Holyrood 2014: that was the year that was

As a momentous year for Scotland draws to a close, the Scottish Parliament marks its fifteenth year with a round-up of the numbers at Holyrood in 2014:

From the phenomenally popular Great Tapestry of Scotland (pictured above), to the introduction of a range of important new Bills, to the number of scones and shortbread enjoyed by thousands of visitors, these are the statistics that made up the Parliament over the past twelve months:

• This year saw the introduction of 14 Bills, with 19 receiving Royal Assent, including the Children and Young People (Scotland) Act (above), Marriage and Civil Partnership (Scotland) Act, Disabled Persons’ Parking Badges (Scotland) Act and Historic Environment Scotland Act.

• The Great Tapestry of Scotland (above) proved a huge draw, with visitor numbers showing a 10,000 increase in the months of June, July and August, compared to 2013. In total more than 85,000 visitors flocked to see the Tapestry in the summer of 2014.
• The Great Tapestry of Scotland was also a hit at the Parliament’s shop with 2,280 Great Tapestry books and 2,940 postcards flying off the shelves.

• The Scottish Parliament hosted 18 major events, including The Queen’s Baton Relay (above), The Festival of Politics 2014 and the St Andrew’s Day Debate. The year was rounded off in traditional style with the Parliament’s annual Christmas Carol Service.

• The Parliament welcomed 449 school sessions to Holyrood, with 14,552 pupils taking part in a wide range of activities, including learning more about how the Parliament works and meeting MSPs.

• Parliament education staff travelled the length and breadth of Scotland, delivering 518 sessions in schools to 12,814 pupils.

• Parliament Days were held in February, November and December this year, with Dumbarton (above), Fort William and Levenmouth taking centre stage. Parliamentary Committees invited the public to attend held external meetings, scrutinising the work of Government and the Presiding Officer discovered more about the towns, visiting a range of inspiring local groups, people and projects.
• The Parliament’s switchboard took nearly 41,331 telephone calls, our Public Information and Publications team answered more than 5,625 enquiries and produced 136,785 leaflets requested or picked up at Holyrood.
• And finally, in the Scottish Parliament’s public café, visitors enjoyed more than 23,837 cups of coffee and 15,143 cups of tea. More than 8,500 sandwiches were sold, 3,405 bowls of soup – and of course more than 4,166 scones and 8,209 pieces of shortbread!

Friends to meet next Thursday

The Friends of Granton Castle Walled Garden will hold their first meeting of the New Year next Thursday (8 January) at 6pm in Royston Wardieburn Community Centre.

Agenda items include:

Sharing latest news, plans and ideas!
Slideshow of garden images
Membership forms
Nomination and selection of committee members

All welcome

New Year resolutions – and how to keep them

It’s a tradition on New Year’s Eve that you make a resolution for the year ahead. Some people pledge to lose weight, others decide to stop smoking and lots more say they are going to get fit and more active – but all too often you break that resolution just a few weeks into the New Year.

If you’ve made a New Year’s resolution – and you’re really, really determined to stick to it this time! – here’s some help and advice to assist you on your journey.

Maybe this time …

1. LOSE WEIGHT and/or GET FIT

One of the most common New Year resolutions is to eat better, exercise more and lose weight. After all of the rich and indulgent feasts you’ve had this holiday season, it might seem easy to stick to a diet of leafy greens at first. But when those cravings set in, it can be hard to stay on track with your diet. Plus, cold weather makes it harder for some people to get motivated and hit the gym.

If you’re looking to eat more healthily, ignore faddy diets – portion control will play a big part in your success. One good way to be more aware of what you’re eating is to use a kitchen scale to measure ingredients or weigh out portion sizes. A solid kitchen scale shouldn’t cost the earth and it’s an investment worth making.

Check out the library for books on good food and healthy eating, and Pilton Community Health Project’s website is a mine of useful information too www.pchp.org.uk

Many people sign up for a gym membership at this time of year but for a considerable number that’s as far as it goes – it can be hard to get motivated to leave the house on cold January days and evenings; it’s so much easier to put it off to another day! Gym memberships can also be very expensive – again, Pilton Community Health should be your first port of call for local exercise and healthy activities.

With Ainslie Park Leisure Centre on your doorstep (551 2400) it’s worth checking out Edinburgh Leisure to see what’s on offer both locally and across the city: telephone 458 2100 or visit www.edinburghleisure.co.uk

If you need a little reminder to be active, a fitness tracker like the Fitbit Flex can be a big help, but starting at around £50 they are quite an expensive reminder! I find trying to tie my shoelaces is enough of a reminder for me …

2. QUIT SMOKING

You know smoking is a bad habit that hits both your health and your wallet, but stopping is tough – it can take some people years and many, many failed attempts before they kick the habit. If you want 2015 to be the year you finally quit smoking, there are all kinds of products that can help wean you off the fags: there’s gum, patches and nasal spray inhalers – all of which help give you a boost of nicotine without having to inhale all that nasty smoke.

Many are turning to e-smoking as an aid to kicking the tobacco habit. If you’re looking to try out e-cigs as a way to cut back on actual cigarettes, you can now get a starter kit, charger, and carrying case set at increasingly competitive prices.

People who are trying to quit smoking the traditional way also appreciate having additional support options, and Allen Carr’s Easy Way to Stop Smoking book is still the most popular on the market.

NHS Lothian offers a range of stopping cessation sessions and Smokeline Scotland is also a great place to go for support, advice and tips.

http://www.nhslothian.scot.nhs.uk/HealthInformation/HealthAwareness/Smoking/Pages/default.aspx

Smokeline 0800 848484 www.canstopsmoking.com

3. SAVE MONEY AND REDUCE DEBT

Whether you want to get out of debt or just start saving for a big ticket item, there are lots of people who will be trying to spend their money more wisely in 2015. Setting up a personal budget can help you monitor your spending.

One tactic you can try to help you stay on budget is doing all your shopping in cash when you can, rather than using a debit card, cheque or credit card to pay for items – it’s estimated that people who pay for things with a card can spend almost 20% more on a transaction than those who are paying with cash.

If you’ve racked up a lot of debt on a credit card and you’re paying a hefty rate of interest, you should look around to see what deals are on offer and transfer that debt over to a 0% balance transfer credit card. By doing so, you’ll be able to avoid paying interest on that debt for a set period – some up to 35 months – and this will give you plenty of time to start tackling your debt without worrying about the interest accumulating.

The Money Advice Service has a good website for money saving advice, but if you are already in debt – get help, don’t let your problems escalate. Pilton CAB and Granton Information Centre are two local agencies that can help.

Don’t be tempted by payday loans or worse – the interest is astronomical. Check out Credit Unions which are a much cheaper and ethical way of helping you to manage your money.

Remember, if you spent too much over Christmas those bills will be arriving soon, so ACT NOW.

www.moneyadviceservice.org

www.moneysavingexpert.com

www.capitalcreditunion.com

North Edinburgh Credit Union, Wardieburn Drive 466 5006

Granton Information Centre, West Granton Road www.gic.org.uk 551 2459

Pilton CAB, Drylaw Shopping Centre on Ferry Road 202 1153 www.citizensadviceedinburgh.co.uk/

The Scottish Government has also just launched a new website to help guide you to the support and advice you need. Visit:

http://www.lightentheloadscotland.gov.uk/

4. LEARN A NEW LANGUAGE or SKILL

It’s never too late to learn something new and the New Year is the perfect time to try something different, whether for leisure or to open up new employment opportunities.

Locally, check out Edinburgh College – new courses start this month – and Craigroyston Community High School is running a wide variety of adult day and evening classes.

www.edinburghcollege.ac.uk

www.edinburgh.gov.uk/info/20070/adult_and_community_learning

5. GO GREEN

Thinking about going green this year? There are lots of small changes you can make to your lifestyle to reduce your energy bill, recycle materials in innovative ways and help do your part to make the planet healthier. www.greenerscotland.org is a good place to start for ideas.

6. VOLUNTEER and/or GIVE TO CHARITY

Many people plan to be more generous with both their time and any disposable income they may have in 2015 (some chance, I hear you say!)

Looking to donate time, not money, then? There are lots of ways you can donate your time – local and national charities and voluntary organisations are crying out for willing volunteers in all sorts of roles. There’s bound to be something to suit you – a good place to start is Volunteer Centre Edinburgh – go to www.volunteeredinburgh.org.uk to see what you can do.

Time Banks are another great way to donate your time, energy and skills and get the same back in return – visit www.edinburghtimebank.org.uk for more information.

So, you’ve decided on your resolution? Here are some tips to help you stay on track when times get tough:

Set yourself realistic goals, not impossible targets. Don’t think about losing two stone in a month, or running a marathon after a fortnight’s exercise!
Don’t be all-or-nothing – you’re likely to have the odd slip along the way but don’t allow that to make you give up
Remove temptation – no point in making things even more difficult for yourself
Reward yourself along the way
Thing positively and keep your eye on the prize – there may be tough times but the end result will be worth it!

GOOD LUCK!

Clegg launches search for Mental Health Heroes

The Deputy Prime Minister is calling on people to nominate unsung mental health heroes in their local area as part of his campaign to raise awareness of mental health problems.

One in four people will experience a mental health problem this year but for many the stigma and discrimination that surrounds mental health will make it harder for them to speak out and seek the support they need. That’s why the Deputy Prime Minister is calling for nominations for local Mental Health Heroes to celebrate those from every region – from healthcare professionals to next door neighbours – who have gone above and beyond to help, support or inspire people with mental health conditions.

Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg said:

It could be the woman sitting next to you on the bus, the dad picking his child up at the school gates or a colleague from work – everyone knows someone living with a mental health problem.

I want to celebrate those who have gone that extra mile, whose passion and commitment have helped someone get through their darkest days and helped challenge the taboo around mental health which has existed for far too long.

It is my ambition to bring mental health out of the shadows and create a fairer society where people can speak up about how they feel and get the support and treatment they need to live the life that they choose.

To nominate someone complete and return the nomination form.

The winning nominees will be invited to a ceremony in London on Thursday 5 February, which will mark Time to Change’s ‘Time to Talk Day’ to encourage people to speak out about mental health and spread the message that mental illness is nothing to be ashamed of.

Norman Lamb, Care and Support Minister, said:

Mental illness touches us all and, everyday, people in our communities are doing amazing things to improve the lives of those affected. We want to recognise and reward them.

I am determined to end discrimination faced by people with mental illness, which us why we’re continuing to fund Time to Change and support Time to Talk Day. Everyone has a part to play in tackling stigma and this is an important opportunity to start the conversations that will make lasting change.

The awards are part of the Deputy Prime Minister’s ongoing work to bring awareness and treatment for of mental health in line with physical health. In Government he has helped build a strong foundation for the improvement of mental health services, securing:

The UK’s first Mental Health Taskforce to combine the efforts and resources of ministers from across the Coalition
£400m investment expanding talking therapies
£150m investment in treatment and support for children and young adults with eating disorders
£120m investment in mental health to include the introduction in April 2015 of the first ever waiting time standards for mental health in the NHS
£54m for the Children and Young People’s Improving Access to Psychological Therapies programme
£7m investment to fund 50 new inpatient beds for children and young people.

If you would like to nominate someone for the Deputy Prime Minister’s Local Mental Health Hero Award complete the nomination form.

Closing date for applications is Tuesday 27 January

We are looking for people who are changing lives through one or more of the following:

Helping to break the stigma around mental health.
Inspiring others in addressing or overcoming mental health problems.
Making it easier for people to access mental health support and advice
Supporting people experiencing mental health problems to stay in or return to work
Pioneering new or innovative ways of supporting people with mental health problems and/or their families.

Statistics on mental health:

1 in 4 people in the UK will experience a mental health problem each year
3 children in every classroom have a diagnosable mental health condition
Only a quarter of people with a common mental health problem get treatment, mostly in the form of medication
2.3 million people with a mental health condition are out of work and mental health conditions are the primary reason for claiming health related benefits.
OECD estimated that mental ill-health costs the economy an estimated GBP 70 billion a year, equivalent to 4.5% of GDP, through lost productivity, social benefits and health care.
The most common mental health problem is depression which is experienced by 8 to 12% of the population.

Lighten the Load: help to deal with debt

Campaign to highlight money advice service launched

A campaign to signpost people struggling with debt to the full range of money advice services available has been launched by the Scottish Government.

The Lighten the Load campaign raises awareness of the Scotland’s Financial Health Service website, which provides links to bodies offering information and advice on debt, managing money, housing, homelessness and ethical lending, encouraging those with money worries to take the first steps towards regaining control of their finances.

The campaign, which is aimed at people from all walks of life in Scotland seeking credible answers to issues connected with debt and money, includes a new television advertisement themed around how everyday tasks become more difficult when people are burdened with debt.

The Scottish Financial Health Service website was created by the Accountant in Bankruptcy and was launched by Business Minister Fergus Ewing in December.

Mr Ewing said: “January can be a difficult time for families when the bills associated with the festive period start to come in, but it can also be a time when people turn their attention to their finances for the year ahead.

“This campaign is intended to encourage people to access the full range of financial advice services available to help them manage their money in the months ahead.

“Since it was launched by Accountant in Bankruptcy last month, Scotland’s Financial Health Service has already been making a difference to people seeking guidance on how to prevent worries about money turning into a crisis.

“Launching this campaign will empower even more people to lighten their own money load and take back control of their finances.”

As well as providing access to debt support services, the Scotland’s Financial Health Service website also signposts users to practical credit and protection solutions offered by credit unions across Scotland.

Frank McKillop, Policy Manager at ABCUL Scotland (the Association of British Credit Unions Limited), said: “Helping people get – and stay – on top of their finances is a key part of what credit unions are all about.

“We welcome this campaign, and hope that through Scotland’s Financial Health Service, more people from all walks of life will turn to credit unions and take a responsible approach to saving, borrowing and budgeting.”

Scotland’s Financial Health Service website is available from today at:

http://www.lightentheloadscotland.gov.uk/

Future Starts here

£145,000 Scottish Government support to help young people into jobs

New pilot projects to help young people find work are to be rolled out in Edinburgh, Glasgow, Dundee and North Lanarkshire this year.

The Prince’s Trust will deliver Future Starts in collaboration with schools, colleges and employers with the support of £145,000 investment from the Scottish Government and a further £173,000 from The Wood Foundation.

The projects are specifically targeted at young people in education who are at risk of disengagement by helping them raise their ambitions and build up their confidence so they can move towards vocational training or employment.

Cabinet Secretary for Fair Work, Skills and Training Roseanna Cunningham said: “A few weeks ago the Scottish Government published a new Youth Employment Strategy, which followed on from the work of the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce.

“Helping more young people into vocational education is a fundamental element of this work and I am very pleased to be able to fund these Prince’s Trust pilots which will intervene early in the lives of a number of young people to ensure they do not slip off our radar.

“While last month’s statistics on leaver destinations and recent employment figures have been very encouraging, there are still too many young women and men unable to fulfil their potential for a variety of reasons. I am determined to do everything we can to help them succeed.”

Allan Watt, director of The Prince’s Trust in Scotland said: “Our Future Starts pilot responds to recommendations from the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce. It means that with our school, college and private sector partners, we will reach out to those young people who face the greatest challenges moving from education to employment with relevant, engaging vocational experience and qualifications.

“With this funding from the Scottish Government and the Wood Foundation we can build relevant career options for those young people and help them create brighter futures for themselves.”

Sir Ian Wood, Chairman of The Wood Foundation said: “The Wood Foundation (TWF) is pleased to work in partnership with the Scottish Government to support the development and delivery of Future Starts, a new Prince’s Trust Scotland pilot programme. This builds on the best practice of Get Into, a Prince’s Trust programme into which TWF have invested £716,000 since 2008.

“Future Starts engages with employers to offer students, who are at their senior phase of school, the opportunity to sample potential career options and develop their skills. This programme, to which we will be contributing £173,000 over the next two and a half years, is a good fit with TWF’s Developing Young People in Scotland portfolio and also with my report for The Scottish Government – Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce.

“I believe Future Starts will be successful in providing relevant and practical knowledge of careers and the workplace to Scotland’s next working generation whilst they’re still at school, and should ensure as many youngsters as possible leave with a positive destination into employment or further education.”

New Year babies welcomed into the world

Parents at hospitals around Scotland have welcomed the first new babies of 2015.

The first baby to arrive was in Glasgow, where Lucas King was born just after the bells at 00:02 at the Princess Royal Maternity Hospital.

Lucas’ mum Ashley said: “It’s really nice to have had him at this time, especially as he was due on the 27th, so we didn’t expect it.” Proud dad Mark said his new 7lb 3oz boy is ‘a wee cracker’.

Lucas was followed soon after by another Lucas – this time in the Highlands. Lucas Brown was born at 00:20.

Reagan Brown arrived at 2am at St John’s in Livingston and at 02:22 Nicole Gemmell gave birth to Kasie-Leigh at Forth Valley Royal in Larbert.

Dylan Gault from Aberdeen made his debut at 04:55 and Mason Marshall was the first 2015 baby delivered at Edinburgh Royal Infirmary two hours later.

Relief for payday loan customers as costs are capped

‘Today’s crackdown on the payday lending market comes not a moment too soon’

A cap on the cost of payday loans has come into effect. Payday loan rates will now be capped at 0.8% per day of the amount borrowed, and no-one will have to pay back more than twice the amount they borrowed.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA) said those unable to repay should be prevented from taking out such loans.

Payday loan customers will see the fees and interest they pay capped from today amid moves to stop such debts spiralling out of control.

The new rules mean that people using payday lenders and other short-term credit providers will see the cost of their borrowing fall – and those who cannot afford to repay their debt on time will never pay back more in charges than the sum they initially wanted to borrow.

For all high-cost short-term credit loans, interest and fees must not exceed 0.8% per day of the amount borrowed.

The Financial Conduct Authority (FCA), which oversees the industry, said the move will lower costs for most borrowers and ensure that charges are proportionate to the size and duration of the loan.

Default fees for borrowers who fail to repay on time will be capped at £15 under the measures, which are the latest in a string of clampdowns on the much-criticized sector.

The new rules mean that, for example, if someone borrows £100 for 30 days and pays back on time, they will not be charged more than £24. Someone who borrows £100 but struggles to repay their debt will never pay back more than £200, including fees and charges.

Short-term lenders said the caps will lead to fewer people getting loans from a smaller group of lenders. They said that initially at least, the cost of a payday loan will generally be at or near the cap.

Stricter rules for credit brokers are also being applied from today. Concerns have been raised that consumers have often mistaken credit brokers for lenders.Royal Bank of Scotland (RBS) recently highlighted a case involving someone looking for a £100 loan who ended up being charged £700 because their details were passed to 10 different middlemen firms.

The FCA has previously seen evidence of fees being taken by credit brokers without informed consent and under hidden or misleading terms and conditions. Under the new rules, a firm will not be able to request a consumer’s bank details or take a payment without their explicit consent first.

Martin Wheatley, chief executive of the FCA, said the payday loan cap will make the cost of a loan cheaper for most consumers.

He said: “Anyone who gets into difficulty and is unable to pay back on time, will not see the interest and fees on their loan spiral out of control – no consumer will ever owe more than double the original loan amount.”

Consumer group Which? said its 2014 research found that an average of 880,000 households took out a payday loan each month.

It’s ‘Clear Up Credit” campaign said the regulator should look to make it easier for people to compare the cost of different types of debt, including unauthorised overdrafts and credit cards.

Which? executive director Richard Lloyd, said: “Today’s crackdown on the payday lending market comes not a moment too soon. Lenders must now start competing on price and treating their customers fairly.

“The regulator has clearly shown it’s prepared to take tough action to stamp out unscrupulous practices, and they must keep the new price cap under close review. It’s now time to turn the spotlight on unfair practices in the wider credit market.

“We want to see an end to excessive fees that also make it hard to compare different loans, including those charged for unauthorised overdrafts and credit cards.”

The payday loans industry has undergone a series of shake-ups since coming under the regulation of the FCA last April.

The Office of Fair Trading, FCA’s predecessor body, expressed concerns that some payday firms appeared to base their business models around people who could not afford to pay back their loans on time, meaning the cost of the debt ballooned as they were forced to ‘roll it over’ – and extra fees and charges were added on top.

After coming under the FCA’s supervision, payday lenders were banned from rolling over a loan more than twice and and they can only now make two unsuccessful attempts to claw money back out of a borrowers’ account.

Russell Hamblin-Boone, chief executive of the Consumer Finance Association, which represents short-term lenders, said: ” This is the start of a new era for short-term lenders who are operating in an entirely new lending landscape under the FCA.

“We expect to see fewer people getting loans from fewer lenders and the loans on offer will evolve but will fully comply with the cap.

“The commercial reality is that the days of the single-payment loan are largely over – payday loans are being replaced by higher value loans over extended periods.

“Initially, prices of loans will be at or near the cap. In time we may see risk-based pricing, but innovation could be stifled by the threat of the regulator as lenders seek FCA authorisation.”

The FCA said the reforms needed time to bed down before their effect was assessed but that it would be monitoring the situation carefully. The reforms will be reviewed in two years.