Day: October 26, 2023

UK children and adults safer online as ‘world-leading’ bill becomes law

Online Safety Act receives Royal Assent putting rules to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online into law

  • Online Safety Act receives Royal Assent in the Houses of Parliament, putting rules to make the UK the safest place in the world to be online into law
  • the Act makes social media companies keep the internet safe for children and give adults more choice over what they see online
  • Ofcom will immediately begin work on tackling illegal content and protecting children’s safety

The Online Safety Act has today (Thursday 26 October) received Royal Assent, heralding a new era of internet safety and choice by placing world-first legal duties on social media platforms.

The new laws take a zero-tolerance approach to protecting children from online harm, while empowering adults with more choices over what they see online. This follows rigorous scrutiny and extensive debate within both the House of Commons and the House of Lords.

The Act places legal responsibility on tech companies to prevent and rapidly remove illegal content, like terrorism and revenge pornography. They will also have to stop children seeing material that is harmful to them such as bullying, content promoting self-harm and eating disorders, and pornography.

If they fail to comply with the rules, they will face significant fines that could reach billions of pounds, and if they don’t take steps required by Ofcom to protect children, their bosses could even face prison.

Technology Secretary Michelle Donelan said: “Today will go down as an historic moment that ensures the online safety of British society not only now, but for decades to come.

“I am immensely proud of the work that has gone into the Online Safety Act from its very inception to it becoming law today. The Bill protects free speech, empowers adults and will ensure that platforms remove illegal content.

“At the heart of this Bill, however, is the protection of children. I would like to thank the campaigners, parliamentarians, survivors of abuse and charities that have worked tirelessly, not only to get this Act over the finishing line, but to ensure that it will make the UK the safest place to be online in the world.”

The Act takes a zero-tolerance approach to protecting children by making sure the buck stops with social media platforms for content they host. It does this by making sure they:

  • remove illegal content quickly or prevent it from appearing in the first place, including content promoting self-harm
  • prevent children from accessing harmful and age-inappropriate content including pornographic content, content that promotes, encourages or provides instructions for suicide, self-harm or eating disorders, content depicting or encouraging serious violence or bullying content
  • enforce age limits and use age-checking measures on platforms where content harmful to children is published
  • ensure social media platforms are more transparent about the risks and dangers posed to children on their sites, including by publishing risk assessments
  • provide parents and children with clear and accessible ways to report problems online when they do arise

Home Secretary Suella Braverman said: “This landmark law sends a clear message to criminals – whether it’s on our streets, behind closed doors or in far flung corners of the internet, there will be no hiding place for their vile crimes.

“The Online Safety Act’s strongest protections are for children. Social media companies will be held to account for the appalling scale of child sexual abuse occurring on their platforms and our children will be safer.

“We are determined to combat the evil of child sexual exploitation wherever it is found, and this Act is a big step forward.”

Lord Chancellor and Secretary of State for Justice, Alex Chalk said: “No-one should be afraid of what they or their children might see online so our reforms will make the internet a safer place for everyone.

“Trolls who encourage serious self-harm, cyberflash or share intimate images without consent now face the very real prospect of time behind bars, helping protect women and girls who are disproportionately impacted by these cowardly crimes.”

In addition to protecting children, the Act also empowers adults to have better control of what they see online. It provides 3 layers of protection for internet users which will:

  1. make sure illegal content is removed
  2. enforce the promises social media platforms make to users when they sign up, through terms and conditions
  3. offer users the option to filter out content, such as online abuse, that they do not want to see

If social media platforms do not comply with these rules, Ofcom could fine them up to £18 million or 10% of their global annual revenue, whichever is biggest – meaning fines handed down to the biggest platforms could reach billions of pounds.

The government also strengthened provisions to address violence against women and girls. Through the Act, it will be easier to convict someone who shares intimate images without consent and new laws will further criminalise the non-consensual sharing of intimate deepfakes.

The change in laws also now make it easier to charge abusers who share intimate images and put more offenders behind bars. Criminals found guilty of this base offence will face up to 6 months in prison, but those who threaten to share such images, or shares them with the intent to cause distress, alarm or humiliation, or to obtain sexual gratification, could face up to two years behind bars.

NSPCC Chief Executive, Sir Peter Wanless said: “Having an Online Safety Act on the statute book is a watershed moment and will mean that children up and down the UK are fundamentally safer in their everyday lives.

“Thanks to the incredible campaigning of abuse survivors and young people and the dedicated hard work of Parliamentarians and Ministers, tech companies will be legally compelled to protect children from sexual abuse and avoidable harm.

T”he NSPCC will continue to ensure there is a rigorous focus on children by everyone involved in regulation. Companies should be acting now, because the ultimate penalties for failure will be eye watering fines and, crucially, criminal sanctions.”

Dame Melanie Dawes, Ofcom Chief Executive, said: “These new laws give Ofcom the power to start making a difference in creating a safer life online for children and adults in the UK. We’ve already trained and hired expert teams with experience across the online sector, and today we’re setting out a clear timeline for holding tech firms to account.   

“Ofcom is not a censor, and our new powers are not about taking content down. Our job is to tackle the root causes of harm. We will set new standards online, making sure sites and apps are safer by design. Importantly, we’ll also take full account of people’s rights to privacy and freedom of expression.

“We know a safer life online cannot be achieved overnight; but Ofcom is ready to meet the scale and urgency of the challenge.”

In anticipation of the Bill coming into force, many social media companies have already started making changes. TikTok has implemented stronger age verification on their platforms, while Snapchat has started removing the accounts of underage users.

While the Bill has travelled through Parliament, the government has worked closely with Ofcom to ensure protections will be implemented as quickly as possible once the Act received Royal Assent.

From today, Ofcom will immediately begin work on tackling illegal content, with a consultation process launching on 9th November 2023. They will then take a phased approach to bringing the Online Safety Act into force, prioritising enforcing rules against the most harmful content as soon as possible.

The majority of the Act’s provisions will commence in two months’ time. However, the government has commenced key provisions early to establish Ofcom as the online safety regulator from today and allow them to begin key preparatory work such as consulting as quickly as possible to implement protections for the country.

Rocio Concha, Which? Director of Policy and Advocacy, said: “Which? led the campaign for consumers to have stronger protections against scam adverts on social media platforms and search engines that can have devastating financial and emotional consequences for victims.

“These new Online Safety laws are a major step forward in the fight back against fraud by forcing tech firms to step up and take more responsibility for stopping people being targeted by fraudulent online adverts.

“Ofcom must now develop codes of practice that will hold platforms to a high standard and be prepared to take strong enforcement action, including fines, against firms if they break the law.”

Giving Blood? Important information

From Monday 23 October 2023, visitors to some provinces in Italy (Rome, Latina and Lodi) will have to wait four weeks before donating.

This is due to evidence of Dengue virus infection being found in these areas.

We are asking donors due to visit Rome to please give before you go.

Alternatively, we’ll look forward to welcoming you four weeks after you return.

If you do become unwell during or after your visit, you may have to wait longer before donating – please do contact us about this.

  • For further information contact us online. Alternatively, you can email us on nss.snbtsenquiry@nhs.scot or call 0345 90 90 99 (9am-5pm, Mon-Fri).

Green light for affordable housing development at Newcraighall East

An ‘exciting’ new residential development in Newcraighall has been granted, subject to conditions, by councillors on City of Edinburgh Council’s development management sub-committee.

The site, to be developed by housing specialists Cullross Ltd, will see 220 mixed-residential units brought to the area, located east of Glennie Road.

Flats, colony flats, and townhouses are included in the ambitious plans, with 163 (74 per cent) of the units being for affordable housing which will be delivered by Cullross on behalf of Hillcrest Homes. The remainder being for private housing.

 A substantial open park space, with quality landscaping, will be provided for the local community and the layout integrates with the existing residential development.

The proposed development is allocated as housing site HSG27 in the Council’s Local Development Plan, where residential development is acceptable in principle.

It also delivers a 20-minute neighbourhood, being within 10-minites of a school, open place, play parks and a railway station, as well as a number of active travel connections. The site is within a 20-minute walk of Fort Kinnaird Retail Park and Queen Margaret University.

Twenty-minute neighbourhoods are places that are designed so residents can meet their day-to-day needs within a 20-minute walk of their homes.

The proposals include education and healthcare contributions to mitigate its impact on the locality.

Cullross Ltd has nearly 60 years of combined experience designing, developing, and building new homes and specialising in affordable housing projects. 

Mark Beaton, Director of Cullross Ltd., said: “We are delighted to have had our application for residential development at Newcraighall East granted, subject to conditions.

“Extensive community consultation was undertaken on our ambitious proposals which will bring much-needed housing, the majority of which will be affordable housing, to Edinburgh.

“We were particularly keen to ensure that there is extensive greenspace available to the local community, including delivering a substantial landscaped open park.

“As the project progresses to site, we look forward to continuing to engage with the local community on this.”

Angela Linton, Hillcrest Chief Executive, said: “We’re delighted to again partner with Cullross to deliver another high-profile development.

“The 163 Hillcrest properties, which will form a significant portion of this development in Newcraighall, will offer a welcome boost of high-quality affordable housing to the city of Edinburgh.”

Rod Duncan, director of jmarchitects, said: “jmarchitects are delighted that the planning application for Newcraighall has been approved. The six month process from start to approval is testament to the team and to the City of Edinburgh Council.

“The masterplan on an allocated site will deliver 220 new homes within a design framework that is based on sustainable and biodiverse principles with placemaking at its heart.”

National Mission on Drugs Annual Report published

Minister welcomes progress in key areas

The second annual report on the National Mission on Drugs has highlighted a wide range of initiatives and projects aimed at reducing deaths and improving the lives of people impacted by drugs.

The report sets out the progress made from April 2022 to March 2023 against the National Mission Plan. It highlights:

  • a total of £141 million invested in drug and alcohol services and programmes.
  • successful rounds of funding to ensure multi-year support for services of all sizes across Scotland
  • £14 million for three new residential rehabilitation facilities
  • the opening of the first national family drugs treatment service and a new mother and child recovery house in Dundee.
  • a rapid review into improving care for people with co-occurring substance and mental health conditions

The report, also notes significant progress on rolling out Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) standards, increasing uptake in residential rehabilitation placements and the availability of life-saving naloxone.

Official statistics for 2022 also saw the largest year-on-year decrease in drug related deaths and the lowest annual total since 2017.

Visiting Creative Change Collective in Paisley, to hear about its work with those recovering from addiction, Drugs and Alcohol Policy Minister Elena Whitham said: “Since becoming Minister I have visited a number of treatment and recovery services and seen the transformational change the National Mission has already delivered.

“I believe the tireless work of people across Scotland will have contributed to that reduction in drug-related deaths and my thanks go to all those working to provide potentially life-saving, and life-changing, support.

“Through our £250 million National Mission, we are doing everything within our powers to tackle drug deaths. It has helped support more than 300 grassroots projects across the length and breadth of the country and we have also expanded and improved access to residential rehabilitation. There has also been substantial progress in rolling out the Medication Assisted Treatment (MAT) standards.

“However, the number of deaths is still too high and we know there is a huge amount of work still to be done. As we near the half-way mark in our five-year mission, our aim now is to continue to shape and hone support to ensure it’s reaching those who need it most.

“We will also increase our focus on a whole-government approach to addressing mental health, homelessness, justice and children and families.

“Following the period covered by this report, we have continued to make progress, supporting moves to establish the UK’s first official Safer Drug Consumption Facility and drug-checking facilities. Police Scotland has also completed its force-wide rollout of naloxone, using the kits more than 300 times.”

Creative Change Collective project director Mark MacNicol said: ““We are delighted to welcome the Minister to watch one of our recovery groups sharing their work.

“We are pleased to have been able to roll our Recovering Voices programme out as a pilot in four local authority areas thanks to funding from the Scottish Government via the Corra Foundation.

“Our unique anonymous drama model is like drama therapy for people who usually have no interest in drama or therapy and allows people to express themselves and explore the impact their addiction has had in a safe and supportive environment.”

national-mission-drugs-annual-report-2022-2023Download

Operation Crackle: Dispersal Zones come into effect next week

Dispersal Zones for #OpCrackle have been set up across Edinburgh and will be enforceable between 3rd November and 5th November 2023.

These zones are set up to help prevent anti-social behaviour and to keep the community safe.

Additional officers will be deployed over the weekend across the city and they have the grounds to take action should people be involved in such conduct, as detailed in the below poster.

Keep yourself and others safe by attending organised events only, which can be found here:

https://www.firescotland.gov.uk/…/organised…/…

Three Great War soldiers buried with full military honours in Belgium

More than a century after his death, Lance Serjeant Robert Brand, a 24-year-old Glaswegian soldier has finally been laid to rest with full military honours in Belgium. He was buried alongside two unknown soldiers from the same regiment.

The burial service, organised by the MOD’s Joint Casualty and Compassionate Centre (JCCC), also known as the ‘MOD War Detectives’, was held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission’s (CWGC) Messines Ridge Cemetery, Belgium yesterday (25 October 2023).

Tracey Bowers, JCCC Case lead, said: “Robert served his Country for the entirety of the War and paid the ultimate sacrifice, I am honoured to have worked on this case and be here today to pay my respects.

“It is always disappointing not to identify all soldiers but we will keep trying.”

The three soldiers were recovered by archaeologists working in Neuve Eglise, Belgium, as part of a potato farm expansion project. Artefacts found nearby identified them as soldiers from the 9th (Glasgow Highland) Battalion, Highland Light Infantry.

Other finds indicated they died after August 1916; this information combined with that from battalion war diaries and other records, narrowed their dates of death to a period between 13-15 April 1918. This was during the Battle of the Lys.

A shortlist of potential candidates was drawn up using the finds, anthropological information and documentary evidence. Then efforts were made to trace the descendants of eight of the regiment’s men listed as missing and who matched all the available evidence. Lance Serjeant Robert Brand was positively identified through the DNA testing of his descendants.

Robert Brand was born on 13 September 1893 in Stirling, to William McPhail Brand and Christina Johnston Arthur. He was the eldest of 12 children. He had first gone to France with the army in November 1914, and in 1916 he was hospitalised with a gunshot wound to the neck. Following this, he was entitled to wear a wound stripe on his uniform.

This wound stripe was one of the critical artefacts in helping to identify him as one of these casualties.

Caroline Smith, Great Niece, said: “The Brand Family is honoured and humbled to be able to attend the burial of our Uncle, Lance Serjeant Robert Brand and two of his fellow soldiers. It is amazing how remains have been found after all these decades.

“We would like to thank the JCCC whom have guided us through the process of DNA and organising the burial. Also thank you to the Regiment for being here to support and honour. Last of all thank you Uncle Robert, who fought for our country and our family. We are very proud and grateful.”

The service was supported by members of the 2nd Battalion, The Royal Regiment of Scotland who provided the bearer party, Piper and Bugler.

Conducting the service, Rev’d David Jeal, chaplain said: “It is a great honour and privilege to finally lay our soldiers from World War 1 to rest.

“We remember their sacrifice and have given them the full military burial they deserved, something I and all 2 SCOTS soldiers present will never forget.”

The graves of Lance Serjeant Brand and the two unknown soldiers will be cared for in perpetuity by CWGC.

Geert Bekaert Commonwealth War Graves Commission Area Director said: “It is a profound honour to now care for the graves of Lance Serjeant Robert Brand and his fellow soldiers from the 9th (Glasgow Highland) Battalion, Highland Light Infantry, at Messines Ridge Cemetery, Belgium.

“The Commonwealth War Graves Commission reaffirms its commitment to preserving their memory in perpetuity and their burial today reminds us of the enduring legacy of all those who served during the First World War.”

Among the soldiers who remain unidentified, one possible individual is Private Robert Campbell. The JCCC would like to appeal to any family members who believe they could be related to a Pte Robert Campbell who served with the 9th Glasgow Highland Light Infantry to get in touch.

Deidre Brock raises Infected Blood scandal at Prime Minister’s Questions  

Deidre Brock MP has challenged the Prime Minister on the UK Government’s repeated denial of justice to those affected by the Infected Blood scandal.  

The Infected Blood Inquiry is investigating the tragic deaths of more than 3,000 people across the UK who died as a result of being given contaminated blood in the 1970s and 1980s.  

While the publication of the inquiry’s final report has been delayed from November to March next year, Sir Brian Langstaff, the independent chair of the inquiry, has already published his recommendations on compensation for victims of the scandal. However, the Cabinet Office this week confirmed that it would not respond to the inquiry until after the final report.  

At Prime Minister’s Questions yesterday, Deidre Brock MP asked on behalf of affected constituents, why the UK Government continues to kick this issue into the long grass, while excluding many of the families, estates and carers of deceased victims from full interim compensation. 

The Edinburgh North & Leith MP said: “The inquiry’s final report has been delayed, but the Government cannot use that as an excuse to postpone its response yet again.  

“We know this Government can pre-emptively award victim compensation when it wants to, such as in the on-going Post Office Horizon IT Inquiry. 

“Why then does the Government not show similar compassion to the survivors, family members and carers of contaminated blood scandal victims? 

“The woeful statement from the Cabinet Office, and the Prime Minister’s non-response to my specific question, will simply compound the trauma, yet again, for victims and their families.  

“Survivors and carers deserve proper compensation for their dreadful and distressing ordeal and I will continue to hold the UK Government to account for its shameful inaction.” 

https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/0cf3c1f9-a81f-44af-bc70-1f92dc6260a4?in=12:27:29

https://questions-statements.parliament.uk/written-statements/detail/2023-10-23/hcws1082

North Edinburgh Arts: Community Studio Space Open Meeting

TUESDAY 31 OCTOBER 2 – 3pm

at WEST PILTON NEIGHBOURHOOD CENTRE

Artist Alice Betts, together with members of the Art for Grown Ups group, have been exploring and developing a plan for a permanent visual arts studio and making space within the expanded and refurbished NEA venue, due to re-open in 2024.

You can read more about the research project in our blog post at northedinburgharts.co.uk/developing-a-community-visual-arts-space/

As part of her research project, Alice would like to hear from local creative adults who are interested in using a free visual arts studio space at North Edinburgh Arts.

Join the Open Meeting: NEA Community Studio Space on Tuesday 31 October at 2pm at West Pilton Neighbourhood Centre to share your thoughts and ideas about a community-accessible studio space within the refurbished NEA.

This event is open to local artists, creatives, and NEA project participants including those from the Community Shed, Create Community Wealth, Art for Grown Ups, and A Stitch in Time.

Come and help shape our future free space for North Edinburgh’s creative community. This is a free event. Advance booking isn’t required.

For more information, please email alice.betts@northedinburgharts.co.uk

National Galleries receives planning approval for ‘transformational’ North Edinburgh development

GREEN LIGHT FOR THE ART WORKS IN GRANTON

The City of Edinburgh Council has granted planning permission for the National Galleries of Scotland’s exciting new community space, conservation, research and art storage facility in the heart of Granton.

The Art Works will form part of the wider regeneration of the Granton area, and will be located on a brown field site west of Madelvic House on Granton Park Avenue, within one of Scotland’s most diverse yet socioeconomically deprived areas.

The state of the art facility is designed with an innovative dual purpose, that goes beyond traditional art storage. While it will hold Scotland’s renowned art collection, it aims to make it more accessible than ever before to explore the nations art.

The Art Works will also contribute to the wellbeing and investment in the local area, offering community spaces for use by local residents, community groups and the wider public, all under one roof.

Offering an additional 11,000m² of quality space – the equivalent of two playing fields – the facility aims to make a major contribution to enhancing the local community for the long term.

The Art Works will be a world-class home for more than 120,000 works of art to be stored, cared for, conserved, and researched, while not on display in a gallery.

Storing Scotland’s extraordinary national collection in a completely new way, the public will be able to explore, discover, and engage with the art like never before. The building will also be a key focal point for community investment, pride and growth.

Inside there will be spaces for public use, including social areas and amenities for visitors’ comfort and enjoyment, such as a community studio, community support space, further education rooms and a Changing Places toilet.

This will be the only Changing Places facility available in the Granton area, and opens up the spaces for even more people to visit. These specially designed toilets enable those who need extra equipment and space to use the toilets safely and comfortably.

Sustainability is central to the National Gallery of Scotland’s vision for The Art Works. The plans include sustainable building practices which minimise energy impact and provide quality of life opportunities for the local community.

As the country’s largest cultural building designed to the Passivhaus standard, it will go beyond what is required by the Scottish Building Standards. It will be climate resilient and decarbonise the care of the nations collection.

Alongside enabling the National Galleries of Scotland to develop a vastly improved digital offering, the purpose-built facility will deliver a modern environment in which members of the public, colleagues, students and researchers can engage with the art stored there.

The historic collection of the Royal Scottish Academy will also be housed in the new building and it will also be home to the Demarco Archive. Outside, there will be activity areas that bring the natural environment to life, including new green routes through to Granton Waterfront.

Accessible to all, The Art Works will attract and inspire local visitors and communities right through to specialist researchers in Scotland and from across the world.

Several projects with local partners are underway, with completed projects including a collaboration with local charities and social enterprises to make 1000 art-themed face coverings for local people and visits for nursery groups to enjoy the community orchard which is currently on part of the site.

Previously known as the National Collection Facility, proposals for a building of this kind have been in the early stages of concept development since 2015. Now known as The Art Works, the project aims to bring Scotland’s vast and extraordinary national art collection into a single, future-proofed location. 

The national collection is currently stored across several sites where access and space are extremely limited, logistics are difficult, and conditions are suboptimal for enabling the full potential for public access, conservation and research to be realised. It also means it can be challenging for works to be made available for display and loan.

The Art Works will be instrumental in addressing these issues, enabling much greater access to and engagement with Scotland’s incredible collection of art treasures. The facility safeguards the future of this publicly owned, renowned national collection. 

Sir John Leighton, Director-General of the National Galleries of Scotland, said: ‘We are delighted to have received planning permission for The Art Works. We are committed to continuing work with the Council and other strategic partners to play our part in shaping and informing the development of north Edinburgh.

“Our project has the potential to be a huge catalyst for change in the local community and at national levels. The Art Works will allow National Galleries of Scotland to share its collection much more effectively across the nation and to bring the benefits of art and culture to the widest possible audience.’

Further information can be found at www.nationalgalleries.org/theartworks

Different class: Hibs captain picks up degree from Edinburgh Napier

Paul Hanlon has graduated with distinction – and added a medal to his collection

Hibernian captain Paul Hanlon has collected a different kind of silverware – marking his outstanding academic performance – after graduating from Edinburgh Napier University.

The 33-year-old footballer completed his BA Business and Enterprise in Sport with Distinction, and won the class medal in recognition of outstanding academic performance.

After three years of study on the programme, which is designed specifically for athletes, the Scotland international picked up his degree during a ceremony at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall yesterday.

Reflecting on his time with ENU, Paul said: “Studying has helped massively in dealing with the pressure of sport. It has given me a separate focus away from football.

“The course was a real eye-opener. It took a bit of getting used to. Things like the academic way of writing and reading were completely new to me.

“In football, things are black and white. Suddenly, I had to understand a bit more about dealing with grey areas – forming opinions and backing them up.

“At first it was nerve-racking! I left school a long time ago, so hadn’t done anything like this for a while.

“There is that daunting aspect of getting started, but the support you get here is amazing.”

Paul completed his programme as a Dual Career student – which allows athletes, or people working in sport, to fit their studies around their professional career.

During his time with ENU’s School of Applied Sciences, Paul won his first Scotland cap, and was named club captain at Hibs, all while competing at the top level of Scottish football.

The 2016 Scottish Cup winner says the course has opened new paths he could take when the time comes to hang up his boots. He said: “I don’t know exactly what I’m going to do once I finish playing, but this helps me cover a lot of bases. I feel well prepared.

“There were modules which helped with leadership and coaching, while others dealt with the business side of the game.

“It has given me a new confidence and determination to keep learning. I’m now doing the Applied Football Management course at ENU because of this – I don’t want to stop.

“I don’t think I would be like that now if it wasn’t for this course.”

Dr Tom Campbell, Programme Lead for BA Business & Enterprise in Sport said: “Paul has set a fantastic example to our Dual Career students.

“During his time with us, he has displayed outstanding academic performance, all while competing at such a high level in his sport.

“We have a strong track record of supporting athletes through their studies, and it is pleasing to see Paul develop his thirst for knowledge with us.”

Edinburgh Napier’s autumn graduation ceremonies are being held from 24 – 26 October at Edinburgh’s Usher Hall.