This month has witnessed a new zoo opening its doors and welcoming visitors to the grounds in Oxton, just north of Lauder. Bird Gardens Scotland is a not-for-profit organisation and works with some of the rarest birds as part of a global effort to help these threatened species.
The grounds are developing rapidly and with each bit of progress, more bird species arrive to be part of ever-expanding breeding programmes. It has been a great year for breeding successes thus far and the last few chicks of the season can be seen through the Baby Barn windows.
Visitors are currently enjoying a clutch of tiny ducklings taking their first wobbly steps and learning to swim in their little pond. These are ringed teal ducklings, a species becoming rarer due to rainforest loss in South America, at Bird Gardens Scotland however, they are thriving.
Visitors are able to get nose-to-beak with some of the wonderful characters in the grounds. A very curious and nosey kookaburra family enjoy people-watching as visitors walk-by.
The highlight for many visitors is the friendly flamboyance of flamingos on the main pond. Only being four years old, staff at Bird Gardens Scotland were a bit surprised when the flamingos started nest-building.
These pink delights spend hours picking up small stones and bits of mud as they create their nests just beside the main boardwalk giving visitors a thrilling close-encounter of the pinkest kind.
Mark, one of the founders of Bird Gardens Scotland said: “Being so young, we were delighted and a bit surprised that the flamingos started nest-building.
“They can live up to 70 years old and don’t usually breed until they are a bit older than four. That said, we’re not going to stop them breeding and actually we hope they’ll go all the way and make little flamingling fluff-balls.’
In the grounds is a new visitor centre with a coffee shop where freshly baked cakes and quiches can be enjoyed, washed-down with great coffee and other refreshments. The visitor centre is completely off-grid so this is your rare chance to enjoy a coffee made with Bird Gardens Scotland’s onsite spring water from a coffee-machine powered by the sun.
The natural history themed classroom in the visitor centre is getting ready to welcome school groups where children can meet tortoises, snakes and tiny frogs and learn about the conservation of the natural world. The classroom is also a quirky out-of-office meeting space and it could be the only rentable room that has the delightful song of poison dart frogs creating a charming atmosphere.
Owen, also one of the founders, and Mark’s husband, said: ‘We literally built the visitor centre during lockdown. We had materials on site and we learned a great deal as we built the building and installed the play areas.
“We are incredibly proud of ourselves for getting this far and we are very excited about the years to come.
“There are many plans to add gardens and breeding facilities. Sadly, there are many species in need of a helping hand as climate change, habitat loss, wildfires, deforestation and many other influential factors cause loss of wildlife.”
To make the bird gardens as accessible as possible, Mark and Owen decided to have a reasonable admission charge which allows entry for a whole year, this means that for the local community the site is effectively free to use and for passing visitors it is cheap to visit.
Owen said: “As a not-for-profit organisation, we wanted to get people in the doors to learn about the birds we work with and to celebrate conservation efforts with us. When people are exposed to the actual birds, a strong sense of care is naturally generated.
“This is a powerful driving force for collective change which is the only way we are going to push forward addressing environmental issues and make changes that will benefit wildlife, habitats, the planet and of course our future too.
“If Bird Gardens Scotland can contribute to that, then all our work will have been a success.”
Bird Gardens Scotland is a registered Community Interest Company.
Bird Gardens Scotland is open daily.
Admission: adult £10 & all concessions £6.50 (under 4 go-free)
Everything to date has been built, created and installed with volunteer help.
Bird Gardens is just north of the Carfraemill roundabout outside the village of Oxton.
Home to over 400 birds and wallabies.
The site is 7 acres. Half has been developed, the second half is underway.
Bird Gardens is part of the global zoo community working on effective conservation breeding.
The visitor centre is an eco-build using recycled, reclaimed and upcycled materials where possible.
Water scarcity situation now Significant in River Tyne, with more catchments expected to follow
The Tyne catchment in East Lothian has reached Significant Scarcity and water abstractors are being contacted about possible licence suspensions
Suspensions remain in force in parts of the Tweed catchment, with the rest of the catchment expected to reach Significant Scarcity in the coming days.
The Ythan catchment in Aberdeenshire is also expected to join the Tyne and Tweed in Significant Scarcity in the next few days.
River and groundwater levels are critically low in the Tyne catchment in East Lothian, with the area reaching Significant water scarcity in the latest report published by The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).
Businesses reliant on water abstractions are being contacted about next steps and possible licence suspensions to prevent further harm and potentially irreversible damage to the local water environment.
SEPA officers will be engaging with abstractors where suspensions are required to ensure compliance and advise restrictions will be lifted as soon as conditions improve sufficiently.
Parts of the Tweed catchment in the Scottish Borders remain in Significant water scarcity with suspensions on abstractions still in place. The rest of the area is also expected to reach this level in the coming days, along with the River Ythan catchment in Aberdeenshire.
Nathan Critchlow-Watton, Head of Water and Planning at SEPA, said: “Although we have seen some rainfall in these areas over the last week, it has not been enough to make up for the long-term deficits that have built up throughout the year.
“With more prolonged dry weather forecast, we will continue to monitor conditions and take appropriate action until the risk of water scarcity has reduced.
“Suspensions are part of Scotland’s National Water Scarcity Plan, which is designed to ensure the correct balance is struck between protecting the environment and providing resource for human and economic activity during prolonged dry periods. They are a last resort and SEPA only takes such action when the evidence tells us it can no longer be avoided.
“It is vital that business reliant on local water environments are prepared for these conditions as climate change means water scarcity is becoming a more regular occurrence. We are already seeing that this summer and we are committed to working with those affected now and in the future to help them build resilience.”
Further advice and guidance
Businesses may be able to switch to groundwater as their source and can apply to do so on our website. Applications from Significant Scarcity areas will be prioritised and fast-tracked.
Anyone concerned about meeting licence conditions or wishing to discuss contingency measures are encouraged to contact SEPA by emailing waterscarcity@sepa.org.uk
While SEPA focuses on managing abstractions from Scotland’s natural water resources for agriculture and other industrial uses, Scottish Water maintains public water supply.
For more information on water scarcity and to view the latest report, visit www.sepa.org.uk/waterscarcity.
Around 1.1 million claimant families receiving tax credits will get their first Cost of Living Payment from Friday 2 September 2022, HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) has confirmed.
This £326 UK Government payment will be paid automatically into eligible tax credit-only customers’ bank accounts between 2 and 7 September 2022. The first HMRC payments will total around £360 million.
Nadhim Zahawi, Chancellor of the Exchequer, said:“I know people are really concerned by rising prices so I’m glad that over a million more low earners will shortly receive their first Cost of Living Payment. We are also preparing options for further support so the new Prime Minister can hit the ground running.
“Alongside £400 off most people’s energy bills, tax cuts and the Household Support Fund, these direct payments are a very important part of our £37 billion package of help for households, which is targeted at those who need it most.”
Angela MacDonald, HMRC’s Deputy Chief Executive and Second Permanent Secretary, said:“This first Cost of Living Payment will provide vital financial support for eligible tax credit-only claimants across the UK. A second payment will be made to eligible customers from the winter.
“The money will be paid automatically into bank accounts, so people don’t need to do anything to get this extra help.”
These latest payments mean that more than eight million eligible households in receipt of a means-tested benefit will have received the first of two automatic Cost of Living payments of £326 from 14 July.
The second means-tested payment of £324 will be issued later this year – from the autumn for DWP benefit claimants, and from the winter for tax credit-only customers.
Tax credit claimants who also receive benefits from the Department for Work and Pensions will have already received their first Cost of Living Payment from July 2022.
The Cost of Living payments from the UK Government are part of a £37 billion package of support, which will see millions of low-income households receive at least £1,200 this year to help cover rising costs.
As well as the Cost of Living Payment, other UK Government support includes:
£400 discount from the government to help with the cost of energy bills from October onwards
£300 Pensioner Cost of Living Payment that will be paid alongside Winter Fuel Payments
£150 Disability Cost of Living Payment from 20 September for those receiving an eligible UK disability benefit.
This is all in addition to changes to the Universal Credit taper rate and work allowances worth £1,000 a year on average for 1.7 million working claimants; a rise in the National Living Wage to £9.50 an hour; and a tax cut for around 30 million workers through a rise in National Insurance contribution thresholds.
The UK Government is offering help for households. Customers should check GOV.UK to find out what cost of living support they could be eligible for.
#OperationSoteria, Edinburgh Policing Division’s city wide Operation, have been exhausting all lines of enquiry to bring offenders to account for motorcycle thefts and associated anti-social behaviour.
Over the past week, enquiries have led to the arrest of 3 individuals with significant links to motorcycle crime across Edinburgh and the execution of a warrant. This equates to a weekly total of 30 charges, and the recovery of 4 bikes, all as a direct result of our targeted activities.
Since the commencement of #OpSoteria on 20 June 2022, we have made 27 arrests. This translates to 160 charges all relating to motorcycle theft and antisocial behaviour offences and the recovery of 76 motorcycles, bringing the total value of bikes recovered since June to more than £581,713.
Anyone with information about motorcycle crime or the dangerous use of motorcycles in the capital can speak to officers confidentially and anonymously on 101, or through the charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Community campaigners fighting to save the Silverlea woodland, wildlife and heritage site from a housing development have condemned as “Council lies” the claim that the site is a “barren” flytipping site of “low landscape value and low recreational value with few quality trees”.
A meeting of the City of Edinburgh Council development sub-committee on 10 August flouted the Council’s own policy by approving the building of 142 houses on the green belt in the Muirhouse and the Salvesens area in north-west Edinburgh.
The Save Our Silverlea Campaign describe a photo of the site produced by the Council to justify the development as “totally misleading”.
A SoS spokesperson said: “The photo showed a big pile of flytipped waste – but when a team from Save Our Silverlea visited the site days after the Council meeting, all we found was one white plastic bag and a dumped shopping trolley.The Council photo was either very old or taken elsewhere. Councillors visited the site shortly before the meeting so they should have known the photo was ‘fake news’.”
Save Our Silverlea have produced photos of the site showing massive trees and a verdant and vibrant woodland.
30-40 mature trees are to be felled to make way for the proposed scheme.
“We defy anyone – even a Councillor – to look at these magnificent trees and say this is a “barren” flytipping site. Clearly there has been some flytipping over the years – but if the site was sympathetically opened up to the community as a mini nature reserve with low impact paths and perhaps a children’s play area, then this increased footfall would act as a deterrent to flytipping.
“The Council is effectively “saving” the site by destroying it.”
Freedom of Information request
The camapigners say the city council tried to justify the destruction of dozens of mature trees by claiming they were planting 131 saplings on the narrow strip of grass known as Silverknows Park.
At the Council meeting Save Our Silverlea spokesperson Edward Murray described the real situation: “My flat overlooks Silverknowes Park and I watched them planting these saplings out in mid-February on a bitter cold day with the ground waterlogged,” he explained.
“The end result is the vast majority of these saplings never took root. They’re dead. Are we then to exchange 30-40 mature trees for row upon row of dead twigs in plastic tubes? That doesn’t strike us as a fair exchange.”
On 16 August Save Our Silverlea submitted a Freedom of Information request asking how much the Silverknowes Park Tree Plantation cost.
At the Council meeting Edward Murray described Muirhouse, where he has lived for over 30 years, as “just a dormitory for workers to sleep in before going back to work again”.
Mr Murray added: “Muirhouse is the size of a small town; it has no primary school, no park, not even a pub. It doesn’t even have a supermarket. In short, it is a deprived area. We have nothing down there. It’s one of the most deprived areas in Edinburgh.
“And now, having taken practically everything, you want to take our last green space, the Silverlea site, for development, destroying a wildlife habitat and creating congestion and pollution along the Silverknowes/Muirhouse Parkway, described by Police Scotland as ‘the second most dangerous road in Edinburgh’.”
Save our Silverlea are continuing their campaign: “As climate change threatens the future of humanity, we need to act to defend our green spaces. This land should be used for the local community – not to make £millions for greedy property developers.
“We need much more council/ social housing – build council houses on the brownfield sites where they are now building 1000s of private houses. The struggle to save our Silverlea continues.”
Apartments’ Communal Areas Provide Fruit Trees, Vegetable Growing Beds and Even its Own Potting Shed
Plans for Bee Hives on Rooftops – Plus On-Site Chicken Coop
Almost 150 new trees, plus herb and vegetable growing beds and more than half a kilometre of evergreen hedgerows, are to be provided at Artisan Real Estate’s Rowanbank Gardens in Corstorphine, as the low carbon development continues to set new standards in environmentally sensitive living.
Already making headlines for its fossil fuel-free design credentials – with monthly energy bills estimated at less than £65 per month* – Rowanbank Gardens is now set to deliver a unique mix of garden spaces aimed at maximising the benefits of outdoor living. Described as a ‘spectacular blueprint for low carbon living’, the development will deliver 93 high quality apartments for private sale, together with 33 affordable homes, set around a large communal garden.
The garden area will contain a mix of 30 fruit trees, including cherry and Cox’s Orange Pippin and Red Windsor apple trees. There will also be several large growing beds with space for strawberries, herbs and vegetables surrounded by woodland grass meadows – and even a dedicated potting shed complete with a planted ‘turfed’ roof.
Rowanbank Gardens has been designed to set new industry standards for sustainable, low-carbon development, challenging many of the norms associated with the building of traditional apartment buildings in city centre areas.
Its construction follows Artisan’s design framework geared to achieving low to zero carbon city living, which starts with ‘use less, first.’ From the start, external landscaping has been an important factor in the layout and design of the development.
“We wanted to create an external environment which was both in tune with nature and instrumental in bringing residents together,” explains David Westwater, Artisan’s Development Director for Scotland.
“One of the lessons we learned from the pandemic was that apartment dwellers, even in the city centre, need to have a strong connection both with the outdoors and with their neighbours. So, as well as providing private balcony and patio areas for the majority of apartments, we also decided to be more proactive with our communal green spaces, rather than simply providing the usual manicured square of grassed lawn and flower beds.
“Rowanbank Gardens’ residents will be able to grow their own herbs and vegetables together in raised growing beds as well as being able to harvest cherries and apples from almost 30 fruit trees. And the planting of 520 metres of evergreen Yew and Burkwood hedgerows surrounding the development will provide an attractive all-year-round border for those inside and out, whilst providing a natural habitat for birds and other wildlife.”
He added: “The turfed roofs of the main apartment buildings, bike and potting sheds will also attract plant, insect and bird life which are encouraged with natural inducements such as wild-flower planting.
We will be working with future residents and the local community to explore the potential of hosting bee hives on the apartment roofs as well as the possibility of managing an on-site chicken coop for the benefit of residents.”
Artisan’s significant investment in outdoor space, as well as its cost-effective energy efficient living is providing a popular draw especially amongst first-time buyers and downsizers. Since it launched late last year, sales at Rowanbank Gardens have been buoyant, with 13 of the first ‘Appleberry’ phase already sold.
A further four of the remaining 14 apartments in Appleberry are now available, with the remaining apartments being released shortly.
Prices for a one-bedroom apartment start at £245,000 with a two-bedroom at £315,000, making the development a perfect destination for first-time buyers and downsizers wanting to live in well-connected, bustling community just minutes from the city centre.
To register interest In Rowanbank Gardens and book an appointment at the new on-site sales and marketing suite, visit the development website at www.rowanbankgardens.com or call 0131 516 3302.
Remarkable Evelyn from Edinburgh is rewarded for exceptional work for seriously ill children with national WellChild Award
Nurse Evelyn Rodger from Edinburgh has been named as a winner in the prestigious national 2022 WellChild Awards, in association with GSK, having been nominated by colleague and charity CEO, Rami Okasha, and will be off to collect her award in London on September 8th.
The Awards are run by WellChild, the national charity for seriously ill children, and will be attended by the charity’s Patron, Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex and his wife Meghan, The Duchess of Sussex. The Duke will deliver remarks.
Evelyn, who is a Diana Children’s Nurse with Children’s Hospices Across Scotland was picked from hundreds of nominations from across the UK to win the Nurse category in these Awards which celebrate the resilience of children living with serious illnesses or complex conditions and honour the dedication of those individuals who go the extra mile to help these children and their families.
Evelyn has been a Diana Children’s Nurse (DCN) with Children’s Hospices Across Scotland for the past eight years, having joined the charity in 2014.
In her role Evelyn is based in the neonatal Unit in Simpsons in Edinburgh Royal Infirmary but she also covers five neonatal units across Southeast of Scotland and Tayside.
In addition to her nursing Evelyn supports and delivers training for NHS Lothian and CHAS staff, developing an environment of close working not only with the hospital and community teams, but with the CHAS hospice, at home and family support teams. Evelyn’s dedication and her collaborative approach creates a seamless service to families.
Evelyn was instrumental in a pioneering memory making project called ‘Joes Toes’ which has raised over £15,000 since 2018 to allow CHAS and neonatal units to purchase the materials required to make 3D baby hand and foot-casts, respectfully done in baby Joe’s name.
Joe was one of twins who was sadly stillborn as a result of twin to twin transfusion syndrome. Part of Evelyn’s role as Diana Nurse is to provide bereavement support and to help parents find ways to create precious lasting memories with their babies, a role which she feels very passionate about.
Joe’s mother Marie said: “Evelyn is a compassionate, kind, gentle woman who is incredibly knowledgeable in bereavement care and we feel privileged that she was there to support us in making cherished memories with Joe and with saying goodbye with no regrets.
“As part of the memory making process, we asked if she would be able to help us take 3D casts of Joe’s feet. Evelyn was more than willing to help us in any way she could. Joe’s cast is now one of our most cherished possessions and to be able to physically touch, hold, see, something that was exactly his is so very precious.
“Our little Joe has given us, and now other families, so much without even being here. He never drew breath but he has changed us forever.”
CHAS CEO Rami Okasha, who nominated Evelyn for the WellChild Award, said: “Evelyn is retiring from CHAS in September this year so to receive a WellChild Award in her retiral year is an incredible honour.
“Evelyn has supported hundreds of families, making sure they have time to spend together and are able to make the choices about end-of-life care for their child and understand the really difficult things that are going on around them.
“More than that Evelyn is an inspiration to her colleagues who work so well with the team across CHAS and across the NHS to support newborn children and parents when the time they have together is going to be incredibly short.
“Evelyn goes above and beyond to build deep connections with families and says in touch with them even long after her care ends. I have heard myself from parents the difference that Evelyn has made to them. It is humbling to hear and I want Evelyn to know there are people across Scotland whose lives she has changed forever and they are incredibly grateful to the skill and dedication and kindness she has shown every single day at her work.”
WellChild Chief Executive, Matt James said: “There are more children and young people than ever before in the UK living with long-term, serious health needs.
“The WellChild Awards 2022, in association with GSK, will be a unique opportunity to recognise and highlight the immense challenges they have faced and to celebrate the remarkable positivity, resilience and spirit they have demonstrated.
“It will also help us to shine a light on the dedication of those around them, from siblings, professionals and volunteers who have gone above and beyond to help them through such challenging times.”
Energy price hikes will cause ‘stress, anxiety, illness, debt and death’
Today (26 August) Ofgem has announced the energy price cap will increase to £3,549 per year for dual fuel for an average household from 1 October 2022.
This comes as Ofgem’s CEO warns of the hardship energy prices will cause this winter and urges the incoming Prime Minister and new cabinet to provide an additional and urgent response to continued surging energy prices.
The increase reflects the continued rise in global wholesale gas prices, which began to surge as the world unlocked from the Covid pandemic and have been driven still higher to record levels by Russia slowly switching off gas supplies to Europe.
The price cap, as set out in law, puts a maximum per unit price on energy that reflects what it costs to buy energy on the wholesale market and supply it to our homes. It also sets a strict and modest profit rate that suppliers can make from domestic energy sales. However, unlike energy producers and extractors, most domestic suppliers are currently not making a profit.
The price cap protects against the so called ‘loyalty premium’ where customers who do not move suppliers or switch to better deals can end up paying far more than others. Ultimately, the price cap cannot be set below the true cost of buying and supplying energy to our homes and so the rising costs of energy are reflected in it.
Although Ofgem is not giving price cap projections for January because the market remains too volatile, the market for gas in Winter means that prices could get significantly worse through 2023.
Jonathan Brearley, CEO of Ofgem, said:“We know the massive impact this price cap increase will have on households across Britain and the difficult decisions consumers will now have to make. I talk to customers regularly and I know that today’s news will be very worrying for many.
“The price of energy has reached record levels driven by an aggressive economic act by the Russian state. They have slowly and deliberately turned off the gas supplies to Europe causing harm to our households, businesses and wider economy. Ofgem has no choice but to reflect these cost increases in the price cap.
“The Government support package is delivering help right now, but it’s clear the new Prime Minister will need to act further to tackle the impact of the price rises that are coming in October and next year.
“We are working with ministers, consumer groups and industry on a set of options for the incoming Prime Minister that will require urgent action. The response will need to match the scale of the crisis we have before us. With the right support in place and with regulator, government, industry and consumers working together, we can find a way through this.”
Ofgem will continue to work with government, consumers groups, charities and suppliers, in supporting any new package of help or measures to ease the crisis.
Ofgem has also today strengthened the rules around direct debits to ensure suppliers set them at the right level, meaning that customers only pay exactly what they need to. The changes will stop suppliers from building up excessive customer credit balances and using them in a risky way as working capital.
Ofgem’s clear role is to protect consumers, and it has also today:
Strengthened requirements for suppliers to have sufficient control over the key assets they use to run their businesses. Together, this and the direct debit rule changes build on existing requirements to boost supplier resilience to better protect customers from costs associated with supplier failures.
Extended the Market Stabilisation Charge (MSC), which is paid by suppliers and helps protect customers from the cost of supplier failure.
Extended the ban on acquisition only tariffs which ensures all energy tariffs are available to existing as well as new customers, ensuring all consumers can get a fair deal on their energy.
Launched a review into the mechanism and level of profit margin available under the price cap to ensure that suppliers do not earn excessive profits and receive only a fair return for the services they provide to customers.
The new price cap level will take effect from 1 October 2022, but it is possible some suppliers may begin increasing direct debits before this date to spread costs. Customers worried about when their direct debit will increase should contact their supplier. Any money taken from customers to build up a credit will only ever be spent on their energy supply and customers can ask for their credit balance to be returned at any time.
Anyone worried about paying their bill should contact their supplier in the first instance. They are obliged to discuss payment plans and direct customers to government and third sector support where available. Ofgem is tightly monitoring suppliers’ performance in this area and has told all suppliers now is the time to step up their support for customers, especially those on low incomes or in a vulnerable situation.
Ofgem continues to monitor the impact of the price cap and to work with stakeholders and government on what more can be done for those least able to pay but most in need of energy.
When the new Prime Minister announces what additional support packages will be available, Ofgem will continue to examine how best it can help those groups of people that need it the most.
Reacting to today’s announcement by Ofgem, Poverty Alliance director Peter Kelly said: “The first moral duty of government is to protect people and provide them with security. The UK Government and Ofgem are failing badly in that duty and acting without any sense of compassion and justice.
“This massive price hike is in line with predictions. Ministers knew this was coming for months but have put nothing in place to prevent a humanitarian disaster.
“We must be clear. Bills of this size will be completely and utterly unaffordable for people on low incomes, many of whom have already been struggling with cuts to social security and huge wage squeeze for years and years. They will cause stress, anxiety, illness, debt and death.
“The UK Government must act now. It is simply not right that they continue to dither – prices must be frozen and targeted support must be put in place to help those most in need.”
Chancellor of the Exchequer, Nadhim Zahawi said:“I know the energy price cap announcement this morning will cause stress and anxiety for many people, but help is coming with £400 off energy bills for all, the second instalment of a £650 payment for vulnerable households, and £300 for all pensioners.
“While Putin is driving up energy prices in revenge for our support of Ukraine’s brave struggle for freedom, I am working flat out to develop options for further support. This will mean the incoming Prime Minister can hit the ground running and deliver support to those who need it most, as soon as possible.”
He later told the public to cut back their energy consumption – this from the man who once claimed parliamentary expenses for heating his stables!
This morning, Ofgem announced that the energy price cap will rise by 80%, taking typical household bills from £1,971 a year to £3,549 a year on 1 October.
People will rightly be worried by these huge price hikes. These eye-watering increases will simply be unaffordable for households up and down the country.
We’re demanding the government increase its support package for every household to at least £1,000, with extra support for the most financially vulnerable, or risk pushing millions of households into financial distress this winter. We also expect energy suppliers to ensure their customer service centres are adequately resourced to resolve queries quickly and help those struggling to pay their bills.
THE Government needs to spend £100 billion to freeze household energy prices for a year, according to an industry expert.Derek Lickorish, chairman of retailer Utilita Energy, told GB News: “Back in the banking crisis, Gordon Brown found £500 billion pounds to stop the banks falling apart and I’m advocating that we’re looking at about £100 billion to freeze prices for one year.
“At the moment, we don’t know what Liz Truss is bringing to the party and we don’t know whether it’s going to meet the size of the gap.
“While we have a price cap , when we get to the first of January, that figure is going to have a five in front of it, and it’s going to be another couple of thousand pounds and people cannot possibly afford to pay that amount of money for their energy bill.”
Speaking to Alastair Stewart on GB News, he added: “I think the area that needs to be looked at quite closely is the market structure, in terms of the way electricity is bought and sold, and I know there are plans to look at this now with some urgency.
“But you have a situation where you’re bringing on to the network power that has been effectively subsidised by the renewables obligation, yet they are getting these huge prices in terms of generation because the market price is set by gas.
“The wind doesn’t cost any more. The sun doesn’t cost any more. But these schemes are making an awful lot of money.
“To be fair, that’s about solutions that were brought in prior to 2017, so there was a change so that renewable projects from 2017 would get the price that they agreed.”
Asked to make a final point, Mr Lickorish said: “I want the Government to tell us what’s happening and it needs to be a very, very big number that we need to know now.
John Redwood MP, who has been tipped for a post in a new administration, suggested that VAT on energy will be scrapped for businesses when a new Prime Minister is in place.
“Cancelling VAT on fuel, at least temporarily while fuel costs are elevated, is a serious runner and any new government team will want to look at that,” he told Liam Halligan on GB News.
“I certainly agree with you that there are a lot of businesses under a lot of pressure and I think that must be part of a comprehensive package to explain to industry what help might become available.
“And what can be done about the excessive fuel bills that will directly now lead to some closures, as we’ve heard recently.”
Commenting on the energy price cap rise announced today, Crispin Truman, chief executive of CPRE, the countryside charity, said: ‘This winter’s energy bills are a ticking time bomb threatening to blow apart household finances.
“Rural areas, where wages are lower and homes often cost more to heat, will be devastated if the full force of the price rises are felt by consumers. The government must step in to prevent those living in the countryside from having to choose between eating and heating this winter.
‘We’ve been here before in the pandemic – the country is entering a national crisis that requires an emergency response. Ministers must urgently put in place direct financial support to get people through the winter, while working to deliver the only viable long term solution – improving the energy efficiency of our homes.
‘In addition to stratospheric energy bills, the cost of living crisis is being driven by a lack of housing and soaring rents for millions in the private rented sector. Homelessness is rising as half a million people languish on social housing waiting lists. In the Eden district of Cumbria, homelessness rates are more than four times what they were in early 2020.
‘Twiddling with taxes won’t cut it. To ease the cost of living crisis the government needs to provide immediate monetary support. To prevent a generation of rolling winter crises, we need to get off gas and rapidly invest in home insulation and cheap renewable energy. A longer term fix must also include providing many more social and affordable homes.’
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK
Healthy Heart Tip: Healthy Bank Holiday
Breakfast
Always start the day with a good breakfast as this sets the tone for the day and encourages you to choose healthy options at other mealtimes. Consuming a breakfast rich in protein will help keep you fuller for longer and a portion of wholegrain carbohydrate will give you the energy you need to power your morning. Why not try scrambled egg and avocado on wholegrain toast or fresh fruit with low-fat yoghurt and low-sugar granola?
Choose healthier drinks
Consuming too much alcohol can have a negative impact on your heart, but the good news is there are so many healthier and delicious, alcohol-free drinks available nowadays. A simple soda water with fresh lemon is delightful, or you could try a gut-loving kombucha or simply choose alcohol free versions of the alcoholic beverages you usually consume. These drinks generally contain fewer calories than normal soft drinks and alcoholic tipples and won’t leave you with a fuzzy head the following day.
Drop the guilt
Bank holidays are usually a time when families and friends meet up to enjoy some quality time together. Often this includes an abundance of less healthy food and drink options to tempt us. Avoid over-indulging, by giving yourself permission to enjoy a moderate amount of food and drinks that are higher in sugar, salt, fat or alcohol, and enjoy it without feeling guilty. If you are planning a BBQ this weekend, you might want to check out our Healthy Tip on BBQs.
