Tag: Scottish Government

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.”

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

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.

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

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.”

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

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.”

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

Multi-agency taskforce to ensure lessons are learned from each case.

A multi-agency taskforce will develop a new approach to helping prevent homicides in Scotland where domestic abuse is suspected.

Partners including COSLA, Police Scotland, social work, Scottish Women’s Aid, Health Boards and victims’ representatives will work together to create Scotland’s first domestic homicide review system.

The taskforce will examine approaches in other jurisdictions, elsewhere in the UK and internationally, to help develop a Scotland-specific system which learns from the circumstances around domestic abuse-related homicides in Scotland.

This will help agencies and organisations better identify and respond effectively to the risks associated with abuse and ultimately prevent further deaths.

Homicide figures for 2021-22, published last month, showed a record low homicide rate, but also narrated that the number of female victims rose from 10 to 16, with more than half (56%) of those killed by a partner or ex-partner.

The new domestic homicide review system will further deliver on Scottish Government commitments to eradicate violence against women and girls. It follows the passage and implementation of the Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Act 2018 – heralded as gold-standard legislation by campaigners – which has made ongoing controlling and coercive behaviour in a relationship a criminal offence.

Justice Secretary Keith Brown said: “Men’s violence against women and girls is one of the most devastating and fundamental violations of human rights.

“Any form of abuse is wrong, and in many cases the victim and perpetrator may have been in contact with services ranging from drug, alcohol and mental health services where there may be signs of risk that can be identified and dealt with at an earlier stage before it escalates to homicide.

“Domestic Homicide Reviews are not about finger pointing or apportioning blame among agencies. This is fundamentally about learning lessons, identifying areas for change and improvement within and across agencies, preventing further domestic homicides and giving a voice to the relatives and victims of those affected by such devastating crimes.

“This new taskforce will meet in the coming weeks to begin developing a review model, in line with evidence and best practice, with a view to proposals going to public consultation next year.

“This particular project continues our close working with criminal justice and third sector partners in a collective effort to reduce and ultimately eliminate domestic abuse.”

Dr Marsha Scott, Chief Executive of Scottish Women’s Aid, said: “We have long called for a domestic abuse killings review model in Scotland that makes the deaths and murders of women and children visible, and we welcome the Scottish Government moving in this direction today.

“We must create a system that is prepared to learn lessons swiftly and that takes into account all deaths because of domestic abuse – including deaths by suicide and killings of children – and we are looking forward to discussions about how we create a Scottish model that is robust and fit for purpose.

“One death because of domestic abuse is one death too many – Women’s Aid staff and surviving family members across the country know this. We thank all of them who have campaigned with us on this issue for their tenacity and determination in memory of their mothers, sisters, friends, children and loved ones.”

The press release issued by the Scottish Government on 2 November 2022.

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has asked Elena Whitham MSP to join the Scottish Government as Minister for Community Safety.

Ms Whitham’s appointment will be put to Parliament and His Majesty The King, and subject to approval she will take up the post, reporting to the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans.

Prior to entering elected politics, Ms Whitham worked in community youth and homelessness roles and ran three businesses as a sole trader, in addition to spending over a decade as a Women’s Aid worker in Ayrshire, supporting women and children experiencing domestic abuse.

More recently, she served as the Depute Leader of East Ayrshire Council and was also COSLA’s Community Wellbeing Spokesperson, where her remit included housing and homelessness.

The First Minister said:

“I would like to thank Ash Regan for her Ministerial contribution to the Scottish Government, most notably in leading new legislation to control the sale and use of fireworks and tackling inequality in the justice system.

“I’m pleased to appoint Elena to her first Ministerial position, which has cross-cutting responsibilities across Scotland’s fire service, our justice system, and the prevention of violence against women and girls.

“I’m confident Elena’s professional and personal experience will stand her in good stead for this role and I look forward to working with her to improve the safety of communities across the country.”

Background

New Ministerial Appointments are subject to formal confirmation and acceptance by Parliament and His Majesty the King.

Responsibilities

The Minister for Community Safety supports the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans. Specific responsibilities of the role include:

• Scottish Fire and Rescue Service
• Community safety
• Civil Law and Tribunals
• Anti-social behaviour
• Legal profession
• Legal regulation
• Access to Justice
• Legal Aid Fund
• Scottish Law Commission Bills
• Strategic Approach to Women in the Justice System
• Violence against women, prostitution and misogynistic harassment
• Control of dogs including review of the Dangerous Dog Act
• Alcohol licensing
• Fireworks
• Human Trafficking

The press release issued by the Scottish Government on 2 November 2022.

Measures announced today will provide further help to those most impacted by the cost of living crisis while tackling budget pressures caused by rising inflation and economic uncertainty.

The Emergency Budget Review (EBR) for 2022-23 identifies funding of around £35 million for a range of initiatives to support people with the increased cost of living, including doubling the Fuel Insecurity Fund, doubling the Scottish Child Bridging Payment to £260 and a new £1.4 million Island Cost Crisis Emergency Fund to help island households manage higher energy costs.

Significant investment in public sector pay deals – delivering higher increases in pay for low earners – is also designed to help families and individuals deal with the cost of living crisis.

Other measures include:

• confirming funds to local authorities to support Discretionary Housing Payments

• establishing a Joint Taskforce with business, COSLA, local authorities and agencies to consider the differing impacts of regulation on business

• extending energy advice to businesses by investing £300,000 to expand the services of Business Energy Scotland, while doubling the value of the SME energy efficiency Loan and Cash Back Scheme for energy efficiency to £20,000

• new payment break options to help protect those who have agreed to repay debt through the Debt Arrangement Scheme but face unexpected increases in the cost of living

Additional savings of £615 million have been identified to enable enhanced public sector pay offers to be made while maintaining a route to complying with Ministers’ responsibility to balance the budget. They follow savings of £560 million announced on 7 September.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said:

“There has never been a time of greater pressure on the public finances.

“The Scottish Government’s budget today is worth £1.7 billion less than when it was published last December. At the same time, demand for government support and intervention is understandably increasing while we continue to try to fund increased public sector pay claims, particularly for those on lowest incomes.

“These savings are not ones we would wish to make, but in the absence of additional funding from the UK Government, we are left with no alternative.

“We must balance the books while prioritising funding to help families, back business, provide fair pay awards and to protect the delivery of public services. This Emergency Budget Review delivers on these objectives.”

The press release issued by the Scottish Government on 2 November 2022.

Recommendations to improve how marches and parades are planned and organised across Scotland have been published.

The Short Life Working Group on Processions in Scotland was set up following a pledge by the First Minister last year to consider if an approach similar to that taken in Northern Ireland should be adopted here. The report aims to strike a balance between protecting the rights of those who seek to march or protest and those in communities affected by such events.

The independent working group of experts recommends that a national parades’ commission is not necessary in the context in Scotland, as improvements could be best handled by local partners.

A further 17 recommendations put forward by the working group include:

• Improving the notification process around marches – ensuring relevant information is available for communities
• Improving the facilitation and regulation of processions by making sure people’s human rights continue to be upheld
• Reducing the need for public order policing

Key partners, including the Scottish Government, the City of Edinburgh Council, Glasgow City Council, Police Scotland, COSLA and human rights experts will now come together to consider the report recommendations and agree the best way forward.

Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans Keith Brown said:

“Marching, parading and protesting is of great importance to many people in Scotland for cultural, community and political reasons.

“The Scottish Government fully recognises this and is committed to freedom of speech and to upholding the human rights of those seeking to participate in such events. But in doing this we must also ensure that the rights of those seeking to go about their business undisturbed are also protected. As such, a balance must be struck between protecting the rights of those who seek to march or protest and those of the communities impacted by such events.

“I am very grateful to the Working Group for their dedication and hard work in developing their report and recommendations, as well as to everyone who took the time to speak with group to give their experiences and expertise.

“We will continue to hold meaningful and productive dialogue with march and parade organisers, community representatives, Police Scotland and local authorities to ensure that, collectively, we continue to work towards achieving the correct balance of right for all.”

Chair of the working group Dominic Bryan, said:

“Members of the working group were impressed with much of the work already undertaken by local authorities in sometimes challenging circumstances.

“We believe that our recommendations will offer a sustainable way forward for the facilitation and regulation of processions in Scotland reflecting important human rights considerations.”

The press release issued by the Scottish Government on 2 November 2022.

Latest step in £600 million winter resilience plan.

Scots are being urged to play their part to ease pressure on the NHS this winter as an awareness campaign is launched today (2 November).

Targeted advertising on TV, radio and online will encourage people to get the right care in the right place – diverting them away from busy A&E wards where appropriate.

It will make clear that – if a condition is not life-threatening – people can visit their local pharmacy, dial NHS 24 on 111, or contact their GP. It will also signpost people to the NHS Inform website which provides practical self-help guides.

Pandemic backlogs, Brexit-driven staff shortages and inflation costs have all contributed to make this the most challenging winter the NHS has ever faced. This advertising campaign is the latest step in the £600 million winter resilience plan which is already recruiting an extra 1,000 extra staff, vaccinating the public from COVID-19 and the flu, and prioritising care for the most vulnerable.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf visited Edinburgh’s Bangholm Medical Centre to hear experiences of how multi-disciplinary teams are already embracing the approach. He said:

“I am under no illusion that this winter will be the toughest in the history of our great NHS, which is why I am pulling every lever at my disposal to help ease pressure where possible.

“This campaign will make it easier than ever to know where to go to get the right care in the right place – saving patients time and freeing up space in our emergency departments.

“It is the latest step in our £600 million resilience plan to support our NHS through the tough winter ahead, which will recruit 1,000 extra staff, vaccinate the public from COVID-19 and flu, and prioritise care for the most vulnerable.”

Peju Adeyemo, Physician Associate, at Bangholm Medical Centre said:

“Physician associates are healthcare professionals with a generalist medical education, who work alongside doctors providing medical care as an integral part of the multidisciplinary team. We are able to alleviate pressure on GPs because we can see a broad spectrum of patients, provide holistic care and follow up. Furthermore, we are able to see more acute patients thereby freeing up time for GPs to see more chronic conditions where 15 minutes appointments may not be suitable. “

The press release issued by the Scottish Government on 1 November 2022.

Displaced people from Ukraine will be supported to make choices about their future while living in Scotland. Following a review of the Scottish Government’s Super Sponsor Scheme, which was paused in July, a paper has been published giving details of the work undertaken by the review.

It includes sixteen interventions aiming to better support people who have fled the war in Ukraine to integrate into communities across Scotland. These measures have a particular emphasis on accommodation as well as a focus on ensuring people have access to employment advice and support.

As part of this work, the Minister with Special Responsibility for Refugees from Ukraine Neil Gray announced more than £6 million of funding has been allocated to Aberdeen City Council from the Ukraine Longer Term Resettlement Fund to enable the council to bring around 500 void properties back into use, making more longer-term accommodation available across the city.

The paper also outlines the seven criteria for re-opening the Super Sponsor Scheme, which will remain paused to new applications for the time being, in order to improve its sustainability and ultimately help to better support displaced people from Ukraine now and in the future.

Mr Gray said:

“As a nation, we continue to stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine. We know that our Super Sponsor Scheme has provided an additional and immediate route to safety. Our communities have welcomed thousands of people fleeing the war; Scottish families have opened their homes; and our local authorities and third sector partners are working round the clock to provide often traumatised people with the safety and support they need.

“The review has outlined support for people in the medium and longer term with interventions providing clear steps to empower those arriving with clear advice, support and improved access to longer-term housing options thereby reducing dependency on short-term accommodation. The measures listed will also help us with the prioritisation of that limited temporary accommodation capacity for those already here and newly arriving who are most in need. Depending on the needs of guests, we will consider asking for a contribution to temporary welcome accommodation for those still using them.

“We will continue to work with local authorities to make more longer-term accommodation available across the country through our Longer Term Resettlement Fund. We are also supporting our matching service with additional resource, because we know that matching takes considerable time and effort and we need to make sure that the home is the best fit for displaced people and the hosts. We will soon launch a Scotland-specific campaign asking more households to consider offering a place in their home to displaced people from Ukraine.”