Cat Smith MP, Chair of the Petitions Committee, has been asked by the Committee to open the debate. MPs from all parties can take part, and the Government will send a minister to respond.
Create a visa scheme for Palestinians
The petition, which has more than 103,000 signatures, states:
“We want the government to take action and create a Visa scheme that allows Palestinian individuals affected by war, to be allowed into the UK. Just like we did for Ukraine.”
In its response to the petition, provided on 21 December 2023, the Government said: “There are no plans to introduce bespoke arrangements for people arriving from the region. Those wishing to come to the UK who currently have no visa can apply under one of the existing visa routes.”
What are petitions debates?
Petitions debates are ‘general’ debates which allow MPs from all parties to discuss the important issues raised by one or more petitions, and put their concerns to Government Ministers.
Petition debates don’t end with a vote to implement the request of a petition. This means MPs will not vote on the request of the petition at the end of the debate. Instead, the aim is to give MPs an opportunity to discuss the issues raised by a petition, and get a response from the Government.
Petition debates are scheduled by the Petitions Committee. Only e-petitions started on the Parliament petitions site are considered by the Petitions Committee.
Big News from St. Ninian’s Parish Church, Corstorphine!
St. Ninian’s Parish Church has been recognised in the House of Commons for their outstanding fundraising efforts benefiting St Columba’s Hospice Care.
Since the start of their annual coffee morning back in 2000, their incredible community has rallied together to raise over £50,000!
This year alone, their event raised an impressive £3,703.98!
A heartfelt THANK YOU goes out to everyone who contributed, volunteered, and supported this event.
Special recognition goes to Margaret and Jim for their tireless efforts in making this event such a success year after year. Your commitment is truly inspiring!
Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by the Health Promotion and Education Team at Heart Research UK
Healthy Heart Tip: Stopping smoking
Did you know that around 6.4 million people in the UK smoke cigarettes? Smoking is a major risk factor for heart disease and one of the leading causes of death in the UK. When you inhale the harmful chemicals in cigarettes, you’re damaging your heart and blood vessels, increasing your risk of blockages in your arteries and a heart attack. It’s time to stop.
Within six hours of quitting, your heart rate and blood pressure will stabilise and within two to twelve weeks your blood will pump more efficiently through your heart and muscles. Once you reach the one-year mark, your risk of a heart attack will have halved compared to someone who smokes.
Three in four smokers wish they never picked up their first cigarette. Stopping smoking is one of the best things you can do for your health, and we offer some tips on how you can stop today:
Plan it
Set yourself a date within the next two weeks when you’re going to stop smoking. By having this in the calendar it increases your chances of quitting and makes you accountable.
Make sure you remove all your lighters, matches, ashtrays, cigarettes and any other reminders of smoking that you may have from your house. This is the out-of-sight, out-of-mind approach and should help to reduce your triggers and make it easier for you to quit.
Make a list
Write a list of all the reasons why you started smoking and then a list of all the reasons that you want to stop smoking. Compare the two, the reasons to stop will likely be longer and more impactful on your life and health than the reason you started. Keep this handy or write it on your phone, as you may want to look at it when you’re having cravings and need some motivation.
You may also find it useful to make a list of ways to distract yourself, these could be activities you enjoy doing or new things you want to try. Cooking, exercise and reading are a few examples. If you find yourself in a triggering or difficult situation, then remember you can say no and take yourself off for a walk. Although this may be hard, you’ll thank yourself later.
Change your habits
People often still smoke because they’ve formed a habit and it’s become part of their daily routine. Research has found that exercising helps to reduce the urge to smoke and can help the brain to produce anti-craving chemicals.
Taking up exercise or a new hobby is a great way that you can distract yourself from cravings and improve your fitness. Aim to meet the physical activity guidelines of at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week.
Get support
Build a support network around you. Make sure that people are aware that you’re stopping smoking so they can support you through the process, or they may want to quit with you. Having support will motivate you to keep going and get you through the tough days. Use local Stop Smoking Services or chat to your GP if you need any help. Professionals are there to support you when it gets tough, so make sure you utilise their services.
Three men have been sent to prison for serious and organised crime offences involving the large-scale supply of class A drugs based in Glasgow and stretching across the central belt of Scotland.
At the High Court in Edinburgh, yesterday (Friday, 10 May), Paul Martin, Peter Dickson and Grant Japp, were sentenced to five years and eight months, four years and three months, and three years and four months respectively.
Martin aged 43, Dickson aged 34, and Japp aged 30, had previously pled guilty at the High Court in Glasgow.
Acting on intelligence officers, executed a number of warrants in Glasgow which led to the arrest of Jaap in May 2021. Further enquiries resulted in Dickson also being apprehended.
A complex investigation enabled officers to identify Martin as the ring-leader. This included infiltration of the encrypted messaging service Encrochat via Operation Venetic – regarded as the most significant UK operation into serious and organised crime involving Police Scotland, the National Crime Agency and police forces across the UK.
Martin had fled to Spain before he could be arrested but was traced to Tenerife and extradited to Scotland in August 2022.
Detective Inspector Phillip Kennedy said: “These men made a substantial amount of money from a drugs operation importing and selling Class A drugs in the central belt of Scotland.
“Martin, in particular, lived a lavish lifestyle with properties in Scotland and Spain.
“The three men blighted our communities with drugs and their sentencing comes after a complex investigation.
“Disrupting the activities of organised crime groups and making the country an extremely hostile environment for them to operate is one of Police Scotland’s top priorities.
“There is no place for serious organised criminality in our society and, working in partnership with law enforcement agencies and the members of the Serious Organised Crime Taskforce, we will continue our fight against those involved in serious and organised crime to keep our communities safe.”
Anyone who has information or concerns about the sale and supply of drugs in their community is urged to contact Police Scotland via 101 or make a call anonymously to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.
Attendees can learn more about family history research from a range of experts
A unique event that will give participants the chance to research family ancestry within nursing and midwifery is to take place in Edinburgh next month.
Hosted by Edinburgh Napier University, The Royal College of Nursing and the National Library of Scotland, the event will give attendees the chance to research a nurse or midwife of any era who worked in any setting – hospital, community, asylums, industry, prisons, military – under the watchful eye of a range of experts.
The event will feature a number of short presentations, including introductions to family history research from researchers and archivists as well as opportunities to learn about online searching.
There will be a chance for attendees to ask questions and get guidance on how find to find out more about their nursing or midwifery ancestors.
Those attending are invited to bring along a photo, or other small memento, of the person(s) they are interested in finding out more about and would be happy to show on the day.
The event – which will take place at the National Library of Scotland, George IV Bridge Edinburgh from 10am-4pm on 5 June – will welcome a number of guest speakers and contributors:
Teresa Doherty: Joint Head of Library & Archives and RCN Professional Lead for History of Nursing who will talk about nurse registration and how to access nurse registers.
Nicola Ring: Professor of Nursing and Nessa McHugh Midwifery Lecturer at ENU will talk about their experiences of finding 19th century nurses and midwives and searching for early nurses and midwives accused of Witchcraft in 16-17th Century Scotland.
Sana Bilgrani: Film Lecturer at ENU who has researched nurses in her family history and produced a film about her search.
Lucy Church, Dora Petherbridge and Patrick Hart: Will talk about how the National Library of Scotland and its collections and resources can help people find their family histories.
Rosie Al-Mulla: NHS Forth Valley Archivist, University of Stirling who will talk about using NHS archives to find nurses and midwives.
Chair of the RCN History of Nursing Forum Dianne Yarwood said: “It’s not unusual to hear people say: ‘Oh yes, my great gran was a hospital nurse, or my uncle worked as a mental health nurse.’ Often, they would like to know more about this person’s nursing career but have no idea where, or how, to start searching.
“Do join us for this exciting, informative one day event and learn how to find that elusive ancestor. You will meet experts, gain advice and guidance and leave with the knowledge and confidence to find that nurse or midwife of yesterday.”
Those attending will be given notebooks, pens, and lunch free of charge.
To sign up to this in-person event, please follow the link:
Students from Fettes College are to take part in a 24-hour continuous tyre drag this weekend to raise money for an Edinburgh children’s charity.
40 Lower Sixth form students from each of Fettes’ eight boarding houses will be dragging a 90kg tyre along the school’s main drive for 24 hours straight, with the aim of raising at least £10,000 for Edinburgh-based charity, SuperTroop.
SuperTroop provides week-long residential holidays for children and young people with learning disabilities every summer in Edinburgh. It works with a team of volunteers from Fettes College each year to raise funds which go towards travel costs and admission to places such as Edinburgh Zoo during the residential holiday.
Last year, Fettes students raised £9,000 for the charity after taking part in a continuous metal-log carry, with each student working in 15-minute shifts.
The proceeds went towards a week-long summer holiday camp at Fettes, which welcomed 16 children and young people. Fettes students volunteered at the camp and provided support and friendship to the holidaymakers.
This year, the students are determined to beat their fundraising target to reach at least £10,000. Every donation made will be matched by an anonymous private donor, meaning the students could potentially double their target.
Mr Rhys Rowlands, Head of Outdoor Pursuits and Director of Volunteering at Fettes College, said:“Organising gruelling 24-hour challenges like the tyre drag not only develops a sense of teamwork and resilience in our students, but also teaches them the profound impact of compassion and giving back.
“This challenge is much more mental than it is physical, identifying what is possible when you push yourself to a new limit is a vital lesson. ‘Super Troop’ holds a special place within the Fettes College Community and we are proud to be able to support this superb charity.”
One of the students taking part said:“Although last year’s challenge was a very exhausting 24 hours, it was hugely rewarding knowing all the money raised is going to an amazing charity.
“I am looking forward to taking part in this year’s challenge and hopefully meeting our fundraising target.”
Katrina, a parent of one of the young people who has taken part in the SuperTroop holiday for the past few years, said:“SuperToop is a win-win for our family.
“Our youngest son absolutely loves his annual holiday having fun with his friends and helpers at SuperTroop. And we, his family, have a bit of a holiday and a rest knowing that he is in safe hands living his best life. We wish the Fettes students the best of luck with their fundraising challenge.”
Sue Fletcher-Watson, Founder of SuperTroop, said: “SuperTroop’s goal is to provide extraordinary holidays, creating an environment in which holidaymakers feel surrounded by peers and friends, and one where they can gain some independence.
“The work we do with Fettes College is vital to make sure they have the best experience possible and we couldn’t do it without them. I’m very grateful that students will be taking part in another challenge this year to raise invaluable funds that help contribute to the work we do for these deserving young people.”
The mystery of a paint-like substance spotted by members of the public on coastlines around Scotland has been solved by scientists from the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA).
Staff from SEPA’s National Monitoring Team came to the rescue and collected samples of the substance on the West coast from a stretch between the Isle of Arran, Fairlie and Largs.
The samples were taken to the agency’s Marine Ecology Team based at Eurocentral near Motherwell. They processed the samples and identified the strange substance as conifer pollen deposits.
Reports of the pollen deposits have been reported across Scotland with enquiries coming in from Glasgow, the Hebrides, the Highlands, and Fife and Angus.
While pollen is produced every year, a spell of warm weather can release a large amount at the one time. These deposits are harmless to the environment and naturally occurring due to many trees of the same species, in this case conifers and spruce, growing together close to the sea. When they all produce pollen at the same time, it collects on the shorelines.
During the summer months, there may be other natural occurring events, including the presence of algal plankton blooms which can discolour water or form shoreline slicks or scums.
Myles O’Reilly, Senior Marine Ecologistt from Scottish Environment Protection Agency, said: “At this time of year, the public can expect to see yellowish slicks of pollen deposits collecting on shorelines around Scotland.
“In Spring around April and May, conifer trees, such as spruce or pine, produce copious quantities of pollen. Conifer pollen grains have little buoyancy sacs to help them disperse in the wind, and these sacs also mean they float well on water.
“The pollen deposits can form a mat or slick on the sea, collect around the seashore and look like a paint-like substance covering rocks and beaches. It can also coat parked vehicles and stationary objects which may look like a yellow dust.”
We would like to take this opportunity to encourage anyone who spots anything they think might be a potential pollution incident to contact SEPA via the Pollution Hotline 0800 80 70 60 or report an environmental event on our website.
A disabled girl’s campaign that secured £2 million of funding to improve support for disabled kids in Scotland has been nominated for a national award.
Eilish Cowan (5) and her dad Lawrence (39) from Dunfermline launched the Our Kids Won’t Wait Campaign alongside Edinburgh disabled children’s charity The Yard in September 2023, with a call for the Scottish Government to reverse a 76% real terms cut to the amount of funding the charity received per family supported.
They successfully convinced politicians, including the then First Minister, Humza Yousaf, to back the move and invest further in growing The Yard’s reach. The investment means in particular that the charity can improve its service in Tayside and open up a new centre in the West of Scotland.
The Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) Charity Awards are the charity’s version of the Oscars. Eilish, who has a rare genetic condition affecting her TUBA1A gene, struggles to walk and has a learning disability, is nominated in the Campaign of the Year category.
Eilish’s dad Lawrence Cowan, said, “We’re so proud of our wee girl. We hope that this nomination is something she can look back on and feel proud about.
“Eilish’s genetic condition means she struggles with things we all take for granted like walking or talking and she has a learning disability. But just like any other wee girl she deserves love and a place to feel like she belongs.
“The Yard provides a place for disabled children like Eilish to have fun, make friends and be proud of who they are. We need to expand the great work of The Yard right across Scotland so we were delighted when the First Minister visited and announced the extra funding.
“To be able to say that Eilish contributed to growing the Yard’s work and opening up more opportunities for disabled children to be celebrated makes my wife and I so emotional and proud.
“But to win we need your votes! So please get behind Eilish’s campaign.”
Eilish added, “I’m proud. I love The Yard. Vote for me!”
Celine Sinclair, CEO of The Yard said, “Thanks to this campaign we are now in a position to grow the work of the Yard.
“The funding from the Scottish Government will mean that we can make real improvements to our service in Tayside and open a new service in the West of Scotland. A huge thank you to Lawrence, Eilish and all of our families who rallied behind the campaign. It makes a huge difference.”
The Yard works with children and young people with additional support needs through adventure play sessions in Dundee, Edinburgh and Kirkcaldy.
The service offers creative and inclusive play experiences in a well-supported environment, alongside wraparound support for the whole family, with a varied programme of drop-in, respite and transition youth clubs, early years, specialist sessions with schools, family play sessions, plus inclusive play and disability training.
2024 was another successful year for the Pomegranates Festival which ended on 30 April. The packed five day programme of traditional dance, poetry, art and fashion, saw ticket sales up by 50% on 2023, sold out family events and a packed house for fashion designer Alison Harm’s show featuring her latest collection made from sustainable tartan which was at the heart of this year’s festival exhibition exploring the links between tartan cloth and Scottish and Irish dance traditions.
Supported by Creative Scotland’s Traditional Dance Target Fund and other partners, the Pomegranates Festival celebrates Scottish traditional dance and diverse traditional dance practised by cultural migrant communities across Scotland.
Now in its third year, the festival has grown from a two-day showcase of work performed by local Edinburgh based dancers, into a five day festival showcasing new work choreographed by guest artists.
United Nations? – new dance theatre show choreographed by guest artist Jonzi D (pictured second from left on second row from top)in rehearsal at the Netherbow Theatre, Scottish Storytelling Centre, Edinburgh. Photo courtesy TDFS.
This year’s choreographer in residence was the highly acclaimed, MC, dancer, and spoken word artist Jonzi D who is the founder of Breakin’ Convention and widely recognised for his influence on the development of the UK British hip hop dance and theatre scene.
Jonzi D’s new work United Nations? created in just two days and performed by 20 international dancers resident in Edinburgh, Stirling and Glasgow, was premiered at this year’s festival on International Dance Day (Monday 29 April).
This powerful piece was a fantastic achievement and complemented new poetry written and read by poet-in residence Jim Mackintosh and a new film created by Scottish Estonian artist Mare Tralla.
Wendy Timmons and Iliyana Nedkova, Co-curators and producers of the Pomegranates Festival said: “We are delighted that this year’s festival was packed with so many events representing the diversity and wealth of traditional dance at our shores, as well as the intrinsic connection of Scottish and world trad dance with live music, poetry, film, heritage crafts, fashion and storytelling.
“We are very proud that for the third year now Pomegranates has served a cocktail of fascinating movement to over 4,000 estimated audiences and participants from Scotland, as well as worldwide via our festival livestreams.
“We couldn’t be more proud sharing this long weekend with over 100 trad dance artists, musicians, young people and creatives as they took over our stages, screens and spaces. We believe that Pomegranates has now taken roots in Scotland’s cultural calendar celebrating traditional dance from all corners of the world and from around the corner – all practised in Scotland by first and second generation of cultural migrants – from the Scottish Gaelic singing and step dancing to Highland and Ceilidh, from Ukrainian folk and Palestinian Dabkeh to Lindy Hop and Hip Hop.”
Jim Mackintosh, poet-in-residence at this year’s Pomegranates Festival who penned this contribution which was featured in the Festival Finale, entitled We Are Migrant said: …
step into the chamber of music and dance
your nation’s playbook of politics
now a charter of choreography
embracing each other’s culture
expectations and ambitions through
centuries of rhythm, no abstentions
allowed, no council member’s veto
defining futures in the theatre of war
in the trenches of oppression but here
now in the Palace of Peace here now
in our United Nations of Dance – always
In 2025 the festival also has plans to tour its dance theatre piece Elegies which weaves together dance theatre, spoken word and live music.
The piece, which was performed for the second time only, during this year’s Pomegranates Festival, is the first and only dance adaptation of the poetry book Elegies for the Dead in Cyrenaica (1948) by Hamish Henderson(1919-2002).
Henderson was a soldier-poet, singer-songwriter and scholar-folk revivalist of Scotland, and Elegies is set in a dancehall and a desert during the Second World War.
The production is centred around new ensemble choreography by George Adams which embodies ceilidh, jive, swing and lindy hop, accompanied by Henderson’s poems read by spoken word artists Morag Andersonand Stephen Watt, and live music and vocals from multi-instrumentalist Cera Impala.
Elegies performed during this year’s festival, photo credit Neil Hanna
2025 will also see the festival continue to work with the City of Perth to bring Europeade to Scotland in 2026.
The Europeade is the largest festival of European traditional dance, costume and music and its President Rudiger Hess was a guest at this year’s Festival. Endorsed by Kaukab Stewart, the Minister for Culture, Europe and International Development, the Europeade festival will see over 5000 traditional dancers from across Europe spend five days in Perth in July 2026 which will be the first time the UK has ever hosted this event in six decades of the festival’s history.
The Pomegranates Festival plans to return to Edinburgh in spring 2025 with a new five day programme of Scottish and world traditional dance from 25-30 April 2025.
The Festival is initiated and curated by Traditional DanceForum of Scotland and presented and produced in partnership with Traditional Arts and Culture Scotland, Moray House School of Education and Sport, University of Edinburgh, Edinburgh City Libraries, Dance Base and the Scottish Storytelling Centre.
Defence Secretary has met with apprentices, engineers and key industry leaders during a visit to key shipyards. Scotland plays a ‘crucial role’ in the Navy’s shipbuilding pipeline and the UK’s security
Defence Secretary meets with apprentices, engineers and key industry leaders.
New warship production well underway in Scotland
More than 12,000 Scottish jobs are supported through defence spend with UK industry.
Paul Sheerin announced as Chair of the shipbuilding Skills Delivery Group.
Scotland is playing a crucial role in the Navy’s shipbuilding pipeline and the UK’s security, Defence Secretary Grant Shapps has said today on a visit to key shipyards.
Visiting Govan, where BAE Systems are building Type 26 frigates, and HMNB Clyde, home of the Royal Navy’s submarine fleet, the Defence Secretary met with key industry leaders, staff and apprentices, observing the significant progress on the major warship production programme.
Scotland is the beating heart of military shipbuilding, with eight Type 26 ships being built in Glasgow and five Type 31 frigates being built by Babcock International in Rosyth. This supports and is supported by the local maritime infrastructure, supply chains, and extensive skills and training resources. On a tour at BAE Systems in Govan, the Defence Secretary saw the Type 26 frigates in build, and toured HMS Cardiff.
More than 12,000 jobs in Scotland are directly supported by Defence, with more than £2 billion spent annually with UK industry in Scotland. Over 5,000 jobs will be created or sustained across the build of Type 26 and Type 31 programmes alone, and just under 1,000 apprentices will be trained to provide the skill required to build and maintain our Royal Navy fleet.
Defence Secretary, Grant Shapps, said: “As the home of the nuclear deterrent – which keeps us all safe around the clock – nobody can question that Scotland is absolutely central to the UK’s security.
“As Shipbuilding Tsar, it is fantastic to see the positive impact that the Scottish shipbuilding industry plays. A sector once restricted by periods of ‘boom and bust’ is now witnessing a resurgence, with Scottish shipyards buzzing with activity and its workforce expanding.
“Brand new warships will operate around the world, looking after our nation’s interests, for decades to come, and they will have been built by highly skilled shipbuilders right here in Glasgow.
“We continue to back the UK defence industry in Scotland with billions of pounds every year, supporting thousands of jobs and apprenticeships.”
At HMNB Clyde, the home of the UK’s nuclear deterrent submarines, the Defence Secretary visited an attack submarine. HMNB Clyde is currently one of the largest employers in Scotland and is in the process of increasing its on-site staff from 6,800 to over 8,000, whilst the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) has committed to spending more than £3 billion on sites in Scotland, including £1.6 billion on the Clyde Infrastructure Programme, to establish it as the home of UK’s submarine fleet.
The Defence Secretary, in his role as Shipbuilding Tsar, is responsible for overseeing all of the government’s interests in UK shipbuilding. The Government’s commitment to UK Shipbuilding through the Refreshed National Shipbuilding Strategy has allowed industry to invest for the future, with BAE Systems’ £12 million Applied Shipbuilding Skills Academy and the construction of a modern shipbuilding hall in Govan currently underway.
The Government has today issued its response to the UK Shipbuilding Skills Taskforce report. In response to recommendations within, the report the National Shipbuilding Office has launched the shipbuilding Skills Delivery Group.
This group will drive the delivery of the Taskforce recommendations and will be a champion for skills within the UK Shipbuilding Enterprise.
Grant Shapps also announced the Chair of the Group will be Paul Sheerin, and the two met at Govan shipyard.
Paul Sheerin, Chair of Skills Delivery Group said: “It is critical for the UK shipbuilding enterprise that the skills gap is addressed, and to ensure that this can happen there needs to be a unified approach across different skills systems, across different parts of the enterprise and across government and the devolved administrations.
“I am extremely excited to chair the SDG, working alongside a highly knowledgeable and experienced membership comprised of representatives from across the whole enterprise. With the continued support of the Shipbuilding Tsar and the NSO, I look forward to working with the Group to deliver a positive impact on skills within this vital sector to the UK.”
Scottish Secretary, Alister Jack said: “Scottish-based critical defence assets play a crucial role in the security of the UK.
“As well as helping to keep us all safe, defence also delivers thousands of high-skilled jobs and billions of pounds investment in Scotland, driving prosperity and boosting the Scottish economy.
“I’m proud that Scottish skills, expertise and innovation make such an enormous contribution to the UK’s defence industry.”
Big News from St. Ninian’s Parish Church, Corstorphine! 
