Day: January 17, 2026

NAS Scotland launches ‘Act Now for Autistic Rights’ Campaign

The National Autistic Society Scotland is calling for real change for autistic people, ahead of the Scottish Parliament election in May. 

The new campaign calls on the next Scottish Government to introduce the Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence (LDAN) Bill to parliament as soon as possible. 

Autistic people in Scotland are waiting months, if not years, for an assessment and experience poorer health outcomes than the general population. At school, autistic pupils face exclusion and isolation due to lack of support, and in community settings autistic people face discrimination stemming from a lack of understanding and access to services. 

The campaign is split into four key areas: diagnosis and support; accessible healthcare; support in schools; and inclusive communities. The LDAN Bill can play a transformative role in each of these areas by introducing national and local plans to tackle waiting lists, introducing mandatory training in healthcare and education, and addressing a glaring lack of accountability in the public services and systems meant to support autistic people in Scotland.

Rob Holland, Director of the National Autistic Society Scotland, said: ‘Too often we hear from autistic people and families that do not have the support they need to live fulfilled lives on their terms, and who are continually being driven into crisis.

“Despite many good laws, strategies and policies in Scotland, there remains a gap between the support people should receive and what they actually receive, whether in school, social care, healthcare or employment. 

“The importance of the Learning Disabilities, Autism and Neurodivergence Bill in tackling the inequalities faced by autistic people and their families cannot be underestimated. It is a vital opportunity to address systematic injustices and to improve outcomes for autistic people of all ages, and that is why we are calling on all political parties to commit to introducing the Bill in Government.”

Becca, NAS Campaigner, said: “We must be allowed to have equal access and opportunity. We are not a burden on society. We are useful, we are intelligent, we are creative. We are inspiring. We are contributors.

“We must be allowed the chance to belong, the chance to make a difference, to be educated and be educators, to be validated, taken seriously. We must be allowed to live in a fair and just society where we are not discriminated against and where we have the chance to live our lives fully and freely. 

“The LDAN bill will give autistic and neurodivergent people a chance to be involved in a fairer society. It will decrease the amount of discrimination and invalidation by making people aware, trained and knowledgeable.

“It will increase independence and choice, helping people to feel they are active in the decisions that affect their own lives whilst also receiving valuable support.”

You can read more about the campaign on the NAS website.

Act Now for Autistic Rights manifestoDownload

National Galleries Scotland: ‘Major step forward’ for The Art Works

We’re delighted to share a major step forward for The Art Works! 🎉

The Scottish Government has committed £56 million in funding over the next three years, enabling us to move ahead with confidence on this ambitious project in North Edinburgh, part of the National Collections Hub.

With around 97% of the national art collection currently in storage, The Art Works will provide a new, free-to-visit home, ensuring more of Scotland’s art can be seen and enjoyed. It will also give greater access to art, not just for people in Edinburgh but by enabling us to lend more art across Scotland.

Not only will you be able to walk among some of greatest Scottish treasures, but you can also pop in for a coffee, use the space for work/study, watch our conservators take care of beautiful, historic art and even more.

This investment will help us make the best use of public funding while continuing to care for and share the national collection for the benefit of current and future generations.

RoSPA: 8,000 people a day die in accidents worldwide 

Accidental deaths and life-changing injuries: A global tragedy

  • 1 in 20 deaths worldwide are due to accidents – making them the sixth biggest cause of death globally 
  • People in lower- and middle-income countries are much more likely to die in accidents 
  • RoSPA calls for greater investment in accident prevention to save lives, reduce inequalities and promote economic growth 

Accidents are the sixth leading cause of death worldwide, claiming over 3 million lives a year, and people in developing countries are far more likely to be killed in an accident than those in richer nations. 

That’s the shocking truth exposed by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents’ (RoSPA)’s new report Accidental deaths and life-changing injuries: A global tragedy, in partnership with L’Oréal and Xylem. 

This groundbreaking study of international accident rates, based on analysis of data from the World Health Organization (WHO) and other sources, reveals that:  

  • Accidents are now the sixth biggest cause of death worldwide 
  • 3.1 million people lost their lives in accidents in 2021 alone: over 8,000 every single day 
  • 1 in 20 deaths worldwide is the result of an accident. 
  • In addition, RoSPA’s research reveals enormous inequalities across the globe:  
  • 1.2 million people are killed in road collisions every year
  • 92% of road deaths happen in low- or middle-income countries – even though they have only 60% of the world’s vehicles 
  • 315,000 people are killed at work 
  • 94% of workplace deaths occur in lower- and middle- income countries 
  • Workplace deaths are highest in Africa and Asia 
  • Workers are almost three times more likely to die of a workplace accident in Asia than in Europe, and nearly four times more likely in Africa 
  • Agriculture has the highest number of deaths of any sector. 

Many of these inequalities may be explained by poor infrastructure, weaker regulations and inconsistent enforcement in developing nations. RoSPA has also found that 80% of deaths in working age adults take place outside of work, with road traffic collisions, falls, drownings and fires being particularly deadly.  

Together with the tragic human toll, with millions left unable to work or having to financially manage after a loved one has passed away, accidents also put an immense burden on economies, through a combination of lower productivity and the cost of medical care. 

In developing countries in particular, accidents can create a vicious cycle of lower growth leading to lower incomes and thus lower investment in accident prevention.  

With over 100 years of experience developing evidence-based solutions that have saved millions of lives on roads, in work and at home, RoSPA is campaigning for much greater investment in accident prevention across the world to drive growth, improve productivity, foster social justice and – most importantly – save lives.

 

Rebecca Hickman, Chief Executive at RoSPA, said: “Every day, thousands of people around the world are killed or seriously injured in preventable accidents. Each death or injury devastates families and communities. At RoSPA, we believe safety is a fundamental human right – one that should not depend on where you live. 

“These findings are stark: accidental deaths remain a major public health challenge, with lower- and middle- income countries facing the heaviest burdens. 

RoSPA’s vision is an accident-free world. This report provides a foundation for global action by governments, businesses, NGOs, and international institutions to act, because a safer world is not only possible, it is essential.” 

Malcolm Staves, Global Vice President of Health and Safety at L’Oréal, said: “Each year, millions of individuals tragically lose their lives, sustain permanent injuries, or develop long-term diseases due to unsafe and unhealthy environments, both within and outside the workplace.

“These perilous conditions often stem from a complex interplay of underlying causes, including governance gaps, deficient legislative frameworks, a pervasive lack of awareness or knowledge, insufficient resources, and a weak culture of prevention, both within workplaces and across society at large. 

“Our game-changing partnership with RoSPA, which provides health, safety, and wellbeing information and support to a wider community, epitomizes our values and our commitment to protecting people.” 

Autumn Crum, Director of Environment, Health, and Safety (EHS) at Xylem, said: “True safety leadership is caring for people and proactively addressing risk wherever it exists.

“With RoSPA’s Global Accident Data Initiative, we’re helping turn data into action to better protect people, families, and communities around the world.”  

Access the full report here 

Budget Bill published

Parliament to scrutinise spending plans

Legislation to implement the draft 2026-27 Budget with record funding for the NHS, landmark policies to tackle child poverty and enhanced cost of living support has been published.

The Budget Bill allows parliament to scrutinise the Scottish Government’s spending proposals of almost £68 billion before votes next month.

Finance Secretary Shona Robison said she hoped to secure support from across parliament as she urged constructive engagement with the next steps of the process.

Ms Robison said: “Our spending plans provide help for hard-pressed families and businesses alongside investment in public services and infrastructure.  

“The Budget expands our game-changing efforts to eradicate child poverty and provides greater opportunities to attain the necessary skills to gain from, and contribute to, our economy.

“Following earlier cross-parliament engagement, priorities of opposition members are included alongside the Scottish Government’s spending plans, including more money to improve neurodevelopmental assessments and care for children and young people.

“It is a budget worth voting for, and we will continue to seek to work constructively to ensure it passes.”

Budget Bill

Proposed income tax rates and bands, which will apply from April, are set out in a Scottish Rate Resolution that is subject to a separate vote before the final stage of the Bill.

The 2026-27 Budget includes:

  • a record £22.5 billion for health and social care, including a record £17.6 billion for NHS boards and resources to begin the national rollout of walk-in GP clinics, making it easier to access same-day appointments
  • significant extra funding for universities and colleges, with colleges seeing a combined increase of £70 million in resource and capital funding, equivalent to a 10% uplift,  targeted support to help retrain workers in the oil and gas sector and ongoing commitment to Scotland’s apprenticeships, which this year will provide more than 31,000 Scots with a pathway to sustainable, well-paid jobs
  • a cost of living package to: help families with funding to trial a programme of activities in a range of primary schools between 3-6pm; a Summer of Sport – free children’s sporting activities, including lessons on how to swim for every primary school child in the country; and a breakfast club for every primary school by August 2027
  • funding to increase Scottish Child Payment to £28.20 per week and investment to allow the introduction of a premium payment of £40 per week for eligible children under 12 months from 2027-28, bolstering efforts to drive down child poverty
  • continued investment in Scotland’s existing cost of living measures, including free prescriptions, free eye examinations, removal of peak rail fares on Scotrail, free tuition fees for young Scots, free school meals for thousands of children, including all pupils in P1 to P5, and free bus travel for under-22s and over-60s