’s refusal to engage over many years. Russia would bear the responsibility for the human and environmental tragedy that would ensue in the event of an accident.

Ambassador, we echo your call for the sides to work towards full implementation of the “Berlin-plus package”, including on number plates, telecommunications and access to farmlands. We are pleased by the Mission’s continued efforts on Women Peace and Security including through skills enhancing workshops with members of the Joint Expert Working Groups. We encourage a continued focus on the human rights situation on both sides of the Nistru, particularly with regards to freedom of expression on the left bank. We echo your concerns about the amendments introducing criminal liability for complaints made against Transnistrian authorities, which will discourage the filing of complaints, not only to the Moldovan authorities but also to international institutions. We support your ongoing work to ensure access to justice for victims of gender-based violence, including human trafficking and other serious and organised crime.

The United Kingdom remains committed to supporting Moldova in its reform agenda. We welcome OSCE’s participation in the Anti-corruption Working Group of the Moldova Support Platform, which the UK is pleased to co-chair with our Romanian colleagues under strategic direction of the Moldovan authorities.

Finally, Ambassador Keiderling, I would like to thank you for your strong leadership during your initial few months. I also thank the Mission staff, as well as Special Representative Mayr-Harting, for their dedication and professionalism during a difficult year. The United Kingdom will continue to support you and the Mission in fulfilling your mandate and to support peace and stability for the people of Moldova over the coming year and beyond.

November 10, 2022
PRESS RELEASE : Natural flood management work resumes to increase flood resilience in Leeds [November 2022]

The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 10 November 2022.

Natural flood management work to increase flood resilience across the Aire catchment in Leeds continues as the next tree planting season is set to begin.

The Environment Agency, working alongside Leeds City Council and other partners, will be implementing a range of nature-based solutions across the Upper Aire catchment to reduce flood risk in the area as part of the Leeds Flood Alleviation Scheme’s Natural Flood Management project. Natural flood management can help to reduce flood risk by mimicking natural processes and slowing the flow of water.

At the end of the last planting season, £3.7m had been invested in the scheme so far with a further £1.1m forecast for this year.

Two major interventions for the project are soil aeration and tree planting, delivered by landowners and strategic partners on behalf of the Environment Agency, and the White Rose Forest respectively.

Soil aeration helps increase the storage capacity of water in the ground by using a machine to poke holes into compacted soil and allow air, water and nutrients to penetrate through. This reduces surface water run-off that could contribute to peak flows in rivers and their connected streams, therefore reducing flood risk. This technique is also beneficial as it makes soil rich and fertile for growing crops.

So far 288 hectares of soil aeration has been successfully carried out, with a further 218 hectares currently being delivered, or in the pipeline.

Meanwhile, over 410,000 trees have been planted in the catchment and, as the next tree planting season begins, the Environment Agency and partners have set an ambitious target of over 100,000 trees to be planted between October 2022 and March 2023. This equates to approximately 55 hectares or 77 football pitches.

Jenny Longley, Area flood risk manager at the Environment Agency, said:
The Environment Agency is committed to providing the highest protection against flooding in Leeds.

Alongside our traditional flood defences, nature-based solutions can reduce flood risks and have a range of positive benefits for the city such as increased biodiversity, and improved habitat and water quality.

We’re excited to be working with our partners to deliver this work as part of the Leeds scheme, which will ensure the area is more resilient to the impacts of climate change.

Councillor Helen Hayden, Leeds City Council’s executive member for infrastructure and climate, said:

Increasing the flood resilience of Leeds is an important part of our response to the climate emergency.

When complete in 2023, the engineering works on Leeds FAS2 will provide significant flood protection to thousands of residents and hundreds of businesses in Leeds. These sustainable, nature-based solutions will complement our engineered defences, and ensure that the FAS2 scheme is even more resilient to the effects of climate change.

We are proud to be working with the Environment Agency on a natural flood management scheme of this scale and delighted that we are on track to have planted over half a million trees by March 2023, as well as completing vast areas of soil aeration and other Natural Flood Management techniques.

This work allows us to slow the flow of water and considerably reduce flood risk, and also capture huge amounts of carbon, create a range of habitats for wildlife, increase the efficiency of farmland in our region, and create areas of natural beauty for residents to enjoy for generations to come.

Other natural flood risk measures are also being delivered through an innovative platform known as NatureBid. The NatureBid project is an auction that provides the opportunity for landowners and farmers to bid for funding to conduct targeted natural flood management measures onto their land. The auction was carried out last year; successful bids began being implemented across the catchment over the summer and will continue through this planting season up to March 2023.

Some of the measures that will be carried out from the NatureBid 2 project include tree planting, soil aeration, creating new hedgerows and buffer strips, and installing leaky dams, which all help to slow the flow of water in the catchment and reduce peak flows downstream and in doing so decrease the risk of flooding.

Natural Flood Management also offers wider benefits including improving soil health, improving habitats and providing greater biodiversity for wildlife and increasing carbon sequestration.

Read more about natural flood management in the Upper Aire catchment on Leeds City Council’s Commonplace website.

If you have land and are interested in tree planting, visit the White Rose Forest’s website on www.whiteroseforest.org/aireriver.

November 10, 2022