With the winter months proving a depressing time for many, a new survey conducted by vape brand, blu, has revealed Scots’ favourite ways to boost their mood.
While the New Year may offer a ray of light for some in these dark times, the research shows that almost half of Scots (42%) feel their lowest in January and February.
Somewhat unsurprisingly for Scotland, the main reason for feeling low at this time of year is the dismal weather, with almost two thirds (61%) saying poor weather gets them down.
With a flurry of bad news around COVID-19 and the rising cost of living bombarding Scots 24/7, the news came a close second with half of respondents (51%) saying it has a negative effect on their mood, closely followed by money woes at 44%.
In a bid to combat all these negative vibes, the survey highlights the top ways the Scottish lift their mood and tackle the winter blues. Topping the list at half (50%) of respondents is listening to music, as they look for a way to escape from the doom and gloom experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
With food and drink recognised by over half (58%) as having a positive impact on their mood, 42% of respondents say they’ll be eating tasty treats – it seems that healthy eating resolutions may have been put aside in a bid to feel better!
Socialising was seen by almost half (48%) as another great mood boosting tactic, with 42% looking to spend more time with friends and family.
Almost two fifths (36%) of Scots exercise in order to boost their mood, while over a quarter (28%) have an alcoholic drink to cope with the gloom, shedding any dry January resolutions. Indulging in a bit retail therapy was the choice of 19% of respondents.
Making a getaway from the workplace is another big focus with nearly a fifth of respondents (18%) booking time off work.
Colette Flowerdew-Kincaid, Digital Content Manager at blu says: “It’s great to see the resilient and positive approach people take in boosting their mood to battle winter blues.
“Listening to music topped the list. Seeing friends and family is another popular way to banish the blues, with many looking to make up for lost time due to COVID-19. The important thing is to recognise that we might be low in winter and to be kind to ourselves, as well as others.”
Research Summary
Top things that have a positive impact on mood:
· Good weather – 73% Scotland / 76% UK
· Food & Drink – 58% Scotland / 60% UK
· Social life – 48% Scotland / 49% UK
Top things that have a negative impact on mood:
· Bad weather – 61% Scotland / 60% UK
· The news – 51% Scotland / 50% UK
· Money situation – 44% Scotland / 44% UK
Top ways to lift your mood:
· Listening to music – 50% Scotland / 49% UK
· Spending time with friends and family – 42% Scotland / 40% UK
· Eating something tasty – 42% Scotland / 38% UK
· Do some exercise – 36% Scotland / 28% UK
· Have an alcoholic drink – 28% Scotland / 23% UK
· Retail therapy – 20% Scotland / 21% UK
· Take time off work – 18% Scotland / 14% UK
For more top tips on how to beat the winter blues, check out the latest blog at blu.com.
Small businesses appointed to next stage of restoration work
Experts will dig boreholes to carry out underground investigations and carry out archaeological digs, look at how best to repair crumbling historic stonework, and inspect asbestos in more detail.
Suppliers from across the country will carry out in-depth survey work, with two thirds classed as small and medium sized businesses.
Palace of Westminster investigations are vital to continue developing most detailed record of Parliament ever created ahead of essential restoration programme.
Engineers and construction experts planning the essential work to save the failing Palace of Westminster will soon be unearthing the 150-year-old building’s secrets as part of the next stage of detailed and in-depth investigations.
Investigators will carry out dozens of detailed building surveys, looking at historic stonework, digging boreholes to carry out underground examinations, carrying out archaeological digs, and mapping out asbestos in more detail.
Tens of thousands of hours of building surveys have already been carried out as the Houses of Parliament Restoration and Renewal Programme, set up in law to save and restore the building, develops a detailed plan that will for the first time set out costs and timescales for the essential work. Parliament will be invited to approve this detailed plan next year.
In recent months, surveyors have been looking at a range of issues, including crumbling stonework and cracking ceilings. Over the Christmas recess, dozens of experts surveyed hundreds of areas for potential asbestos. Next month, teams will carry out a further 19 studies over Parliament’s February recess period.
The next phase will see engineers and surveyors undertaking larger and more in-depth surveys to understand the condition of Parliament in far greater detail than ever before. This work is essential as the restoration programme develops the detailed and costed restoration plan which Parliament will be invited to approve next year.
Experts will dig around 20 boreholes to develop an understanding of the ground conditions at the Palace of Westminster to assist in ongoing design work.
Elsewhere, building measuring devices will be installed across Parliament to monitor any structural movement. Specialist teams will continue to inspect the hundreds of miles of power cables, gas, water and heating pipes and sewerage, and further in-depth asbestos surveys will be carried out to build on existing records.
Specialist heritage teams are also getting on with the enormous task of recording and tagging every one of the 13,000 heritage items including furniture, artwork and statues, all of which will need removing and storing in controlled conditions during the programme of work to restore the Palace of Westminster.
David Goldstone, CEO of the Houses of Parliament Restoration and Renewal Delivery Authority, said:“Small businesses are at the heart of local economies, bringing growth, and innovation, so I’m delighted to be working with so many from right across the country as we carry out dozens more intensive surveys of the Palace of Westminster.
“The hard work of these specialists will be invaluable in developing the detailed plan for Parliament’s restoration and renewal that will for the first time set out the true costs of the work needed to save the building.”
Sarah Johnson, CEO of the Houses of Parliament Restoration and Renewal Sponsor Body said:“Our thorough and careful work to map out all the issues that need fixing within the Palace of Westminster is a vital part of the essential restoration of the iconic 150-year-old building.”
Following a thorough procurement process, 18 businesses have been appointed to a commercial framework agreement, with around £10m of contracts expected this year to investigate the Palace as the detailed restoration plan continues to be developed.
Of the 18 businesses appointed, over two thirds (67%) are small to medium sized, showing the opportunity for firms of all sizes and from across the nation to be involved in the restoration of the Palace of Westminster.
In total, there are eight categories where suppliers have been appointed.
The categories are:
Civil Engineering / Structural
Ground Investigations & Geotechnical
Instrumentation & Monitoring
Environmental
Mechanical, Electrical & Public Health
Archaeology
Asbestos Removal
Conservation Contractor
The new framework agreement sets up the next tranche of more detailed and intrusive surveys which are an essential step in the development of a detailed and costed restoration and renewal plan for Palace of Westminster which Parliament will be invited to approve next year.
Despite the dedicated work of Parliament’s in-house teams, the building itself is falling apart faster than it can be fixed and needs a programme of essential restoration.
The annual cost of maintenance and ongoing projects to keep the building operating continues to increase. Costs have doubled in just three years, to £127m a year – more than £2.5m a week. The National Audit Office recently stated that House authorities expect to spend another £308m on repairs and maintenance by 2025.
Over the summer and autumn of 2021, 50 highly skilled engineers, architectural surveyors, acoustics, lighting specialists and ecologists, spent a combined 4,700 hours visually inspecting the building.
In total, 2,343 rooms and spaces were examined, with experts recording thousands of issues including cracks in stonework, widespread water damage, and analysing the complex network of outdated electrical and mechanical systems.
Further surveying conducted throughout winter examined lighting levels, building risers and the presence of asbestos.
Throughout 2022 and 2023 hundreds of further in-depth surveys will be carried out, building on tens of thousands of hours of investigations already completed.
Individual survey contracts within the new framework are expected to be announced from March onwards, with building investigators on-site soon after. Every supplier will go through the same rigorous security checks as existing Parliamentary contractors and suppliers.
The 18 successful suppliers scored highly (75%) on a new Government procurement measure aimed at levelling up, that considers the number of local jobs or apprenticeships a contractor will provide, the care they show the environment in their business practices, how they drive equal opportunity and the number of SMEs involved in their wider supply chain.
The measure came into effect in January 2021 to promote new jobs and skills, encourage economic growth and prosperity, tackle climate change and level up the UK.
There will be many more opportunities for SMEs to get involved in the Restoration and Renewal programme, which is meeting business groups across the UK as it develops a commercial, procurement and skills development approach.
Restoring the building will create thousands of jobs across the UK, including through an industry-leading apprentice loan scheme that will see around 160 apprentices, including engineers, designers, stonemasons, and carpenters, employed by the organisations overseeing and delivering the restoration of the Palace of Westminster and loaned to UK businesses working on the restoration.
Paul Wilson, Personal Finance Expert for Little-Loans.com, shares five ways you can take back control of your finances this year
Even if you haven’t made any resolutions, the new year is still a good time to take a look at areas of your life you might want to improve upon.
Your finances can be a great place to start, because freeing up some money could give you the opportunity to do other things, like building up a savings pot or emergency fund, making home improvements or booking a holiday.
Here are five tips to tidy up your finances in 2022:
Budgeting
If you want to get a grip on your spending, the best place to start is with a budget. This could be a simple spreadsheet with your incomings and outgoings, or you could use a budgeting app to help. Apps like Snoop, Money Dashboard, Emma and Monzo can help you keep track of what you spend and show you where you may be wasting money. Most of them let you link all of your accounts and will categorise your spending so you can see where you could make cutbacks. There’s plenty of apps to choose from so research the market and find the best one for your circumstances.
Subscriptions & memberships
Perhaps one of the biggest money wasters is unused subscriptions or memberships. Write a complete list of every subscription you have and how much it costs. Then decide if it’s worth keeping. If you’re paying for a Netflix plan that lets you watch on four devices but you only ever use the TV in the lounge, then downgrade.
Similarly, if you’re signed up to several streaming sites, ditch at least one. With music streaming, check if you could save by having a family plan rather than individual accounts. Do you really need Amazon prime, or could you wait a couple of extra days to get free standard delivery anyway? Be thorough and honest. If you’ve only been to the gym a handful of times in three months then is it worth paying for?
Direct debits & bills
Do a complete audit of all your direct debits and standing orders. Are you getting the best deals or could you be paying less? Set reminders for when all of your utilities or insurance products are due for renewal and make sure you shop around as soon as the time comes.
Your TV package could be reduced if you decide to cancel some of the channels you barely watch, and some mobile phone providers will reduce bills when your contract reaches a certain length of time. Use an evening to analyse all of your direct debits, set renewal reminders and call any companies to ask if they can help you reduce your bills.
Consider consolidating
If you have several credit cards, loans or car finance deals, you might be able to consolidate them into one easier payment. Work out what you owe and see if it would be cheaper to get one loan to cover it all. When paying off credit cards make sure you are still taking advantage of any introductory offers. If you are paying interest then look to see if you can switch to a card with a 0% balance transfer rate. There is no one size fits all when it comes to paying off debt, but check what you owe and whether there is a way to reduce it right away.
Start saving
Saving doesn’t have to be complicated. Open a straightforward savings account and start putting a small amount of money away every month. Do it as soon as you get paid so it’s less noticeable.
It could be the cost of a takeaway each month, so if you save £30, by the end of the year you’ll have £360 to put towards Christmas or to carry over and keep adding to.
Start with an amount that you won’t miss to ease you into it. Even £10 could help you get into the habit and give you something to work towards.
Cash Out
Having actual money in your hand can make you more mindful of what you spend. Many people adopt an envelope or jar method, where they attribute money each month to things like ‘food’, ‘eating out’ etc.
Seeing the cash you have left can be an incentive to stay on budget. Being mindful of your money is one of the first steps to seizing control of it and getting on top of your spending in 2022.
Five Scottish Ambulance Service staff members have been awarded for acts of bravery.
The Brave@Heart Awards celebrate acts of bravery in exceptional circumstances by blue-light services, voluntary rescue organisations and members of the public.
Last year’s winners for the Service were Scott Diamond, Willie Anderson, Caron Robertson, Amanda McClorey, and Neil Spiers. The staff were nominated by their colleagues and demonstrated bravery during their shift or outside their work hours.
Caron (top), originally from Prestwick, and Amanda (above), both of Stranraer Station, were rewarded for helping a patient who injured herself after falling on a rock at a beach. With no mobile signal, the patient’s son went to a nearby farmhouse to call for an ambulance. Caron, Technician, and Amanda, Paramedic, arrived on the scene.
Their award submission said: “They took control of the situation calmly with retrieval of the patient required over a steep cliff face. Both clambered down the cliff and helped get the patient up. The patient was transported by the RNLI to Port Patrick and then by Caron and Amanda to hospital.”
Willie (above), Technician, and Scott, Clinical Training Officer, were rewarded after they attended an explosion after initially getting called out to another incident while working at Glasgow West Station station.
Whilst on scene at the first incident, they were approached by a member of the public stating there had been an explosion in a nearby takeaway shop. They ran in and got the staff out of the takeaway shop, then there was a secondary explosion that started a fire. The pair then forced their way in and got more than 20 people out as the building started to fill with smoke.
The crew contacted ACC and requested the attendance of Police and Fire Service. Their award submission said: “It is clear that Scott and William acted above and beyond the normal call of duty, acted selflessly, to reduce the risks to the public and residents within the building.”
Neil, of Pencaitland, East Lothian, an MPDS Auditor, arrived early ahead of his shift to take some photographs of yachts and soon became aware of a woman shouting for help. She had fallen in to the freezing water and managed to crawl ashore.
Neil, who was a call handler at the time, acted quickly, calling for assistance and gave her his jacket to keep her warm until help arrived.
His award submission said: “Once the ambulance crew arrived, he returned to his shift for the day. During his shift, he received a call from a member of public who had found a male in the water. Neil gave clear CPR instructions to the bystanders until the ambulance crew arrived on this site as well. The patient was transported to hospital.”
Scottish Ambulance Service Chief Executive Pauline Howie said: “The actions of these staff are truly commendable and they each showed extraordinary bravery. All our staff do amazing, life-saving work each day and this is a small sample.
“The staff are all wonderful ambassadors for the Scottish Ambulance Service and fully deserving of their awards.”
The National Manufacturing Institute Scotland (NMIS) has established fifty fully-paid work placements within manufacturing and technology businesses across the country with the launch of the second round of its Manufacturing Skills Academy’s graduate training programme.
The placements are set to provide graduates with the opportunity to build in-demand skills and experience in the worlds of digital and advanced manufacturing, with positions now available across the Edinburgh region.
Each up to six months in duration, the placements are aimed at recent university and college graduates of a STEM related subject who are unemployed or struggling to find meaningful work due to the impact of Brexit and the COVID-19 pandemic.
Based within new and emerging markets such as green energy, space and renewables, placements are being offered within innovative companies across Scotland.
For example, successful applicants could find themselves working for Edinburgh based Shapespace Ltd, specialising in engineering and manufacturing analytics software, or Mask Logic, using additive manufacturing within product design.
Graduates could also look further afield to the likes of Scotmas Group, specialising in design, development and manufacture of environmentally sustainable disinfection equipment for water treatment, healthcare and food industry, with positions available in a number of companies across Scotland.
This new round of graduate training follows on from the success of the pilot programme launched early last year.
The programme saw thirty graduates recruited and placed with companies across Scotland and the NMIS Group giving valuable on-the-job work experience. A number of graduates have now gone on to secure extended contracts, or full-time employment.
Funded by the Scottish Government’s £20 million National Transition Training Fund (NTTF), the programme has been developed by the NMIS Manufacturing Skills Academy and is one of a number of initiatives designed to support Scotland’s economic recovery, and the transition to net-zero.
Minister for Youth Employment and Training Jamie Hepburn said:“The National Manufacturing Institute Scotland’s Manufacturing Skills Academy is delivering excellent work-based training to help graduates move permanently into high quality jobs in manufacturing.
“Building on the success of last year’s National Transition Training Fund pilot, this is an important opportunity for STEM graduates to access high quality training opportunities right across Scotland.”
Stewart McKinlay, Skills Director at the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland’s Manufacturing Skills Academy said:“We’re delighted we’ve received further support to provide an opportunity to fifty more graduates, now including those from colleges as well as Universities.
“The support from the Scottish Funding Council for the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland’s pilot graduate training programme last year allowed us to place 30 graduates within thriving businesses across the country and the specialist technology centres at NMIS.
“It was a real success, with a significant number of the employers making permanent job offers to the graduates and other graduates going on to receive multiple offers from other companies based on the strength of their work experience. The aim is to replicate, and improve on this further, in 2022.”
The graduate training programme is now open for applications. Candidates are asked to submit an application form and short video before being matched to potential opportunities with an industry partner.
Speaking about his experience from the 2021 graduate training programme, Mina Hanna, who has now secured a further contract with Opportunity Cromarty Firth and the University of the Highlands and Islands said: “The National Manufacturing Institute Scotland’s graduate training scheme was truly a life changing experience, and I would encourage all manufacturing and engineering graduates to apply.
“The time that was given to me by so many experienced professionals was an incredible opportunity and I am so grateful to NMIS Manufacturing Skills Academy for allowing me to embark upon a career that I am passionate about.”
NMIS, which is operated by the University of Strathclyde, is also encouraging expressions of interest from companies across Scotland that are interested in being part of the programme and placing a recent graduate.
Renewable Parts placed three graduates within its company last year. Michael Forbes, General Manager of Refurbishment Engineering at Renewable Parts, said: “We were delighted to work with the National Manufacturing Institute Scotland on the graduate training scheme, and with the high standard of applications.
“The business is growing, and the scheme allowed us to recruit for positions where otherwise we may have held off until a little later.
“The placement was almost like a 6-month interview, allowing us to see how the graduates integrated with the existing workforce.”
The applications process for the NMIS Manufacturing Skills Academy graduate training programme closes in early February.
An NMIS Insights online event is also taking place in the coming weeks offering an opportunity to find out more about the programme and hear from previous graduates and companies as they share their experiences.
Details will shortly be available on the event section of the NMIS website.
SOCIAL Security Scotland is urging families to apply for Best Start Grant School Age Payment before the deadline and to apply for help with early learning costs.
Eligible families with children born between 1 March 2016 – 28 February 2017, are being encouraged to apply for the School Age Payment before applications close on 28 February 2022.
Parents or carers enrolling children in nursery this year have also been urged to check whether they are eligible for a one-off payment to help with early learning costs.
For Early Years Payment, eligible families who are in receipt of certain benefits or tax credits with a child who is aged between 2-3 and a half years old. Parents or carers who are eligible for the Early Learning Payment receive a one-off grant of £252.50
The money can be used to help pay for clothes, equipment, bags, books or anything else which is helpful for people caring for children in that age range.
Eligible families for School Age Payment may be parents or carers who are in receipt of certain benefits or tax credits with a child who is old enough to start school.
School Age Payment is a payment of £252.50 per child and is designed to support children at a key stage in their life.
It is not directly linked to taking up a school place. As such, even if the child’s school start has been deferred until next year, or if the child is not going to start school at all, parents or carers should still apply for the payment by 28 February 2022. If they do not apply by this time, they will not be able to receive the payment.
Social Security Scotland wants to ensure that everyone who is entitled to money for Early Learning or School Age Payment receive it and we would welcome support from our stakeholders to make sure people don’t miss out on these payments.
Please encourage any clients in your networks to apply for School Age Payment before the 28 February deadline and for Early Years Payment when enrolling their child into nursery.
More than 10.2 million customers filed their 2020 to 2021 tax returns by the 31 January 2022 deadline, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has revealed.
More than 630,000 customers filed on deadline day and the peak hour for filing was 16:00 to 16:59 when 52,475 completed their Self Assessment. There were 20,947 customers who completed their tax return between 23:00 and 23:59.
More than 12.2 million customers were expected to file a Self Assessment tax return this year. The remaining 2.3 million customers expected to file by 31 January now have until 28 February 2022 to submit their late 2020 to 2021 tax return and avoid a late filing penalty.
For any Self Assessment customer who is yet to pay their tax bill or set up a payment plan, interest will be applied to outstanding balances from 1 February. Customers have until 1 April to pay their tax in full, or set up a time to pay arrangement, to avoid a late payment penalty.
Those who are not yet able to file their tax return should pay an estimated amount as soon as possible, which will minimise any interest. Self-employed people can use the calculator on GOV.UK to help estimate their tax bill.
Myrtle Lloyd, HMRC’s Director General for Customer Services, said: “I’d like to thank the millions of customers and agents who sent us their tax return and paid in time for this week’s deadline.
“We’re waiving penalties this year, to give those who missed the deadline an extra month. And customers can set up a monthly payment plan online if they’re worried about paying their tax bill. Search ‘Self Assessment’ on GOV.UK to find out more.”
The existing Time to Pay service allows customers, who are unable to pay their bill in full, to spread their tax payments into manageable monthly instalments. Self Assessment customers with up to £30,000 of tax debt can do this online once they have filed their return.
If customers owe more than £30,000, or need longer to pay, they should call the Self Assessment Payment Helpline on 0300 200 3822.
other COVID-19 grants and support payments such as self-isolation payments, local authority grants and those for the Eat Out to Help Out scheme
The £500 one-off payment for working households receiving tax credits should not be reported in Self Assessment.
It is important that customers check and make any changes to their tax return to make sure any SEISS or other COVID-19 support payments have been reported correctly in their Self Assessment.
HMRC urges everyone to be alert if they are contacted out of the blue by someone asking for money or personal information. Taxpayers should always type in the full online address www.gov.uk/hmrc to get the correct link for filing their Self Assessment return online securely and free of charge.
HMRC sees high numbers of fraudsters emailing, calling or texting people claiming to be from the department.
If in doubt, HMRC advises not to reply directly to anything suspicious, but to contact them straight away and to search GOV.UK for ‘HMRC scams’.
OWNERSHIP of an Edinburgh childcare company has been handed over to its 150 dedicated staff in what is believed to be a sector first in Scotland.
Kidzcare has announced its transition to employee ownership with 100% of the company shares now placed into an Employee Ownership Trust (EOT) by owner Anne-Marie Dunn who co-founded the successful business in 2001.
The childcare specialists operate four nurseries, four breakfast clubs and six after-school clubs for children, offering options across Edinburgh, from Portobello to Bruntsfield and Fox Covert.
Ownership Associates, a specialist adviser to businesses considering establishing an EOT, provided support to the Kidzcare owner and employees throughout the process in what is believed to be the first business in the Scottish childcare sector to transition to employee ownership.
Anne-Marie Dunn said: “I’m delighted to be able to reward these dedicated and loyal employees by gifting them a share of this brilliant business. The staff at Kidzcare have supported me throughout this journey and I couldn’t reconcile myself to the idea of passing it on to anyone else.
“As I looked to withdraw from the business, I wanted to find an option that rewarded and empowered the staff into the future. As soon as I heard about employee ownership, I was instantly convinced that this was the vehicle to make it happen.
“By becoming employee owned, I am confident that Kidzcare’s values of safety, child development, fairness and kindness will continue, greatly benefiting the children we look after and the people who look after them.”
The business turns over £3 million a year and provides high quality childcare for more than 500 children a day around the city.
Anne-Marie added: “Our current HR Manager, Julie MacKenzie, who has been with us for more than eight years will take more of a managing director role as I gradually step back in the next few months.
“We have planned for a seamless transition so the business can smoothly enter its next chapter, and crucially, we are in control of how that happens best for all stakeholders.
“The transition into employee ownership has been very easy. Business transactions like this can be daunting and complicated but I have been so lucky to have a team of experienced advisors in Lindsays and Ownership Associates. They have guided me every step of the way. Nothing was a problem for them.”
Carole Leslie of Ownership Associates, who has worked on the transition of more than 80 businesses to the succession model, said: “It has been a great experience assisting Kidzcare to make the move to employee ownership. It was clear that this was the obvious option for the company and I’m certain the firm will fast see the benefits of this model of ownership.
“It has provided an exit plan for Anne-Marie, potentially life changing differences to her staff, and most importantly ensured that the quality of care for children remained at the heart of the business.
“This is a shining example of the business model benefiting everyone involved in the company. It also highlights the strong positives it can have on an industry like childcare.”
Douglas Roberts of Lindsays added: “Kidzcare has a brilliant reputation in Edinburgh and it was an honour to help the company with the legal aspects of its move to employee ownership.
“Parents trust the staff at Kidzcare to look after their children and Anne-Marie trusts her loyal employees to keep the values and high standards of Kidzcare. It was clear that employee ownership was ideal for Anne-Marie’s succession plans and I’m sure Kidzcare will hugely benefit from being employee owned.”
Ownership Associates works exclusively within the employee-owned sector, supporting companies on their move to employee ownership and working with established employee-owned businesses enabling them to maximise the ownership advantage.
Adults aged 18-59 who have not yet had their booster jab for whatever reason will start to receive blue envelopes from today (Tuesday 1 February) with scheduled appointments.
Latest figures show that 83.5% of eligible adults in Scotland have now been fully vaccinated with primary doses and a booster. Approximately 580,000 eligible adults aged 18-59 will now be offered booster appointments from 7 February onwards.
Adults can receive a booster 28 days after they tested positive or if it has been at least 12 weeks since their second dose.
The letters will contain details of how to rearrange any appointment which is not convenient.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “While the number of Omicron cases continues to decline and restrictions are being lifted, it remains crucial that people complete their vaccination course in order that this improvement can be sustained.
“We know that in people who have had two vaccinations, protection against the virus wanes after time. However, recently published Health Security Agency (UKHSA) data indicates that initial vaccine effectiveness against hospitalisation of older people increases to around 90% two weeks after a booster dose. This is why it is so vital to get your booster so you can maximise the level of protection against serious illness.
“We urge those who haven’t yet received their booster to take up the invitations being sent out this week in the distinctive blue envelopes so that we can continue to build on the nation’s defences.
“Scotland has one of the highest uptake rates for vaccination anywhere in the world, and I hope this national mailshot will encourage the remaining adults to join the 83.5% of eligible Scots who have already received their booster or third dose.
“Vaccination continues to be the cornerstone of our battle against COVID-19 – the very high vaccination rates achieved so far have helped us considerably on our path back to normality.”
The future of Scotland’s town centres, and how the changing nature of retail and ecommerce has impacted them, is to be investigated by the Economy and Fair Work Committee.
The Parliamentary Committee is looking to identify the current challenges for high streets, and the barriers to their success, and to explore the extent to which an increasing use of ecommerce is impacting on Scotland’s town centres. It aims to propose action needed to support modern and thriving town centres.
The Committee’s inquiry has three areas of focus:
Keeping town centres alive – including how they have changed over recent years, their strengths and weaknesses, and who or what can drive positive change in Scottish town centres.
The new realities of Scottish retail – including how this sector has evolved over the last decade, the impact of these changes on town centres and what role fiscal policy levers should have in supporting this sector.
Ecommerce in Scotland – including the implications for businesses of increased online shopping and digital activity, and the role of Scottish SMEs in the ecommerce sector.
Speaking as the inquiry was launched, Claire Baker MSP, Convener of the Economy and Fair Work Committee said:“Scotland’s town centres have traditionally been the heartbeat of our communities bringing people together to live, work, shop and socialise.
“However, traditional town centres are under pressure and under threat, with too many shops closing and too many high streets dominated by ‘to let’ signs.
“Changing retail trends, including the growth in ecommerce and the expansion of retail park alternatives, combined with the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, continues to create a difficult trading environment.”
The Convener continued:“We want to find out how to diversify and grow high street activity, and are particularly keen to hear from businesses and members of the public on what makes a successful and thriving town centre.
“Our inquiry is seeking to bring forward recommendations to demonstrate how Scotland’s town centres can thrive in this post pandemic world, and be vibrant, resilient and accessible places which meet the economic, social and environmental needs of our communities.”
