For those following the progress of #PE1979, the new Scottish Parliament Petitions’ Committee have just informed petitioners that our petition (and the other 7 legacy petitions) was privately discussed at their meeting on Thursday 25th June (writes ALISON DICKIE).
There, committee members agreed to write to the Scottish Government about all legacy petitions.
In February, PE1979 received the previous committee’s cross-party support when they continued our petition into the 7th parliamentary session to be ‘rigorously pursued’ by the new committee.
Since May’s election, we have continued to build on that support, and initiated meetings with individual and supportive MSPs before the summer recess.
For nearly four years, petitioners have been calling for independent investigation of allegations relating to the mishandling of child abuse concerns by public bodies and an independent national whistleblowing office for education and children’s services.
Behind the petition’s calls are families, former and current staff and others who have had their health, career and lives negatively impacted for raising child abuse concerns. Importantly, it includes CSA & CSE survivors who have been further traumatised by the mishandling of their disclosures.
The allegations raised are diverse but include cases relating to serious and organised child abuse, with links across them. Given this, petitioners continue to highlight the vital need for robust and independent investigation and an INWO to amplify the voice of whistleblowers and survivors and limit the marking of one’s own homework that thrives at public body, multi-agency and even national strategic group levels.
Ultimately, we highlight how determining the child safeguarding truth directly relates to the level of confidence we can have in current child safeguarding – the systems and personnel in place – and particularly where the alleged predators still work with children and young people.
It is our hope that the new Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise, members of the Petitions Committee and MSPs across all parties will show an understanding of these serious matters and more urgently help to deliver the petition’s calls to better keep children safe.
We await the SG response and the committee’s deliberations with interest.
Read more about it via the online briefings below.
EdFest has opened a box office on the Mound, beside the Assembly Hall.
Above the cabin, a 4x2m screen displays a constantly-updating feed of ticket offers from across EdFest’s seven venues, pulled live from Edfest.com/offers , where participating companies can claim their show and run their own marketing offers. The box office also serves normal sales for the Assembly Hall. Edinburgh,
With Fringe well under way after a bumper first weekend, Edfest.com the shared ticketing, marketing and discovery platform uniting Assembly, C ARTS, Gilded Balloon, Just the Tonic, Pleasance, Underbelly and ZOO — has taken its offers on to the street.
A new box office on the Mound, next to the Assembly Hall, is now selling tickets in person for Assembly Hall shows, while a 4x2m screen mounted above the counter runs a live rota of daily offers from companies across all seven EdFest venues.
The screen draws directly from edfest.com/offers, the same feed available to audiences online, so any deal a company sets up, a percentage off, a fixed ticket price, or a 2-for-1, appears on the Mound within minutes.
Companies playing in any of the seven EdFest venues can claim their show on edfest.com, set their own offers, and add further content such as media reviews, giving them a direct, self-managed route to passing Fringe footfall as well as to edfest.com‘s online audience.
The launch comes as ticket sales across edfest.com and Love the Fringe run 50% ahead of the same point last year. For the seven EdFest venues, which together account for around 70% of all Fringe ticket sales, shows can be added to a single basket and bought in one transaction directly on edfest.com, at 0% box office commission, with booking fees capped at £5 per transaction.
Beyond the Fringe, edfest.com also brings together listings for Edinburgh’s other festivals year- round, including the Edinburgh International Festival, the International Book Festival, the Film Festival and the Royal Edinburgh Military Tattoo, with booking handled directly through each festival’s own site.
The Mound box office sits alongside Love the Fringe, EdFest’s audience membership programme, now in its third year and grown from 500+ members in 2024 to 1,000+ in 2025.
Membership, from £30, gives access to free tickets, venue and bar discounts, and curated daily review digests across the festival.
William Burdett-Coutts, said: “This is a great step forward for the Fringe. Our drive is to try and reduce costs for performers and find ways of making the festival more efficient.
“With Edfest we have already reduced box office commission for companies to zero provided they put 4% of their tickets into Love the Fringe.
“A win win for the audience and shows alike. Which is why a physical, live-updating box office on the Mound matters during peak Fringe footfall, and how it gives companies a direct way to reach passing audiences.
!Audiences can also save up to £1.50 on booking fees probably making this the cheapest box office service in the city.”
EdFest and Love the Fringe are live now at edfest.com.
Dogs may mistake the sudden darkness for an early bedtime, with some pets becoming unsettled, expecting food or attempting to follow their usual evening routine.
Dog owners are being warned that their pets could display unusual behaviour during tomorrow’s solar eclipse, as the sky suddenly darkens across the UK.
TONIGHT, Wednesday 12 August, the Moon will obscure around 90% to 96% of the Sun across the UK and Ireland, making it the most significant eclipse visible from Britain since 1999.
The partial eclipse is expected to begin shortly after 6pm, peak at approximately 7.10pm and finish shortly after 8pm, although exact timings and coverage will vary by location.
While the event poses no inherent danger to dogs, the unexpected change in daylight and temperature could temporarily disrupt the environmental cues they use to understand their daily routine.
Darren Beale, CEO of fresh dog food brand Years, said: “Dogs will not understand that an eclipse is taking place. Instead, they may interpret the sudden drop in light and temperature as an early sunset.
“Some dogs might become quieter, head towards their bed or start expecting their evening meal or walk earlier than usual. More sensitive dogs could appear unsettled, follow their owner around, pace or become unusually alert.
“However, most dogs are unlikely to become seriously distressed. Because tomorrow’s eclipse takes place during the early evening, when many dogs are already beginning to settle down, its effect may be less noticeable than an eclipse happening in the middle of the day.”
The signs your dog may be unsettled by the eclipse
Owners may notice their dog:
Heading to its bed earlier than usual
Waiting near its food bowl or the door
Following family members around the home
Pacing, whining or appearing restless
Becoming quieter or sleepier
Barking at changes outside
Seeking reassurance or somewhere to hide
Darren added: “The eclipse itself may not be the biggest source of anxiety. Unusual crowds, noise and excitement outside could be more unsettling, particularly for nervous dogs or those sensitive to changes in their surroundings.
“The best thing owners can do is keep the evening as normal as possible. Feed and walk your dog at its usual time, behave calmly and make sure it has access to a quiet, familiar place.”
Should dogs wear eclipse glasses?
Owners do not need to purchase eclipse glasses for their pets or attempt to make dogs wear human eye protection.
Dogs do not generally have a reason to stare directly at the Sun. However, owners should never encourage a dog to look towards it for photographs or direct its attention towards the sky.
Darren said: “Trying to put eclipse glasses on a dog could cause more stress than the eclipse itself. Keep your pet comfortable, avoid encouraging it to look upwards and supervise it if you are attending a busy viewing event.
“If your dog is already nervous around crowds or unfamiliar noise, it may be happier staying safely indoors while the eclipse takes place.”
How to keep your dog calm during the eclipse
Years recommends that owners:
Keep meals, walks and bedtime at their normal times.
Close curtains if the changing light appears to unsettle the dog.
Provide access to its usual bed or quiet space.
Avoid taking nervous dogs to crowded eclipse-viewing locations.
Use familiar activities, such as a food puzzle or gentle indoor play.
Remain calm and avoid making the event feel alarming.
Contact a vet if the dog displays severe or persistent signs of distress.
Applications are now open for grants of between £3,000 and £15,000 to community-based organisations in Scotland delivering activities and support that help people affected by dementia stay connected, supported and involved in their communities.
Funding for community groups supporting people living with dementia and unpaid carers.
Age Scotland, supported by funding from the Scottish Government, is offering grants of between £3,000 – £15,000 to community-based organisations across Scotland that support people living with dementia and unpaid carers. This funding is for activities and programmes taking place 1 April 2027 – 31 March 2028.
The Encouraging and Supporting Grassroots Activity (ESGA) Fund helps local groups deliver activities that reduce isolation, improve wellbeing and strengthen community support for people affected by dementia.
Since the fund launched, more than £1.2 million has been awarded to grassroots organisations across Scotland.
Applications for the 2027 funding round are now open.
The Palestinian Circus, a circus troupe who train and live in Gaza’s West Bank, are performing their show A Step and a Half at Underbelly Circus Hub on the Meadows throughout Edinburgh Fringe 2026.
UK Government reveals the communities in over 40 locations eligible for cheaper electricity bills
Westminster Government reveals the communities in over 40 locations eligible for cheaper electricity bills
Households near new pylons could save up to £2,500 over 10 years
Upgrading an electricity grid largely built in the 1960s will lower energy costs for households across Britain
Thousands of households living near new or upgraded pylons are set to get money off their electricity bills. Payments will start from next year, as the first projects expected to be in scope of the government’s bill discount scheme are unveiled today (Wednesday 12 August).
From the Scottish Highlands to the south of England, communities in over 40 locations could benefit from hosting vital grid infrastructure that will provide cheaper, clean electricity to the whole country.
Those living within 500 metres of these projects are expected to get £2,500 off their electricity bills over 10 years.
Energy Minister Michael Shanks said: “Upgrading Britain’s electricity grid is a vital part of how we deliver secure, homegrown energy and unlock economic growth across the country.
“It is a moment of national renewal – upgrading what was built largely in the 1960s for the modern age to bring down electricity bills for households across the country.
“It’s vital we build again as a country and we are determined those communities which host pylons should benefit, which is why we’re bringing down the energy bills of those hosting this vital national infrastructure.”
With much of the country’s electricity grid built in the 1960s, the government is rolling out the upgrades Britain needs to connect new sources of electricity generation, strengthen energy security and deliver a more affordable energy system for billpayers.
This forms part of a wider plan to bring bills down for good, after government action to cut VAT on electricity bills to give families across Britain immediate cost-of-living breathing space.
The 43 transmission projects announced today form the first wave, with further projects to follow as the scheme is rolled out. It is expected that hundreds of thousands of homes will benefit from the scheme in total over the next decade.
People will only be in scope for the discounts once projects have secured all necessary consents and the main construction works have started. Projects where construction started on or after 10 March 2025 will be eligible.
Most eligible households will receive the discount automatically on their electricity bill every 6 months via their energy supplier. However, some households may need to apply – such as those on commercial meters. Households can expect to receive further information in the first half of next year, when they will be directly contacted by their energy supplier or Ofgem if they qualify.
The bill discounts build on wider government Community Funds guidance, which is set to drive millions of funding into communities hosting grid infrastructure across Britain. Under that guidance, people living close to National Grid’s Bramford to Twinstead reinforcement project are set to benefit from more than £4 million in payments to fund community projects in their area. In Scotland, communities near SP Energy Networks’ Chirmorie overhead line project would be eligible for around £2.4 million of community benefit funding to support local projects.
Earlier this month National Grid unveiled a commitment to support 5,000 young people who are not in employment, education or training to develop skills and access career opportunities in the energy and infrastructure sectors, after the Prime Minister unveiled plans to drive more young people into work.
The announcement also comes after new independent research, published in June, confirmed that building pylons remains the most cost effective way of upgrading Britain’s outdated electricity networks, so present the best value for bill-payers.
Scottish Secretary Douglas Alexander said: “Scotland is playing a central role in the UK’s energy transition, and as we build the modern grid needed to harness that power, it is only right that local families living alongside new pylons see real, direct savings on their electricity bills.
“These projects are essential for energy security and lower bills, and the communities hosting key infrastructure for this long-awaited grid upgrade deserve cheaper energy in return.
“I encourage households across Scotland living near these new or upgraded sites to check if they qualify for a discount.”
Ofgem Executive Director for Delivery and Schemes, Neil Lawrence, said: “Communities that host new electricity transmission infrastructure are playing a vital role in delivering the cleaner, more secure energy system Britain needs.
“The Bill Discount Scheme will help ensure eligible households living near these projects see a direct benefit through discounts on their energy bills. As the scheme administrator, Ofgem’s role is to make sure payments are delivered effectively, fairly and transparently to eligible customers.
“We look forward to working closely with government, electricity suppliers and transmission owners to ensure the scheme is ready to support households when payments begin.”
Nicola Connelly, CEO, SP Energy Network, said: “Communities are playing a role in enabling and supporting the greatest re-wiring of the UK energy system in decades and it is good to see them directly benefiting, through bills and our community benefit funds.
“Funds, shaped by the local communities that will deliver lasting, sustainable improvements for years to come.”
Christianna Logan, Director of Customers and Stakeholders at SSEN Transmission, said: “We strongly support measures that will see communities benefit from hosting the electricity transmission infrastructure that is required to deliver a cleaner, more secure and affordable electricity system for current and future generations.
“SSEN Transmission is committed to leaving a lasting legacy from this vital work, and our planned £29 billion investment programme will generate significant economic and social gains for the communities we serve.”
Alex Kaufman, Director of Land, Planning and External Affairs at National Grid, said: “Communities are playing an important role in enabling the delivery of new energy infrastructure across the UK, and we welcome the government setting out more detail on the Bill Discount Scheme.
“It will help ensure eligible households see a direct benefit from hosting this infrastructure, while providing greater clarity on how it will work in practice.”
The Timms Review launched last October with the aim of making sure PIP is fair and fit for the future. Its Interim Report, published in July 2026, found that PIP is no longer fit for purpose.
Fifteen workshops being held online and in person will help shape the recommendations of the Timms Review into Personal Independence Payment.
Disabled people and people with long-term health conditions invited to apply for workshops, with registration open from Wednesday 12 August 2026.
Comes following the Review’s Interim Report which found PIP to be no longer fit for purpose.
Disabled people and people with long-term health conditions are being invited to take part in a series of workshops that will help shape recommendations for the future of Personal Independence Payment (PIP).
Many people described assessment and decision-making processes as “stressful” and “dehumanising” and reported that PIP, while widely valued as a benefit, can itself create additional barriers to participation and independence.
Ahead of its final Report, due in Autumn 2026, the Review’s steering group is now developing emerging recommendations and will be seeking views on them from people across the UK.
The 15 workshops will be held online and in person across the UK during September and October 2026, ensuring people from all parts of the country can take part in discussing, testing and refining the recommendations.
The workshops are aimed primarily at disabled people and people with long-term health conditions and no previous experience of engaging with government reviews is required.
Alongside these workshops, the Review will also be contacting stakeholders including Disabled People’s Organisations, charities and MPs to test and refine its emerging recommendations over the same period.
Co-Chair of the Review and member of the shaping recommendations workshops working group Dr Clenton Farquharson CBE said: “Disabled people and people with long term health conditions know better than anyone how PIP works in real life where it helps, where it creates barriers, and where it needs to change. That experience has to be part of shaping what comes next.
“I would encourage anyone with experience of applying for or receiving PIP to register their interest in taking part. The purpose of these workshops is not simply to hear people’s experiences, but to test the Review’s emerging recommendations against real lives and understand what could make them fairer, clearer and work better in practice.
“Most importantly, I am committed to showing how what people tell us influences the recommendations we ultimately make.”
Feedback from participants in these workshops will be considered by the Review as it finalises it recommendations. These workshops, alongside intensive engagement throughout the process, will ensure the Review is grounded in the experiences of disabled people and people with long-term health conditions before the report is submitted to the government.
Prior to this, more than 38,000 responses to the Review’s Call for Evidence were received, alongside workshops and engagement with disabled people, their organisations and experts, to feed into the Review.
Registration for the workshops opens on Wednesday 12 August 2026 at 10am and closes on Friday 21 August 2026 at 5pm. Selected participants will be informed by 4 September 2026.
Selection will be done randomly but the steering group will review and ensure the people chosen represent a balanced range of characteristics. Where a particular characteristic is under-represented, applicants with that characteristic will be identified from the wider applicant pool and selected at random to fill any gaps.
Applications to take part in the workshops are now open:
Hear from current Board Members
£16,224 per annum
Closing date: 31 August 2026, 12 noon
Apply here: 
