Day: September 5, 2015

Holyrood: ‘Welfare reforms are not working’

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Controversial reforms to the benefits system are failing in their objective of encouraging the unemployed into work, according to new research published this week.

A report published by the Scottish Parliament’s Welfare Reform Committee has found “little support for the view that welfare reform is having important and positive impacts on the labour market in Scotland”. The reforms are estimated to take £1.5bn out of the Scottish economy, equivalent to £440 a year for every adult of working age, as evidenced in previous research for the Committee.

The research was conducted for the Committee by Christina Beatty and Steve Forthergill of Sheffield Hallam University and Donald Houston of the University of Glasgow. It sets out detailed analysis of the link between employment figures and the various welfare reforms.

Michael McMahon MSP, Convener of the Welfare Reform Committee, said: “This research presents firm evidence that welfare reforms are not working.

“Thousands of people in Scotland have faced upheaval in their lives as a result of these changes, yet they are not leading to more people entering the job market.

“Just as our Committee has already heard from witnesses, the report also shows that people are fighting on several fronts to make ends meet as they are hit by cuts to multiple benefits. This tallies with research we published earlier this year that concluded that parents and people with disabilities were being hit hardest by welfare reform.”

The report also argues that it is economic recovery, in the form of improved consumer spending and higher borrowing, that has contributed to higher employment levels (and reduced numbers of unemployed people in Scotland), rather than welfare reform.

Larger than average reductions in unemployment in the places hit hardest by welfare reform also happened in previous economic upturns.  This makes it impossible to attribute recent trends to welfare reform.

Mr McMahon continued: “The most deprived areas of the country are contributing the most savings to the welfare budget. Yet rather than this shining a spotlight on the success of welfare reform it only serves to highlight that these areas are losing out financially against other, better-off parts of the country.” 

Evidence was based on the impact of reforms introduced before 2015, however the report considers the likely impact of the £12bn of further welfare cuts recently announced by Chancellor, George Osbourne MP. It concludes that it is hard to see this new round of reductions having any greater impact on the labour market.  Given that reductions to tax credits account for around half the additional planned saving, and that a large proportion of these cuts falls on in-work claimants, a reduction in the numbers on out-of-work benefits seems even less likely as a result of the new round of welfare reforms.

Professor Fothergill said:  “This research delivers a severe blow to the Westminster government claims about the positive impact of welfare reforms on the labour market, not just in Scotland but potentially across the rest of the UK as well.”

Professor Fothergill will appear before the Committee on Tuesday (8 September).

Four arrests following ‘substantial’ drugs recovery

Muirhouse man arrested following drugs raids

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Police in Edinburgh have arrested four people this week in connection with the recovery of a substantial amount of controlled drugs in the city with a combined street value of over £53,000.

 

A warrant was executed at a residential address in Muirhouse where amphetamine worth around £30,000 and around £1000 worth of cannabis was recovered. A 25-year-old man has been arrested and charged under the Misuse of Drugs Act in connection with this recovery.

Officers also executed a search warrant at a residential address in Lauriston Street, where they found heroin with a street value of around £5,200, various drugs paraphernalia and a large quantity of cash. A 50-year-old woman and a 31-year-old man were arrested and charged under the Misuse of Drugs Act. They have been held in custody.

During a separate search, a drugs warrant was executed at a residential address in Westfield Avenue where more heroin with a street value of around £17,200 was seized along with cocaine and a large sum of cash. A 24-year-old woman has been arrested and charged under the Misuse of Drugs Act.

Detective Sergeant Gary Reid said; “These searches removed a significant amount of illegal drugs from our streets and highlights that Police Scotland continues to tackle those involved in organised crime within the city.

“We will continue with a robust approach to tackle crime in the communities we police and I would appeal for the public to provide us with the information we need to disrupt those involved in criminality.

“This information may be provided to your community officers, through contacting police on 101 or alternatively in anonymity by contacting Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”

Scotland responds to humanitarian crisis

‘we as a nation have to step up and respond in a way that matches the scale of this tragedy’ – First Minister Nicola Sturgeon

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An operational taskforce is to be established to co-ordinate Scotland’s practical response to the humanitarian refugee crisis following yesterday’s Edinburgh summit convened by First Minister Nicola Sturgeon.

The First Minister said Scotland stands ready to welcome refugees, as she confirmed that the task force would urgently engage organisations across Scotland to establish capacity in a range of matters such as housing, health services, language support, transport and social services.

The First Minister announced that Europe and International Development Minister Humza Yousaf will chair the group, which will also examine how Scotland can harness the goodwill of the public in Scotland with many of the humanitarian organisations already reporting a huge number of offers of practical help from individuals and groups across the country.

Ms Sturgeon said that yesterday’s summit had been positive and productive with people who have sought sanctuary in Scotland invited to give their own personal testimonies about the practicalities of settling in a new country.

She also confirmed that the discussions would be summarised and sent to the Prime Minister as part of a positive offer of support from Scotland as the UK responds to the migration crisis.

The First Minister said: “I want, as First Minister, to ensure that Scotland is playing its part in dealing with this humanitarian crisis. Today’s summit was a positive and productive first step with a sense that we as a nation have to step up and respond in a way that matches the scale of this tragedy.

“Scotland already has well established structures in place for integrating those who come here seeking asylum and we stand ready to welcome our fair share of people fleeing persecution. However, if we are to do this, there is no doubt that we do require a proper, co-ordinated approach.

“Today’s summit was focused on looking at some of the practical issues involved and I have now established a task force to co-ordinate Scotland’s response, working with local authorities, public agencies and third sector organisations to ensure that any refugees that come to Scotland will be able to integrate successfully. As a first step, I expect the task force to examine capacity in a range of services in Scotland, including housing, health and social services.

“The task force will also have a hugely important role in harnessing the many, many expressions of goodwill and offers of help from the public in Scotland, providing a focal point for that activity and ensuring that the wider Scottish community is able to play its part in welcoming people to our country.”

Ms Sturgeon went on: “During the talks today there was real clarity expressed around the UK Government’s need to play a part in a co-ordinated European response to the problem and agree to take a fair and proportionate share of refugees.

“We want to work constructively with the UK government and I welcome the additional steps that the Prime Minister has set out but there has to be much more detail given – for example we still don’t know how many refugees he is talking about or whether these are just refugees from Syrian camps or those in Europe.

“There are not any easy solutions to this, but all of us have a responsibility as human beings to recognise the extent of this humanitarian crisis and resolve together to do something about it. If we all play our part then the totality of that response might just have a chance of dealing effectively with the problem.”

City council pledges support for refugees

Europe’s escalating refugee situation has reached crisis point over recent days. Council leader ANDREW BURNS has pledged the continuing support of the City of Edinburgh Council as he appealed for donations to the city’s charity:

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The world watched, several months ago, as thousands of refugees set up makeshift camps in desolate, far-off spots after fleeing their war-torn homelands.

Since then, we’ve been watching the reports of people living in horrendous conditions at the port of Calais as they desperately attempt to enter the UK.

Everyone has an opinion on how to react, from stopping anyone from coming here because we don’t have the resources or the room, to opening up the borders and welcoming those desperately in need.

Before, we could just turn off the images with a flick of the TV remote control – but the image of the body of a tiny, lonely child washed up on a beach in Turkey this week will haunt many of us for a long time. It summed up the desperation of those who are running for their lives.

How desperate must a person be to squeeze themselves, and their children, into airtight lorries, or on to open boats without life jackets, to make extremely dangerous and often futile journeys? We may struggle to imagine that feeling, here in the western world, but the horror of that photo has affected us all.

We may be far away, but there are still ways in which we can help.

In May of this year, having learned that close to four million people had already fled the country, the City of Edinburgh Council decided to get involved in the UK Government’s Syrian Vulnerable Persons Relocation Scheme.

The scheme will allow us to welcome a number of families from Syria, all of whom will have been identified as being in the utmost need by the United Nations. The scheme prioritises help for survivors of torture and violence, women and children at risk, and those in need of medical care.

Participants will be housed here in the capital for the duration of the programme, with access to employment, health care and education.

Initial conversations have taken place within the Council (housing and social work) and with NHS Lothian and Police Scotland, who have confirmed their willingness and capacity to support Edinburgh’s involvement with the project.

Initial talks have also taken place to examine potential for wider social support through Edinburgh Churches for Sanctuary and Cities for Sanctuary networks.

The key measure of success will be that the number of refugees moving here will integrate successfully into the city in terms of their home, social and professional lives.

Let’s not forget – the families taking part in the relocation scheme don’t want to leave their homes behind. Imagine being forced out of your country and everything that is familiar to you, because life has become too dangerous for you to stay?

This is the humanitarian course of action. We are helping, in a very small way, amongst the most vulnerable and needy people in the world at this moment. Let’s try to stop any more needless deaths.

Our Edinburgh-based charity partner, Mercy Corps, is already on the ground helping Syrian refugee families, and other families in crisis around the world, get the food, water and shelter they need to survive.

Visit the Mercy Corps website to find out more about their work and to donate to their Humanitarian Response Fund. Please help them to rush lifesaving aid to people suffering in Syria and around the world.

Councillor Andrew Burns

Council Leader

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