Industry asked for views on banning the use of cages
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A consultation on banning the use of cages to house laying hens for egg production has been launched today.
Views will be sought on phasing out the use of enriched cages, which offered more room to nest, roost, scratch and rest than the previously used battery or barren cages that were banned in the UK in 2012.
In 2020 a survey showed that 88% of the British public consider using cages in farming is cruel and 77% of those surveyed supported a complete ban on the use of cages in farming.
Over 1.1 million hens were housed in cages in Scotland as of February 2024.
Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie said: “As we committed to in our Programme for Governments, we want to improve the welfare of laying hens to ensure their confinement does not negatively impact their normal behaviours.
“Significant progress has already been made in recognising the importance of animal welfare – both in government policies and the demand from the public in the choice they make when shopping. If implemented, the ban would be another example of Scotland leading the way in improving the welfare of animals by being the first UK nation to ban the practice.
“We’ve seen the European Union put forward legislation to prohibit using cages for all farmed livestock, with Luxembourg and Austria already banning them and others phasing them out.
“In the coming weeks will also call for evidence on the use of cages in the gamebird and quail egg and meat sectors ahead of consulting on phasing out cages in those sectors in due course.
“I would encourage everyone with an interest in this issue to take part to help us shape how we protect the welfare of laying hens.”
First phase of the biggest ever expansion of childcare starts giving working parents of two-year-olds access to 15 hours a week
THOUSANDS of parents of two-year-olds across the country are getting help with their childcare costs as the first phase of the biggest ever expansion in childcare starts.
In this first stage, working parents of two-year-olds are now able to access 15 hours a week of government-funded childcare from 1 April.
The rollout of support is part of the government’s plan to help families – freeing thousands of couples from having to choose between having a family and a career, as over 150,000 children are on track to secure government-funded places from this week.
By September 2025 the full rollout will be completed, with working parents able to access 30 hours from the end of maternity leave to when their child starts school, saving parents an average of £6900 per year.
The government has supported the sector to deliver this expansion by increasing the number of staff and places, introducing measures to boost the recruitment and retention of childminders, launching a major national recruitment campaign and providing over £400 million of additional investment to uplift funding rates in 2024-25. On top of this, the government will increase rates over the next two years by an estimated £500 million, the Chancellor confirmed at the Spring Budget.
The UK Government is confident that the childcare sector is ready to deliver the offer and make sure parents have the childcare they need. The government is paying a higher rate per place than parents would pay at the market rate for the new entitlements – as independently reported by the Institute for Fiscal Studies.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Last year we promised the biggest ever expansion in childcare provision this country has ever seen, and today we are delivering on our plan with 15 hours of free childcare for parents with 2-year-olds.
“We want to give working families the peace of mind that they will be supported and our full expansion will save parents £6900 a year – helping to build a brighter future for families and help to grow our economy.”
Education Secretary Gillian Keegan said: “This is a landmark moment, and I am extremely proud to see we’re on track for more than 150,000 children to take up government-funded places under our new offer. This will be a lifeline for working parents, building up to this government’s plan for the most comprehensive childcare support in this country’s history by 2025.
“Support with childcare costs has an enormous ripple effect, freeing up parents to increase their hours at work and put more money in their pockets, or giving them the security to try out a new career or passion. It also contributes to economic growth and opens up new career opportunities in a hugely rewarding sector.”
The largest ever expansion in childcare is just one part of the government’s long-term plan to give working families a brighter future. Businesses across the country have welcomed the historic expansion which will support them to grow.
Jane Gratton, Deputy Director Public Policy at the British Chambers of Commerce said: “When parents struggle to find a childcare solution, employers lose talented people from the workplace.
“That’s damaging for people, business and the economy. The further rollout of free childcare in England is good news. It will benefit parents and employers, as well as providing more great jobs and career opportunities in the childcare sector.
“Helping more parents access high quality, affordable childcare will help firms recruit and retain skilled people and remove a significant barrier to work. We need more capacity in the childcare system to help fill jobs in local economies and ensure individuals can progress in their careers.”
Helen Dickinson OBE, Chief Executive of the British Retail Consortium, said: “The cost of childcare remains one of the biggest challenges to many parents, preventing many who wish to re-enter the workforce.
“As the largest private sector employer, we welcome the expansion of childcare provision that is being rolled out, and the support it will offer to many of our colleagues and potential colleagues, now and in the future.”
Parents like Jennifer – who has been using two of the government childcare support schemes to help her family with the costs of childcare – will benefit. Jennifer is already using tax-free childcare, and will now also start using the 15 hours of government-funded childcare for her two-year-old.
She said: “If we didn’t have the support, we’d have to reduce our working hours. When I went back to work, I stepped up into a promotion and started working more hours. Having access to this support made it financially sustainable to increase my hours.
“Lots of family members and friends will also benefit, and we can see already how it will help people feel less anxious about finances.”
Applications for the first stage of the rollout from April are now closed, but parents who have already registered can continue to take up places from April.
The number of parents taking up places is expected to continue to grow by tens of thousands over the coming weeks, and the government is expected to provide a formal update on take-up in the middle of April.
Chris McCandless, CEO, Busy Bees Europe, said: “We welcome the Government’s continued commitment to expanding support for early years education. The increase in funded hours will help working families and give more children the best start in life, and we’re really pleased that the rollout has been accompanied by the clarity on future funding rates we needed to invest in creating the additional capacity required in our centres.
“We’ve already seen a significant increase in interest in our nursery places in recent months from parents looking to make use of the funded hours, and expect to welcome more children to our nurseries this year and in subsequent years as the scheme expands further.”
Jo Turley, Managing Director, Ashbourne Day Nurseries, said: “At Ashbourne Day Nurseries, we welcome the extension of government funding in early years childcare and education as a positive step forward.
“Quality early years education is foundational in shaping a child’s future, and we eagerly anticipate any benefits this extended funding will bring to families across our nurseries and the broader community.”
Justine Roberts, Founder and CEO of Mumsnet, said: “By closing the gap in support between the end of maternity leave and a child’s third birthday, the government will enable many women who would otherwise have been forced out of the workforce to choose to stay in work, benefitting not just them and their families but also the wider economy.“
All parents are being encouraged to check their eligibility at https://www.childcarechoices.gov.uk for the September phase of the rollout, and to act now to secure their place for September if they have a preferred provider.
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Happy Easter everyone. This weekend, as people come together to celebrate and reflect on the message at the heart of the Easter festival, I want to pay tribute to the incredible work of Christians in this country.
To the churches, charities, volunteers and fundraisers who live the Christian values of compassion, charity and self-sacrifice, supporting those in need and demonstrating what it means to “love thy neighbour”.
Many, I know, will also be thinking of those in pain and suffering around the world and Christians, persecuted because of their faith, who are unable to celebrate Easter freely.
For many of us in the UK, Easter is a chance to pause and reflect, and an opportunity to spend some precious time with our families and a moment to enjoy the start of spring.
So this weekend, let me wish you all a very happy and peaceful Easter.
A 50-year-old man has been charged in connection with road traffic offences following a two car crash on Whitehouse Road that happened around 6.30pm on Wednesday, 6 March.
This Easter, bring together loved ones at Le Petit Beefbar for the ultimate family celebration. Enjoy a delicious jazz Sunday roast followed by an egg-citing Easter egg hunt that will put a spring in the whole family’s step.
Split a selection of delicious sharing plates to start – from the 45-day cured croque sando, to the signature bao buns and tempura insane rock corn with sriracha mayo – before feasting on the classic slow roasted black Angus beef striploin served alongside a Yorkshire pudding, Wagyu beef dripping roast potatoes, carrots, broccolini and roasted shallots covered in a rich, bone marrow gravy.
The roasted free-range chicken is served with Beefbar sauce and all the trimmings while vegetarians can enjoy the game-changing New Meat Redefined Meat bavette for their main course.
Toast to the bank holiday with the Cottontail Kick, a delicious chocolatey sensation made with the Easter festivities in mind. The special cocktail combines a classic espresso martini with an extra dash of chocolate, Bailey’s, and a tasty chocolate bunny on the side.
Children of all ages are invited to take part in a delightful egg hunt throughout the Intercontinental Edinburgh The George Hotel and Le Petit Beefbar in honour of Easter Sunday, with delicious chocolate to be claimed when the Le Petit Beefbar eggs are found around the hotel.
PEOPLE living with glaucoma in Edinburgh will soon be able to access support within the community rather than travel to hospital, thanks to a ‘revolutionary’ NHS healthcare policy.
NHS Scotland’s Community Glaucoma Service, which was piloted in Glasgow last year, will soon be rolled out in the capital after a city-centre optician was selected to deliver the scheme.
Michael O’Kane, clinical director of Specsavers in Cameron Toll and Morningside, is one of a handful of opticians across the country who has successfully completed an SQA qualification in Glaucoma Management.
The certificate will allow him to treat people with lower risk glaucoma or treated ocular hypertension in his practices in the city, rather than in hospital as soon as NHS Lothian rolls out the scheme.
It’s hoped the initiative will help alleviate pressure on NHS services in the long-term.
Michael says: ‘After 300 hours of training, clinical placements and studying, I’m delighted to have gained this qualification which will allow me to deliver this revolutionary eyecare service to patients in our community.
‘This qualification means I’ll be able to manage patient’s medications and continue to provide hospital-level care to people in Morningside, Cameron Toll and beyond.
‘This scheme will be of huge benefit to hundreds – if not thousands – of people right across Edinburgh, giving them faster and easier access to treatments and check-ups. I’m delighted to be a part of that.’
The flagship healthcare policy is expected to support around 20,000 patients across Scotland as it is rolled out over the next year.
Speaking at the time of its launch, public health minister, Jenni Minto, said: ‘Scotland is regarded as a world leader in community eye care service provision.
‘We are the only country in the UK to provide free universal NHS-funded eye examinations, and our investment in community optometry services has helped reduce the burden on GPs and secondary care services.’
Michael’s qualification follows the recent relocation of his Morningside practice to 85 Morningside Road.
The new store has seen investment in the region of £750,000 and includes seven new testing rooms, including a fully wheelchair-accessible test room and diagnostics area, and two Optical Coherence Tomography (OCT) machines, which allows optometrists to take a 3D image of the back of the eye to help spot serious eye conditions – including glaucoma – up to four years earlier.
The store also features two digital slit lamps and a host of state-of-the-art technology which allows opticians to identify the type of glaucoma a patient is living with.
Michael adds: ‘Timely diagnosis and treatment are essential and so our increased testing capacity and state-of-the-art diagnostic machines will allow our expert team to quickly identify any problems that may be detected.’
Specsavers Morningside, located at 85 Morningside Road, is open from 9am – 6:30pm Monday to Thursday, 9am – 6pm Friday and Saturday and 10am – 6pm every Sunday.
To book an appointment, call the store directly on 0131 446 9960 or visit:
Specsavers Cameron toll, located within Cameron Toll Shopping Centre, is open from 9am – 6pm every Monday to Wednesday and Friday to Saturday, 9am – 6:30pm every Thursday and 10am – 6pm every Sunday.
To book an appointment, call the store directly on 0131 672 9210 or visit:
The charity, Islamic Relief UK, has launched its annual Ramadan food drive for 2024, to help the UK’s vulnerable communities who have been affected by rising poverty levels and the cost-of-living crisis.
The food distribution will take places across the UK, in cities such as London, Birmingham, Leicester, Edinburgh, Liverpool, Luton and Nottingham, as the need is widespread. Islamic Relief will be working in collaboration with 18 of its local partners, such as food banks, mosques, football clubs, and local charities.
According to research undertaken by Islamic Relief, and polling company Savanta (1), over half of people in the UK are struggling more with their bills and food prices than they were a year ago, and 30% of Brits are worried about having to use a food bank in the near future. The data points that almost all people in the UK, across all strata of society, have been negatively affected by the cost-of-living crisis and are concerned about the future.
Tufail Hussain, director of Islamic Relief UK, adds: “Poverty in the UK has been exacerbated by years of the cost-of-living crisis, and families are struggling more than ever to put food on the table. It is imperative more than ever to come together as a community and support one another.”
“The research we conducted spells a worrying outlook for the UK, with no community of social group spared from the tough reality of the cost-of-living crisis. But for the already vulnerable, the homeless, refugees and asylum seekers, the poor, it is catastrophic. Now more than ever we are so grateful for the outpouring of support that allows us to provide food distributions such as this one.”
Locations and dates for the food distributions are as follows:
Six vital community assets in Scotland have been saved from closure, thanks to £3.8m announced by the UK Government yesterday.
This investment from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities’ Community Ownership Fund will ensure these beloved establishments are protected, ensuring they will be around for generations to come.
This funding will maintain more community spaces for people to enjoy, helping to bolster local economies as well as contributing to the government’s wider mission to grow the economy.
Across the United Kingdom, the Department announced £33.5m yesterday to save more than 80 projects in our communities.
Projects receiving funding in Scotland include:
Crookfur House:
A revival of facilities in a supported living estate in East Renfrewshire to create a fit for purpose and needs led community hub. Thanks to this government cash boost, this group will be able to reap the rewards of a new café, community spaces and support staff offices.
Filmhouse:
Reopening of a new and improved cinema in Edinburgh that will be sustainable for generations to come. The venue will screen films that would not otherwise be accessible as well as host up and coming film festivals to be enjoyed by local people and visitors.
Penicuik Youth Hub:
Transforming this community centre in Midlothian into a ‘Youth Hub for excellence’, providing dedicated spaces for young people to have more sporting and performing arts opportunities in their local area.
Castlemilk Community Football Trust:
New money to create high-quality sporting facilities in Glasgow with the aim to increase community engagement in football and other grassroots sports. They will also provide fitness classes and community social events and activities.
Jacob Young, Minister for Levelling Up, said: “We know how much these vital community assets mean to people across the country.
“They are an important lifeline for people young and old, and they’re the beating heart of our towns, cities and villages. That’s why we’re stepping in to protect them with a major rescue package, so we stop these great establishments closing or being lost forever and ensure that they continue to sit at the heart of our beloved communities.”
UK Government Minister for Scotland Donald Cameron – Lord Cameron of Locheil – said: “Congratulations to the six Scottish projects receiving more than £3.8m in the latest round of the UK Government’s local asset saving Community Ownership Fund.
“It was a pleasure to visit Filmhouse, Edinburgh, and see first-hand just how much it meant for them to be awarded £1.54 million to help re-open this much cherished venue.
“The other winners – Macaulay College in the Western Isles, Castlemilk Community Football Trust in Glasgow and community centres in Penicuik, Kilmarnock and Newton Mearns – means that 47 community assets right across Scotland are sharing almost £17 million from the fund.
“I encourage community groups across Scotland to see if they might be eligible to apply for the next and final round. Overall the UK Government is now investing more than £3 billion into levelling up across Scotland.”
Among the projects receiving funding is the Edinburgh Filmhouse which opened in 1979 but became run down over time and had to close in 2022.
It will now receive £1.5million so that it can open its doors again, and the newly refurbished venue will screen the best new films from across the globe.
Ginnie Atkinson, Director, Filmhouse, Edinburgh said: “We are delighted that our bid for UK Government Community Ownership Fund investment has been successful.
“Many have dreamed of Filmhouse re-opening and this will make it possible not just to re-open but to create a fully refurbished cinema venue that meets modern audience expectations. It will also allow us to add a small, multi-use, fourth screen which will help optimise the diverse cultural programme of films and be available for education activities.”
Previous beneficiaries of the scheme in Scotland include:
Bailliefields Community Hub SCIO, Graham Thomson, Trustee said: “Receipt of the COF award was a significant milestone in the Phase 2 redevelopment of Bailliefields Community Hub.
“The award has allowed us to progress our project and appoint a building contractor. The contractor has commenced on site in early March 2024 with the project scheduled for completion by end of July 2024.
“Once completed then the building will provide a warm, welcoming and vibrant community space for various groups in our area including our dementia group, disability group, local schools and a local children’s nursery. This will be an interesting repurposing of an existing building.£
Gordon Rural Action’s Laura McNeil, funding and retail support, said: “The Community Ownership Fund, along with The MacRobert Trust, has allowed us to complete the purchase of the building housing our Bike Recycling project.
“The purchase will allow us to secure the future of the building, ensuring we can continue to stop bikes reaching landfill, help people access bikes and opportunities to exercise, while teaching people new skills and offering employment and volunteering options.
“The project employs 5 people, 2 of which are young people who we have employed in a traineeship to give them positive future outcomes. Last year we had 360 bikes donated and put 200 bikes back into the community.”
This is the third announcement of funding from the third round of the Community Ownership Fund, bringing the total spending from the pot to more than £103m with 333 projects rescued so far.
Scottish projects in this round will be supported with £3.8 million of funding, with a further £2.8 million for Northern Ireland and £3.1 million for Wales. So far, the Community Ownership Fund has awarded a total £17 million for 47 projects in Scotland; £8.1 million for 31 projects in Northern Ireland and over £7 million for 24 projects in Wales.
Since Round 1 of the Fund, Ministers have funded all bids which have passed the criteria for successful applications. This approach allows the Department to fund the maximum number of projects. In future windows ministers may choose to prioritise funding to underrepresented areas to help even out any regional imbalances.
The next round of the Community Ownership Fund, Round 4, is the final round. There will be two bidding windows in Round 4 to allocate remaining funding. The next bidding window, Round 4 Window 1, will open on 25 March 2024 and close on 10 April 2024.
