Category: North Edinburgh News

Edinburgh entrepreneur’s ski start-up gets set for global growth

Ski instructor marketplace aims to raise £400,000 in second crowdfunding campaign, to complete £1.4M raise

Tech start-up Maison Sport – founded by a trio of former members of the British Ski Team, including Edinburgh-based CEO Nick Robinson – has launched a crowdfunding campaign on Seedrs in a bid to raise £400,000 as part of a larger £1.4M raise.

Covid-19 has undoubtedly hit the ski industry hard, but the challenges have accelerated the trio of founders’ determination to make the start-up flourish. 

The funds will allow the independent ski instructor platform to grow, evolve and expand into new countries across the globe.  Having already raised £1m at the end of the summer 2020 from a collective of investors, the additional crowdsourced funds will complete their fundraise, enabling the three co-founders to take the marketplace global.

Maison Sport was created to connect people with the very best independent and passionate ski and snowboard instructors, reducing costs to the customer, and providing a more profitable practice for instructors, affording them more control over their earnings and teaching schedules.  

Started in 2016, the tech company was founded by three former British ski champions – Edinburgh-based Nick Robinson, CEO and Co-founder and his brother Olly Robinson, COO and Co-founder, and Aaron Tipping, CFO and Co-founder. 

Starting in The Alps, the market leading platform has since grown rapidly to include more than 350 resorts and over 1000 trusted and fully qualified instructors across France, Switzerland, Italy and Austria.  The new round of funding is expected to help the business expand into more than four new areas across the globe over the next six months, including Scotland, Norway, Sweden and Japan.

Co-founder and CEO Nick Robinson, former member of the British Ski Team explains; “Myself and co-founders Olly and Aaron are all passionate ski instructors at heart, which is why it’s so important to us that this business grows but grows in the right way to ensure the best possible experiences for our customers and for our instructors. 

“The funding we’ve secured to date, along with the funds we hope to secure on Seedrs, will give the business the boost it needs to go truly global, and importantly, support independent ski instructors who have been hit hard in the current climate.”

Maison Sport raised £786,000 from a combination of an initial Seedrs crowdfunding campaign in 2018 which exceeded target by 135%, as well as two angel funding rounds in January 2016 and December 2016, which allowed them to launch their innovative concept and facilitated early growth. 

Last year, the founders raised an additional £1 million and have brought serial entrepreneur Lorenz Bogaert on board, to join the company as a non-executive director.  Bogaert joins non-executive chairman Graeme Gunn, and an impressive advisory board including some well-known fund managers and Kevin Byrne, Founder of Checkatrade.com.

Early funding also allowed the founders to attract some of the best tech talent to ensure technology remains at the forefront of the business and that the user experience for both the customer and instructor is accessible, fast and seamless. Over the course of the past 6 months, the business has gone from 7 employees to 15 and expects to grow to 21 once further funding is secured.

As the only platform dedicated to independent instructors, Maison Sport has proven to be a game changer for ski and snowboard instructors who can significantly increase their earnings using the platform.

The marketplace has recently surpassed 20,000 hours of lessons taught and prides itself on the site’s 3,100+ individual instructor reviews left by over 70% of customers, placed on instructor’s profile after their lessons, over 90% of which are rated 5 stars.

For more information visit www.maisonsport.com

Three pledges: Play Your Part!

  • Public urged to join the national effort by helping family and friends aged 80 and over to get their life-saving jabs
  • UK Government calls on the public to commit to 3 pledges to support the roll out of COVID-19 vaccines
  • Around 45% of people aged 80 and over have now been vaccinated and over one million have been offered a jab at an NHS vaccination centre

The NHS has vaccinated around 45% of those aged 80 and over in England and is encouraging people who have been offered a vaccine to book their appointments as soon as possible. Over one million people aged 80 and over have now been invited to book their jab at one of England’s NHS vaccination centres.

Helping vulnerable people to get their vaccinations is one of three pledges the government has asked the public to make to support the largest vaccination programme in British history.

The 3 pledges are:

  • Help out – help those aged 80 and over by supporting friends, family and loved ones with their appointments, as well as volunteering to help those in the community
  • Join up – sign up to clinical trials for COVID-19 vaccines and treatments
  • Stay informed – keep up to date with accurate and trusted NHS advice and make sure to share facts with friends and family

By taking part in one or more of these pledges, members of the public can join the national effort and support the NHS as the vaccination programme continues to expand.

Health and Social Care Secretary Matt Hancock said: “Throughout this pandemic, I have been in awe of how much the British public has contributed to the fight against the virus. I want to thank everyone for the time, effort and patience they have put in to keep themselves and others safe.

“We recognise that so many people want to support our NHS so health and care workers can continue to save lives, and now is your chance to get involved by helping the remaining people aged 80 and over get their jabs.

“I urge everyone, no matter who you are, what you do or where you’re from, to come forward and take on our three pledges. Everyone has a part to play in this national effort – to protect our NHS, our loved ones and other people’s loved ones too.

The 3 pledges are:

Help out

The NHS is working tirelessly to offer vaccinations to the most vulnerable as quickly as possible, and remains on track to reach the government’s target of vaccinating the top four cohorts – those over the age of 70, care home residents and staff, NHS workers and clinically extremely vulnerable individuals – by 15 February.

People eligible for vaccination will be contacted by letter or text, inviting them to their appointments, and the NHS has stood up vaccination sites in local communities across the country – from GP surgeries and hospitals, to pharmacies and large-scale vaccination centres. It has also worked to deliver vaccines to thousands of care homes.

The single most important thing everyone should do is stay at home and follow the current national restrictions – by doing this, people will help stop the spread, protect the NHS and, therefore, save lives.

The public can help with vaccination efforts by encouraging relatives, friends and neighbours aged 80 and over to book their vaccination appointments and helping them with forward planning. For those who live with people getting their vaccinations, they can also support with transport to and from the vaccination sites. It is essential strict social distancing is maintained at all times and people follow Hands, Face, Space.

There are also a number of opportunities to support at-risk people in the community and help ease pressures on local NHS services while it continues to rollout the programme.

This includes the NHS Volunteer Responder scheme, delivered by the Royal Voluntary Service in partnership with NHS England and GoodSAM. Through the scheme, people can undertake a range of tasks, including shopping and prescription collection, supportive ‘check in and chat calls’ and transport to and from vital medical appointments.

NHS Volunteer Responders will also be supporting the vaccination programme as Steward Volunteers. Volunteers who have already offered their support will be contacted when they are needed.

Case study

Liz Parry, an NHS Volunteer Responder, has so far completed 490 shopping and prescription collections for vulnerable people in her community.

She said: We all need to pull together to keep our communities safe and defeat this virus.

Volunteering is without a doubt the most rewarding thing I have ever done and it’s so humbling to be part of the team making a difference to people in need.

Join up

There are a number of ongoing clinical trials for both vaccines in development and promising treatments for COVID-19 which the government urges people to take part in to support the pandemic response.

Clinical trial volunteers have played a crucial part in the pandemic response so far, helping the NHS roll out both of its vaccines quickly and safely, as well as treatments already saving lives across the NHS – such as dexamethasone and tocilizumab.

Case study

Yusuf, a Transport for London worker, volunteered to take part in the Novavax vaccine study after losing a close colleague and a member of his family to the disease.

He said: “Once you know someone who’s been affected by COVID-19, it makes a difference. I didn’t have an opportunity to volunteer during the first lockdown, so this is my way to be a part of the efforts to help London and to help Britain get through this.

He called volunteering for the trial a ‘really positive experience’ and urged other people to ‘step up’, particularly those who are also from the Caribbean community who, evidence shows, are disproportionately impacted by the virus.

Stay informed

One of the most important things people can do to support the vaccine effort is to make sure they and the people around them are fully equipped with the latest NHS vaccine advice. People can keep up to date through the official NHS website and if a family member, close friend or acquaintance is offered their vaccine, encourage them to take it and make sure they have access to official advice.

The public should also watch out for COVID-19 vaccine email scams, reporting any suspect emails to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service. This is following reports of cyber criminals using the vaccine to lure people into sharing personal details.

Chief Executive of Royal Voluntary Service, Catherine Johnstone CBE said: “We are incredibly thankful to all of the volunteers who have stepped forward so far to help us keep communities safe through the pandemic.

“With vulnerable people once again being asked to stay at home and shield, we have seen an increase in requests for support and now, more than ever need more volunteers to join us.

!We would like to urge anyone who can to please support your community with vital tasks such as shopping and prescription collection and medical transport so we can keep people safe and support the NHS.”

Links on how to get involved in the three pledges can be found below:

  • Help out
  • Join up
  • Stay informed
    • read the latest NHS vaccine advice
    • people can report suspect emails they’ve received but not acted upon to the Suspicious Email Reporting Service (SERS), by forwarding them to report@phishing.gov.uk
    • those who have provided personal or financial details, or transferred any money as a result of a suspicious email, should report what has happened to Action Fraud as soon as possible by calling 0300 123 2040 or through the Action Fraud website.

More support for Capital Theatres

Three charitable arts organisations will receive a share of £3 million of additional funding as part of the ongoing emergency coronavirus (COVID-19) support for culture.

Capital Theatres – which operates the Festival Theatre, the King’s Theatre and The Studio in Edinburgh – will receive £800,000.

Aberdeen Performing Arts – which runs His Majesty’s Theatre, Aberdeen Music Hall and The Lemon Tree – will receive £1.4 million.

Eden Court Highlands – Scotland’s largest single-site arts venue – will receive £800,000.

The funding is part of the £185 million package of targeted COVID-19 funding announced by the Scottish Government last month.

Culture Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “This funding will help to secure the future of three of Scotland’s important independent performing arts charities, protecting jobs and addressing some of the financial pressures they are facing.

“These venues all receive UK and international touring work of major scale, make a significant contribution to the economy and support a network of arts organisations, artists and creatives at the heart of our cities and regions.

“The Scottish Government has allocated more than £120 million of additional funding to support culture and heritage since the start of the pandemic and we will continue to listen to the needs of the sectors.”

Chief Executive of Aberdeen Performing Arts Jane Spiers said: “This funding will go a long way towards helping us survive, thrive and play our part in the cultural and economic recovery of the North-East.

As an arts charity with a high reliance on earned income and over 500 show cancellations to date through 2021 and into 2022, it provides us with a vital lifeline. 

“This new funding recognises the unique scale of the challenge facing large scale theatres and concert halls, the significance of culture to the region’s economic future and the vital role Aberdeen Performing Arts plays in civic, cultural and community life.

“We wouldn’t be here today without all the financial support we’ve been able to access to date from the Scottish Government, from our local authority and generous donations from audiences. It means more than words can say. We can’t wait to welcome everyone back when it’s safe to do so.”

This additional support takes the overall emergency COVID-19 funding from the Scottish Government to £2.38 million for Aberdeen Performing Arts, £2.07 million for Eden Court Highlands and £1.55 million for Capital Theatres.

Witness appeal following deliberate fire at The Venchie

Police are appealing for information following a wilful fire at the Venchie Children and Young People’s Project in Craigmillar on Friday (15 January).

Between 8.30pm and 9pm, a wheelie bin was placed against a shipping container at the premises on Niddrie Mains Terrace and set alight. The container subsequently caught light and the contents within were destroyed.

The items included clothes, food and playground equipment and were estimated to be worth almost £10,000.

The Scottish Fire and Rescue Service attended and extinguished the fire. Nobody was injured during the incident.

Police are treating the fire as wilful and are appealing for information after three teenagers were seen in the area close to the time the fire occurred.

They are described as:

1) White, male, around 15/16 years old, slim build with short light brown hair. He was wearing a dark puffer jacket with hood, light coloured trousers and trainers.

2) White, female, around 15/16 years old, medium build with long blonde hair. She was wearing a dark body warmer over a light coloured jumper, light coloured trousers and shoes. She was also carrying a dark handbag.

3) White, female, around 15/16 years old, slim build with long blonde hair. She was wearing a dark jacket with light coloured trousers and shoes.

Constable Gareth Deering, of Craigmillar Police Station, said: “This completely reckless act has resulted in key equipment provided for children and young people in the community being destroyed.

“I am appealing to anyone who was in the area at the time and saw any suspicious activity, or three teenagers matching this description, to come forward. Information can be provided to police on 101, quoting reference number 3382 of 15 January, or to the independent charity Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 if you prefer to remain anonymous.”

Super Saturday at Louisa Jordan

Mass clinic vaccinates 5,000 staff at NHS Louisa Jordan

More than 5,000 health and social care staff were vaccinated at NHS Louisa Jordan today as part of a mass vaccination drive by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. 

The operation saw a team of 95 NHSGGC staff working in close collaboration with NHS Louisa Jordan staff to deliver up to 500 doses of the Pfizer vaccine per hour over the course of the day. 

Located at the Scottish Events Campus (SEC), a total of 65 vaccine stations have been mobilised, utilising the large floor space at NHS Louisa Jordan to ensure a rapid turnaround in a safe environment. The first injection was administered at 8:45am, with the last vaccination targeted for 7:30pm. 

Across NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde an additional 2,350 staff are being vaccinated over the weekend at different sites.

The rapid rollout will help ensure a well-trained workforce is in place and processes are well developed to deliver the wider national vaccination deployment plan which will see 400,000 people across Scotland receive jags each week by the end of February. 

In line with the national plan, once the vaccine has been offered to all eligible health and social staff within NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, NHS Louisa Jordan will play a key role as a vaccination hub for the general public.

Members of the public will be informed when they are eligible to book an appointment for a vaccine.

Dr Linda De Caestecker, Director of Public Health for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: “Today’s mass clinic at NHS Louisa Jordan is testament to the careful planning and professionalism of all the staff involved and I’d like to thank everyone who has made this possible.

“This will play a crucial role in preventing the harm caused by this virus and keeping our vital staff safe to care for patients across healthcare settings.

“While Saturday marks a significant milestone, much work is yet to be done. The rates of infection remain very high in this area and vaccination must work alongside other measures if we are to suppress the virus. Everyone must remember to follow the FACTS and to avoid social mixing in order to save as many lives as possible.”

Health Secretary, Jeane Freeman, said: “To have 5000 vaccinations taking place at NHS Louisa Jordan in a single day is testament to the hard work of all the staff at the hospital and I want to thank each and every one of them for their part in the roll-out of the biggest vaccination programme ever undertaken in Scotland.

“The vaccine offers us hope and as we vaccinate more and more people that hope becomes more real. 

“On its own, it won’t be enough to win the race against this virus. Our testing programme is crucial. In addition, each one of us needs to follow the guidance, abide by the restrictions, wash our hands, wear face coverings and maintain 2m distance from others. If we all play our part to suppress the prevalence of the virus, then vaccination can do the job we need it to do. 

“Doing all of this will protect us, protect the NHS and save lives.”

Healthy Heart Tips: Maintaining Healthy Habits

Heart Research UK Healthy Heart Tip, written by Dr Helen Flaherty, Head of Health Promotion and Education at Heart Research UK

Maintaining Healthy Habits

New Year’s resolutions can be a good starting point for making longer term health and lifestyle improvements, but most people who set New Year’s resolutions do not stick to them.

Reasons for quitting include a lack of time, a lack of support from other people and feeling daunted by unrealistic targets. This tip is aimed at helping you to succeed in maintaining your healthy goals in 2021:

Setting achievable goals

The first thing to consider is whether your New Year’s resolutions is achievable and realistic. Often, goals are unachievable because they are too difficult, or they do not allow enough time for you to make gradual changes.  There is nothing wrong with aiming high and being ambitious, but it is important that your goal is not too difficult or time-consuming as this could leave you feeling daunted.

When setting a goal, ask yourself the following questions:

  • Is the goal too ambitious?
  • Is the timeframe for the goal realistic?
  • What specific changes do I need to make to achieve my goal?
  • Can I fit my new healthy behaviour around my other commitments?

Break down your goal

Breaking large goals down into smaller goals can make them feel more achievable and less daunting. For example, if you are aiming to lose weight, the NHS recommends that you aim to lose around 1 to 2lbs (0.5 to 1kg) a week. You should be able to achieve this by cutting down your calorie intake by about 500 to 600 calories each day. It might take you longer than you originally planned to lose the weight, but you are more likely to stick to it and not give up.

Plan for success

Make a plan of how you will achieve your goal and what changes you will make to ensure you stick to it. There are online resources available to help you plan your healthy activities, such as the NHS’ couch to 5km programme or the NHS’ programmes for stopping smoking, cutting down alcohol and losing weight:

Don’t expect immediate results

The effects of your New Year’s resolution may take time to appear. Try to be patient and don’t expect the results from just one or two weeks of dieting to show on the weighing scales, as it may take longer.

Involving other people

A really good way to motivate you to stick to your goal is to involve other people. If you know someone who has a similar goal to yours, try to involve them as a “buddy” to provide mutual support for each other. They may even be able to push you a little bit harder, helping you to achieve your goals and resolutions sooner. You can also look for groups on social media who share your goal.

Do not beat yourself up

If you miss a fitness session, have an alcoholic drink, cigarette or bar of chocolate, try not to feel guilty about it. Think about what might have triggered the deviation from your goal and try to avoid it in future. Forgive yourself and aim to get back to achieving your goal as soon as possible.

Make changes that will last long term

On average, it takes between 21 and 28 days for something to become a long-term habit. Make goals that you want to be able to stick to long term, such as improving your overall fitness, stopping smoking or maintaining your weight.

If you can make it through these first few weeks, you will notice that things will become much easier. drinking you can get support by visiting: 

https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/alcohol-support/

Heart Research UK

Proud to stand out from the crowd, Heart Research UK is the charity dedicated to your heart. They inspire and invest in pioneering medical research, ground-breaking training and education, and in communities to improve their heart health for themselves. For over 50 years they have driven advancements in the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease to benefit patients as soon as possible.

In the last 10 years, Heart Research UK has funded over £10.2m in medical research in hospitals and universities across the UK, as well as £2.2m on innovative community-based lifestyle projects to improve the heart health of the nation.

They like a personal approach, so if they want to contact you they do it themselves, and certainly don’t pay anyone to do it. They treat people how they would like to be treated themselves.

If you’d like to support Heart Research UK’s vital work into the prevention, treatment and cure of heart disease, please visit www.heartresearch.org.uk for inspiration on how you could help.

Aldi stores to offer 75% price reductions before stores close

Shoppers hunting for the best deals often head to Aldi to pay as little as possible for their weekly shop – but the supermarket is now making groceries even more affordable. 

All of Aldi’s 912 UK stores will soon mark down perishable products such as bread, meat and fruit and vegetables by 75% before stores close on their last day of life.  

Aldi currently reduces the price of some products on their best-before or use-by dates, but is now offering bigger discounts, which are marked with a red sticker.  

The move will give savvy customers a bargain while cutting waste, as Aldi works towards a target of halving food waste by 2030.  

The time that items are reduced will vary by store, and all products will be sold on a first-come, first-served basis. 

Julie Ashfield, Managing Director of Buying at Aldi, said: “Aldi is already known for its low prices, but these discounts will help some shoppers to cut their grocery bills even further – all while helping us reduce food waste. 

“Customers should look out for the red stickers when shopping at Aldi, but shoppers need to be quick as I’m sure the products will prove popular.” 

A victory for common sense

GMB welcomes announcement to bring forward home care testing roll-out – but warns any failure will be met with action

GMB has warned the Scottish Government and local authority health and social care partnership (HSCPs) that any failures in the roll-out of COVID-19 workplace testing for home care workers “will be met with collective action”.

Following the threat of a full industrial action ballot by GMB members in Glasgow HSCP, Scotland’s biggest home care service, Cabinet Secretary Jeane Freeman confirmed at Friday’s press briefing that testing for all home care workers will be brought forward from March to Monday 18 January.

And after meetings between GMB, Scottish Government and COSLA representatives this morning, where assurances were given on the delivery of testing kits and support measures, the union has agreed to suspend next week’s scheduled industrial action ballot in Glasgow HSCP.

Rhea Wolfson of GMB Scotland Women’s Campaigns Unit said: “It’s a significant step forward for the safety of home care workers across Scotland in the fight against COVID-19 – our members have fought hard for this.

“But the Scottish Government and local authority employers have done more in a week than they have for ten months on testing for home carers, and neither should be congratulating themselves here.

“People should be asking why it’s taken nearly a year of struggle, and in the case of Glasgow HSCP to the brink of a strike ballot, for a workforce of predominantly low-paid women to get COVID-19 testing at work?

 “GMB called for a national plan for social care last March, we called for testing, but the First Minister told us that Scotland was prepared for COVID-19. We know now the country wasn’t prepared and what we got was negligence while home carers struggled with only PPE for safety.

 “The Scottish Government and HSCPs across Scotland should be well-aware that we will be carefully monitoring the roll-out of testing for our members and any failure to protect their safety and rights will be met with collective action.” 

UK Schools spread misinformation about Hinduism, says new report

A new report [1] published by INSIGHT UK reveals that pupils leave school with an incorrect and sparse understanding of Hinduism. INSIGHT UK is an organisation that aims to address the concerns of the British Hindu and British Indian communities.

The document titled “A report on the state of Hinduism in Religious Education in UK Schools”, includes claims of bullying and inferiority complex issues experienced by British Hindus because of the inaccurate teaching of Hinduism in RE.

It states some disturbing findings, including parents highlighting misinformation spread by UK schools, for example linking gender disparity in education in India to Hinduism and linking social issues from South Asia to Hinduism. A teaching book even suggested that Hindus were turning to terrorism.

The report also provides evidence that the subject is not available for most students taking GCSE exams, despite Hindus being the third-largest religious group in the UK. The project by INSIGHT UK was supported and guided by major Hindu organisations in the UK. Asmita Bhudia, a Hinduism Tutor and School Teacher, says, “The choice is taken away from pupils and parents to accurately study Hinduism in many UK schools”.

INSIGHT UK carried out consultations and research with SACRE members, academics, teachers, and parents followed by a national survey, which is being described as one of the most successful Hindu surveys in the UK in terms of responses and coverage.

Data captured showed that the majority of British Hindus were dissatisfied with the teaching of Hinduism in UK schools and unhappy with teachers’ knowledge of the subject. The report mentions that as a result, students in the UK schools are being deprived of the correct knowledge of Hinduism and hence of a true world view.

Recent research has claimed many schools were breaking the law when it comes to RE [2]. This comes at a time when Hindus have faced attacks for practising their faith [3].

This project of INSIGHT UK was supported and guided by the following major Hindu organisations in the country:

MSP seeks Kirkliston flood prevention work assurances

Lothian MSP Miles Briggs has sought assurance from the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform this week that Kirkliston would be prioritised for future flood prevention works.

Early last December, after torrential rain, the River Almond burst its banks at Kirkliston, much to the concern of local residents, who have faced regular flooding threats and the damage that floods have caused over many years.

At the Scottish Parliament this week, Lothian MSP Miles Briggs, asked – What assessment has been made of the additional measures that will be required to protect residents and businesses in Kirkliston? Will the cabinet secretary assure local people that the Scottish Government will support any necessary measures?

Full transcript of question in Parliament below.

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “I am pleased that the Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform has agreed to look into what plans there are for flood prevention measure at the River Almond in Kirkliston.

“Last year saw unprecedented levels of flooding in Kirkliston and it is clear flood prevention work needs to be carried out.

“I will continue to lobby on behalf of residents and businesses in Kirkliston for the River Almond to be a top priority for flood prevention works to be carried out.”

Flood Prevention Measures (Lothian)

·         3. Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con): 

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to support flood prevention measures in Lothian. (S5O-04915)

·         The Cabinet Secretary for Environment, Climate Change and Land Reform (Roseanna Cunningham): 

In our programme for government, we committed to providing an extra £150 million for flood risk management, in addition to the £420 million 10-year funding that we have provided to local authorities.

We continue to work with the Scottish Environment Protection Agency, local authorities and other relevant bodies to deliver the actions that are detailed in the current flood risk management strategies and plans. That includes supporting the estimated £42 million Musselburgh flood protection scheme, which is at design stage. The next round of strategies and plans will detail the actions that have been prioritised in the 2022 to 2028 flood risk management cycle in order to reduce the risk of flooding to communities in Lothian and elsewhere.

·         Miles Briggs: 

The cabinet secretary will be aware that, after torrential rain in early December last year, the River Almond burst its banks at Kirkliston, much to the concern of local residents, who have faced regular flooding threats and the damage that floods have caused over many years. What assessment has been made of the additional measures that will be required to protect residents and businesses in Kirkliston? Will the cabinet secretary assure local people that the Scottish Government will support any necessary measures? Will she also agree to a site visit with me to see the impact of flooding on the local community in Kirkliston?

·         Roseanna Cunningham: 

I am not certain that I can agree to the site visit proposal in the current circumstances. I will need to take advice, but we will certainly liaise with Miles Briggs on that.

For any proposal, detailed discussions involving local authorities and SEPA need to take place. I am not certain how far that process has gone in relation to Kirkliston. If Kirkliston is not already one of the areas that is listed in the plans, consideration will be given to its inclusion. I undertake to write to Miles Briggs on that specific issue. Given the recent nature of the incident that he talked about, it would be helpful to know the extent to which consideration and discussions are already taking place on the inclusion of Kirkliston in future flood risk management proposals.