Tracy Gilbert, MP for Edinburgh North and Leith, has welcomed the Chancellor’s confirmation that the Scottish Government will receive an additional £921 million in funding through Barnett consequential in the Spring Statement.
Since the General Election in July 2024, the Scottish Government has received nearly £12 billion in extra funding.
Commenting, Tracy Gilbert MP said: “The Scottish Government has received £12 billion in additional funding since 2024. People in Edinburgh North and Leith will rightly ask what that money has delivered for them.
“With pressures on our NHS, housing and local services, this funding must be used to improve people’s day-to-day lives. It’s time to focus on getting the basics right and delivering for communities across Scotland.”
The chair of Ireland’s Online Health Taskforce, Jillian van Turnhout will urge Scotland’s key decision-makers to do everything in their power to protect children from online harm through a public health approach at a round table in Edinburgh today (4 March) convened by Children First, Scotland’s national children’s charity.
Speaking in advance of the roundtable, which will include Siobhian Brown MSP, Minister for Victims and Community Safety and Natalie Don-Innes MSP, Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise, Jillian van Turnhout, Chair of Ireland’s Online Health Taskforce, said: “When we built Ireland’s Online Health Taskforce, we started by listening to young people – and what they told us was both sobering and clarifying.
“Children aren’t asking for perfection; they’re asking for adults to take this seriously and act. The data from Children First shows Scottish children are saying exactly the same thing. The question now isn’t whether to act, but how quickly and how comprehensively.
“This needs collaboration between governments at all levels, with every government committing to do everything they can to secure a safe digital world for children. In Scotland huge strides can be taken to protect children from online harm through areas that are in the Scottish Government’s power, including education, justice and health.”
In December, Children First warned that “childhood is being eroded by the digital world and children’s basic right to safety is not being upheld.”
Research by the charity of over 2,460 young people in Scotland shows that:
79 percent are worried about seeing harmful online content.
78 percent are anxious about the impact of social media.
71 percent are worried about the impact of smartphones.*
A separate survey of adults conducted by the charity showed that 84% of Scots are very or extremely worried about the impact of social media on young people and 81% are worried about children’s access to violent content online.**
On Monday the UK Government opened a consultation on protecting children on social media, gaming platforms and AI Chatbots, calling it “one of its most wide-ranging national conversations on a public issue in recent years.”
Mary Glasgow, chief executive Children First said: “While some progress is being made, there is no silver bullet to halt the rapidly advancing digital destruction of childhood.
“Scotland’s senior leaders in justice, public health, children’s rights and the third sector are coming together at today’s round table to show their depth of concern about the unprecedented threats that children and young people face to their health, wellbeing and development in a digital age and focus on the solutions.
“Children are telling us they need adults to keep them safe, now. We must act on learning from the international community or risk being left behind in protecting children online. Scotland has a strong track record in delivering holistic transformational public health responses to address some of the most pressing problems this country has faced.
“By quickly applying the learning from Ireland’s online health taskforce and building a consensus about how Scotland can tackle online harm we can keep children safe and preserve their childhoods.”
Minister for Children and Young People Natalie Don-Innes said: “Protecting children from online harm is critical in the modern digital age. It’s a continually evolving issue that requires the utmost thought and technical expertise to provide the best possible protections for young people.
“That is why it is so important for leaders across sectors, including justice, public health, children’s rights and the third sector to meet and discuss how to best protect our children from online dangers.
“Online regulation is reserved to the UK Government, and the Scottish Government have been clear in our calls for greater controls to reduce online harms to children, and our desire to work constructively with the UK Government to that end.
“However, we are striving to improve and do more with the devolved powers we have – through education, community safety, and child protection. This will be set out in the Online Safety Taskforce Action Plan which will be published shortly.”
Ireland’s Department of Health established the Online Health Taskforce in September 2024 to develop a public health response to digital harms.
In December 2025 the Taskforce’s final report set out four foundational principles to establish overarching policy and 10 recommendations for action in five key areas – children and young people’s rights, safety by design, critical digital literacy, enforcement and accountability, and regulatory frameworks.
The round table has been supported by Inspiring Scotland and Changing Ideas through their fund committed to reducing the impact of online harm on children and young people.
HMS Dragon set to sail to the Eastern Mediterranean to ‘defend British interests and support the collective self-defence of our allies‘
The UK is deploying its cutting-edge warship, HMS Dragon, and drone-busting Wildcat helicopters to the Eastern Mediterranean to boost British defences in the region.
The Type 45 destroyer is one of the most capable air defence warships in the world, and will strengthen the UK’s ability to detect, track and destroy aerial threats, including drones.
The ship is fitted with the world-leading Sea Viper missile system, which can launch eight missiles in under ten seconds and guide up to 16 missiles simultaneously. Type 45 Destroyers have already been proven on operations, including when one successfully intercepted a Houthi missile in 2024.
The deployment comes as the UK armed forces successfully shot down multiple drones across the region over the previous 24 hours:
RAF F-35B jets shot down drones over Jordan – the first time an RAF F-35 has destroyed a target on operations – supported by Typhoon jets and a Voyager tanker aircraft. A British counter-drone unit neutralised drones in Iraqi airspace heading towards Coalition forces, whilst an RAF Typhoon operating with the joint UK-Qatar 12 Squadron shot down an Iranian one-way attack drone directed at Qatar using an air-to-air missile on Monday.
The decision comes as Iran’s reckless attacks continue to target British interests in the region, as the UK Armed Forces continue to adapt to the changing threats.
It follows the UK bolstering its defensive presence in the region in recent weeks, including deploying radar systems, air defence, and F-35 jets.
Defence Secretary John Healey MP said: “We are moving quickly to further reinforce our defensive presence in the Eastern Mediterranean.
“HMS Dragon brings world-class air defence capability, and our Wildcat helicopters are armed with Martlet missiles to counter the growing drone threat.
“I am deeply proud of the professionalism and bravery of our Armed Forces personnel who have in recent days, successfully taken action across the region to protect our allies and defend British interests.”
In a further boost, two Royal Navy Wildcat helicopters armed with Martlet drone-busting missiles are also deploying.
The helicopters will be able to hunt and shoot down aerial threats, adding a powerful counter-drone capability to the region.
FOREIGN Secretary Yvette Cooper Foreign has reiterated the UK’s top priority is the safety and security of British nationals in the Middle East
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said: “The safety and security of British citizens is our top priority, and we know that hundreds of thousands of people have been affected by the conflict and escalation in the Middle East and the Gulf. This includes holiday makers, business travellers and visitors who can’t return home because of airspace closures or strikes.
“That’s why we have the Foreign Office crisis centre that is open 24/7 and why we’ve asked people to sign up to register your presence, so that we can make sure there is up to date information and to follow travel advice across the region.
“But most importantly, we are working with airlines, with the travel industry, with governments across the region to make sure that there will be safe ways for people to return home.
“For Abu Dhabi and Dubai, the airlines have been able to reinstate some commercial flights and will be working to help existing passengers, and we are working with them and the government to try to maximise the number of seats for British nationals.
“For Oman, in addition to commercial flights, we are also working to secure a government charter flight in the coming days, to prioritise vulnerable citizens who need to return home.
“And we will continue to work with the travel industry. We’ll continue to ensure that we do everything possible to find more routes for people to return home.
“Do follow the local travel advice in the area, follow the travel alerts, and keep in touch with your airline as well.
“The team here will keep doing everything possible to make sure that advice is updated and to do everything possible to keep British citizens secure and safe.”
Sustained improvement in mental health care for children and young people
Scotland has met its Programme for Government commitment on specialist children’s mental health waiting times, with new statistics confirming that 90% of children and young people referred to Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) started treatment within 18 weeks of referral by the December 2025 target date.
The Scottish Government has invested significantly in CAMHS over the past decade, with staffing increasing by 53%. The commitment to fund 320 additional CAMHS posts by 2026 has been exceeded, increasing capacity for cases by over 10,000.
CAMHS provides specialist NHS support for children and young people with serious mental health needs. To provide alternatives to this specialist service, over £80 million has been invested in community mental health services, plus £16 million a year for school counselling. From this year, £15 million annually will go to local authorities to maintain community-based support for children and young people who need it.
CAMHS waiting times of over 18 weeks are now at their lowest level since June 2013 and CAMHS targets have been met consistently for over a year.
Mental Wellbeing Minister Tom Arthur said: “Meeting our Programme for Government commitment on the CAMHS waiting times standard by the December 2025 target is a real and meaningful achievement.
“It has been made possible by the hard work and dedication of NHS staff across Scotland who support children, young people and their families through some of the most difficult times of their lives.
“The progress is sustained and it is clear — waiting lists are at historic lows with over 52 week waits dropping by over 30% in the last year and half of all young people referred are being seen within five weeks.
“I am encouraged by the real progress that has been made in recent months to clear backlogs and we will continue to work closely with those NHS Boards where some challenges remain over the next few months as they complete this work.
“Despite progress, there is more to do, and we remain committed to supporting all NHS Boards to sustain and build on this momentum.”
A 23-year-old man arrested in connection with a disturbance in Edinburgh has now been charged. He is due to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today – Wednesday, 4th March.
Around 8.25am on Monday, 2 March, 2026, police, including firearms officers, attended the Calder Gardens area following reports of a man with a bladed weapon.
Two people were injured and taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment. A man suffered injuries consistent with being stabbed. A woman suffered a laceration to the head, not believed to be caused by a bladed weapon. Both have since been discharged.
The incident is not being treated as terror related.
Chief Inspector Scott Kennedy said: “I’m aware misinformation continues to be shared online about this incident which could cause further distress in the local community. I’d like to be clear: we did not receive any reports of a man attempting to enter a nursery or any educational establishment and this was not a hostage situation.
“While we understand what happened was frightening, I’d ask people to avoid speculating about the details and be mindful that false information could affect any future court proceedings.
“We still have a police presence in the area for reassurance and I thank the public for their continued assistance and support.”
