PSC expresses its immense relief that that imprisoned activists Heba Muraisi, Kamran Ahmed and Lewie Chiaramello have ended their hunger strikes.
This announcement follows the disclosure that Israeli weapons company Elbit Systems has been denied a £2billion army training contract by the Ministry of Defence.
We remain concerned for the safety of Umer Khalid, who is on day 6 of his resumed hunger strike.
We welcome that as a result of the hunger strike, some of the prisoners have started to receive withheld mail and that a meeting between leaders of prison healthcare and representatives of the prisoners has taken place.
However, we continue to demand that prison authorities do everything required to ensure the safety and rights of these prisoners, including providing them with the necessary ongoing medical care and that they be held in prisons accessible to visits from family and loved ones as is their right.
We thank all PSC members and supporters who joined protests, lobbied their MPs, and phoned the prisons in order to support the hunger strikers.
The continued imprisonment of Palestine solidarity activists is a disgrace. It is the architects and enablers of Israel’s genocide in Palestine – both arms companies like Elbit Systems and the British political leaders who provide Israel with diplomatic, military and political support – who should be facing trial.
As Kamran says in his moving statement, referencing the Palestinian poet Mahmoud Darwish, “perhaps the government thinks that they’ve turned out our lights. But the wick remains long and full, ready for me and you to continue being a candle in the dark.”
We must all redouble our efforts to end Britain’s shameful complicity in Israel’s genocide, military occupation and apartheid against Palestinians.
Charity calls for change at Scottish Parliament event
24% of adults in Scotland believe that current Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenting (RSHP) education does not help children to understand online abuse
95% believed it was important to include content about online safety risks and staying safe online in relationships and sex education in schools
Provision of this education in Scotland is patchy and inconsistent
NSPCC calls for mandatory provision, more detailed guidance and greater prioritisation in the curriculum
The NSPCC reveals that almost one in four adults in Scotland (24%) believe that current Relationships, Sexual Health and Parenting (RSHP) education does not help children to understand online abuse, as the charity calls for it to be made age-appropriate, consistent and relevant for all children in the country.
The YouGov poll, which was commissioned by the NSPCC and surveyed over 1,000 adults across Scotland, also found that95 per cent of participants believed it was important to include content about online safety risks and staying safe online in relationships and sex education in schools and that over two-thirds of adults (67 per cent) believed it should be made compulsory.
The charity held an event at Scottish Parliament on Wednesday (14 January) to highlight why it is vital that the Scottish Government introduces a statutory duty for schools in Scotland to provide relevant relationships and sex education.
The charity is also calling for RSHP to be an educational priority and mandatory part of the curriculum, and for schools to receive more detailed guidance on the subject so there is consistency in the way it is taught.
At the event, which was sponsored by Martin Whitfield MSP and led by young people, speakers and guests were asked to explore why RSHP education is so important for children and young people.
One young woman’s terrifying experience of being sexually exploited online by an older man was read out at the event.
Aoife, 22, from East Kilbride, was 15 when a man, pretending to be a teenage boy, started chatting with her online and asked her to send him images of herself. He then attempted to control her behaviour by blackmailing her with these, threatening to share them with her friends and family on Facebook.
Aoife, NSPCC Lived Experience Advocate, said: “Through what started as a casual conversation online, he was able to start controlling what I did in real life, within a matter of hours. I remember it was 3am and I was sitting in my room, just shaking. I felt like I was the only person in the world and started crying.
“I want to help to make children safer online by sharing my story because, right now, the online world isn’t safe enough. I would like to help prevent other young people from going through the same experience as me in the future.
“You might hear stories about things like this and think ‘it won’t happen to me’. Parents think ‘that won’t happen to my children’ but it does. I want to raise awareness of that and help change things.
“If any other young person experiences this, I’d urge them to tell an adult they trust straight away. It feels like the worst thing in the world at the time but telling a trusted adult is the only way you can get the help you need.”
Rachel Talbot (19), from Angus, NSPCC Lived Experience Advocate, said: “At my school RSHP was taught the same way as English or Maths which made the whole experience incredibly awkward and difficult to properly engage with class discussions.
“It’s a personal and often sensitive topic so it’s better to teach smaller groups where the young people can develop trust, rather than having them ask awkward questions in a large class.
“The online world is such a central part of growing up now and young people need to know how to look out for themselves in these spaces. It’s especially important that discussions around the types of content they might come across is at the forefront of the curriculum.
“Young people are often exposed to inaccurate representations of healthy relationships and sex online, and if this isn’t discussed, they could develop an unhealthy view of how these things should work in the real world.”
While RSHP is part of the health and wellbeing area of Curriculum for Excellence, local areas have discretion about what is taught and when.
The NSPCC has found from its campaign work across the country that young people think the delivery of RSHP education is patchy and insufficient and the charity believes that many children could be missing out on vital knowledge that could protect them from harm and abuse.
Joanna Barrett, NSPCCAssociate Head of Policy, said: ““Unfortunately, we know from our work with young people across Scotland that not all pupils receive relevant and consistent relationships, sex and health education.
“In all other nations in the UK it’s mandatory to teach this subject to children and young people. It helps them recognise healthy and unhealthy relationships and abusive behaviours in others and themselves, and we believe it can help to prevent harm to children, online and offline.
“Young people have a right to this fundamental education, and to be involved in influencing the way it’s delivered, so that it’s up-to-date and relevant to them.
“We are calling on the Scottish Government to prioritise RSHP education and ensure that teachers and schools are adequately resourced to deliver it.”
The youth-led Young Women Know campaign on healthy relationships, safe spaces, and consent on and offline was delivered by NSPCC Scotland and The Young Women’s Movement, over the last six years, with support from Angus Council, Perth and Kinross Council and Dundee City Council.
The young women who led the campaign, which included the ‘Oor Fierce Girls’, ‘Bold Girls Ken’, and ‘Brave Lassies Blether’ projects, created resources which have been added to the Relationships and Sexual Health and Parenthood (RSHP.scot) education website for children and young people.
This means they are available to schools, colleges and community-based learning as part of the Curriculum for Excellence.
Young people looking for support on any of the issues mentioned, can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or visit Childline.org.uk. Childline is available to all young people until their 19th birthday.
Investment will improve same-day access to urgent care
People will benefit from faster access to GP care as part of a £36 million investment announced in the Scottish Budget.
The funding will support the rollout of a new network of walk-in General Practice (GP) services, designed to make it easier for people to see GPs and other primary care clinicians quickly for urgent health concerns without needing an appointment.
Fifteen walk-in service centres will be established, with services focused on urgent, on-the-day primary care needs, similar to the care currently provided by GP out-of-hours services.
Services – which will be open 12pm-8pm, seven days per week – will allow people to attend without a prior appointment and will complement existing GP practices, NHS 24, community pharmacy, and hospitals.
Visiting the first future pilot site to be announced – Wester Hailes Healthy Living Centre – Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Neil Gray said: “This £36 million investment will help more people get the right care, in the right place, at the right time. Walk-in services will make it easier to access urgent care on the day it’s needed, while easing pressure on GP practices and hospitals.
“Open seven days per week, between 12pm-8pm, our new walk-in centres will ensure people can get the care they need at a time that works for them – and will deliver over one million additional GP and nurse appointments.
“The funding for the walk-in services is just part of almost £22.5 billion allocated to health and social care, including a record £17.6 billion for NHS services and resources. Our continued investment in the NHS is allowing us to target areas which are experiencing long waits, reducing backlogs, and getting people the appointments and treatments they need as quickly as possible.
“I am determined to keep driving forward improvements so everyone can get the care they need, when they need it.”
Tracey McKigen, Director of Primary Care for NHS Lothian, said: “We are working closely with Wester Hailes Healthy Living Centre, the Edinburgh Health and Social Care partnership and the Scottish Government to shape proposals for piloting a new walk-in GP service.
“While plans are still being refined, we believe the new service will help improve access to primary care and complement existing local health services.”
SGN – Scotland’s gas network – has opened its new national training centre, a flagship investment that strengthens the company’s long‑standing commitment to Scotland and reinforces its position at the heart of the country’s energy sector.
The state‑of‑the‑art facility in Cambuslang, Glasgow, was officially opened by Energy Minister Michael Shanks MP yesterday [Thursday 15 January], who praised the company’s commitment to ensuring a highly skilled workforce to deliver a secure and resilient energy system for decades to come.
The new centre, complete with a ‘Safety Street’ consisting of replica properties, brings together advanced technology, hands‑on learning environments and expert tuition. The flagship centre provides immersive, real-world simulations – from high-pressure control rigs to a two-storey ‘safety street’ – as well as six technology-enabled classrooms. It is designed to set a new benchmark for training and safety across the sector.
It will play a vital role in developing SGN’s highly skilled workforce, equipping up to 600 engineers, apprentices and trainees each year with the skills needed to support Scotland through the energy transition.
Speaking at the event, Energy Minister Michael Shanks MP said: “The gas network will continue to play a key role in our energy system as we transition to clean, more secure, homegrown energy – with Scotland to benefit from an extra 40,000 good jobs in clean energy sectors by 2030.
“For decades, Scotland has been at the heart of Britain’s energy sector, and SGN’s new training centre will equip the next generation of Scottish engineers with the skills to continue this legacy in powering Britain.”
Simon Kilonback, Chief Executive Officer at SGN, said: “SGN is a highly skilled engineering organisation playing a critical role in today’s energy system, and this state-of-the-art facility demonstrates our commitment to training, skills and operational excellence. It represents a major investment in our people and our future workforce.
“Our new national training centre also highlights our commitment to Scotland and to our 2m household and industrial customers who rely on us every day.
“Through the delivery of industry-leading training, we’re ensuring our teams have the skills, confidence and expertise to deliver a safe, resilient gas network that will be at the heart of Scotland’s energy system for years to come.”
During the event, Minister Shanks had the opportunity to experience the cutting-edge facilities and speak with SGN colleagues including trainees, apprentices and long-serving colleagues.
He also met multi-skilled specialist trainers who will deliver courses for each frontline role. They will ensure each operative receives tailored development with a particular focus on the most important safety-critical tasks.
To ensure the facility will support all colleagues, around 100 stakeholders also helped shape the redesigned training materials to be more inclusive and accessible for neurodiverse colleagues, ensuring every learner feels supported.
The new training centre will transform SGN’s training offer and is part of a network of high-quality facilities in Scotland which are redefining skills and training across the organisation.
COSLA has set out concerns about the Scottish Government’s Budget settlement for Local Government, warning that while there is a modest increase in uncommitted revenue, the settlement remains insufficient to meet rising demand for essential local services.
Following a meeting of council leaders, it was stressed that the increase of £234 million in uncommitted revenue funding for 2026/27 does not address the scale of pressures facing councils, particularly in social care where demand and complexity continue to rise sharply.
COSLA also highlighted urgent concerns about the continued underfunding of the Real Living Wage policy.
While welcoming the increase in funding for the Affordable Housing Supply Programme, COSLA warned that the capital funding position for local government is becoming increasingly unsustainable, threatening councils’ ability to invest in vital infrastructure and community assets.
Leaders also expressed significant concern about the medium-term outlook set out in the Spending Review, which suggests continued de-prioritisation of local government and further real-terms cuts over the coming years.
Cllr Ricky Bell, COSLA Spokesperson for Resources, said:“While we acknowledge the increase in uncommitted revenue funding for 2026/27, this settlement falls far short of what is needed to sustain essential local services. Councils are facing acute and growing pressures, particularly in social care, and the current level of funding simply does not reflect the scale or complexity of demand.
“We are especially concerned by the continued underfunding of the Real Living Wage across portfolios including social care. COSLA made a clear and urgent ask for significant additional investment of £750m to protect and strengthen social care, which the Budget as announced fails to deliver.
“Further to this, the medium-term outlook paints a worrying picture for local government, with continued de-prioritisation and the prospect of significant real-terms cuts.
“If councils are to continue delivering for communities, we are calling for urgent and meaningful engagement with the Scottish Government to ensure local government is properly funded to continue delivering the essential services communities rely on every day.”
COSLA reiterated its support for the introduction of additional council tax bands as an interim step towards fundamental reform, emphasising that any changes must be taken forward in close cooperation with COSLA and local government.
In addition, it welcomed the Scottish Government’s forthcoming legislation to remove the cap on council tax premiums for second and empty homes, describing it as a positive step in providing councils with greater local flexibility.
At yesterday’s meeting of the city council’s Finance and Resource Committee (Thursday 15 January) the Scottish Greens presented an amendment which drew attention to a £15m Scottish government budget cut to community organisations and the end of Investment in Communities.
The shock proposed cut by the Scottish government risks a long list of local community groups being left high and dry as core funding for charities continues to be a pressing issue in the city (see list below).
Finance spokesperson Alex Staniforth said, “We’re glad our amendment passed at committee and officers will investigate the impact of these proposed cuts, but every time we think we’ve got a handle on cuts to the third sector some other proposal comes forward to squeeze it still further.
“The Scottish government should reflect on whether this is the best way to save £15 million given the vital work community organisations do in the city.”
List of Edinburgh organisations potentially affected:
About Youth, Calder Youth Action Project (part of Wester Hailes Together), City of Edinburgh, £105,822
Community Renewal Trust, Our Neighbourhood: A new hyperlocal Community Wealth Building partnership, City of Edinburgh, £300,732
Dr. Bell’s Family Centre, Start Well, Live Well: Wellbeing Support for Families in Leith, City of Edinburgh, £348,067
Edinburgh Food Social Cic, Changing Craigmillar Food Culture, City of Edinburgh, £325,847
Fresh Start, Fresh Connections, City of Edinburgh, £280,201
North Edinburgh Arts, North Edinburgh Arts Link Up, City of Edinburgh, £331,400
Space @ The Broomhouse Hub, Together We Can, City of Edinburgh, £350,000
The Venchie Children And Young People’s Project, Family Support Service, City of Edinburgh, £208,732
Transition Edinburgh South (Scotland) Ltd, Investing in Gracemount, City of Edinburgh, £302,196
Whale, The Arts Agency, Creativity, Place and Enterprise in Wester Hailes (part of Wester Hailes Together), City of Edinburgh, £332,494
