Swinney to publish Programme for Government on Wednesday
Plans to deliver a wealthier, fairer and greener Scotland despite difficult financial challenges will be announced by First Minister John Swinney at Holyrood this week.
The First Minister will this week deliver his first Programme for Government since taking office, laying out how the Scottish Government will focus on improving the lives of the people of Scotland.
First Minister John Swinney said: “Against a challenging financial backdrop this year’s Programme for Government will set out clear actions to deliver real change for the people of Scotland.
“The Prime Minister was clear last week that the UK Budget, to be delivered in October, will be painful, and the reality is that the UK’s finances will inevitably affect the funding available to us here in Scotland. Their decisions mean tough decisions ahead for Scotland.
“Yet despite this the Scottish Government will continue to prioritise action to eradicate child poverty, to grasp the opportunities of delivering net zero and to grow the economy by investing in public services and infrastructure.
“While we will work with the UK Government wherever we can, we will continue to urge them to drop the damaging cuts and set new spending rules that support investment.
“The Scottish Government already has a strong track record of improving lives in challenging circumstances. We have delivered an expansion of funded childcare, record investment in the NHS, renewable energy development, and the introduction of the Scottish Child Payment, which are strong foundations for this year’s Programme for Government.
“Even when faced with unprecedented budgetary constraints, our aim will be to improve people’s lives by focusing on clear priorities that make the biggest difference.”
Three day festival – 13-15 September – celebrates Scotland’s last wild, native oyster fishery
New Eco Zone will be a hub for ecological talks and activities
Oyster researchers from Heriot Watt University and the Roslin Institute at the University of Edinburgh will take part
As the native oyster season opens (1st September), Scotland’s oyster festival has announced a new celebration of nature, right in the heart of the festival site.
Stranraer Oyster Festival, which takes place from 13-15 September, is introducing a new Eco Zone with a nature-based programme of talks and activities. The festival celebrates Scotland’s last wild, native oyster fishery taking place on the waterfront, a short distance from the sustainably managed native oyster beds in Loch Ryan.
The new Eco Zone programme will include a talk by Prof. Bill Sanderson of Heriot Watt University on the Benefits of Loch Ryan’s Oyster Beds, and a talk by Dr. Nicola Stock of Edinburgh University’s Roslin Institute on Oyster Microbiomes in Loch Ryan.
Other activities will include wildlife and shoreline ranger led walks by the Solway Coast and Marine Project, touch tanks containing marine wildlife and activities for young people on a marine and ecology theme.
The Eco Zone continues Stranraer Oyster Festival’s growing emphasis on showcasing the importance of the Loch Ryan native oyster beds as one of Scotland’s ecological treasures, as well as an exceptional seafood product.
Allan Jenkins, Event Co-ordinator for Stranraer Development Trust, the community organisation that organises the festival explains: “Since Stranraer Oyster Festival launched in 2017 our understanding of the ecological importance of these oysters has grown.
“Last year we launched an oyster shell recycling scheme to give something back to the loch and the oyster bed. This year we wanted to make environmental activities and experiences a core part of the festival so that visitors to the event can understand just how extraordinary these oysters are.
“This year we are absolutely privileged to have such knowledgeable experts joining us for the festival.”
Professor Bill Sanderson of Heriot Watt University was commissioned by Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Environment Team to carry out an oyster stock assessment of Loch Ryan last year, which estimated a population of 23 million native oysters.
He will share information about that assessment and his work on native oysters at a talk during the opening evening of the oyster festival.
He said: “Native oysters are marine biological super heroes. They improve the water by filtering it, they create spaces for other species improving biodiversity, they store carbon and, of course, they’re delicious.
“200 years ago we had oysters everywhere, including here on the Forth. Stranraer and Loch Ryan is an amazing glimpse into the past because oysters were abundant everywhere.
“Importantly, Loch Ryan’s oysters are also a window on the future, because people all over Europe are looking to restore oyster beds. Loch Ryan finds itself in the centre of the oyster restoration world, so I’m absolutely delighted to be taking part in this new initiative at the oyster festival.”
Later this year 10,000 native oysters from Loch Ryan will make their way to the Firth of Forth as part of Restoration Forth – a major marine restoration programme working with communities to restore seagrass habitats and European flat oyster populations in the Firth of Forth.
Stranraer Oyster Festival launched as a community-led regeneration project to ‘change the story of Stranraer’ from a story of economic decline to a story of destination opportunity. With six successful festivals delivered, the event has had a cumulative economic impact of more than £7m for the scenic former ferry port in south west Scotland.
The 2024 festival programme leans strongly into Stranraer’s connection with the water of Loch Ryan, with ecosystem and community regeneration strong themes. The Scottish Shucking Championship is a focal point of the festival, with chefs from across Scotland competing in the ‘Shuck Off’ to become Scottish Champion and win their place in the World Shucking Championships in Ireland in late September.
Culinary inspiration comes in the form of chef demonstrations that reunite two TV chef double acts – BBC’s Spice Kings Tony Singh and Cyrus Todiwala, and STV’s Hot Wok stars Julie Lin and Jimmy Lee.
They’ll be joined in the festival demo kitchen by Pam Brunton whose multiple award-winning restaurant Inver is the only restaurant in Scotland to receive a Michelin Green Star, which recognises restaurants that combine culinary excellence with outstanding eco-friendly commitments.
Allan Jenkins added: “People enjoying and eating the oysters at Stranraer Oyster Festival are directly supporting the sustainability of the oyster bed. It sounds counterintuitive, but only 5% of the oysters that are lifted by the Loch Ryan Oyster Fishery are ever sold.
“The rest are carefully relaid in dense beds to help encourage native oyster breeding. So, enjoying Loch Ryan native oysters – especially at Stranraer Oyster Festival – is directly helping to fund this important work.”
Stranraer Oyster Festival is supported by Dumfries and Galloway Council’s Major Events Strategic Fund, EventScotland’s National Events Funding Programme and South of Scotland Enterprise. The work of Stranraer Development Trust is also supported by Kilgallioch Community Fund.
Stranraer Oyster Festival takes place from Friday 13th to Sunday 15th September 2024. Early Bird Weekend tickets cost £15, and Day Tickets cost from £6, with concessions available.
For more information details and to book tickets, head to:
Queen Margaret University (QMU) is joining forces with East Lothian Council and other key organisations across the country to support the authority’s efforts to increase community wealth in the region.
The University has become one of the first signatories of the council’s East Lothian Community Wealth Building Charter. The Charter, a formal partnership between East Lothian Council, QMU and other key stakeholders across the region, is part of the Scottish Government’s Community Wealth Building (CWB) approach to harness the economic and social leverage of influential anchor institutions across the country.
By working across multiple organisations, East Lothian Council aims to harness the collective power which exists in East Lothian to create more job opportunities, increase business growth, improve wellbeing and deliver substantial economic benefits.
QMU is already embedding the concept of CWB through a significant new partnership with Bright Red Triangle, the enterprise hub at Edinburgh Napier University, in a move which will improve and extend the level of entrepreneurial support available to university, college and wider communities.
The QMU Start Up Studio will accommodate both Bright Red Triangle and East Lothian Council’s Business Gateway services on its campus in Musselburgh, presenting a significant opportunity in raising the profile of East Lothian as a place which supports and accommodates start-ups businesses and spin-out companies.
The Council and Queen Margaret University believe that CWB principles can also positively shape and drive academic engagement with the Edinburgh Innovation Hub – a joint venture between East Lothian Council and QMU and funded by the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal.
The new Hub, which is on track for completion in 2025, will be made up of flexible laboratory, office and fully equipped meeting and conference spaces for rent and will be a major asset to the local communities, as well as further afield.
The University has an important presence in the county through a combination of being a largescale employer, generator of entrepreneurial thinking and innovation, purchaser of goods and services, and controller of large areas of land and fixed assets in the locality.
Kim Stuart, Director of Research and Knowledge Exchange Development at QMU, said: “Queen Margaret University is totally committed to partnership working which delivers economic and societal benefits and the CWB approach aligns closely with many of QMU’s existing strategic objectives relating to social justice, wellbeing, sustainability, and more resilient local and regional economies.
“This new partnership presents a perfect opportunity for QMU to assist in enhancing the collective benefits which can be created within East Lothian. We hope that this relationship will help foster responsible entrepreneurship and develop solutions that have an impact on society, as a whole. We look forward to working with the Council and other organisations to create a strong and inclusive local economy.”
Councillor John McMillan, East Lothian Council’s Cabinet Spokesperson for Economic Development said: “We are delighted to be working with Queen Margaret University as a signatory of the East Lothian Community Wealth Building Charter.
“Their plans to embed it strategically within the university recognises the importance of this approach and offers a model for other organisations to follow to deliver maximum impact.
“Community Wealth Building aims to redirect wealth back into the local economy to benefit local people. As an authority we’re embracing the opportunities this offers to deliver a fairer and more prosperous East Lothian in line with our key council priorities.
“Our Charter brings together organisations who are committed to this approach and who will work together to create a strong and resilient local economy which benefits everyone.”
Councillor John McMillan concluded: “Community Wealth Building is a cornerstone of the East Lothian Local Economy Strategy.
“Its adoption by Queen Margaret University builds upon our strong partnership and, in particular, the links that exist with our Economic Development service to support entrepreneurial activity, business start-ups and growth.”
Experience Harry Potter’s iconic locations in real life with a beautiful Highlands road trip
There are six magical locations to explore, including Glen Etive, Glenfinnan Viaduct, and Loch Morar
The Harry Potter road trip takes 7 hours 54 minutes to complete by car
As the fifth most popular filming location in Europe, Scotland has provided a beautiful backdrop for countless Hollywood blockbusters over the last few decades.
Harry Potter is perhaps the most famous and beloved of these film series to shoot scenes north of the English border, with stunning Highland scenery featuring across each of the eight exciting instalments.
And, as this franchise has arrived on Netflix and reignited the nation’s love for all things Potter, fans can visit its most iconic filming locations, as Macklin Motors has curated the ultimate road trip route of Scotland for Potterheads.
Taking 8 hours to complete by car, this road trip is perfect for Harry Potter fans who want to feel the magic of their favourite scenes, while taking in beautiful Scottish landscapes at the same time.
The journey starts in the astonishingly beautiful valley of Glen Etive, before driving just over half an hour to Rannoch Moor’s Insta-ready autumnal shades, both of which featured in the Deathly Hallows.
The next stop is Steall Falls, the second highest waterfall in Great Britain, a popular beauty spot that made an appearance in the adrenaline-pumping dragon chase scene in the Goblet of Fire.
Drive 40 minutes further and drivers will find the most iconic Harry Potter filming location in Scotland: Glenfinnan Viaduct. Potterheads will certainly recognise this stunning railway viaduct from the Chamber of Secrets’ unforgettable flying car sequence.
The penultimate stop on the road trip route is Loch Morar, which eagle-eyed fans will immediately recognise as Hogwarts Lake from the Prisoner of Azkaban.
Then, a long drive across the Scottish Highlands will reveal the very last filming location on the map: Black Rock Gorge. This stoic cavern featured in the Goblet of Fire, taking centre stage during the Triwizard Tournament.
A Macklin Motors spokesperson commented: “With our Harry Potter road trip, we want to provide the best of both worlds for kids and parents alike, touring beautiful Highland hotspots with a magical twist.
“And with Back to Hogwarts day on Sunday, there’s no better time to take the trip. Plus, at just under eight hours in total, drivers can complete this road trip in a day or take their time with it throughout their holiday in Scotland.
“So, pack the car with snacks, ready your family’s favourite playlist, and set off on a bewitching adventure around Scotland’s stunning scenery to celebrate the new magical year.”
For more filming location road trips around Scotland and to find the Google Maps route for this road trip, visit the Macklin Motors blog.
A Scottish racecourse is bringing a touch of Munich to Musselburgh in hosting its first Oktoberfest Raceday this month.
Bavarian beer steins will clink to the tunes of one of the UK’s top oompah bands at the raceday on Saturday 14 September, which also features seven top Flat races, including the Musselburgh Gold Cup.
Taking its lead from the famous Munich Oktoberfest, now in its 189th year and which runs from September into October, a Bavarian marquee will be the focal point for the East Lothian track’s festivities.
Stein holding and keg rolling competitions are planned and Oktoberfest themed street food vans will offer a range of bratwurst, pretzels and German beer, and following the last race the celebrations continue with an After Racing Party.
The Jager Maestros – a German Oompah Band – features seven of the country’s finest brass players and will get the afternoon underway with a mesmerising journey through Oktoberfest songs and games.
A past sell-out act at the Edinburgh Fringe, they are in demand at Oktoberfests throughout Europe and have been a hit with audiences across the UK.
The feature race of the day is the £20,000 Musselburgh Gold Cup over 2m 2f which is supported by six other competitive races, with the first contest provisionally timed for 4.10pm.
Musselburgh Racecourse Head of Marketing, Aisling Johnston, said: “Oktoberfest is a phenomenon and anyone who has been fortunate to visit Munich or other events will know how much fun they are.
“We wanted to introduce a taste of Munich to Musselburgh and our own Oktoberfest promises to be a brilliant afternoon and evening out as we finish off our summer season. We are encouraging racegoers to don their finest lederhosen – but it is not essential!”
Gates open on 14 September at 1.30pm and tickets bought in advance are reduced by £5 for a limited period.
Provisional first and last race times are 4:10pm and 7.20pm respectively.
We want to create wealth everywhere, but first we must fix the foundations of our country.
In the first few weeks of this Government, an audit found a £22 billion black hole in the public finances. It means we’ve had to take tough decisions, like means-testing the Winter Fuel Payment. Our Budget in October will be difficult.
But we have already taken action to improve the lives of working people in every corner of the country, from unlocking planning decisions to help build 1.5 million new homes to setting up Great British Energy, to create good jobs and provide clean energy to cut people’s bills in the long term.
Here are some of the things we are doing to fix the foundations of this country.
Setting up a new National Wealth Fund
Growth is the number one priority of this government. That’s why we set up the National Wealth Fund.
It is a publicly owned investment fund that will help attract investment into our country, stabilise our economy and create wealth for future generations.
It will help unlock private investment into the UK by directly investing in new and growing industries, and help create thousands of jobs in clean energy industries.
Accelerating housing planning
We’re overhauling our housing system to meet the needs of working people and put communities first.
Our plan will include introducing mandatory planning targets to aim to deliver on our ambition to build 1.5 million new homes over the next five years.
The new targets will boost housebuilding in areas most in need, to help more people buy their own homes, and help drive growth – making everyone in the country better off.
Putting passengers first We’ll put our rail system back on track with new laws to deliver for passengers.
They will improve the railways by reforming rail franchising, establishing Great British Railways and bringing train operators into public ownership.
Protecting taxpayer money
We’ll introduce legislation that makes sure nobody can play fast and loose with public finances.
A new Bill will strengthen the role of the Office of Budget Responsibility, meaning significant fiscal announcements must be properly scrutinised and that taxpayers’ money is respected.
Protecting workers’ rights
We’ll improve workers’ rights with new legislation – a significant step towards delivering this Government’s plan to make work pay.
We will ban exploitative zero-hours contracts, end fire and rehire, and introduce basic employment rights from day one.
And we’re changing the way the Minimum Wage is set so it keeps in line with the cost of living, in a move to put more money in working people’s pockets.
Launching GB Energy
Producing clean energy and creating good jobs will be our focus for the rest of the year. Great British Energy, a publicly owned, clean-energy company, will own, manage and operate clean power projects, such as wind farms, across the country.
Great British Energy will be headquartered in Scotland and paid for by a windfall tax on oil and gas giants. It will invest clean power projects across the United Kingdom, such as wind farms, which are the cheapest forms of electricity generation to build and operate.
This will help make our country energy independent, tackle climate change and save families money. And investing in clean domestic power will create jobs and build supply chains in every corner of the UK.
Poll reveals that three-quarters of people on zero-hours contracts have experienced financial difficulty due to lack of work
Survey shows “one-sided nature” of zero-hours contracts with shifts cancelled regularly and people feeling they have to work when unwell
TUC says forthcoming Employment Rights Bill is “badly needed” to drive up employment standards and to make work pay
The vast majority of workers on zero-hours contracts want regular hours, according to a new TUC poll.
The poll of zero-hours contract workers reveals that over 8 in 10 (84%) want regular hours of work – compared to just 1 in 7 (14%) who don’t.
Financial pressures
The poll reveals that many zero-hours workers are struggling financially due to being underemployed.
Three-quarters (75%) of those polled say they have experienced difficulty meeting living expenses due to not being offered enough hours.
This is backed up by other findings from the poll which show that:
Two-thirds of (66%) of people employed on zero-hours contracts are seeking extra work.
Well over half (58%) of zero-hours workers’ requests for more hours are being refused by employers.
One-way flexibility
The TUC says the poll also shows the one-sided nature of zero-hours contracts:
Over half of zero-hours contract workers (52%) have had shifts cancelled at less than 24 hours’ notice.
Two-thirds (66%) of zero-hours contract workers say they received no compensation for cancelled shifts – with just 1 in 20 (5%) fully compensated.
Over three-quarters (76%) say they felt they had to work despite feeling unwell.
Work-life balance
The poll also reveals how many zero-hours contract workers have struggled to balance caring responsibilities and family commitments with their work:
Half (50%) say they have experienced difficulty managing childcare with their work. And this number rises to two-thirds (67%) for mothers on zero-hours contracts.
Three-quarters (76%) say they have missed out on a planned family or social event due to needing to work.
The poll shows that mums (35%) and carers (38%) on ZHCs are more likely than those not on ZHCs (22% and 20% respectively) to often find it hard to manage care alongside their work – putting paid to the idea that ZHCs are the best way to help working parents and carers balance paid work and unpaid caring commitments.
The majority (80%) of students on zero-hours contracts also reported that they had experienced difficulties managing studying and education alongside their work.
The poll further reveals that even amongst the minority of zero-hours contract workers who report working in this way because of their need for flexibility (for care or for study) – 6 in 10 (61%) – would prefer a contract with guaranteed shifts (compared to less than a quarter, 23% of this group for whom this arrangement would not be preferable)
Making work pay
The TUC says the findings highlight the importance of the government’s forthcoming Employment Rights Bill that will ban the use of zero-hours contracts and other exploitative practices.
Analysis published by the union body in June revealed that 4.1 million people in the UK were currently employed in low-paid and insecure work – including around 1 million workers on zero-hours contracts.
Separate TUC polling published in July revealed that the vast majority (67%) of voters in Britain – across the political spectrum – support banning zero-hours contracts by offering all workers a contract that reflects their normal hours of work and compensation for cancelled shifts.
TUC General Secretary Paul Nowak said: “Most people on zero-hours contracts would much rather have the security of guaranteed hours and to be able to plan their lives properly.
“The so-called ‘flexibility’ these contracts offer is hugely one-sided with shifts regularly cancelled at the last minute – often without any compensation.
“I would challenge anyone to try and survive on a zero-hours contract not knowing from week to week how much work they will have.
“It’s time to drive up employment standards in this country and to make work pay for everyone.
“The government’s forthcoming employment rights bill will help create a level playing field – and stop good employers from being undercut by the bad.”
Mubin Haq, Chief Executive of the abrdn Financial Fairness Trust, said: “The major problem with zero-hours contracts is the insecurity they cause and the knock-on effects on people’s daily lives.
“From participating in family and social events, to balancing caring responsibilities, those on zero-hours contracts report greater challenges.
“Moreover, the financial penalties are significant with just a third receiving any compensation for loss of income. Addressing problems such as this are essential to delivering greater financial security.”
Julian Richer, Founder and Managing Director of Richer Sounds, and Founder of the Zero-Hours Justice campaign – said: “Most people work for good employers who pay decent wages and provide secure conditions.
“Working people need basic security, to know when they will be working and how much they will earn. But a minority of employers exploit the ability to hire people on zero-hours contracts.
“It is time to rid the economy of these contracts so that every worker who wants a secure contract can have one.
“Driving up employment standards is in everyone’s interests. A ban on exploitative zero-hours contracts is well overdue.”
The cross-party committee of MSPs learned about the contribution life science research can make towards growing Scotland’s economy.
The visit forms part of its parliamentary inquiry into ‘Managing Scotland’s public finances’, which aims to influence the Scottish Government’s Budget before it is announced in autumn.
The MSPs are examining how the Scottish Government uses its capital expenditure to achieve innovation, productivity, and growth – and whether its priorities are the most effective choices.
Finance and Public Administration Committee Convener Kenneth Gibson said:“Our parliamentary inquiry is about examining the effectiveness of the Scottish Government’s overall approach towards managing Scotland’s public finances.
“With a really challenging fiscal and economic outlook, it’s vital that we look critically at boosting innovation, productivity and growth.
“Life sciences already contribute to the Scottish economy, but we want to learn more about its potential for growth and what that could mean in terms of high-value Scottish jobs, high return research and successful spin-out companies.”
“A key part of our inquiry is examining how the Scottish Government currently uses its capital expenditure to boost growth – but we want to ensure its priorities are the right ones ahead of the coming budget.
“Our visit to the University of Dundee’s school of life sciences, to meet leading figures in the field, will give us a good insight into what scope there is to expand research and boost innovation and growth.
“We’ll take the learning from our visit back to Holyrood to inform our inquiry and our recommendations to the Scottish Government ahead of the budget.”
Principal and Vice Chancellor of the University of Dundee, Professor Iain Gillespie, said:“We are delighted to welcome the Finance and Public Administration Committee to Dundee and help boost innovation and growth.
“As the UK’s top university for both biological sciences research and for nurturing spinout success we are a key driver of the economy, learning and skills, as well as a vital part of the scientific ecosystem that is addressing the great health challenges of our time.
“Investment in research and innovation is an investment in the nation’s health and wealth, and we are happy to share our expertise in creating high value companies and anchoring jobs in Scotland.”
The committee’s Dundee visit will provide insight into:
funding of research & development at the University
commercialisation: turning research into innovation
creating, support and scaling of high growth spin-out companies
Background provided by the University of Dundee:
Dundee has been the UK’s top ranked university for Biological Sciences in the last two Research Excellence Framework (REF) exercises. It was also named the UK’s best university for supporting spin out companies by venture capitalist firm Octopus Ventures last year.
While at the University, members of the Finance and Public Administration Committee toured Dundee’s Drug Discovery Unit (DDU), which bridges the gap between academic scientific research and industrially experienced drug discovery.
DDU’s successes include the invention of cabamaquine, a new compound currently in human trials that has been shown to treat malaria with a single dose, while potentially protect people from contracting the disease and prevent its spread.
The University is one of the world leaders in targeted protein degradation, a field of research which has received billions of pounds of investment in recent years and is making the treatment of diseases previously thought to be undruggable a reality.
