There is no doubt that making simple changes in our everyday lives can reduce our impact on the environment.
Currently, around 15% of Scotland’s carbon emissions come from gas boilers in our homes being used for heating and hot water. However, cutting down on your carbon emissions and energy usage is much easier than you think.
From minimising household waste to installing eco-friendly heating solutions, there are plenty of ways to help reduce your impact on the environment, and if you’re looking to make a long-term investment, a heat pump could significantly reduce your bills and your carbon footprint.
Richard McLaren from The Natural Energy Company in Fife, which is part of eco-heating brand Daikin UK’s Sustainable Home Network, shares six easy tips to help you become more sustainable:
Insulate and draught-proof your home
Insulation and draught-proofing your home are the most effective ways to save energy and costs, as your heating system will then need to use less energy to keep your home warm and cosy. You can stop cold air coming in and warm air escaping by using items draught excluders, which many high-street and online stores sell. Insulation of your home to as high a level as possible will result in lower bills and higher comfort levels.
Swap your light bulbs to LEDs
Old school incandescent bulbs use up a lot of energy and are no longer manufactured. Instead of buying old stock, why not try using energy-saving LED lightbulbs? They are the most energy-efficient bulbs and use 90% less energy than traditional incandescent bulbs. There is no need to worry about brightness – they are just as good as other bulbs and can even save you money on your energy bills.
Install a heat pump
Investing in a greener alternative to your oil or gas boiler, such as a heat pump, could significantly cut your heating bills and lower your carbon footprint. A well designed and skilfully installed heat pump system will save many tonnes of CO2 per year and is a fantastic way of reducing your carbon footprint.
Heat pumps are a well-established technology that can be installed efficiently and quickly into your home. Homeowners can also apply for an interest free loan through Home Energy Scotland to help with the installation of a heat pump, along with 75 per cent cashback to the value of £7,500, so now is the perfect time to consider switching to an eco-friendly alternative for heating.
Reducing water usage
Typically, the less hot water you use, the lower your energy bills will be. There are many ways to reduce your household usage such as installing a timer that turns off your electric water heater at night or when it’s not in use. Simple changes such as turning off the tap when brushing your teeth, taking shorter showers, repairing leaking pipes and doing a cold clothes wash, will all help reduce the amount of water and energy you’re using.
Consider eating less meat
Eating less meat is crucial for a healthy planet as meat production creates large quantities of greenhouse gases. Reducing meat and moving to a more plant based diet will make a positive contribution to combating climate change, and will reduce soil, air and ocean pollution.
Recycle, Refill and Reuse
The main benefit of recycling is that it saves energy by reducing or eliminating the need to make more materials from scratch. Brush up on your local council’s recycling rules and investigate local refill stations where you can refill your cleaning products and food containers, therefore removing any packaging or additional waste. Investigate eco alternatives to chemical based cleaning products which further harm the environment.
The Outward Bound Trust’s mission is “to inspire young people to defy their limitations so they become strong, resilient and curious, ready for the challenges of life”
The pandemic forced the charity to adapt away from their residential courses
Rathbones stepped in to double donations after loss of government support
Rathbones has doubled its donations to The Outward Bound Trust to help the charity continue to support young people during the pandemic.
Founded 80 years ago, Outward Bound’s mission is “to inspire young people to defy their limitations so they become strong, resilient and curious, ready for the challenges of life”.
Prior to the pandemic, this was done chiefly by hosting over 5,500 young people from all across Scotland per year at the charity’s Loch Eil centre. By bringing children to the wildest places in the UK the aim is for them to learn and develop vital life skills such as communication, self-motivation and resilience.
However, when the pandemic hit the UK in March 2020, it was no longer possible to offer the residential courses at the Loch Eil centre.
To continue to help young people when they needed it most, Outward Bound decided to adapt. During the last year the charity also saw its Scottish government funding decrease, meaning it required additional financial support in order to make these changes.
The Outward Bound Trust was already the chosen charity for Rathbones’ Edinburgh office, but Rathbones stepped up to double its original donations to assist the charity with its vital work. The focus on supporting the UK’s young people and aiding their long-term development fits well with Rathbones’ own purpose to Look Forward.
With more support from Rathbones and other donors, Outward Bound can now provide two new propositions to help young people readjust, reconnect and thrive post pandemic. These are:
1. In School Adventures – taking Outward Bound to schools until students can come to their residential centres.
2. Opening residential centres for activity days in the holidays.
Euan MacDonald, Investment director at Rathbone Investment Management comments: “We are proud to continue our support of the fantastic work carried out by The Outward Bound Trust.
“The mental health impact of the pandemic on young people is hugely concerning. We have been encouraged by The Trust’s ability to innovate in times of deep uncertainty and to continue offering access to the vital life skills that will be required in an uncertain future.
“Realising the requirement for financial support during this period we were happy to double our previous years donation.”
Martin Davidson, director of Scotland and Innovation at The Outward Bound Trust comments: “COVID-19 has had a dramatic impact on the charitable sector, with the majority of non-NHS charities experiencing a drop-in funding in the last year- at the exact time when our help is most needed.
“We are grateful to Rathbones and our other donors – Swagelok Scotland, Mowi Scotland and Northwood Charitable Trust- for their incredible support during this time.
“We know that the pandemic has had put a severe toll on young people’s mental health, and it is our hope through our work that we can help today’s younger generation to recover from the events of the past twelve months. And it is thanks to our donors that we can undertake this vital work.”
Three members of Scottish Hockey’s Lead the Way initiative who have been involved in the mental health work undertaken by the University of Edinburgh Women’s Hockey Club have produced a case study to help others.
Eilidh Campbell, Emma Lambert and Hana Nasser from the 2020-21 Lead the Way cohort, alongside club Welfare Officer Iona Grant, developed it to share with hockey and sports clubs across Scotland as a means of promoting and supporting mental health initiatives within clubs.
Eilidh explained: “Emma and I are both on the Lead the Way programme. During one of our discussions, we talked about mental health in hockey, especially over the lockdowns, and about what our clubs had done to help members and support people.
“Edinburgh University has done a really good job, so we talked about everything we had done as well as what worked well for us personally and for the people we know.
“Then Scottish Hockey got in contact and asked if we would be interested in putting a case study together on the things we had done and its impact.”
Eilidh and Emma approached Iona Grant and Hana Nasser to help with the case study as they had both played a role in the club’s approach to mental health.
Hana had come up with the idea of having the club post anonymous stories on its social media pages detailing members’ personal mental health experiences. People could submit their stories via an anonymous online form to shine a light on mental health while tackling stigma.
Hanasaid, “I was doing a masters degree at Edinburgh University and had always been intrigued by athletes’ mental health. I saw that people did not really talk about their mental health, especially if they are athletes, so I put forward an idea to the hockey club then watched it grow arms and legs.
“Iona, as Welfare and Inclusivity Officer, took it on, with Eilidh and Emma getting involved. I had got the idea from the Humans of New York Instagram page – it is run by a New York photographer who takes photographs of random New Yorkers then asks them to tell him their stories. I thought it would be interesting to do that from the angle of mental health in sport.”
Emma, then Publicity Secretary for Edinburgh University, said: “Reaction from the first post was great, and because it was an anonymous submission everyone got on board because they saw it as a positive step.
“It was good to hear what other people were going through. We may all think we know what is going on in our club and team, but then you realise that you do not. So, to hear what was really going on was a positive step.
“We operated through a Google form, and the link is in every post and on the bio of our Instagram and Facebook. Anyone can post. You do not have to be anonymous, and a lot of people have chosen not to be. It is your call whether or not you self-identify.”
One of the main findings was that the Welfare and Inclusivity Officer role at the club has been vitally important in supporting members with mental health issues and promoting inclusivity within the club.
Iona explained, “Welfare and Inclusivity is a big role; mental health problems are so common. We all have our own mental health awareness and the stigma that continues to be attached to mental health issues is highly detrimental.
“As a club, we believed it was important to start tackling the stigma surrounding mental health. What we saw was a gap between people coping with their mental health on an individual level and opting to seek professional help.
“My role sought to help bridge that gap. I promote all the services that are available in Edinburgh, many that people do not even know exist, but I am also a face that people in the club recognise and one that is there to help and support them throughout whatever they are going through.
“I am not there to solve people’s problems, I’m not a councillor or a healthcare professional, but I’m there to lend an ear and promote the services that are available.”
Edinburgh University has been working on expanding the welfare officer role across its entire sports offering, highlighting especially the success of the position at the hockey club.
Recent graduate Hana is now also using her experience to work with her new committee at Watsonians Hockey Club to establish an Inclusivity and Diversity Officer role and to showcase the importance of such roles across Scottish sport.
The Lead the Way: University of Edinburgh Mental Health Initiatives Case Study is attached or can be found here:
Impact delivered by Invisible Cities is achieved both in the direct employment of tour providers andthrough the wider training and advocacy work they deliver
Invisible Cities, the social enterprise that trains people who have previously experienced homelessness, to become walking tour guides of their own city in Edinburgh, Manchester, Glasgow and York – has recently worked with Big Issue Invest to develop a report, measuring their social impact.
The social impact delivered by Invisible Cities is achieved both in the direct employment of tour providers and through the wider training and advocacy work delivered by the team.
Invisible Cities has supported 13 people directly to generate sustainable income with three going on to suitable further employment. Big Issue Invest has estimated a social value of £187,700 generated by Invisible Cities while accounting for attribution and using National TOMs values.
Zakia Moulaoui Guery, Founder & CEO of Invisible Cities comments; “Our work today is more important than ever: with an estimated 320,000 people homeless or at risk of homelessness, both the supportive employment and the help we can offer with regards to individual wellbeing are crucial for many of the UK’s most vulnerable people.
“The impact we can deliver is achieved both by employing our tour guides directly and through the wider training and advocacy work delivered by our team. We also create awareness-raising campaigns, training sessions to schools and major businesses and collaboration sessions between homeless people and service providers.”
Data compiled to draft the report also found that Invisible Cities provided training for 23 tour guides and held an additional 16 schools and training sessions. They also hosted 4,130 visitors on their tours and significantly raised awareness around homelessness in the UK, with 2,360 people confirming that they had directly learned about homelessness from the social enterprise.
Joshua Meek, Head of Impact at Big Issue Invest comments: “Invisible Cities is a brilliant example of an enterprising organisation, keen to understand and grow the impact they are creating.
“It has been great to see one of our very own Big Issue vendors trained through Invisible Cities and working as a tour guide in Edinburgh.”
Invisible Cities plans to continue to support guides and to develop a bespoke Women of Scotland programme that will specifically aim to help marginalised women to join the Invisible Cities programme. The work will also look to cover key issues facing women across Scotland including period poverty, domestic abuse and accessing clear support services for women, by women.
Invisible Cities also plans to set up its Cardiff branch in 2021 with the objective of being in seven cities across the UK.
Zakia concludes: “We couldn’t be prouder of our team and of our tour guides! Together and through sheer passion for what we do, we are helping to make a real difference in the lives of vulnerable people, in many different ways.
“There is so much more we want to – and will – achieve!”
For more information and to read the full Impact Report, visit:
As the Chair of an equality organisation, I have personally witnessed the struggles, concerns and issues within my local communities.
We all know that 2020 was difficult and challenging for many due to Covid and the lockdown. It has been truly remarkable how people have come together during this time and I do not see these as problems but more so as opportunities for us to help one another.
During Covid lockdown it became very apparent that there are many levels of poverty within our BAME communities and this was the reason why the food parcel project was started by Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council (ELREC).
Since June 2020 ELREC has supported 35 families each week with a substantial food box catering for bigger families. Many lost their jobs due to the pandemic; others could not live on benefits alone and with children at home full time, more support was needed.
Since this work started, we have found out that many BAME communities miss out on many services and support due to language, cultural and literacy barriers. Many of the families supported would never access standard food banks as they do not cater for their needs.
The pandemic also highlighted the disproportionate effect it had on various ethnicities due to many being front line workers, hospital staff, taxi drivers, supermarket staff etc as well as poorer living conditions at home and or crowdedness. Also, BAME communities have different health issues and illnesses which may also have impacted on their resistance to Covid.
ELREC also did some work funded by Foundation Scotland on a small project aimed at providing translated information about Covid and the lockdown in various languages. This was done by phone, online groups, and posters.
The aim of this work was to ensure the disadvantaged groups got this vital information so they can protect themselves and their families as well as follow the rules effectively and not rely on misinformation circulated online and via speakers.
This work shows us we still have a lot to do for many communities to ensure they have fair access to services and information like everyone else.
Other issues come to light have been housing, and the increase in hate incidents and crimes since Covid and the lockdown started. Many BAME families and disadvantaged groups live in poor standards of housing, have bigger families, less space and health concerns as well as poor literacy.
We need to ensure all our citizens have the same access to housing and other services. The lockdown also highlighted the digital poverty amongst BAME communities, not only with lack of devices but the need for training and support getting online.
I have also come to know that hate incidents have increased within local communities, specifically against our Chinese communities. There has also been a rise in racism complaints coming forward from both parents and students in schools.
Other issues I have been told of by communities include a rise in anti-social behaviour in many areas of Edinburgh, an increase in poor mental health amongst BAME people and poor physical health due to the lockdown and isolation.
Different communities face different challenges and pressures and Covid has only highlighted what we already knew but maybe didn’t do enough to investigate further. However we must strive to ensure all our citizens receive the best care, access to services and fair and equal treatment in all aspects of life.
Foysol Choudhury MBE
Chair, Edinburgh & Lothian Regional Equality Council
Unpublished data from Public Health Scotland has shown a dramatic reduction in NHS dentistry due to COVID, which is hitting those in most deprived communities the hardest. Between April and November 2020, the number of courses of treatment delivered was 83% lower than during the same period in 2019.
Official figures show that primary school children from the most deprived communities experience more than four times the level of tooth decay compared to children in the least deprived areas. Latest data also shows that in 2020 children and adults from the most deprived areas were less likely to have seen their dentist within the last two years than those from the least deprived areas (73.5% compared to 85.7% of children and 55.9% compared to 67.1% of adults) and this gap has widened compared to the year before.
The impact is now being felt in all corners of the service. The Public Dental Service– which treats specific patient groups including care home residents, children with additional needs and adults with disability – also faces a huge backlog, with many of its staff redeployed to urgent dental care centres. 2,500 children are now estimated by the BDA to be on waiting lists for dental extractions under general anaesthetic, which may take years to clear.
High street practices continue to face wide-ranging restrictions, which have radically reduced patient numbers, including the need to maintain gaps between most routine procedures where surgeries are left ‘fallow’ to reduce risk of viral transmission.
Governments in Northern Ireland and Wales have already offered millions to help practices invest in new ventilation systems to cut down this time, and hence significantly expand patient volumes. The BDA is seeking commitments from Scotland’s parties to follow the same path.
The BDA says prevention is now more essential than ever. The pioneering Childsmile programme, delivered via primary schools and nurseries, has secured record-breaking reductions in decay but has been suspended for much of the last year, with many core elements like supervised brushing yet to resume.
Restarting that programme, and providing additional support in high needs areas is at the centre of the BDA’s plan, alongside calls for Health Boards to be supported to conduct feasibility studies on water fluoridation.
Dentistry challenges are now likely to be exacerbated by workforce problems. None of Scotland’s dental schools is on track to graduate classes at the usual time this year, which will have a domino effect on workforce planning for years to come. The BDA has called for a long-term strategy to ensure Scotland has the dentists it needs to meet this threat, and parallel challenges – including Brexit.
Oral cancers kill three times more Scots than car accidents – and the country has one of the highest rates for the condition in Europe.
Residents in Scotland’s most deprived communities are more than twice as likely to develop and die from oral cancer as those in more affluent areas. The BDA is therefore seeking action on smoking cessation, and assurances that a rapid catch up programme will be in place to ensure school children are protected from the Human Papillomavirus via vaccination.
HPV is an important risk factor for oral cancer, and while steps were in place to extend the programme to boys in the last academic year, the programme continues to face massive disruption as a result of school closures.
The Association is making direct contact with every candidate seeking election to Holyrood to ask them to commit to addressing oral health inequality.
Robert Donald, Chair of the British Dental Association’s Scottish Council said:“A wealthy 21st century nation shouldn’t accept that a wholly preventable disease remains the number one reason its children are admitted to hospital. Sadly, COVID risks undermining hard-won progress, while leaving our dental service a shadow of its former self.
“The result is that from decay to oral cancers, Scotland’s oral health gap is set to widen, and we need all parties to offer a plan.
“In this campaign we need candidates to do more than talk about ‘prevention’. From helping practices boost capacity, through to expansion of the sugar levy, we have set out simple steps that can put that principle into action, addressing inequality, and restoring services to millions.”
The BDA Scotland manifesto: Bridging the Gap: Tackling Oral Health Inequalities(PDF)
Scottish Rugby Principal Partner BT has agreed to extend its support for the sport in Scotland in an updated deal which will see it reach ten years with the national governing body.
BT will retain the naming rights to Scotland’s largest stadium, BT Murrayfield in Edinburgh.
The new three-year arrangement will see BT also secure the front of shirt sponsor placement for the Scotland 7s team for the upcoming 2021/22 season.
BT will also see its logo remain on the Scotland national team jersey albeit in a different position on the nape of the neck, which will first be seen on a newly designed jersey for the 2021/22 season, which will be unveiled this summer.
The new deal also sees BT reconnect with the Scotland Women team and this renewed focus on female rugby sees the Principal Partner’s logo feature in a new back of shirt position on the 2021/22 season jersey.
BT first signed with Scottish Rugby in October 2014 in a transformational deal for the sport.
Since 2014, BT’s investment has helped redefine the rugby landscape in Scotland through investment in the Scottish Rugby Academy, which it helped to launch and previously sponsored, BT league and cup competitions, as well as supporting the Club Sustainability Fund to provide investment in capital projects at grassroot clubs.
BT continued to provide an incredible level of support to Scottish Rugby during the last 12 months of the Covid-19 pandemic, which demonstrated the strength of the partnership and its commitment to rugby in Scotland.
The Scotland national team have also benefitted from a series of technical innovations powered by BT including the use of Artificial Intelligence to support non-contact training and immersive technology to bring fans closer to the team.
Its technical hardware has also been used by the team’s performance analysts and helped the players and coaches stay connected with family and friends during the lockdown period.
With over 7,000 people working across the country BT is present in every community in Scotland in much the same way as rugby is represented at grassroots level.
Alan Lees, Scotland director, BT’s Enterprise business, said: “We’re honoured and excited to be able to extend our role as one of Scottish Rugby’s Principal Partners, taking our relationship to ten years, until 2024.
Since our partnership started, my colleagues and I have been proudly standing alongside Scottish Rugby and we’ve seen the game in Scotland change, with amazing results. From the national teams to grassroots rugby, rugby in Scotland has transformed into something the nation can be proud of.
“As lead partners also of Scottish Football, we recognise the role inclusive sport has in empowering young people, helping them to reach their potential.
“Throughout the past year our fibre broadband and 4G & 5G mobile networks have underpinned our lives in unprecedented ways, enabling us to work from home, home school and stay connected with loved ones.
“While it’s been a difficult time for many sectors and sports, including rugby, we hope this renewed partnership will ensure that Scottish Rugby, and the communities they’re based in, can emerge from the crisis stronger than before.”
Scottish Rugby Chief Executive, Mark Dodsonsaid: “It says everything about the quality and strength of our partnership with BT that we can conclude a further extension which will see us achieve 10 years of working together to support rugby in Scotland.
“I would like to thank Alan Lees and his BT colleagues for their continued support, especially over the past 12 months, which have been difficult for every business in the country.
“Back in 2014 BT helped Scottish Rugby to launch what is now a well-established Academy programme which has already generated players who have represented their country and many more who are supporting our professional teams.
“It is positive news for everyone involved in rugby in Scotland that BT will continue to work with us through this exciting extension.”
Scottish Rugby’s Chief Operating Officer, Dominic McKay said: “I am really proud that we can continue to work with BT as one of Scottish Rugby’s Principal Partners.
“Every business in the country has been challenged by the recent pandemic and so to be able to maintain and extend our relationship with such a significant blue-chip company in BT shows the quality of their people and organisation.
“I am really pleased we have been able to bring new elements into a long-term partnership and help BT reach communities, through rugby, across Scotland.”
Scottish Rugby signs Peter Vardy Group as new Principal Partner & Scotland shirt sponsor
Scottish Rugby has secured the Peter Vardy Group as a Principal Partner and new front of shirt sponsor for the Scotland national team in a four-year deal commencing in the summer of 2021.
The new partnership begins this summer when the 2021/22 season team kit, designed by Macron, is launched which will be the first to feature Peter Vardy Group’s name and logo.
Peter Vardy Group will also be the back of shirt sponsor for Scotland 7s from the 2021/22 season and the broad ranging deal also encompasses becoming the Edinburgh Rugby car partner, with branding also included on the capital pro-team kit.
The Peter Vardy Group is a Scottish family run automotive business, consisting of a motor retailer with 15 dealerships representing marques such as Porsche, Jaguar, Land Rover, BMW, MINI, Vauxhall, its own brand used car supermarkets, CARZ, and a classic car dealership, Peter Vardy Heritage.
CarMoney is the Group’s online finance broker and another Group business, SilverBullet, is a software provider to the UK automotive industry.
In another significant move which underlines its ambitious growth plans, the Peter Vardy Group has also, this week, launched its new car leasing business, Peter Vardy Leasing.
The Peter Vardy Group’s purpose is “We Sell to Give”, with 10% of the Group’s annual profits going directly to the Peter Vardy Foundation which support children and young people across the UK and worldwide.
The company has previously been Scottish Rugby’s car partner between 2014-2017, and now moves to become one of Scottish Rugby’s Principal Partners.
Peter Vardy Group Chief Executive, Peter Vardy said: “As a Scottish family business we are very proud to be the Principal Partner of Scottish Rugby.
“We have long been keen supporters of Scottish Rugby, both commercially and as fans and I believe we share similar values. We have built our business on passion, ambition, courage, and we see that lived out by these fantastic athletes every time they pull on the blue jersey. We are incredibly proud that our brand will be recognised with our national rugby team.
“Commercially, of course, it is a fantastic opportunity to promote our brands across the UK and globally; over eight million people watched the recent Scotland versus England game – that level of exposure is massive for us.
“Coming off the back of some exceptional performances from Scotland in the Guinness Six Nations, we are really excited about what the future holds for Scottish Rugby and now as Principal Partner we look forward to working together.”
Scottish Rugby’s Chief Executive Mark Dodsonsaid: “We are delighted to welcome a respected and widely known Scottish business in Peter Vardy into the top level of our sponsor family.
“They have been great partners with us in the recent past and it is a testament to their vision and connection to rugby that they will now be seen on a global basis on the front of Scotland’s national team jersey.
“I’d like to thank Peter and his team for their support to Scottish Rugby so far and look forward to working with them in the coming years as we bring this new partnership to life.”
Scottish Rugby’s Chief Operating Officer, Dominic McKaysaid: “The whole of sport has been impacted by the effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, so it is especially pleasing to move into the new season with a new Principal Partner in Peter Vardy.
“As a dynamic family business Peter Vardy has shown a fantastic commitment to our sport at a challenging economic time and having a Scottish company connected so closely to our national team makes this new partnership even more special.
“We hope this prominent sponsorship will deepen its connection with customers in Scotland and take the company’s profile to a wider international audience in the years to come.”
Oxford Economics report for The Hunter Foundation makes case for transformational growth –
Sir Tom Hunter calls for collaboration over a national debate on economic policy in Scotland –
Radical and ambitious policy changes are required if Scotland’s economic performance is to be transformed and significantly boosted within the next 15 years, according to a report published today by Oxford Economics, commissioned by The Hunter Foundation.
The ‘Raising Scotland’s Economic Growth Rate’ report from the influential consultancy Oxford Economics is designed to inform The Hunter Foundation’s strategy and hopefully initiate a national debate with all political and interested parties in the UK and Scotland to help shape policy for transformational growth.
The aim is to address such issues as low productivity, poor business birth rate and lack of success with scale-ups that help to explain why Scotland’s GDP per head is a mere 44% of Singapore’s level, 48% of Ireland’s, 68% of Norway’s and 75% of Denmark’s.
The report finds that “it is not realistic to think that the current economic policies of either the UK or Scottish governments will produce a transformation of Scotland’s economic performance”. Indeed, nor will they for the UK as a whole.
It puts the case for policies that go beyond current government boundaries, and considers various options under three headings:
Increases in government borrowing to stimulate stronger growth in demand and output
Significant tax cuts and deregulation to improve competition and incentives in the economy
Large increases in government support for businesses, either directly or through increased spending on infrastructure, education and skills, innovation and the green economy.
It says these approaches are not mutually exclusive and, if there is to be radical change, there is a strong case for a combination of all three.
Drastic change is clearly required as Scotland’s economy lags behind some other countries to such an extent that it would need a business comparable in size with Google’s total global output to bring its GDP per head of population up the level of Norway’s.
Scotland’s GDP per head has been about 8% lower than the UK as a whole for many years, largely because of poorer productivity. Scotland’s business birth rate came ninth out of 12 UK nations and regions in 2019. The report forecasts that for the period from 2020 to 2035, Scottish real GDP growth will average just 1.3%.
In terms of government support and intervention, the report recommends an ambitious industrial policy, possibly centred around Scotland’s renewables industry, tapping into its rich tidal, wave and wind resources. This would capitalise on the COP26 UN Climate Change Conference scheduled for Glasgow in November and would support the Scottish government’s commitment to net zero carbon emissions.
The report says “it is not implausible to suggest that there are business opportunities that resemble those that generated Silicon Valley, several decades ago”.
By way of example the report also notes on the Scottish National Investment Bank (SNIB): “Given its wide remit, the £2 billion funding for the SNIB does not appear to be particularly generous.
But additional funding would only be likely to have an impact on Scotland’s growth rate if there was a clear focus on achieving that as a goal—together with sufficient oversight and transparency to ensure that funds were suitably allocated (and reallocated when needed).”
Sir Tom Hunter of The Hunter Foundation says: “It is for everyone in Scotland, from governments, policy makers and businesses to help solve the problem of poor economic growth that Scotland has faced for too many years.
“I fully agree with the findings of this far-reaching new report that radical economic policies are needed if Scotland’s economy is to be transformed. The report tells us Scotland would need to make changes equivalent in their impact to creating a business comparable in size with Google’s total global output to bring its GDP per head up the level of Norway’s.
“Moreover, we need far more focus in our economic investments not only to make significantly better gains but also to understand what’s working and what’s not.
“But that is only half the picture – we need to embed innovation in health and education and poverty reduction to free up finance to invest in growing our economy.
“I hope the calls made in the report for more, and different, economic stimulation from governments, tax cuts and deregulation, and appropriate and targeted state interventions, for example in renewables, will be listened to and acted upon.
“I’m calling on governments, politicians of all parties, industry and interested parties to work together to pave the way for transformational measures that will give the Scottish economy the significant boost it needs.
“Let’s use Covid-19 to reinvent what our future looks like.”
Richard Holt of Oxford Economics says: “The findings of our report emphasise the scale of change and intervention that is needed to address Scotland’s long-standing economic problems.
“Much is being done, but if political leaders want to close the gap with comparable nations, then they need to go beyond their present policy offers.”
The City of Edinburgh Council and its partner Novoville are proud to announce the release of Novoville Shared Repairs, a new app dedicated to improving the condition of property in co-ownership in Edinburgh, and all of Scotland.
Born out of the Scottish Government’s CivTech Accelerator programme, Novoville’s Shared Repairs helps private homeowners carry out the maintenance and repairs of shared (common) areas in their tenement, or housing block. The often lengthy and onerous common repairs process can be managed from the app from start to finish.
The free Novoville app, which is available on Google Play and the App Store, allows users to create their ‘virtual tenement’ and report a repair or maintenance issue to fellow proprietors. Then, app users can hire contractors that are members of Edinburgh’s Trusted Trader scheme. Receiving quotes and recording of votes is also fully supported.
Steve Richardson, Director of Scotland Trusted Trader, said: “This is going to be a massive benefit for those looking to organise shared repairs, backed up with the reassurance that Trading Standards vetted members are being used from Edinburgh Trusted Trader.
In order to further expedite the payment process and simplify the process, Novoville Shared Repairs allows app users to create a dedicated e-money account for their tenement with FCA-regulated partner, Modulr. It is no longer necessary to create a traditional treasurer account with a bank or building society in order to gather funds and pay them out to the chosen contractor.
The app is designed to help users carry out repairs in compliance with the Tenement Management Scheme of the Tenements Act (Scotland) 2004. Furthermore, it speeds up decision-making, eliminates much of the complexity and friction associated with coming to an agreement amongst owners, and increases transparency between all participants.
Before the official launch, nearly 50 stairs in Edinburgh have already created their ‘virtual tenement’ in-app through word-of-mouth alone.
Commenting on the app’s release, Fotis Talantzis, CEO of Novoville said: “We are proud to support one of the UK’s greatest architectural assets, the built environment in Edinburgh, with our Shared Repairs app.
“The CivTech programme where it all started was a tremendous experience, and we are very happy that the City of Edinburgh Council decided to continue to support and fund the project afterwards. We have got tons of ideas to take it from there and we’re looking forward to continuing to work with Edinburgh, for Edinburgh and Scotland at large.”
Cllr Rob Munn, Convener of the Finance and Resources Committee at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “A tremendous amount of work has gone into producing this app and it’s fantastic news that it’s now available for people to use.
“There are around 170,000 tenement flats and other shared buildings with multiple owners in Edinburgh and a lot of these buildings are still in need of urgent repair. This app will make it much easier for owners to get together and take responsibility for their buildings.
“I’d like to thank our staff for recognising the need for this product and rising to the challenge using the Civtech Challenge to produce this innovative app with Novoville.”
Joan Griffiths, Vice Convener of the Finance and Resources Committee at the City of Edinburgh Council, said: “As a city we’re already leading the way in this area and our Shared Repairs Team is doing a fantastic job supporting people who live in shared buildings helping them through the steps they need to take to carry out repairs to their properties properly.
“We’re a member of the Parliamentary Working Group looking at the issue nationally and I’m sure there will be interest in the app outside Edinburg as well.”
