North Edinburgh News – Page 51 – The NEN

MSP visits Gyle Centre Specsavers calling for stronger healthcare services in the community

An Edinburgh MSP has gone to Specsavers to see how local opticians and audiologists are making a difference to patients, the community and supporting the NHS in Scotland.

Alex Cole-Hamilton, MSP for Edinburgh Western and leader of Scottish Liberal Democrats chatted to the Specsavers team in the Gyle Centre store about the expert eye and hearing care services they provide to the local community.

Jonathan Bell, audiology director says: ‘It was a pleasure to welcome Alex, introduce him to our Specsavers team and talk to him about the care we currently provide to his constituents.

‘We discussed the unique partnership model that sees the Gyle Centre store – like all Specsavers services – owned and run by the audiologists and optometrists who provide expert care to patients, in the heart of their community.

‘Our team offers vital eye and hearing care services, and we are keen to change even more lives through better sight and hearing. We are well-placed and have capacity to add NHS care to our hearing offer and would encourage NHS commissioners to consider the commissioning of a community audiology service that would allow us to test and fit NHS patients with hearing devices, free of charge.’

Mr Cole-Hamilton says: ‘I was pleased to visit Specsavers, hearing about what the team already does in terms of serving our community.

“Seeing the technology and clinical expertise in store, and the ability to identify a whole range of health conditions, was a good reminder of how important it is that everyone gets their eyes tested and hearing checked regularly.

‘It was also interesting to learn more about how we could improve access to NHS care by commissioning community hearing health services. Being able to access NHS-funded hearing care on the local high street would reduce pressure on GPs and our hospitals.’

Mr Cole-Hamilton also heard how Specsavers supports community organisations and provides a range of career opportunities for local people.

Ian Hobson, optometry director at the store adds: ‘We had a valuable discussion and were able to showcase the clinical expertise and comprehensive range of eye and hearing health services we offer. Our team is passionate about delivering exceptional care right in the heart of our community.’

Specsavers has more than 1,000 stores throughout the UK and is the leading provider of NHS primary care optometry services – testing more than 20 million eyes every year. It also provides more than 40% of NHS community audiology services in England, supporting more than 200,000 NHS audiology patients a year. Ear wax removal is another popular service offered by Specsavers.

Specsavers Gyle Centre is open seven days a week.

To book an appointment, visit: www.specsavers.co.uk/stores/gylecentre or call the store on 0131 317 7540.

For those that can’t leave their homes unaccompanied due to disability or illness, Specsavers also offers a home visits service covering more than 90% of the UK – with more details available at www.specsavers.co.uk/home-eye-tests.

Post Office Horizon IT scandal: “serious structural failings persist”

‘Fujitsu has yet to contribute a penny to the nearly £2 billion redress bill’

One year on from Westminster’s Business and Trade Committee’s last report on the Post Office Horizon scandal, progress has been made delivering redress for victims of the Fujitsu-supplied Horizon IT scandal. More than 11,300 claimants have received payments with £1.44 billion distributed.

But thousands of sub‑postmasters are still waiting for the redress they are owed, and in a report today the Committee says “serious structural failings persist” in the redress system. Many victims still face unacceptable delays, inadequate offers, and administrative processes that “re‑traumatise” those who have already been seriously wronged.

Fujitsu, with a central role in one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in British history, has contributed nothing to the bill for redress and is still expanding its public sector revenues. A few days after UK CEO Paul Patterson gave evidence in Parliament, Fujitsu announced that he would move this month to a non-executive role “managing the company’s response” to the public inquiry into the Horizon scandal.

There is a serious risk of an unknown number of unsafe convictions – potentially including wrongful imprisonment – that are yet to be uncovered or have any access to justice. The Committee found evidence that the MoJ is wrongly judging eligibility of sub postmasters who should have had their convictions quashed, and there is no route for appeal in these cases.

And there is now emerging evidence that pre-Horizon IT systems, especially Capture, had similar flaws to the Horizon system that may have contributed to unsafe convictions. Incomplete records mean that the current confirmed number of Capture cases may represent just “the tip of another iceberg”, with the Committee calling for urgent legislation to quash Capture-related convictions.

The Horizon Shortfall Scheme (HSS), still managed by Post Office, routinely sees its offers overturned and significantly increased after a DBT-administered appeal. The stark disparities between initial offers and eventual awards reinforces that the HSS is no longer fit for purpose. Fully assessed claims continue to take far beyond target timelines with thousands of late claims still awaiting final offer.

The Horizon Convictions Redress Scheme (HCRS) is performing better, but claimants are still being forced to jump through administrative hoops to secure what is now effectively a guaranteed minimum £600k redress payment. That should simply be paid in full to all eligible claimants now.

Fujitsu has acknowledged its moral obligation to contribute to the cost of redress, yet it has made no interim payment and has agreed no figure. The total cost of redress payments now stands around £2 billion. But despite its “self-imposed moratorium” on bidding for new public contracts, Fujitsu continues to benefit from substantial Government contracts. The failure to even offer an interim amount is “unacceptable”.

Rt Hon Liam Byrne MP, Chair of the Business and Trade Committee, said: “For hundreds of sub-postmasters, justice has come far too slowly. Many have waited years for the truth to be recognised and for the compensation they are owed. Yet today we find serious structural failings still blocking the road to justice.

“Thousands of victims are still waiting for fair redress, while the processes designed to help them are too often slow, bureaucratic and re-traumatising. That is simply unacceptable after one of the greatest miscarriages of justice in British history.

“Worse, Fujitsu has yet to contribute a penny to the nearly £2 billion redress bill, even as it continues to benefit from public contracts. That cannot continue. It is simply wrong that taxpayers are covering the costs for Fujitsu’s sins while Fujitsu is still profiting from taxpayers funded contracts.

“We were also concerned to hear new evidence that suggests unsafe convictions linked to earlier systems such as Capture may be only the tip of another iceberg. Parliament must act quickly to quash these convictions and ensure that every victim finally gets the justice they deserve.

“The victims of this scandal have shown extraordinary courage. The country owes them more than apologies — it owes them justice, accountability, and full and fair redress without further delay.”

Is NATO failing? Experts to clash at the Edinburgh Union as Iran, Russia and Trump challenge the alliance

As US commitment wavers and conflicts rage in Ukraine and the Middle East, leading foreign affairs experts face students to ask: IS THE HISTORIC ALLIANCE STILL FIT FOR PURPOSE?

On Monday 16 March at 7pm, the Edinburgh Union will host a critical international affairs debate on the motion: This House Has No Confidence in NATO to Solve Modern Security Challenges.

Against the backdrop of the protracted war in Ukraine, an emboldened Russia, and the rapidly escalating war involving Iran, this debate will scrutinise the purpose, efficacy, and future of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization.

With the historic military alliance’s resources, strategic unity, and diplomatic influence being severely tested on multiple fronts, speakers will examine whether NATO remains equipped to handle today’s complex geopolitical landscape.

The event brings together leading voices in foreign policy, academia, and the anti-war movement to debate the motion and put their arguments directly to the audience.

The distinguished panel of guest speakers includes Mary Dejevsky, Independent foreign affairs correspondent; Dr Leyla Alijeva, Oxford academic specialising in Russia; Sophie Johnson, Secretary of Stop the War Scotland; and Dr Benjamin Martill, Senior Lecturer at the University of Edinburgh.

Alongside these experts, student speakers from across Edinburgh’s universities will also take opposing sides in the debate.Taking place in Rainy Hall, New College, this event continues the Edinburgh Union’s term programme.

Following a series of highly successful events, the Union continues its mission to provide a platform for open, rigorous debate on contemporary global, political, and cultural issues in Scotland’s capital.

Finn Tyson, President of the Edinburgh Union, said: “We are excited to be hosting such an incredible calibre of speakers for this timely debate and giving students at the University of Edinburgh the opportunity speak alongside experts in this field.

“The global security landscape is constantly evolving, and the role of international institutions such as NATO is increasingly part of ongoing public debate.

“By engaging with multiple perspectives, this debate aims to provide a platform at Edinburgh University for the rigorous debate this topic needs.”

Strengthening additional support for learning

Delivering better experiences for learners, teachers and practitioners to thrive

A rapid review of Additional Support for Learning (ASL) has set out recommendations to ensure young people’s evolving needs continue to be met across Scotland.

Professional Education Advisor Janie McManus’ expert review of ASL said that clearer expectations, stronger pathways to support across education, health and social care, and early interventions should underpin the next steps in delivering Additional Support Needs (ASN) provision in schools.

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth welcomed publication of the review outcomes and accepted the recommendations in a speech to practitioners – the first in a series of national events on ASL convened by the Scottish Government.

In her address, Ms Gilruth also confirmed that an app to streamline administrative tasks and free up teachers’ time to focus on pupil needs would be rolled out more widely later this year, backed by £700,000 government funding, subject to the success of ongoing pilots in six council areas.

Ms Gilruth said: “I am grateful to MSPs from across Parliament for their constructive engagement on the additional support needs review. I am also thankful to Janie McManus for leading this short, sharp review into ASN, with clear recommendations for the next Scottish Government to address.

“The pandemic was an undoubtedly challenging time for schools, but none more so than for our additional support needs pupils. It is with the needs of those young people in mind, that we have come together to work collegiately to drive the improvement we all want to see in Scotland’s inclusive schools.

“Across the country our teachers and school staff display extraordinary commitment working with pupils with ASN to provide a nurturing, supportive environment. Through our investment in the CivTech programme, we are seeing how technology can be harnessed to cut the time spent on paperwork and free up valuable time for teaching and learning, helping ensure teachers and school staff have the time to focus on what matters most – their pupils.”

COSLA Children and Young People Spokesperson Cllr Tony Buchanan said: “We welcome the final progress report on the Additional Support for Learning Action Plan.

“Six years after Angela Morgan’s review, progress has been made, though more remains to do. We now better understand the needs of children and young people, supported by new tools and stronger partnerships.

“Local and Scottish Government must continue working together with a shared vision that enables local and individualised approaches. We note Janie McManus’s report and will consider it jointly with Scottish Government.”

A spokesperson for the Scottish Children’s Services Coalition commented: “While we welcome the outcomes of the expert review on additional support for learning (ASL), including the call for timely access to specialist services across education, health and social care, and early intervention, there needs to be adequate resourcing in place to turn this vision into a reality.

“Across the last decade, spending per pupil on ASL has declined by almost a third, and there have been cuts in the like of specialist ASN teacher numbers, which have been slashed by 240 over the same time period. We are facing a lost generation of vulnerable children and young people who are not getting the care and support they so vitally need.

“We would urge the Scottish Government to prioritise the windfall that will come from proposed increased spending on those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) in English schools, on those Scottish pupils with ASN.

“With more than two out of five pupils identified with additional support needs, and the Scottish Parliamentary elections forthcoming, we would additionally urge the political parties to concentrate on this issue as they draft their manifestoes and for the public to focus on what these parties intend to do if voted into office.”

New framework targets a more Equal Edinburgh

A new framework aimed at reducing poverty and inequality in Edinburgh has received unanimous backing from councillors.

Equal Edinburgh aims to make council and other services easier to access and understand for residents, while reducing the stigma associated with doing so.

The four-year plan draws on lessons learned from its predecessor (which ran from 2021–25), but more specifically from extensive engagement with communities and other partners, including the Scottish Government, Equality and Rights Network and Scottish Women’s Budget Group, carried out over the past 12 months.

Some of the key outcomes include:

Safer and better access to council buildings
Improved online access and clearer communication methods
Improved mental health and wellbeing by making it easier to access services (in person or online)
Better opportunities for residents to participate in local activities and events to reduce isolation and foster good community relations
Improved data gathering and reporting so that decisions are made in an informed way
Improved access for residents to have their say on citywide issues and to engage in consultation and voting processes

When setting the Council budget last month, councillors agreed to allocate £285,000 towards progressing the plan over next three years.

Amongst other things, this will allow continued investment in the delivery of the British Sign Language Plan (2024-2030) and additional BSL Videos on the council website, funding for Volunteer Edinburgh to facilitate the Equalities and Rights Network and development of more inclusive communications.

From day one, Equal Edinburgh will support staff to provide high quality service to all residents and foster positive relationships with local communities through partnership working. A new EDI board will be set up to monitor progress and support delivery, with a progress update presented to councillors in 2028.

Councillor Jane Meagher Council Leader, said: “We’re clear that we want Edinburgh to be a city where everyone feels safe, secure and welcome – and we’ve set ourselves ambitious targets around tackling poverty and inequality.

“This new framework celebrates the diversity of this city and our communities, made up of people with a rich variety of life experiences. I’m particularly pleased by the role our communities and other partners have played in shaping this work, and that we’re learning the lessons from what has gone before.

“We’re building on best practice already underway across the city to deliver better services and outcomes for residents, ensuring that everyone has access to, and can benefit from, our support as quickly as possible – in a way that suits them.”

Appendix 1 – EDI Framework Download

Chancellor and Energy Secretary meet with fuel bosses as government orders crackdown on pump prices

Chancellor and Energy Secretary to meet with petrol retailers and energy suppliers in Downing Street today with a clear message: drivers must get a fair deal at the pump.
Chancellor asks CMA to crack down on any rip‑offs on road fuel and heating oil — warning she “will not tolerate” firms exploiting the situation to make excess profits.
Fuel Finder will help drivers spot the cheapest forecourt nearby, as Government takes action to ensure all major fuel retailers are signed up.

Rachel Reeves has written to the Competition and Markets Authority requesting it stays on high alert for unjustifiable price rises on petrol, diesel and heating oil, to support families and businesses.

The Chancellor said she is determined to support people with the cost of living amid conflict in the Middle East and will not stand by if firms use uncertainty as cover to push up prices and protect margins at the expense of drivers.

Her intervention comes ahead of a Downing Street roundtable on Friday evening, where petrol retailers and energy suppliers will be pressed on what they are doing to keep prices down — and what more they can do to ensure changes in costs are passed on fairly.

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said: “I will not tolerate any company exploiting the current situation to make excess profits at consumers’ expense.

“I’m backing drivers and families — and I expect a fair deal at the pump.”

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “Tackling the cost of living is our number one priority – all fuel retailers must sign up for Fuel Finder so drivers can find the cheapest price at the pump.

“We will not hesitate to act to protect consumers against any unfair practices.”

TODAY (Friday), the Chancellor and Energy Secretary will call on industry to explain why prices vary so widely, how quickly forecourts respond when costs ease, and what immediate steps firms will take to make sure motorists aren’t left paying over the odds.

The Chancellor noted earlier this week that prices varied from £1.27 per litre to £1.80 per litre between forecourts.

This comes after the Energy Secretary met with the CEO of the Competition and Markets Authority on Tuesday 10 March to discuss ensuring consumers were protected from any unfair price rises.

Drivers should not have to guess whether they’re being overcharged — so the UK Government is accelerating its Fuel Finder, making it easier to see who’s cheapest locally and to take business away from the priciest pumps.

All major supermarkets have confirmed they are now providing real-time data to the government’s Fuel Finder scheme, with almost 90% of retailers already registered, and government taking action on the final 10%.

Greater transparency on prices will drive up competition and is set to see households who own a car save on average £40 a year at the pump.

And the message to any retailer dragging their feet is straightforward: if you won’t be transparent, you’ll be called out — because sunlight on prices is one of the strongest tools consumers have to force competition and drive costs down.

MSPs unite to support Liam McArthur MSP’s Assisted Dying Bill

MSP’s hold pictures of deceased constituents in support of the Dignity In Dying charity in the Scottish Parliament in Holyrood, Edinburgh. 12 March 2026.

A group of cross party MSPs united yesterday to support Liam McArthur MSP’s Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults Bill ahead of its final vote on Tuesday 17th March.

The MSPs have issued a letter to their Parliamentary colleagues urging them to keep the voices and experiences of those most affected by this issue front of mind and to vote in favour of Bill.

The MSPs joined a photocall in support of the Bill carrying photos of terminally ill Scots and those who died a bad death and wished for the law to change.

In the letter they say that:

“On many issues that come before us in Parliament we differ in opinion, but when it comes to extending compassion and safety to dying people we are united in our support for dignity and choice.

‘Over the last few years, we have each heard from constituents across Scotland about the heavy toll the ban on assisted dying has taken on them and the urgent need for the law to change.

‘We have heard from a mother who watched her son beg to die when the pain caused by his endocrine cancer became too much to bear, from a daughter who watched her mum starve and dehydrate to death over the course of 18 long days when she reached the limit of MND, from a widow who returned home to Scotland alone after accompanying her dying husband to Switzerland to face a police interview, from dying people considering how best to take matters into their own hands should their suffering become unbearable and many more people with terminal illness consumed by the fear of a protracted and painful death.

‘While all the experiences they shared were different in nature, there was one constant – that in each and every case a safe and compassionate assisted dying law would have lessened their pain and made both living with a terminal diagnosis and loss that bit more bearable.

‘In every constituency there are stories like these – real people enduring real suffering. In every single constituency the voting public support changing the law on assisted dying.

‘The Bill that is in front of us has been through rigorous scrutiny, is robustly evidenced and puts in place a range of protections that simply do not exist at the moment. It will make assisted dying the most safeguarded end of life option. 300 million people around the world already have access to some form of assisted dying. There is no evidence of abuse of these laws and extensive evidence to show that they address the failings created by a blanket ban on assisted dying.

‘The current situation can not continue – it is demonstrably cruel, dangerous and ineffective. It denies dying people choice and fails to protect anyone. By contrast Liam McArthur MSP’s Bill will create new protections for people at end of life and offers this Parliament the opportunity to put in place a safe, regulated framework that will work alongside palliative care to provide choice and compassion when people need it most.

‘This issue is not going away, banning assisted dying does not stop assisted dying, it merely drives it overseas, underground and behind closed doors. As such, voting against this bill has serious consequences, leaving dying Scots more at risk, isolated and vulnerable.

”We urge you to keep the voices and experiences of those most affected by this issue front of mind and to vote in favour of the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults Scotland Bill on the 17th March.”

The letter has been signed by MSPs from each of the main political parties represented in Parliament. Signatories include:

George Adam MSP, Karen Adam MSP, Jackson Carlaw MSP, Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP, Jackie Dunbar MSP, Joe FitzPatrick MSP, Rachael Hamilton MSP, Patrick Harvie MSP, Monica Lennon MSP, Richard Lochhead MSP, Douglas Lumsden MSP, Rona Mackay MSP, Paul McLennan MSP, Carol Mochan MSP, Lorna Slater MSP, David Torrance MSP, Evelyn Tweed MSP, Elena Whitham MSP.

Maggie Chapman MSP, Gordon MacDonald MSP and Gillian Mackay MSP joined the photocall.

Mobile phones in schools consultation shows broad support for restrictions during the school day

A six-week consultation, which closed on 2 March, has seen high engagement, with almost 14,000 responses from parents/carers, pupils and school staff.

Results show overwhelming support for the introduction of restrictions in secondary schools citywide. 97% of responses from staff who work in secondary schools were in favour of school mobile phone restrictions. 57% would opt for the whole school day, while 40% would opt for part restrictions with mobile phones accessible to pupils at lunch and breaktimes.

Similarly, parents of current secondary school aged learners were supportive of mobile phone restrictions during the school day, with 94% in favour. 54% would choose restrictions for the entire school day, and 40% agreed that a part restriction including just class time would be best.

Out of all parents/carers who took part in the consultation, 73% said they would be supportive of restrictions for the whole school day, with 22% preferring access to mobile phones at lunch and breaktimes.

The response from current secondary school aged pupils presented a more mixed picture with just over half (53%) stating a preference for part restrictions with mobile phones allowed at lunch and breaktimes but not in class, and just 3% in favour of restrictions for the whole school day. 43% said that they should be trusted to follow the school rules, and 32% said they didn’t think that there should be any restrictions at all.

Pilots are underway at two Edinburgh secondary schools, Portobello and Queensferry High Schools, using lockable magnetic pouches, restricting access to mobile phones during the school day.

The consultation, coupled with feedback from the two pilot schools, will provide information that will allow elected members to consider the details of restrictions and the extent to which lockable pouches could be used to support mobile phone restrictions.

Almost a third (31%) of parents/carers who currently have children at an Edinburgh secondary school were in favour or a lockable pouch system, with 29% preferring phones to be secured but stored in a cabinet.

Among staff who work in secondary schools, there was an equal split when asked about implementation of restrictions, with 36% preferring a secure lockable pouch system and 38% opting for phones to be stored away but accessible.

In September 2025, Councillors agreed to restrict the use of mobile phones in schools, with the preferred option the use of lockable pouches to support restrictions on mobile phone use across all secondary schools, and lockable cabinets in primary schools.

The consultation forms part of citywide engagement work on implementing mobile phone restrictions in primary and secondary schools. An interim Integrated Impact Assessment has already taken place and will be finalised using consultation feedback.

Special consideration is being given for pupils with health needs or caring responsibilities who may need access to their mobile phone during the school day. Focus groups, including with young people is ongoing.

A report analysing these findings will be presented at Education, Children and Families Committee in June 2026.

Councillor James Dalgleish, Education, Children and Families Convenor said: “I want to thank all those who have taken the time to engage with this valuable consultation. I am really pleased that such a high number of parents/carers, learners and school staff have shared their views on how potential mobile phone restrictions could work in practice.

“We are being bold in our ambition when it comes to making our classrooms phone-free, and we want to be one of the first local authorities to introduce widespread restrictions. It is important that we do this in the right way and a big part of this is making sure that we have heard and take on board feedback from our communities.

“This consultation forms part of our engagement and it is positive that the figures broadly show that we are on the right track.

“There is more work to be done to make sure that we have heard the views and concerns of our secondary school aged young people who are digital natives and understandably used to having their phone during the school day.

“We want to get this right so that any potential restrictions are seen as a positive step for all.”

Council leaders urged to agree package to avoid industrial action in schools

Joint letter from Education Secretary and teaching union

Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth and General Secretary of EIS Andrea Bradley have written a joint letter to all council leaders, urging them to take the decisions needed to avoid industrial action.

The letter states:

“We are writing to you ahead of tomorrow’s Cosla Leaders meeting to urge you to take the decisions needed to avoid industrial action and to join us in implementing a reduction in class contact time (RCCT). Both Scottish Ministers and the EIS have now signed up to the plans to implement the 90- minute RCCT across Scotland that you will be considering tomorrow. It has taken a lot of intensive work to get to this point.

“It is clear that an agreement can now be reached that would see RCCT implemented by August 2027 in Primary and Special Schools, and by August 2029 in Secondary. This phased approach is intended to give councils the time and capacity required to manage recruitment and local planning effectively, and the Scottish Government and teacher unions will work with you to assist in that task.”

Reduction in class contact time: Letter to council leaders – gov.scot

Robberies: Man to appear in Court

A 42-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with thefts and robberies in Edinburgh.

The incidents happened between Sunday, 2 March, and Tuesday, 10 March, 2026, in the Niddrie, Leith and Portobello areas of the city.

A report has been submitted to the Procurator Fiscal, and he is expected to appear at Edinburgh Sheriff Court today – Friday, 13 March, 2026.

Detective Constable Fiona Murray said: “We are aware of the concern these incidents caused to local communities and I would like to thank members of the public for their assistance.”