Hearts & Minds is delighted and excited to announce that Gavin Oattes will be their new Ambassador.
Gavin is an award-winning entrepreneur, International keynote speaker and bestselling author. Based in Edinburgh his motivational talks are about happiness, kindness, empathy, playfulness and laughter – all values shared with the work of Hearts & Minds and the Clowndoctor & Elderflower Programmes.
His latest book Life Will See You Now has become a bestseller during this pandemic and is helping people get through lockdown. A former primary school teacher, he has the ability to get into the heads of kids and in his bestseller, Diary of a Brilliant Kid: Top Secret Guide to Awesomeness, co-written with Andy Cope & Will Hussey, they have created a ‘tweenagers’ atlas to life!
To launch the partnership with Gavin, Hearts & Minds Clowndoctors have taken his wonderfully funny short story for children, Pumpy Bee – and made it their own. This filmed short will be used in the future in the hospitals, hospices and schools for children with complex needs that the Clowndoctors visit.
Gavin Oattes said: “It’s an honour to have been asked to be an ambassador for such a wonderful charity.
“I love everything Hearts & Minds stand for and I can’t wait to get stuck in and help make a bigger difference”
Rebecca Simpson, CEO of Hearts & Minds said: “I am overjoyed to announce Gavin Oattes as an Ambassador for Hearts & Minds. Gavin’s passion, energy and enthusiasm for life are a perfect fit for us.
“His books teach us the importance of self-belief, kindness and laughter, all of which are embodied in the work that we do through therapeutic Clowning. I personally love his books and Diary of a Brilliant Kid: Top Secret Guide to Awesomeness is one of my daughter’s favourites. I am excited to develop the relationship between Gavin and Hearts & Minds, knowing that whatever we do there will be plenty of smiles, happiness and energy.
WATCH/ENJOY PUMPY BEE as told by the Clowndoctors!
Campaign launched the day after Morningside toddler dies in road accident
New research reveals a very different post-lockdown landscape on Scotland’s roads and a potential rise in vulnerable road users, with 29% of people in Edinburgh committing to cycling and 75% planning to walk more as restrictions are eased.
Despite the rise in pedestrians and people on bikes, with varying levels of experience, the research highlighted 39% of drivers across Scotland haven’t changed their driving behaviour at all, while a staggering 83% did not slow down or approach junctions more cautiously during lockdown1.
Ninety six per cent of pedestrian casualties happen in built-up areas and you are seven times as likely to kill a pedestrian if you hit them at 30mph rather than at 203. Almost half (49%) of pedestrian casualties happen at junctions and less than half of drivers (47%) look out for pedestrians at junctions.
This highlights how important it is, more than ever, for all road users to take greater care and consideration when travelling in built-up areas.
The findings of the survey by the Scottish Government and Road Safety Scotland (part of Transport Scotland) mark the launch of a campaign with a clear message for all road users: In Town, Slow Down.
The campaign will see powerful visuals highlight just how fragile we really are, with a series of people and scenarios such as, a mother with a pram, children and older people, depicted as eggs. The creative shows each ‘egg’ in the path of much larger objects, including a brick and sledgehammer, all representing a different vehicle that could seriously injure or kill vulnerable road users.
Running across multiple channels including radio, digital advertising, outdoor, PR and social media, the campaign reminds drivers to consider other road users and drive at an appropriate speed in built-up areas.
Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity Michael Matheson said: “We are committed to achieving safer road travel in Scotland for everyone and it’s important drivers travel at an appropriate speed for the environment and the conditions, especially in built-up areas where there are many vulnerable road users.
“Whether we drive, ride, wheel, cycle or walk, we need to look out for each other as our actions can have serious consequences. The message is simple, in town, slow down.”
Speed is a factor in crashes and the higher the speed, the greater the damage. And you don’t have to be breaking the limit to be going too fast.
Michael McDonnell director of Road Safety Scotland said: “Even one life lost on Scotland’s roads is one life too many. Now more than ever, it’s important for drivers to understand speed limits are there for a reason and often, even travelling at or near the limit may be too fast for the conditions.
“We want all drivers across Scotland to consider their actions and drive at an appropriate speed for the road conditions at all times. Drivers should also adopt the safest road position, keeping away from the kerb to give pedestrians and people on bikes space.”
Going too fast in town has severe penalties for drivers. The minimum fine for speeding is £100 plus three penalty points and a potential loss of licence when building up 12 or more points over three years. New drivers, in their first two years of driving, only need six points to lose their licence.
East Road Policing Area Commander, Chief Inspector Mark Patterson at Police Scotland, said: “As we enter the summer months and with more people making the most of using the road network by cycling and walking since coronavirus restrictions were introduced, it is important that drivers pay attention to what is happening on the road in front of them.
“We can’t predict what will happen on the road in front of us, and we are urging drivers to give other road users, such as cyclists, pedestrians and horse riders, the space they need to be kept safe.
“Driving at appropriate speeds for the conditions – which includes other road users being present – is important and can reduce the chances of being involved in a crash. The speed limit should not be seen as a target, it is the maximum speed you should do and doesn’t mean you should sit at that speed if the network is busy with other road users.
“Pedestrians and cyclists should also be aware that roads will be busier and to cross at designated points as well as adhering to relevant parts of the Highway Code.
“There is room for everyone on our roads and we encourage all road users to show consideration and respect for the safety of each other. We all have a duty make our roads a safer place.”
For more information visit roadsafety.scot or check out the Road Safety Scotland Facebook and Twitter (@roadsafetyscot) pages.
Vehicle registrations fell by an estimated 94% in April, and 85% in May, compared to the same months last year, according to figures released today by the Department for Transport.
The quarterly Vehicle Licensing Statistics reported 599,000 vehicles were registered in the first quarter of this year, a 30% fall from the first quarter of 2019, resulting in a drop in the total number of licenced vehicles on Britain’s roads – only the second decline in the total number of vehicles on the road since the end of the Second World War.
The figures revealed an 82% decrease in registrations in the last week of March, coinciding with the UK lockdown coming into force and vehicle dealerships and showrooms being required to close, which removed the main method by which new vehicles are sold.
This was followed by 12,340 vehicle registrations in April and 37,100 in May, representing annual drops of 94% and 85% respectively.
However, the number of newly registered ultra-low emission vehicles (ULEVs) shot up to 33,700, an increase of 113% on last year. In contrast, new diesel cars fell by 45% and petrol cars sales were down by 34%.
Responding to the government’s newly published data Greg Wilson, founder of leading car insurance comparison website, Quotezone.co.uk, says: “It’s not a surprise to learn that the lockdown has had a significant impact on vehicles sales, but the scale of that impact is truly staggering, particularly at the height of the lockdown in April and May.
“It’s also significant that the total number of vehicles on the road fell in the first quarter – the first time that number has fallen since 1991, and only the second time since the end of the Second World War. This is likely to be due to a combination of fewer new vehicles being registered as the lockdown was introduced, and some motorists deciding to SORN their vehicles if they weren’t likely to need them during lockdown.
“It’s also interesting to note the sharp rise in ULEV registrations – given that many electric cars are able to be delivered directly to the buyer, it’s possible this trend was partly driven by the lockdown as well.”
Edinburgh based creative projects Neu Reekie and Out of the Blueprint are among 68 projects across Scotland who have received a total of £1.6million from The National Lottery through Creative Scotland’s Open Project Fund, to reimagine work and create new opportunities during COVID-19.
Neu Reekie has been rethinking its year-long 10th anniversary programme, adapting and refocusing plans to reach audiences digitally.
Kevin Williamson, Co-founder, Neu Reekiesaid: “For our 10th year we organised our fullest, most diverse, and most ground-breaking programme of events to date in Edinburgh, with a year-long series of core shows, as well an ambitious tour of Scotland’s towns and islands.
“All of these have had to be postponed because of coronavirus. To this end we’ve marked Edwin Morgan’s centenary with a live streamed show on the weekend of his birthday which was conceptualised and programmed in the same unique way we do for our live shows.
“We’re hosting the Scottish leg of the BBC’s Words First talent development scheme over the summer months to help discover new spoken word talent; as well as launching a public appeal for new commissioned work from poets.
“We’ll be at the ready to re-organise our core events, our national tour, and collaborative events when the coast is clear.”
Social enterprise and print studio, Out of the Blueprint is developing Walk Don’t Walk, an exhibition of work by 20 young illustrators and comic-makers.
Originally imagined as a summer presentation at Leith’s Drill Hall, plans are now underway to showcase work on the streets of Leith.
Johnny Gaily, Managerat Out of the Blueprint, said: “There’s a real need this summer to put art and community up front and central, and I can’t think of a better way than to showcase some of the amazing young talent we’re working with.”
Joan Parr, Director of Arts and Engagement at Creative Scotlandsaid: “COVID-19 has had such a significant impact on artists and organisations working across the country that it is sometimes difficult to think positively at this time.
“We’re therefore pleased to share news of these projects where artists have been able to adapt their practices and work, finding new and engaging ways to connect with audiences and contribute to our national wellbeing in these challenging circumstances.”
Image: Out of the Blueprint exhibition opening. Credit: Out of the Blueprint
The event will now be live streamed on Facebook and Youtube with attendees also able to join in with the many festival activities throughout the weekend. The annual trade union festival normally held in Tolpuddle, Dorset will still run from Friday 17th – Sunday 19th July.
This year’s Tolpuddle Martyrs’ Festival has been moved exclusively online, organisers have confirmed today.
The South West TUC is making the virtual event as similar as possible to the original, complete with debates, films, comedy, music, a kids’ area, and a virtual procession on the Sunday afternoon.
The event, held in Dorset every July to commemorate the six farm workers transported to Australia after forming a union, was cancelled because of the coronavirus crisis.
The virtual festival, held on the same days as the original (July 17, 18 and 19) will be live-streamed across various digital platforms. For exclusives and teasers in the run-up to the festival, organisers are inviting attendees to join the Tolpuddle Martyrs Festival Facebook group.
Tolpuddle [is] more than simply music and politics. It’s a gathering of like-minded people and a joyous celebration of trade union solidarity.
Festival organiser and Regional Secretary of the TUC South West Nigel Costley said: “Tolpuddle has always been more than simply music and politics. It’s a gathering of like-minded people, a joyous celebration of trade union solidarity – and that’s what we’re hoping to reflect online.
“We have a full programme of topical debates, a full programme of films and a full programme of music ranging from those who would have played this year’s event to those who we welcome back from previous festivals – all performing exclusive sets for us.
“We’ll also be covering the wreath-laying, interviewing stall-holders and encouraging families to design banners so they can join the virtual procession on Sunday afternoon.
“The whole event will be compered by familiar faces from the festival to add that special Tolpuddle touch.”
Keep an eye on the Facebook page for announcements of speakers and artists.
“We have some special surprises in store,” said Nigel Costley.
Thank you to everyone who sent us suggestions on how to improve the supermarket shopping experience for autistic customers during the Covid-19 pandemic.
With new queuing rules and social distancing in place as a result of the pandemic, our experience of supermarket shopping has changed significantly.
As part of our My Five campaign, we aim to help retail and hospitality businesses become more welcoming and accessible to autistic people and their families. We have collated the five most commonly suggested themes on adjustments supermarkets can make and developed guidance for them below. We are sharing this directly with supermarkets too.
With lockdown restrictions beginning to ease you may be visiting more than supermarkets in the coming weeks and months.
Learn how you could make these visits a more positive experience and join Gavin Neate, Founder and CEO of the WelcoMe app, for a live webinar and Q&A session today at 12 noon on our Facebook page.
The WelcoMe app aims to support autistic and disabled people to have a positive experience when visiting shops and others venues. #MyFive#Autism#COVID19
We are very excited to present an online Festival to mark the dates of the 2020Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival.
From 23 to 26 July this year, we will stream a variety of gigs across our website and social media channels – all for free! We look forward to sharing more details of the programme with you in the coming weeks – keep an eye on the website!
At this time of year, many of you would be buying tickets for the July festival. Each year income from ticket sales represents 45% of our annual income and the cancellation of the festival will result in the loss of all earned ticket income in 2020. As a charity, we rely on the generous support of our funders and donors to help us bring this annual celebration of Jazz and Blues to life.
Would you consider supporting us through this difficult period? You can do so by making a donation or, for those of you who would like to get closer to our work, we are very excited to launch a new EJBF Patron Scheme.
All funds raised will help EJBF to begin planning for the 2021 Edinburgh Jazz & Blues Festival and Edinburgh Festival Carnival, as well as supporting our learning programmes, such as our online schools, and our talent development programmes for Scottish artists.
To make a donation or to find out more about becoming an EJBF Patron please click here.
The Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee yesterday announced its unanimous support for the general principles of the ‘Protection of Workers Bill’ after it published its Stage One report on the bill.
The Bill, which seeks to increase protection for retail workers, was introduced by Daniel Johnson MSP.
While taking evidence the Committee heard compelling stories of the unacceptable violence, threats and aggression that retail workers are subject to. The Committee was told that workers who sell age restricted goods have a special role in upholding the law and this can sometimes trigger violence and abuse.
The Committee was also concerned to hear that shop workers do not always report these crimes. Some workers think it is a normal part of their job or believe that it will not be taken seriously by their employer or the police.
The Committee heard that there needs to be greater awareness of the scale and seriousness of these crimes among members of the public, retail staff, retail employers and the police.
Committee Convener Michelle Ballantyne MSP said: “Retail workers have always played a key role in Scotland’s communities; however, the role that they have played over the last few months has been phenomenal.
More than 375,000 people in Scotland work in the retail sector and all of them deserve our thanks. They have been at the heart of members’ consideration of this bill.
“The abuse that retail workers face every day just for doing their jobs is completely unacceptable. Each incident is one too many and the Committee welcomes the bill’s aim to provide greater protection, especially where retail workers are enforcing age restrictions. Abuse must be taken seriously and crimes must be reported to ensure that these matters are given the priority they deserve.”
While approving the general principles, the Committee has invited Daniel Johnson MSP to work proactively with the Scottish Government to help address reservations that the Committee has with regards to the legislation.
Michelle Ballantyne MSP added: “The abuse of retail workers is clearly a problem and it needs to be addressed. That is why we are supportng the general principles of the bill today.
However we are also clear that this bill is far from the finished article. Work needs to be done to ensure that the bill increases protection for retail workers in a clear enforceable way.
“I look forward to the Member working with the Scottish Government before the Committee considers the bill at Stage Two.”
Shopworkers’ trade union Usdaw has welcomed the Scottish Parliament’s Economy, Energy and Fair Work Committee unanimously passing to the next stage the Protection of Workers (Retail and Age-restricted Goods and Services) (Scotland) Bill, promoted by Daniel Johnson MSP (Labour, Edinburgh Southern).
Usdaw calls for MSPs to support the measure when it is debated at stage 2.
Stewart Forrest, Usdaw’s Scottish Divisional Officer, said: “We thank the all-party committee for their diligence, unanimous approval of the general principles of the Bill and recognition that retail workers are subject to unacceptable violence, threats and aggression every working day.
“Also their understanding that age-restricted sales is a major flashpoint, where shopworkers are at risk because they enforce the law to help keep our communities safe.
“Throughout the coronavirus emergency shopworkers are ensuring that Scotland remains fed. Shopworkers are at an increased risk of contracting Covid-19, yet they have continued to go to work and help respond to the crisis. Despite this, we have seen abuse, threats and violence against shop staff double this year.
“However abuse of shopworkers is a problem in more normal times and, in our view, the current legal provisions do not sufficiently protect them. The Scottish Government has indicated they too support the intentions of the Bill and will engage in the details of it. We hope that will lead to a change in the law to better protect shopworkers.”
Paddy Lillis, Usdaw General Secretary, said:“This is very welcome news and we hope it will result in the Scottish Parliament leading the way on protection of shopworkers, as they did with emergency service workers, and pass this Bill.
“At a time when we should all be working together to get through this crisis, it is a disgrace that people working to keep food on the shelves are being abused and assaulted. Action is required. Our message is clear, abuse is not part of the job.
“Retail staff are key workers delivering essential services and that role must be valued and respected, they deserve the protection of the law. Shops are the cornerstone of our communities and we continue to work with the employers to improve health and safety for staff. We also call on customers to stay calm and respect shopworkers.”
Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at the media briefing in St Andrew’s House on Tuesday 30 June:
Good afternoon, and welcome to today’s briefing. I want to start by providing my usual update on the most recent Covid-19 statistics for Scotland.
An additional 10 positive cases were confirmed yesterday – that takes the total now in Scotland to 18,251.
A total of 885 patients are currently in hospital with the virus – either confirmed or suspected. That is actually an increase of 145 since yesterday, but the increase is all in suspected cases. The number of confirmed cases fell by 3.
A total of 19 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected Covid-19. That is 9 more than yesterday – but again the increase is all in suspected cases.
Since 5 March, a total of 4,061 patients who had tested positive for Covid-19 have been able to leave hospital. I wish all of them well.
And in the past 24 hours, I’m sorry to say 3 deaths were registered of a patient confirmed through a test as having Covid-19. That takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, to 2,485.
I know that, after four consecutive days without any deaths being registered, news of any deaths, while not unexpected, is not what we want to hear.
And of course the three people whose deaths were registered yesterday – like everyone who has died from this virus – were individuals whose loss will be causing heartbreak to those who loved them. I want to send my deepest condolences to everyone who has lost a loved one as a result of this virus.
However – and I know that this will not be any comfort to those who are grieving – it is still worth remembering the overall trend in Scotland’s figures.
On this day last week, I announced four deaths, which took the total for the previous seven days – under this daily measure – to 23. The three deaths I have announced today, take that seven day total to 9.
That is a sustained and significant ongoing reduction and it is due to everybody – and as I will make clear later in my remarks, maintaining that progress is also a responsibility for all of us as we move forward.
But I want to make clear once again my particular gratitude to our health and care workers – and indeed to all our key workers. We are all grateful for the work you have done during the crisis and indeed continue to do.
The media conferences for the rest of the week will cover a range of issues.
Tomorrow we will report on the latest weekly statistics from National Records of Scotland.
On Thursday, I hope to confirm the changes that we had indicated for the 3rd of July and the 6th of July.
I will also talk about the advice we are due to receive on the 2 metre rule for physical distancing – and whether there are any circumstances in which it can be adapted, with appropriate mitigations in place.
And on Friday, I am likely to look ahead to the weekend – particularly in view of the changes to travel restrictions that are likely to take effect on that day.
Today, however, I want to focus on where we are now. It is maybe an appropriate time to do that: partly because of the data we have seen recently, and also because today is the 100th day of lockdown – although I realise that for most of us, it seems a lot longer than that.
At the time when we imposed lockdown, Covid was starting to run out of control in Scotland.
Because of that, two weeks after the start of lockdown, in early April, hospital admissions for the virus averaged over 200 a day.
And two weeks after that, Covid deaths in Scotland – going by the wider National Records of Scotland data – were averaging more than 90 a day.
To be in our current position – with hospital admissions averaging just 4 a day, with consistently low numbers of new Covid cases, and with such a sharp reduction in death rates – all of that is massive and welcome progress. Once again, I want to thank every single person in Scotland for that. All of us have played a part in getting to this position.
We now have a genuine chance to come as close as is possible to eliminating the virus in Scotland. Of course we will then have to work to ensure we keep it at those levels.
That in turn gives us the best possible chance of seeing more of our friends in less restricted circumstances; of reopening the economy much more fully; and of being able to fully reopen our schools.
So this is a moment of great opportunity.
But it is also a time of very real danger.
And I suppose it’s that I want to focus on today.
Not to be negative. But to be realistic and to seek to persuade you all that we still have to work very hard to make sure our progress of recent weeks is not lost or even worse reversed.
We all feel a sense of relief at low levels of the virus today. I know I certainly feel that relief intensely.
But we saw from late March just how quickly low levels of the virus can spread to become much higher. And we saw the consequences of that.
Some of the reports we are seeing from elsewhere in the UK and around the world right now underline that point.
Lockdown restrictions have just been reimposed in Leicester as a result of increased transmission.
And we are seeing increases in infection rates in other countries – for example in some US states, and in Melbourne in Australia. Lockdown restrictions are being reimposed in these places too.
And the World Health Organisation pointed out yesterday that although many countries are making progress in tackling Covid, the pandemic globally is still speeding up and is not close yet to being over.
I don’t say any of this to depress anyone – but as a very loud reminder that the virus has not gone away. It is still present – which is why we are still seeing some new cases in Scotland. It is just as infectious and dangerous as it ever was. And it will come back hard if we let it.
The figures in Scotland we are seeing right now, are a result of the decisions and the sacrifices all of us have made over the past 100 days.
The figures we see in the future – in the second half of July; in August, as schools prepare to reopen; and into the autumn – they will be the result of the decisions we all take now, and in the weeks ahead.
That is why – as I said – we are right now in a potentially very dangerous moment.
We are reopening more public services and more businesses; we will soon start travelling a bit more; and we will also start seeing a bit more of our family and friends – including in outdoor pubs and restaurants.
That is absolutely right – it is justified by the progress we have made. And it’s important, of course, to get our economy going again.
But by opening up a bit more, at a time when the daily statistics are looking so positive, there is a real risk that people will let down their guard. There is a danger that it will seem as though life is getting back to normal. And I want to stress right now, life can’t and shouldn’t get completely back to normal yet, because the virus is still there.
I do not want us to be looking back in a month’s time, or in three months’ time, and thinking that this week’s figures – the culmination of 100 days of sacrifice – were as good as it ever got in our efforts to suppress this virus.
Instead, I want us to be looking back in a month’s time – and then in the autumn – and thinking that this week’s figures provided us with the best possible foundation for our efforts to almost eliminate the virus.
Because if we can continue to suppress the virus – and come as close as possible to elimination – then living a less restricted life without the constant threat of lockdowns being reimposed becomes more possible. And dealing with localised outbreaks when they happen – which they will – will become far easier.
For the Scottish Government, that means that we may still have to take some really tough and unpopular decisions in the weeks ahead – that we have to go against the grain of what many of you would like, in order to secure the progress we have made. If that is necessary we won’t shy away from doing it.
And for all of us – it means still thinking hard in our personal lives about what we choose to do and not to do. Just because we can do more now, doesn’t necessarily mean we should do these things as often as we used to. And it certainly doesn’t mean we should do them without significantly increased care. Following the rules continues to be vital. In fact, it is even more important now as we start to interact more, so we don’t squander the progress that we’ve made.
So as we start to do more – as we go to more shops, as more people return to work, as we maybe travel a bit more from the end of this week – please remember that the virus has not gone away.
We have suppressed it to the levels we see today because of the action we have collectively been taking, so we must continue to take action to keep it there and hopefully get it lower still. It is still as a virus highly infectious. It is still very dangerous. And it will start to spread rapidly again, if we give it the opportunity to do so.
That is why our public health campaign – FACTS – is so important. It summarises the five key things all of us must remember in everything we do.
· Face coverings should be worn in enclosed spaces such as shops and public transport. · Avoid crowded places. · Clean your hands and hard surfaces regularly. · Two metre distancing remains the rule. · and Self isolate, and book a test, if you have symptoms.
By remembering those 5 basic measures, all of us can stay safe, protect others and save lives.
So please, my appeal to you today, and I cannot stress this enough, do not drop your guard.
Do not become complacent. Do not drift back to life exactly as normal.
Do not think the risk of the virus has gone away.
Please make sure you are doing everything you can – every day and every time you go out – to deny it the chance to spread. And if we all behave in that way, then the progress we are seeing now will continue. So my thanks for everything that you’ve done over these past 100 days and I ask all of you to stick with the advice that’s so important.
This government is committed not just to defeating coronavirus but to using this crisis to tackle this country’s great unresolved challenges of the last three decades.
To build the homes, to fix the NHS, to tackle the skills crisis, to mend the gap in opportunity and productivity and connectivity between the regions of the UK, to unite and level up.
The government will build back better, build back greener, build back faster.
We will invest in and accelerate infrastructure across the UK; promote a clean, green recovery; reform our planning system; and strengthen the Union and local government.
All of these changes will make life better for the people of this great country and unleash Britain’s potential.
The Chancellor will unveil more of this plan next week, and we will use the forthcoming Spending Review and Autumn Budget to set the direction for the rest of this parliament.
Investing in and accelerating infrastructure
The government is committed to building a Britain with world class infrastructure. Spring Budget 2020 set out that the public sector will invest £640bn over five years in our future prosperity.
We are redoubling our efforts to get on with this now, in support of economic recovery and jobs right across the country by bringing forward £5bn of capital investment projects, supporting jobs and the economic recovery, including:
£1.5bn this year for hospital maintenance, eradicating mental health dormitories, enabling hospital building, and improving A&E capacity. This will improve patient care, make sure NHS hospitals can deliver world-leading services and reduce the risk of coronavirus infections.
£100m this year for 29 projects to improve our road network to get Britain moving, from bridge repairs in Sandwell to boosting the quality of the A15 in the Humber region. Plus £10m for development work to unblock the Manchester rail bottleneck, which will begin this year.
Over £1bn to fund the first 50 projects of a new, ten-year school rebuilding programme, starting from 2020-21. These projects will be confirmed in the autumn, and construction on the first sites will begin from September 2021.
£560m and £200m for repairs and upgrades to schools and FE colleges respectively this year.
£142mn for digital upgrades and maintenance to around 100 courts this year, £83m for maintenance of prisons and youth offender facilities, and £60m for temporary prison places, creating thousands of new jobs.
£900m for a range of ‘shovel ready’ local growth projects in England over the course of this year and next. This will enable local areas to invest in priority infrastructure projects to drive local growth and jobs. This could include the development and regeneration of key local sites, investment to improve transport and digital connectivity, and innovation and technology centres to build on local comparative advantage
£96m to accelerate investment in town centres and high streets through the Towns Fund this year. This will provide all 101 towns selected for town deals with £500k-£1m to spend on projects such as improvements to parks, high streets, and transport.
We will establish a new Infrastructure Delivery Taskforce, named ‘Project Speed’.
Led by the Chancellor, Project Speed will bring forward proposals to deliver government’s public investment projects more strategically and efficiently. This will ensure we are building the right things better and faster than before.
The taskforce will aim to cut down the time it takes to develop, design and deliver vital infrastructure projects. For example, it will look at how it can address outdated practices and identify blocks to progress.
Projects will include the 40 new hospitals the government has committed to build and the school rebuilding programme announced yesterday.
In the Autumn, the government will also publish a National Infrastructure Strategy which will set a clear direction on core economic infrastructure, including energy networks, road and rail, flood defences and waste.
The Government also intends to bring forward funding to accelerate infrastructure projects in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland – working with the devolved administrations to identify where we can get spades in the ground, build our communities, and create jobs faster for citizens across the United Kingdom.
We will also carry out a review to look at how best to improve road, rail, air and sea links between our four nations to create a more connected kingdom.
Through the Barnett formula, the UK Government has already given the Scottish Government £5.4bn, the Welsh Government £2.4bn, and the Northern Ireland Executive £1.7bn in capital funding for devolved areas this financial year. We would encourage them to accelerate infrastructure projects in the same way that the UK Government is doing.
Promoting a clean, green recovery
The UK was the first major economy to commit to net zero emissions by 2050 in law. We already have a proven track record of cutting emissions while growing the economy, with over 460,000 UK jobs in low-carbon businesses and their supply chains.
We will continue to build on this even further and deliver a stronger, cleaner, more sustainable economy after this pandemic.
The Government will continue to set out further measures as part of its green agenda in the run up to COP26 in November 2021.
Transport:
We are making additional funding available this year to attract investment in ‘gigafactories’, which mass produce batteries and other electric vehicle components, enabling the UK to lead on the next generation of automotive technologies.
£10m of funding will be made available immediately for the first wave of innovative R&D projects to scale-up manufacturing of the latest technology in batteries, motors, electronics and fuel cells.
Additional funding will also allow us to progress initial site planning and preparation for manufacturing plants and industry clusters, with sites under consideration across the UK.
This funding forms part of our commitment to spend up to £1bn to attract investment in electric vehicle supply chains and R&D to the UK.
And this comes on top of the over £1bn we provided at Budget to support the rollout of ultra-low emission vehicles in the UK via support for a super-fast charging network for electric vehicles, and extension of the Plug-In Grant schemes.
The UK will also aim to produce the world’s first zero emission long haul passenger aircraft.
Rebuilding our natural infrastructure:
Re-foresting Britain by planting 75,000 acres of trees every year by 2025.
£40m Green Recovery Challenge Fund to help halt biodiversity loss and tackle climate change through local conservation projects, connecting more people to the outdoors by delivering up to 5,000 jobs.
Innovation:
Up to £100m of new funding for research and develop a brand new clean technology, Direct Air Capture (DAC), which captures CO2 emissions directly from the air around us. If successful, DAC technology could be deployed across the country to remove carbon from the air, helping sectors where it’s tough to decarbonise such as aviation.
To help bring forward this technology, the government is exploring options around carbon pricing and incentives, where the government may pay a price per tonne of CO2 captured.
Reforming our planning system
We will make it easier to build better homes where people want to live.
New regulations will give greater freedom for buildings and land in our town centres to change use without planning permission and create new homes from the regeneration of vacant and redundant buildings.
Under the new rules, existing commercial properties, including newly vacant shops, can be converted into residential housing more easily, in a move to kick start the construction industry and speed up rebuilding.
The changes include:
More types of commercial premises having total flexibility to be repurposed through reform of the Use Classes Order. A building used for retail, for instance, would be able to be permanently used as a café or office without requiring a planning application and local authority approval. Pubs, libraries, village shops and other types of uses essential to the lifeblood of communities will not be covered by these flexibilities
A wider range of commercial buildings will be allowed to change to residential use without the need for a planning application
Builders will no longer need a normal planning application to demolish and rebuild vacant and redundant residential and commercial buildings if they are rebuilt as homes
Property owners will be able to build additional space above their properties via a fast track approval process, subject to neighbour consultation.
These changes, which are planned to come into effect by September, will both support the high street revival by allowing empty commercial properties to be quickly repurposed and reduce the pressure to build on green fields land by making brownfield development easier.
The Prime Minister also announced that work will begin to look at how land owned by the government can be managed more effectively.
Ahead of the Spending Review, a new, ambitious cross-government strategy look at how public sector land can be managed and released so it can be put to better use.
This would include home building, improving the environment, contributing to net zero goals and injecting growth opportunities into communities across the country.
These announcements come alongside a package of measures to support home building across England, including:
A £12bn affordable homes programme that will support up to 180,000 new affordable homes for ownership and rent over the next 8 years, confirmed today.
Included in the affordable homes programme will be a 1,500 unit pilot of ‘First Homes’: houses that will be sold to first time buyers at a 30% discount which will remain in perpetuity, keeping them affordable for generations of families to own.
Funds from the £400m Brownfield Land Fund have today been allocated to the West Midland, Greater Manchester, West Yorkshire, Liverpool City Region, Sheffield City Region, North of Tyne and Tees Valley to support around 24,000 homes.
The Home Building Fund to help smaller developers access finance for new housing developments will receive additional £450m boost. This is expected to support delivery of around 7,200 new homes.
The government will launch a Policy Paper in July setting out our plan for comprehensive reform of England’s seven-decade old planning system, to introduce a new approach that works better for our modern economy and society.
Strengthening the Union
We will take steps to guarantee and enhance our internal market and find new ways to invest in Scotland, Wales, England and NI and focus on “levelling up” our whole country.
As above, the Government also intends to bring forward funding to accelerate infrastructure projects in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland – working with the devolved administrations to identify where we can get spades in the ground, build our communities, and create jobs faster for citizens across the United Kingdom.
The Spending review will create a multi-year, UK-wide Shared Prosperity Fund which will support which will support local economic recovery by driving economic growth and tackling deprivation.
We will carry out a review to look at how best to improve road, rail, air and sea links between all parts of the UK to create a more connected kingdom.
