Month: December 2020

Morrisons £20 Christmas dinner delivered to your doorstep

HOME DELIV-MERRY!

– Offer available for those self-isolating or unable to get to the supermarket this Christmas –

– Costs just £18.36 and includes ingredients for four courses, wine and Christmas crackers for two people –

– Orders are placed via Morrisons Doorstep Delivery phone line –

Morrisons is launching a new service to ensure self-isolating customers can get everything they need for Christmas dinner for two people, for under £20.

Costing just £18.36[1] the Christmas Dinner for Two Box contains a British Turkey Breast joint, peeled potatoes and all the Christmas trimmings you’d expect – pigs in blankets, vegetables, stuffing, gravy and cranberry sauce – so that customers won’t go without on the big day.

The festive box also includes a starter and dessert, alongside two freshly-baked mince pies, two Christmas crackers, and a selection of wine.

Morrisons has included a recipe card with step-by-step instructions and timings so it couldn’t be easier to serve up the four-course dinner in style. 

The Christmas Dinner for Two Box is available to order via Morrisons dedicated Doorstep Deliveries phone line, which enables vulnerable or self-isolating customers to order their groceries over the phone and have them hand-delivered by a colleague from their local store. 

Morrisons customers can order the Christmas Dinner for Two Box until the 13th December. It will be delivered on a day to suit them between 21 and 23 December, between 8am and 8pm. 

David Potts, Morrisons Chief Executive said: “Our telephone service is a lifeline for many vulnerable people. Thirty million British households will be shopping in the week up to Christmas and we do not want anyone to get left behind.

“Our Doorstep delivery service will ensure those who can’t leave their home to go shopping will still be able to enjoy their Christmas dinner.” 

The Christmas Dinner for Two Box contains:

●       Morrisons Savers Part Baked White Baguettes (2 per pack)●       Morrisons Deli Counter Brussels Pate 50g●       Morrisons Basted Boneless Turkey Breast 465g●       Morrisons 12 Pigs in Blankets 300g (Frozen)●       1 Loose Parsnip●       Morrisons Peeled Maris Piper Potatoes 600g●       2 Loose Carrots●       8 Loose Brussel Sprouts●        Morrisons Sage & Onion Stuffing 85g●        Morrisons Cranberry Sauce 200g●        Morrisons Pure Clear Honey 227g●        2 Morrisons Christmas Puddings 100g●        Morrisons Ready To Serve Custard 400g●        Morrisons Chicken Gravy Granules 200g●        2 In Store Baked Mince Pies●        2 Red Wines, 1 White Wine (187ml)●        2 Individual Christmas Crackers

Customers will be able to place orders with Morrisons over the phone by calling 0345 611 6111 and selecting option 5.

Standard delivery charges of £4.50 apply, with student delivery costing £2 and an optional delivery contribution of £1.50 for elderly and vulnerable customers. 

MSPs to forego pay increase

MSPs are to forgo a pay increase next year, it has been announced.

In a message to MSPs Presiding Officer Ken Macintosh MSP said that, in the midst of a public health crisis with such devastating economic consequences and hardship for so many, now more than ever was the time for political leadership on Members’ pay.
 
The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body (SPCB), chaired by the Presiding Officer, agreed unanimously (on 3 December) that no uplift will be presented in the SPCB’s budget bid for next year with regard to Members and Ministerial salaries.

The full text of the Presiding Officer’s message to all MSPs is as follows:


 Dear Colleagues
 
MSP pay: financial year 2021/22
 
Later this month, the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body will present its budget bid for 2021/22 to the Finance and Constitution Committee for its scrutiny.
 
As ever, it is the duty of the SPCB to make provision for the resources and services that Parliament needs to function.  Within its annual budget bid, the SPCB is required to make provision for the salaries of all Members and Ministers.
 
You will no doubt recall that in the previous session of Parliament, Members voted to break the pay link between MPs and MSPs salaries.  Instead of receiving 87.5% of MPs’ salaries, we voted to link our future pay increases to those of public sectors workers in Scotland, using the ASHE index.
 
Last year, the ASHE index applied to our salaries stood at 1.4%.  This year the corresponding rate is 5.1%.  
 
In the midst of a public health crisis with such devastating economic consequences and hardship for so many households, the SPCB unanimously agreed yesterday, that it would be wholly inappropriate for the ASHE index to be applied to MSP and Ministerial salaries next year.
 
Instead, the SPCB agreed that Members, Ministers and Presiding Officers will forgo a pay rise and that our budget bid to the Finance and Constitution Committee will freeze the current salary rates for Members.
 
These are exceptional circumstances and no other decision would have been appropriate or welcome at this time – either inside or outwith Parliament. Now more than ever is a time for political leadership where our own salaries are concerned.
 
I am grateful to each of the members of the SPCB for their collaboration on this matter and in agreeing the budget bid that will be made to the Finance and Constitution Committee later this month.
 
Yours sincerely
 
Ken Macintosh

NOTE: A backbench MSP’s annual salary is £64,470.

Hart Builders set to transform Silverlea site

Hart Builders have been appointed to lead work to design around 150 brand new affordable homes at the former Silverlea care home in Salvesen. The Council-led development is expected to start on site next summer.  

Hart is working with designers Smith Scott Mullan; Will Rudd Davidson; Hulley and Kirkwood and  Hardies to bring forward proposals for the site as part of the £1.3 bn Granton Waterfront regeneration project.

The site will provide net zero carbon homes for social and midmarket rent as part of Edinburgh’s ambitious 20,000 affordable homes target as well as a new home for Craigroyston Community Youth Football Club.

Residents will benefit from improved energy efficiency and savings on fuel bills, helping to halt our impact on climate change. Residents will have access to high quality green space and links to the promenade and shoreline.

In addition to delivering the project, the contractor will provide a range of community benefits for surrounding residents including apprenticeships and mentoring programmes as well as supporting local organisations.  

The £18m investment will be funded by the Council and grant funding from the Scottish Government.

Councillor Kate Campbell , Convener of Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work, said: “Granton is a site of national importance – recognised by the Scottish Government as strategically significant. To us it’s an opportunity to provide a large number of the much-needed affordable homes, and to open up a beautiful part of our city’s waterfront so that residents can live there, work there and enjoy it.

“The views are amazing, the history is rich – and it’s our job to build homes and community spaces so that we protect and enhance that history and make it a fantastic place to live.

“I’m delighted that we have approved significant funding for Granton Station, one of the most important historical buildings, and that we now own, and are working to light up the gas holder. It’s critical that new development grows up around these buildings respecting, and enhancing, the history of this important part of Edinburgh.

“We’ve also got plans for a coastal park linking Granton Harbour, Cramond and Lauriston Castle, which will be one of the largest coastal parks in Europe.

“Residents told us during consultation on the masterplan that they wanted to see things happening on the ground, not a document sitting on a shelf.

“Appointing a contractor for these 150 new homes at Silverlea demonstrates clearly that we’re listening, and that we will get things moving so that our collective vision for this special part of our city can be realised.”

Councillor Mandy Watt, Vice Convener, added: “All of the steps we’re taking to make homes – new and existing council owned – more sustainable are also making them warmer and more cost efficient. This helps us to tackle poverty by making the running costs of a home more affordable as well as helping us meet our targets to tackle climate change.

“Already under way is our extensive £350 million investment programme in council housing which will, over the next 10 years, make them more energy efficient, help tenants save money on their energy bills and ensure more generally they are comfortable to live in.

“The appointment of a contractor is great news as this development will not only deliver much needed affordable homes but the project will also boost employment and help our economy recover from the challenges of the pandemic.”

Gill Henry, Business Development Director for Hart Builders, part of the Cruden Group said: “We are absolutely delighted to have been selected to deliver the Silverlea project in partnership with The City of Edinburgh Council.

“This landmark development will not only deliver one of the first net zero carbon home initiatives to the capital, it also provides the opportunity to really focus on placemaking and designing homes for the future and will address many of the issues highlighted throughout the pandemic in terms of homeworking, home schooling and the importance of accessible green spaces.

 “Importantly, we are looking forward to engaging with Craigroyston High School and Edinburgh College to encourage more young people into the construction industry and offer first-hand experience of a live project being constructed on their doorstep.

“We will also be offering training and employment opportunities for local SMEs; supported work placements and employment opportunities for members of the community and sponsorship for local organisations to ensure the community benefits as far as possible from this new development.”

Proclaimers reissue Sunshine on Leith to support NHS Lothian staff

NHS Lothian’s official charity, Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation (ELHF), have been proud to work with Hibernian FC, Warner Music and The Proclaimers on the reissue of Sunshine on Leith which was announced last week.

This special edition, pressed for the first time on 7″ clear green vinyl, is due for release on 29 January 2021 – pre-orders opened on 3 December.

The money they raise will help Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation continue to provide additional support for NHS Lothian staff during one of the largest global health crises of our lifetime.

It will also enable them to put in place a programme of longer-term, sustainable wellbeing support that will address the lasting effects of the pandemic, both in the recovery phase and beyond. In aid of this, The Proclaimers also released 100 limited edition signed copies, exclusively through Hibernian Direct.

Jane Ferguson, Foundation Director of Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation, said: “We are delighted that The Proclaimers and Warner Music have re-released Sunshine on Leith to support our partnership with Hibs and help our amazing NHS Lothian staff as they respond to the ongoing challenges of the Coronavirus pandemic.

“Funds raised will enable Edinburgh and Lothians Health Foundation to continue to provide additional support for our NHS Lothian colleagues, providing a fast and flexible response to meet any urgent and emerging needs, as well as supporting them in their long term recovery from the profound impact of the virus on their physical and emotional health and wellbeing.”

In a statement Craig and Charlie Reid said: “We’re very happy to be supporting NHS Lothian during this challenging time for our people and health service.

“The NHS is very much loved by both of us and we have much reason to be grateful to it.”

Hibernian Captain and Scottish Cup hero David Gray added: “”Sunshine on Leith is a phenomenal club anthem and I’ll never forget it ringing out around the east stand of Hampden during the celebrations of the Scottish cup final in 2016, it was a proper hairs on the back of your neck moment.

It’s such a powerful track and whenever I hear it I always get a buzz thinking back to that day.

“This limited edition version of the track is a fantastic gesture from The Proclaimers in support of The NHS and Edinburgh and Lothian’s Health Foundation and it’s great to see them partner with the club for such a great cause. Our NHS heroes have been brilliant during this pandemic and even before then and we wear the ‘Thank You NHS’ message on our shirts with pride.

“I’m sure our fans will snap up this limited edition version and raise plenty money for the charity. I’ll be after one as well!”

Police Scotland launch campaign to combat rise in fraud

Police Scotland is running a major campaign to help people protect themselves from fraud – which has become one of the most commonly experienced crimes in the country.

Cases of criminals exploiting vulnerable and unsuspecting people and persuading them to part with money or personal information are continuing to rise.

During the six-week campaign, in partnership with Take Five to Stop Fraud, officers will also warn that criminals are becoming more sophisticated and convincing in their methods, and taking advantage of advances in technology.

Latest Scottish Government figures show that in 2019-20, fraud increased by 23% and since 2010-11 has gone up by 33%.

In the last year (April 2019- March 2020) there were 11,939 crimes of fraud recorded in Scotland – including many committed online, as criminals use the internet more and more to target victims. An increase of 2,264 crimes the previous year.

Throughout the campaign members of the public and businesses will be encouraged to follow straightforward and impartial advice – Stop, Challenge and Protect – aimed at reducing the chances of becoming a victim of financial fraud. This includes online fraud, email deception as well as phone-based and social media scams.

Essential information will be advertised on social media, digital screens as well as on Spotify.

Deputy Chief Constable Malcolm Graham said: “Fraud, in any form, is a despicable and cowardly crime with, often anonymous criminals targeting the most vulnerable people in our communities. We know these faceless crooks will take any opportunity to exploit any situation to their own nefarious advantage.

“We are well aware that fraud continues to rise and want to take the opportunity to warn the public and businesses take a few steps to protect themselves and remain vigilant.

“Our advice is clear and the public should be aware that a telephone call, email or text may not be from the person or organisation it appears to come from. Never click on a link from an unsolicited email or text, and remember that banks, police or other legitimate organisations will never ask you for personal banking information or ask you to move funds to a different account.

“With people spending more and more of their time in the cyber and digital space and the growth of the internet has seen otherwise traditional crimes, such as fraud, being carried out online. Our ambitious Cyber Strategy, published in September, sets a clear direction for how we will tackle the threat, risk and harm from digitally-enabled crimes including fraud.”

Cabinet Secretary for Justice Humza Yousaf said: “While levels of crime including those involving robbery, housebreaking and theft have fallen over the last decade, reported cases of fraud have risen by a third over the same period, at a time when we have all increased our use of online and mobile technologies.

“During 2020 we have seen unscrupulous individuals using the lockdown and on-going restrictions as an opportunity to target some of our most vulnerable citizens and exploit businesses. Such criminal behaviour is absolutely abhorrent and the Scottish Government is working with police and other partners to pursue those who cause harm and misery to our communities and to support people to stay safe.

“As we enter the festive season, I welcome Police Scotland’s timely campaign urging people to ‘stop, challenge and protect’ in order to help households, businesses and communities to keep themselves safe and secure this Christmas and into 2021. In addition anyone can sign up to receive trusted alerts and advice from Neighbourhood Watch Scotland on a range of safety and security issues targeted to their local area.”

Katy Worobec, Managing Director of Economic Crime at UK Finance said: “The banking and finance industry is committed to protecting customers from scams and is working closely with law enforcement and others to target the criminal gangs responsible, with almost £7 in £10 of fraud prevented in the first half of this year.

“Criminals are experts at impersonating people, organisations and the police. Particularly with the impact of Covid-19 and an increasingly digitised society, criminals are ruthlessly adapting their methods to target consumers online, via social media and over the phone.

“These scams are often sophisticated and well-researched: we encourage customers to be wary of unsolicited calls, emails, or text messages and avoid clicking in links in any unexpected correspondence.

“We would urge people to follow the advice of the Take Five to Stop Fraud campaign to keep themselves safe from fraud. Always take a moment to stop and think before parting with your money or information, and don’t let a criminal rush or panic you into making a decision that you’ll later come to regret.”

Deputy Chief Constable Graham added: “Sadly, during the current pandemic when people have been at home, the occurrence of fraud has also risen. Our management information showed that fraud increased by 45% in the first six months of 2020-21 compared to the same period last year.

“Police Scotland is absolutely committed to working with a wide range of partners to pursue anyone who sets out to cause harm and misery in our communities and make Scotland a hostile environment for them to operate.

“We remain vigilant and I would urge the public to do the same to reduce the risk of becoming a victim.”

Have you seen Tara?

Police are appealing for the public’s help to trace a 38-year-old woman reported missing in Edinburgh.

Tara O’Donnell was last seen in the Haymarket area of Edinburgh around 12.15 pm on Wednesday 2nd December 2020 and there are concerns for her welfare.

It is thought that she may currently be in Edinburgh or have travelled to the Belfast area of Northern Ireland.

Tara is described as about 5 foot 3 inches, curly red/auburn hair, average build, wearing a waist length yellow rain coat.

Anyone who may have seen Tara since this time, or who has any information on her whereabouts, is urged to contact Police Scotland via 101 quoting incident number 1698 of 03/12/2020.

POLICE are pleased to confirm that Tara O’Donnell has been traced safe and well. We would like to thank the public for their assistance.

Friday 11 December

Heart Research UK: Health Tips

Switch to Sweet Potatoes

Sweet potatoes make a tasty alternative to white potatoes and they are very versatile. Unlike white potatoes, sweet potatoes count towards your 5 a day and they are packed with vitamins and fibre to keep you healthy.

Sweet potatoes can be mashed, baked, roasted and boiled in the same way as white potatoes.

We provide some tips to help you include sweet potatoes in your meals:

  • For a healthy lunch, why not swap your regular baked potato for a baked sweet potato (without butter). Choose a healthy filling, such as vegetarian chilli, tuna, baked beans or cottage cheese and serve with a healthy salad.
  • Try switching from regular mashed potato to mashed sweet potato. Alternatively, you could make your mash with 50% white potatoes and 50% sweet potatoes. Instead of adding cream, butter or salt, try adding a splash of milk or low-fat crème fraiche and a pinch of nutmeg before mashing. Mashed sweet potato makes a great topping for shepherd’s pie or fish pie, or you can serve it alongside a roast dinner.
  • Ditch your deep-fat fryer and switch from chips to sweet potato wedges, baked in the oven. Cut your sweet potatoes into wedges (keep the skins on for extra fibre), toss them in a small amount of oil and add some dried herbs and/or spices, such as Cajun spice mix, cumin or paprika. Roast in the oven for 15-20 minutes. Serve with a dollop of reduced calorie crème fraiche.

Edinburgh gets perfect Aldi Christmas roast dinners directly to the door with Deliveroo

  • WHAT: The perfect Christmas roast dinner delivered to your door by Deliveroo, from Aldi and top chef Neil Rankin
  • WHEN: Available to order via Deliveroo on 12th December, for delivery on 13th December
  • PRICE: £5 donation to food charity Neighbourly

Aldi has announced ‘Christmas on a Plate’, the perfect roast dinner delivered to your door by Deliveroo, in collaboration with top chef Neil Rankin. 

The launch comes as the supermarket’s research reveals 36% of Edinburghians are planning more than one Christmas dinner this year, despite nearly one in ten Edinburgh residents saying cooking a roast dinner is too stressful. Aldi’s ‘Christmas on a Plate’ is a delicious alterative, helping to take the pressure off cooks this festive season.  

The partnership with Great British Menu star Rankin and Deliveroo sees a Christmas dinner delivery roll out across Edinburgh on Sunday 13th December, giving customers the chance to order a perfectly cooked roast in return for a £5 donation to food charity Neighbourly. 

With the option to order either traditional turkey or a vegan meal, the roasts have been expertly curated by Rankin and will include tasty side dishes and ingredients from Aldi’s Specially Selected range. 

The menus will include:

  • Traditional Turkey
  • Portion of Roast Turkey
  • Truffle Pigs in Blankets
  • ‘Aldi Amazing’ Roast Potatoes
  • Cumin Roasted Carrots 
  • Yorkshire Pudding made from scratch 
  • Spiced Cider Stuffing, Roast Squash & Cranberry Onion Pithivier
  • Fried Sprouts with, Cranberries, Rainbow Peppercorns, Ginger & Garlic 
  • Vegan
  • Vegan Christmas Pastry Wreath
  • ‘Aldi Amazing’ Roast Potatoes
  • Cumin Roasted Carrots 
  • Vegan Yorkshire Pudding made from scratch 
  • Spiced Cider Stuffing, Roast Squash & Cranberry Onion Pithivier
  • Fried Sprouts with, Cranberries, Rainbow Peppercorns, Ginger & Garlic 

Julie Ashfield, Managing Director for Buying at Aldi, comments: “After a year unlike any other, we want to give our customers a treat by taking the stress out of cooking at home, which is why we’ve partnered with Neil Rankin and Deliveroo to create Christmas on a Plate.

“Our research has shown that people will be celebrating in many different ways this year, but one thing is for certain – the nation is still gearing up to enjoy an amazing Christmas dinner and that’s where we’re best placed to help, with beautiful food at great value. 

“We believe that everyone should be able to enjoy quality food not just at Christmas, but every day of the year, and that’s why all proceeds of our initiative will go to Neighbourly, supporting local charities and communities.”

Aldi’s ‘Christmas on a Plate’ roasts will be available for the cost of a £5 charitable donation per meal from Deliveroo’s app.

Customers will have the option to also donate more money to the Neighbourly charity on the page if they do not wish to order an additional meal.

Customers will need to keep their eyes peeled for the order page, which will launch at 12PM on Saturday 12th December for pre-order the following day.

Shoppers will need to be quick, as always with Aldi’s limited-edition products, once it’s gone, it’s gone.

Ageing charity warns of winter isolation and rising elder abuse as it bids to offer 24/7 helpline

o   Calls to abuse charities have hit unprecedented highs throughout 2020 lockdowns

o   Safer ageing charity, Hourglass revealed earlier this week that 1 in 5 over-65s in UK have experienced abuse, with almost 2.7 million victims thought to be affected across the country

o   UK’s only safer ageing charity looks to provide 24/7 helpline access as it sends open letter to the Home Secretary calling for support in ensuring that the abuse of older people is taken as seriously as other forms of abuse

With calls to abuse charities hitting record highs during the 2020 lockdowns, the UK’s only charity focused on the abuse of older people is taking steps to secure round the clock support for those in need.

Hourglass, formerly Action on Elder Abuse, has launched a bid to help make its vital helpline available 24/7 after earlier this week revealing polling data showing that 1 in 5 (22 percent) people either had personal experience of abuse as an older person (aged 65+) or knew an older person who had been abused. It found that well over half (53%) of people in the UK felt that the abuse and neglect of older people had increased as a result of lockdown, highlighting the real need for ongoing targeted support.

Launching Safer Ageing Week on Monday (30 November), Hourglass announced a raft of new measures and ways in which the public can access its support.

The charity, founded in 1993 by Baroness Sally Greengross, has long relied on a helpline staffed by volunteers and employees, and the charity is now calling for financial support to make this provision open all hours.

Until 2020, the charity received no government or statutory support and relied exclusively on donations. Calls to the charity’s helpline have increased dramatically throughout this year’s lockdowns (up 110% between 23 March 2020 – 31 Aug 2020 compared to 1 December 2019 – 22 March 2020).

The charity, which has operations across England, Northern Ireland, Wales and Scotland, received some emergency funding in response to the pandemic and has invested heavily in new services to deal with the complexity of demand.

Hourglass deputy CEO and Policy Director, Veronica Gray, said: “We have seen abuse charities across the UK and Ireland report calls spiking during the pandemic.

“Likewise, we have seen call attempts during our closed hours steadily grow and we need support now to ensure this is the final winter without a 24/7 elder abuse helpline.”

Chair of Trustees for Hourglass, Caroline Cox, added: “Hourglass has launched Safer Ageing Week to ensure people are mindful of the rights of older people to have a safe and secure environment when they are at their most vulnerable.

“On Monday, we began using text messaging via our helpline staff, instant messaging via our website, and launched the UK’s first Knowledge Bank for older people at risk of abuse. However, whilst all our information online is available 24/7, we rely on staff and volunteers to give that vital in-person advice via the helpline or messages. That has only ever been available during business hours and we need to make this provision available round the clock.”

The charity has also sent an open letter to the Home Secretary and to her counterparts in the devolved administrations. The letter calls for support in ensuring that the abuse of older people is taken as seriously as abuse against other populations. The charity believes the polling figures underscore the inequality in support for older people who are at risk of or have experienced abuse.

The charity is urging those keen to support the 24/7 campaign to make a donation by visiting www.wearehourglass.org.uk/donate or Text SAFER to 70460 to donate £10. 

Texts cost £10 plus one standard rate message and you’ll be opting in to hear more about our work and fundraising via telephone and SMS. If you’d like to give £10 but do not wish to receive marketing communications, text SAFERNOINFO to 70460.

TUC warns of food factory ‘super-spreaders’

  • Workers in food manufacturing already face a higher risk of getting Covid-19
  • Huge influx of Christmas temporary staff could see cases “rocket”
  • Ministers must update health and safety guidance and place a legal duty on employers to publish their risk assessments, says TUC

The TUC has warned that food processing factories could become “super spreaders” of Covid-19 in the run up to Christmas. 

People working in food plants already face a higher chance of contracting Covid-19 due to the lack of airflow, lack of social distancing and low temperatures, says the TUC.

With the number of temporary workers in food manufacturing set to increase by more than 40% this Christmas, the union body says the risk of workplace infections will grow. 

Since March, several UK food factories have been forced to close during the pandemic after reporting hundreds of cases of coronavirus, among them suppliers to major supermarkets. Last month, turkey meat manufacturer Bernard Matthews reported 147 positive cases across two sites.

Food processing has the third highest rate of outbreaks of any sector across Europe, after care homes and hospitals, according to data from the European Centre for Disease Control.

Temporary workers

Food manufacturing companies across Britain are currently advertising for temporary workers as they gear up for the busy Christmas period. They include:

  • Dessert factory Bakkavor, which had 115 staff test positive for Covid-19 over the summer. The company is seeking hundreds of seasonal staff to meet demand for Christmas.
  • Meat supplier Cranswick, previous hit by outbreaks that led to three workers losing their lives, which is recruiting for at least 130 Christmas jobs in one factory.

Safety guidance is “out-of-date”

The TUC warns that current workplace safety guidance for food production is “out-of-date”.

New scientific studies have shown the significance of airborne transmission with Covid-19 aerosols remaining suspended in the air for hours. But the existing government guidance is still largely based on stopping spread of droplets which fall to the ground in seconds.  

The TUC says ministers must update the guidance to deal with issues including:  

  • Ventilation: the current guidance fails to offer advice on effective ventilation beyond opening windows. And it doesn’t state what additional measures should be implemented in instances where this is not possible to achieve.  
  • Face coverings: the government should issue detailed standards on the quality of face coverings. The World Health Organisation says there should be three protective layers.  
  • Workplace temperature: studies show that coronavirus thrives in the cooler temperatures found in meat packing factories. But there is no mention of workplace temperatures in the current official guidance.  
  • Social distancing: the current guidance states that, where two metre distancing is not possible, working side-by-side is preferable to face-to face. The TUC says this rule should be reviewed based on the most recent scientific findings.  

The TUC says ministers must “stop dragging their feet” and make it a legal requirement on employers to publish their risk assessments so that workers have confidence that the necessary precautions are in place. 

TUC polling published in September revealed that just two-fifths (38%) of workers say they know their employers have carried out Covid-Secure risk assessments. And only four in ten (42%) reported being given adequate PPE.

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “There is a real danger that food factories could become ‘super spreaders’ of Covid-19 as they produce turkeys and other seasonal fare for Christmas.

“Out-of-date guidelines on food production, combined with the seasonal increase in staff, will put factory workers at an even higher risk of infection.

“Ministers urgently need to update the guidance for food production. They must require employers to publish their risk assessments. And they must resource the HSE properly, so it can get into food factories and crack down on unsafe working. 

“That’s how to make sure everyone is safe at work this Christmas.”

Enforcement not doing enough to contain outbreaks

The TUC says comparatively little enforcement action is taking place. The number of notices issued by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) for Covid-19 related reasons is very low, with just 31 issued to manufacturing employers since April.

The TUC wants to see a big rise in workplace inspections. And the union body says that employer compliance, as measured by the HSE, is at odds with the rise in workplace infections because government safety measures are not up-to-date and not doing enough to protect workers.