A man has been jailed for twelve years for a horrifying series of offences against children including rape and allowing a child to be raped, cruelty and neglect. Police are now appealing for help to hunt down Thomas Nelson’s associates – they believe up to twenty more abusers could be guilty of horrific crimes. Continue reading Man jailed for twelve years for ‘appalling abuse’
Month: July 2017
Top tips to survive school hols
Children across Edinburgh have three weeks left of their holiday freedom, and parents are still having to come up with some creative ideas to help keep their little ones entertained. Continue reading Top tips to survive school hols
Boost for Scotland’s bees and butterflies
Ten-year plan to stop decline of pollinating insects
A new strategy has been launched to make Scotland a more pollinator friendly place by protecting indigenous bee and butterfly populations.
Since 1980 the number of pollinating insects in Scotland – honey bees, bumble bees, the solitary bee, butterflies and hoverflies – have declined by an estimated 51%, leading to fears of a negative impact on agriculture, food security, the economy and human health.
The Pollinator Strategy calls for:
- the restoration and creation of flower rich habitats,
- greater use of green urban infrastructures, such as roof top gardens
- the development and use of pollinator friendly pest control
- new research into the impact of climate change on bee and butterfly numbers
Speaking at The Hidden Gardens in Glasgow, Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham (pictured above) said: “Scotland’s biodiversity is one of our key assets, and the contribution the humble bumble bee and other pollinators make to this wonderful environment should not be underestimated. That is why we are committed to making Scotland a more pollinator friendly place.
“Pressures like land use change, pesticides, pollution, disease and climate change are threatening these life-giving insects, so we must act now to protect the pollinators and in turn safeguard our environment, our food and in turn our health.”
Scottish Natural Heritage has led the development of the Pollinator Strategy working closely with a range of environmental and land management organisations.
SNH chairman Mike Cantlay said: “Growing evidence shows our native bees and insects that carry out pollination are facing tough times. Pollination is crucial for our environment – and, therefore, our own health, wealth and wellbeing.
“This strategy, a key part of the Scottish Biodiversity 2020 route map, sets out what needs to be done to ensure these bees and insects survive and thrive for generations to come, contributing to healthy ecosystems and landscapes in our country. We look forward to continuing this important work with our partners to strengthen the resilience of our native pollinator species.”
Drug deaths: blame Thatcher?
Rising inequality during the 1980s and an ‘erosion of hope’ in Scotland’s poorest housing schemes increased the risk of drug-related deaths among members of ‘Generation X’ in Scotland, according to new research. A study by NHS Health Scotland and Glasgow University has found that poorer men born between 1960 and 1980 were at greater risk because of the economic and social conditions during that period.
The study also found links to gender and deprivation: young men in poor neighbourhoods were found to be 10 times as likely to die from drugs as women of the same age from a more affluent area.
Researchers discovered the link while investigating the reasons why drug-related deaths have continued to rise. According to the most recent figures drug-related deaths reached an all-time high in 2015, when 706 people died.
Report author Dr Jon Minton from the University of Glasgow said his analysis was ‘consistent with the hypothesis that economic and other policy decisions during the 1980s created rising income inequality, the erosion of hope amongst those who were least resilient and able to adjust, and resulted in a delayed negative health impact.’
He said: “The same kind of pattern we have observed and reported on previously regarding the risk of suicide in vulnerable cohorts in deprived areas in Scotland is repeated, and even more clearly visible, when looking at trends in drug-related death risk.
“For people born in 1960s and 70s, the risk of drug-related deaths throughout the life course was much increased, and gender and area inequalities in these risks increased even more. The similarity in trends in both suicide and drug-related deaths suggests a common underlying cause.”
NHS Health Se in drug-related deaths was ‘likely to be the result of a cohort of people who are at higher risk’.
Dr Fraser said: “The full impact of excess mortality in these cohorts with high drug-related deaths is unlikely to be known for some time. It already represents the deaths of hundreds of people prematurely.
“We are hopeful that the findings will be useful in informing current and future policy to help prevent the creation of further cohorts at greater risk of drug-related deaths in Scotland.”
Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell has announced a refresh of Scotland’s drug strategy, to respond to the changing nature of Scotland’s drug problem.
The Road to Recovery strategy was launched in 2008 and since then has been backed by more than £630 million of investment to ensure treatment is a person-centred and sustained offer.
Ms Campbell (above) also announced work is being progressed to develop a “Seek, Keep and Treat” framework. This joint initiative between the Scottish Government and the Scottish Drugs Forum will examine the operational implications of engaging with older drug users, how to encourage them into services and how to keep them in treatment.
Public Health Minister Aileen Campbell said:
“I’m proud of what the Road to Recovery strategy has achieved. In Scotland, drug taking in the general adult population is falling and drug taking levels among young people remain low.
“However the nature of Scotland’s drug problem is changing and we need to adapt services to meet the needs of those most at risk, who we know face complex and wide ranging social and medical issues.
“In setting out our plans to refresh the existing strategy, I’m encouraging everyone involved in treatment services to think about how they can make changes at a local level. There is also a collective need to challenge the stigma of addition and build services based on respect and dignity, as well as clinical need.
“I look forward to hearing views from across the sector in the coming months as we work together to tackle the evolving and complex needs of those who suffer from problem drug misuse.”
Scottish Welfare Fund provides ‘vital lifeline’: Jeane Freeman
A quarter of a million Scottish households use welfare safety net
More than 254,000 individual households have been given grants totalling £132.6m to help them through difficult times since the Scottish Welfare Fund scheme began in April 2013. This fund comprises Community Care Grants and Crisis Grants. Social Security Minister Jeane Freeman said the Fund is a ‘vital lifeline’ and urged Westminster to halt the ‘chaotic’ roll-out of Universal Credit. Continue reading Scottish Welfare Fund provides ‘vital lifeline’: Jeane Freeman
Police appeal following Waverley Bridge assault
Police are appealing for witnesses following a serious assault on Waverley Bridge in the early hours of Sunday morning. Continue reading Police appeal following Waverley Bridge assault
Scotland welcomes Syrian refugees
One in four Syrian refugees settles in Scotland
New figures have revealed that Scotland has welcomed just over 25% of the total number of Syrian refugees that have arrived in the UK through the Syrian Vulnerable Persons Resettlement Programme (SVPRP) since 2015.
Since the SVPRP scheme was expanded in 2015, 7,055 Syrians have arrived in the UK in total, 1,800 of whom have settled in Scotland.
This news comes the same week it was revealed the UK Government has not taken in any child refugees under the Lord Dubs scheme this year, despite committing to resettle 3,000 unaccompanied child refugees from Syria by 2020.
Commenting, Northern and Leith MSP Ben Macpherson said: “It’s excellent that Scotland has welcomed over a quarter of those Syrian refugees who have arrived in the UK, under the resettlement programme, since 2015.
“But more needs to be done – in what is an off-the-scale humanitarian crisis that’s difficult to comprehend here at home.
“A recent all-party inquiry revealed that the UK public would not tolerate the UK Government turning away from this humanitarian crisis if they were more aware of what was happening. It also reported that UK ministers have done “as little as legally possible” to help unaccompanied lone children who have fled war and conflict, which has left them vulnerable to trafficking.
“It’s time for the UK Government to significantly step up its refugee resettlement efforts in the midst of what is possibly the worst humanitarian crisis since the Second World War.”
In a separate development, the Scottish and Welsh Governments have written jointly to the UK Minister for Immigration expressing concern about the treatment of unaccompanied child refugees.
Cabinet Secretary for Communities, Social Security and Equalities, Angela Constance and Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children, Carl Sargeant sent the following letter to Brandon Lewis, urging the UK Government to take into consideration the views and issues of the devolved Governments:
Dear Brandon,
Thank you very much for the time you have taken to meet with both of us on separate occasions over the summer months. We both look forward to working with you and we wish you well in this new portfolio. With regard to the meetings which have taken place, you have and will be hearing from both of us separately on the issues that were raised.
Both the Welsh Government and the Scottish Government are subject to UK Government process and procedure with regard to s67 of the Immigration Act 2016 (the Dubs amendment); and, s69-72 of the Act (transfer protocol and national transfer mechanism). Due to our mutual responsibilities for these areas in our devolved legislatures, we thought it would be helpful for all parties if we laid out our thoughts to you jointly.
With regard to s67, we have discussed these matters and our experience so far has been the same. From the start of the implementation of this scheme, we have struggled with the lack of information that has been forthcoming from those running this operation. This continues to be the case and we are aware that only a couple of hundred unaccompanied children have been transferred of the 480 placements identified. We are aware of the difficult circumstances that the emergency clearance of the Calais camps led to, and that at present, you are awaiting the outcome of the judicial review which makes it difficult to comment. However, we both feel that overall, the lack of planning and sharing of useful information from coordinators has inhibited our ability to plan ahead. We are seeking assurances from you that steps have been taken or are being put into place to mitigate against a repeat of these circumstances.
We understand you were meeting with your counterpart Ministers in the Member States as a means of resolving the transfer delays and we hope these meetings have achieved a positive outcome.
Separately, we would also like to refer to s69-72 of the Act which would put the National Transfer Mechanism onto a statutory footing in Wales and Scotland. We have discussed with you the requirement for a SI derives from the legal advice that our local authorities have received which describes a local authority’s liability requiring legislative underpinning. We understand this will result in the necessary timetable which allows for parliamentary process and we were pleased to hear of your commitment to pursuing this. We both remain committed to this piece of work and look forward to a satisfactory outcome.
We also note the report of the Human Trafficking Inquiry, initiated by the All Party Parliamentary Group on Human Trafficking and Modern Day Slavery, published on 10 July. We highlight statements with which we agree, and whilst we appreciate there is a difference in opinion as to the why and the how from the UK Government perspective, these statements provide for an outcome which we can all support, that of supporting vulnerable unaccompanied children:
‘The inquiry found no evidence that providing a safe route for children to travel to the UK acted as a ‘pull factor’ or encouraged traffickers. Instead the evidence showed that leaving children without safe and legal options left them in limbo, stranded in dangerous and often violent situations. In many instances this resulted in children turning to smugglers, putting themselves at risk of dangerous journeys and of exploitation to pay the smugglers.’
And the recommendation which says: The ‘Dubs scheme’, or Section 67 of the Immigration Act, needs to be open to children in practice and more children need to be included. This will require expanding the criteria so that it doesn’t exclude vulnerable children due to their age or nationality and a revised cut-off date. Most urgent is the quick and transparent processing of these applications. The administration of the Dubs scheme requires multi-agency teams of specialists on the ground where most children are located, including Calais and Dunkirk to build confidence in safe routes and resistance to traffickers.’
We are grateful for the recent meetings we have had with you, to discuss s67 and wider refugee and asylum seeker matters and look forward to continuing our engagement with you on these important concerns for all of our Governments. We also look forward to receiving replies to our as yet unanswered correspondences.
We are copying this letter to the Home Secretary, Amber Rudd MP, the Secretary of State for Scotland, David Mundell MP and the Secretary of State for Wales, Alun Cairns MP.
Yours sincerely
Carl Sargeant AC/AM Angela Constance MSP
Ysgrifennydd y Cabinet dros Gymunedau a Phlant Cabinet Secretary for Communities,
Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Children Social Security and Equalities
Cc.:
Home Secretary
Secretaries of State for Scotland and Wales
The Scottish SPCA is appealing to kind-hearted people in Edinburgh to help raise funds for abused, abandoned and injured animals by volunteering. Continue reading
Letters: drivers should take a hard look at themselves
Dear Editor
Drivers who are moaning and groaning about a restriction on ‘them’ having to observe a speed limit should take a hard look at themselves and their reasons for objecting.
Driving in a city can be one of potential risk to pedestrians and drivers alike – except that drivers have a two ton object in their hands travelling at speed.
There are very few times whilst driving in the city when one is able to travel more than a few hundred yards before having to stop, yet some drivers feel it is their personal right to travel those few hundred yards as fast as they wish, causing hazardous conditions for all, just to save a few seconds of their precious time.
That is why I say: those drivers should take a hard look at themselves and their attitude to others.
A. Delahoy
Silverknowes Gardens
Encore, encore: theatre’s support for charity is a smash hit
The UK’s largest theatre – the Edinburgh Playhouse – and its generous audiences have together raised a total of £82,485.83 for Children’s Hospices Across Scotland (CHAS). Continue reading Encore, encore: theatre’s support for charity is a smash hit