Category: Uncategorized

Tourist Tax legislation clears first hurdle

Legislation which would give councils the power to introduce a visitor levy to raise funding for local tourism facilities and services has passed its first vote in Parliament.

MSPs have voted to endorse the general principles of the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, which would enable councils to apply a levy on overnight stays in line with many tourist destinations across Europe. All money raised would be reinvested in facilities and services that are substantially used by visitors, benefitting tourists and local economies.

The proposals were backed in a Scotland-wide consultation led by the Scottish Government. Should they wish to use the powers, councils would be required to consult local communities, businesses and tourism organisations on whether a visitor levy should be brought in and how any revenue should be spent.

Representatives from the tourism industry, COSLA, the Scottish Government and other partners have formed an expert group to consider how the legislation could be best implemented if passed.

Speaking after the Stage One vote in Parliament, Public Finance Minister Tom Arthur said: “I strongly believe that a visitor levy can be a force for good, offering councils the opportunity to use the proceeds to invest in their local economy, bringing benefits to residents and visitors alike.

“This Bill is about giving local government a new power, which they can use as appropriate. It fits with our ambition of fiscally empowering local government and strengthening local democracy, and the New Deal for Business and the New Deal for Local Government are at the heart of the Scottish Government’s approach to this measure.

“We have already taken on board the helpful input we have had from business, councils and others and I am committed to continuing that meaningful and constructive engagement as we move forward.”

COSLA’s Resources Spokesperson Councillor Katie Hagmann said: “I am delighted to see the progression of the Visitor Levy Bill through Parliament.

“The introduction of visitor levy powers is a small but significant step towards maximising the revenue raising powers available to local government, enabling those closest to the community, your democratically elected councillors, the power to decide what works best for their local communities, and recognising the great diversity of needs across Scotland.

“The revenue raised by the levy has the potential to provide much-needed additional investment in our communities, in areas from the natural environment to cultural and leisure facilities, at a time when local government is facing significant strain on resources. Meanwhile, we are keen to ensure that this additional revenue stream helps us to maintain Scotland’s position as a world-leading tourist destination.

“We are fully committed to further joint work with the Scottish Government as the Bill continues its journey through Parliament, as well as continued engagement with colleagues across our important tourism industry.”

Having passed Stage One, the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill will be considered for line-by-line amendments by the Local Government, Housing and Planning Committee before Stage Three when the full Parliament considers further amendments and makes a final vote on whether or not to pass the Bill.

If passed, the legislation will give local authorities the power to introduce a visitor levy in all or parts of their area. The levy would be a percentage of the overnight accommodation cost, with the rate set by the local council.

The levy would be collected by the accommodation providers and remitted to the relevant local authority. It would apply to almost all types of overnight accommodation, including hotels, self-catering accommodation and campsites.

Of the 27 European Union member states, 21 charge occupancy taxes. 

NSPCC launches UK-wide campaign to keep children safe

Thousands of child sexual offences recorded in Scotland

  • Data from Police Scotland shows that 5,557 sexual offences against under-16s were recorded in 2022/23.
  • Across the UK, almost 87,000 child sexual offences were recorded by police in this period.
  • Types of offences included rape, sexual assault, sexual grooming and indecent communication.
  • To help tackle this issue, the NSPCC Helpline and the Home Office are launching a campaign to encourage adults to reach out with concerns of child sexual abuse.

New figures compiled by the NSPCC reveal that child sexual offences recorded over the past year by police across the UK and in Scotland remain close to record levels.

The Freedom of Information data totalled 86,962 child sexual offences recorded by police across the UK in 2022/23, which remains one of the highest on record since the charity started the annual research 16 years ago.

In Scotland, 5,557 child sexual offences were recorded by Police Scotland in 2022/23 – close to the record levels recorded in the previous year (5,640). 

Types of offences included rape, sexual assault, sexual grooming and indecent communication.

This comes as the NSPCC launches a new campaign in partnership with the Home Office to tackle child sexual abuse.

Together they are encouraging the public to contact the charity’s UK adult Helpline if they are concerned that a child could be at risk. The partnership will also encourage people to report on instances where there are concerns that a child might be experiencing sexual abuse.

The Home Office is providing funding for the NSPCC Helpline to increase capacity and to raise awareness of the service to the public and professionals.

The NSPCC has also created two films promoting the new campaign. These films show how adults can use the Helpline to share any concerns they may have about a child’s safety or welfare. One of these films is tailored to professionals, and the other reaches out to the general public.

The NSPCC Helpline is the charity’s free advice line for any adult who may have concerns about a child, including professionals who work with children.

The Helpline’s dedicated child protection specialists can advise on a wide range of issues. Adults can contact the Helpline for guidance and support on issues affecting children, as well as for cases of suspected child abuse. People should always contact 999 if they suspect a child is in immediate danger.

One parent in Scotland told the Helpline*: “My son has been a victim of scammers online. He’s so withdrawn and hardly sleeping.

“He believed he was talking to a girlfriend online, the same age as him, and ‘she’ convinced him to send explicit images of himself. These were actually adult male scammers who are now demanding money from him, or they’ll leak his pictures.”

The NSPCC also operates a dedicated Whistleblowing Helpline, which can be contacted for any concerns around child protection issues within the workplace, or other professional organisations.

Childline, the charity’s free child counselling service, hears directly from children on the impact sexual abuse can have on their lives.

One young person in Scotland aged 15 told Childline*: “Today I told a friend about a family member sexually abusing me and it felt like such a weight off my shoulders. I was so young when it started and they’re still in my life; it’s confusing when they’re a normal family member to everyone else. I

“t has caused a lot of tears and self-hate. It’s scary talking about it but I knew I needed to tell someone like Childline.”

The NSPCC is calling on the general public, including those who work with children, to use the Helpline to express any concerns they may have regarding a child, even if they are not certain. In doing this, every person can play a part in keeping children safe from sexual abuse.

Kam Thandi, Helpline Director at the NSPCC, said: “The high numbers of child sexual offences being reported by the police in Scotland and across the UK are a warning to us all that more must be done to tackle this abuse.

“This new Helpline campaign, in partnership with the Home Office, will encourage the general public and professionals to reach out with concerns about child sexual abuse.  All of us must play our part in protecting children.

“The Helpline deals with concerns about children, no matter how big or small, and we’re encouraging adults to contact us. What is shared could be life-changing for a child experiencing sexual abuse.”

Any adults concerned about a child’s safety or wellbeing can contact the NSPCC helpline at help@nspcc.org.uk or by calling 0808 800 5000. Children can contact Childline on 0800 1111 or childline.org.uk.

Holyrood Committee to scrutinise amendment to Gender Representation on Public Boards Act

A change to the Gender Representation on Public Boards Act 2018 will be scrutinised by Holyrood’s Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee.

The Gender Representation on Public Boards Amendment (Scotland) (Bill) was introduced by the Scottish Government to amend the 2018 Act. The new Bill will remove the definition of “woman” in section 2 the 2018 Act, following a decision of the Court of Session made on 18 February 2023.

The specific definition that this short Bill will remove is: ““woman” includes a person who has the protected characteristic of gender reassignment (within the meaning of section 7 of the Equality Act 2010) if, and only if, the person is living as a woman and is proposing to undergo, is undergoing or has undergone a process (or part of a process) for the purpose of becoming female”.

The change will be scrutinised by the Committee, before it reports its findings to the Parliament as a whole.

The Committee has today opened a call for views to ensure people can share their views on the proposed change.

Kaukab Stewart MSP, Convener of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, said: “This Bill aims to make change the Gender Representation on Public Boards act, ensuring that the Parliament’s statute book is in compliance with recent rulings of the Court of Session.

“We want to ensure that the Government’s approach in this Bill does what it intends to do.

“If you have views on the proposal in the Bill, please share them with us in our call for views.”

The call for views is open today, Monday 8 January 2024, and will close on Monday 29 January 2024: 

https://yourviews.parliament.scot/ehrcj/gender-representation-public-boards-bill

Eight organisations share Victim Surcharge Fund backing

Organisations that support victims of crime have been awarded a total of £405,451 from a fund financed by penalties imposed on offenders who received a court fine.

Eight organisations – including Victim Support Scotland, Dumbarton District Women’s Aid, Migrant Help, The  Moira Fund, The Manda Centre, Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland (SOHTiS), Action Against Stalking and Dundee Women’s Aid – will share the funding to provide practical help directly to victims.

This is the fourth round of payments from the Victim Surcharge Fund, which was established in November 2019, and takes the latest funding to £1,322,437.

Victims and Community Safety Minister Siobhian Brown said:  “I am pleased the fund has provided support to so many people.

“Since financial awards were first made in January 2021, 14 different victim support organisations have benefited from this fund –  all of which have used the money to help people impacted by crime.

“It is only right that the people who commit crimes should pay towards helping those impacted to recover from the trauma and move on with their lives.”

Kate Wallace, Chief Executive of Victim Support Scotland, said: “Funding to VSS Emergency Assistance Fund made it possible to reach more than 1,400 victims of crime and their families with awards last year totalling over £400,000.

“Too many people face financial hardship as a result of crime, and this funding allows us to cover the costs of essential items such as food vouchers, rent, property repairs, alarms and funeral costs.”

The following organisations are set to benefit from the Victim Surcharge Fund in this round:

Victim Support Scotland (VSS)                                                           £300,000

Dumbarton District Women’s Aid                                                          £11,750

Migrant Help                                                                                         £28,540

The Moira Fund                                                                                    £14,500

The Manda Centre                                                                                £10,000

Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland (SOHTIS)                         £20,661

Action Against Stalking                                                                         £15,000

Dundee Women’s Aid                                                                           £5,000

COSLA: ‘Poverty gap in Scotland will continue to grow’

‘A BUDGET OF MISSED OPPORTUNITIES ON TACKLING POVERTY AND LITTLE FOCUS ON PREVENTION’

COSLA has described the Scottish Government’s Draft Budget as a missed opportunity for the communities of Scotland in relation to tackling poverty.

COSLA also added that Scotland’s Council Leaders, Councillors, the Local Government Workforce and communities should be treated with the respect they deserve demonstrated through investment, not cuts.

COSLA said:  “At a special meeting just before Christmas, there was dismay and frustration from Scotland’s Council Leaders about the way Local Government and the communities we represent had been treated in the Scottish Government’s Draft Budget.  As the Budget currently stands, communities will see and feel a range of negative impacts.

“COSLA’s ‘Councils are Key’ budget lobbying campaign set out the case for fair funding that would allow Local Government to deliver for the people of Scotland, particularly around tackling poverty, one of the three shared priorities laid out in the Verity House Agreement.

“The response from the Scottish Government to our Budget ask is disappointing and will mean that the potential that councils have to prevent problems occurring will be limited severely.

“Specifically on poverty, the Budget should have had a focus on tackling the root causes of poverty, particularly its impacts on children. This would have needed a greater prioritisation of the work councils do in prevention and early support.

“The essential social supports councils provide in homes, schools, hubs and communities that aim to support and empower people will be further eroded – this has been the case for a number of years now, due to poor Local Government settlements that cut core funding.

“Services that support Local Government to Keep the Promise made to Scotland’s care experienced children and young people like family support and youth work, are under threat as a result of the proposed Scottish budget. 

“Tackling poverty in Scotland will continue to be a significant challenge when councils do not have the resources they need to support communities.

“This year’s Budget presented the opportunity prioritise prevention and tackle inequity, to invest in communities and realise our ambitions to end poverty in Scotland.

“It did not deliver. Without a fair settlement for Councils, the poverty gap in Scotland will continue to grow. Investing in Local Government is key to a fairer Scotland.”

“The proposed Council Tax Freeze means that money which could have been invested in tackling poverty upstream – in families, communities and schools – is lost, missing a real opportunity to unlock Councils’ potential.

“COSLA’s President, Vice President and political Group Leaders from all parties have written to the Deputy First Minister and are seeking an urgent meeting.  

“Council Leaders will not let this lie, they simply cannot afford to because it will have such a detrimental impact on the communities they represent.”

‘The lungs of the world are collapsing at an alarming rate’

Westminster committee urges UK Government to act with urgency to tackle global deforestation

UK consumption is unsustainable, with the nation’s appetite for commodities including soy, cocoa, palm oil, beef and leather putting enormous pressure on forests, Westminster’s Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) warns today.

Forests host 80% of the world’s terrestrial biodiversity, support the livelihoods of 1.6 billion people and provide vital ecosystem services to support local and global economies. Deforestation threatens irreplaceable biodiverse habitats and contributes 11% of global carbon emissions.

The intensity of UK consumption on the world’s forests – its footprint per tonne of product consumed – is higher than that of China.

The EAC is calling on Ministers to develop a Global Footprint Indicator to demonstrate this impact to the public, and a target to reduce the UK’s impact on global deforestation. Such a measure will only be meaningful if sufficient monitoring and reporting is embedded for forest risks – including mining – so EAC recommends that the Government work with international partners to improve oversight in the UK and globally.

Through legislative provision in the Environment Act, the Government has committed to establishing a regime  to require forest-based commodities to be certified as ‘sustainable’ if they are to be sold into UK markets. At COP28 the Government announced that the first four of these commodities are to be cattle products (other than dairy), cocoa, palm oil and soy, which the EAC was pleased to see.

While the Government’s intention to tackle sustainability concerns of products is welcome, EAC is concerned  over the seeming lack of urgency about the implementation of this regime, given global commitments to halt and reverse current deforestation trends by 2030.

For instance, no timeline has been offered as to when this important legislation will be introduced, and its phased approach of incorporating products gradually into the regime does not reflect the necessity of tackling deforestation urgently.

The Government should also bring other forest-risk commodities, such as maize, rubber and coffee, into the certification regime as soon as possible to be ‘sustainable’. 

The Committee recommends that the Government strengthens the existing legislative framework so as to prohibit financial sector businesses from trading or using commodities linked to deforestation.

At global COP summits, the UK has been instrumental in delivering ambitious agreements to address global deforestation. However, despite this, the world does not appear to be on track to halt deforestation by 2030: a key commitment made during COP26 and at the Kunming-Montreal COP15 summit in December 2022.

The Government has announced large sums for programmes on climate and nature, amounting most recently to £11.6 billion with £1.5 billion earmarked for deforestation.

However, the Committee has heard concerns that  there is a lack of transparency over how this investment will be spent. The Committee is therefore calling for clarity from Ministers as to how the money will be used to support activities to halt and reverse deforestation.

The Committee was alarmed to hear from Global Witness that one person is killed every other day defending land and the environment. Indigenous peoples are protectors of the world’s forests and can possess detailed knowledge on biodiversity and ecosystem trends. It is therefore critical that they are facilitated to participate fully in negotiations to address deforestation activity.  

To fulfil its commitment to put environmental sustainability measures at the heart of global production and trade, the Government must ensure that biodiversity considerations are more consistently applied into its trade agreements and operations.

EAC therefore repeats its earlier calls for sustainability impact assessments to be conducted for all future trade agreements. Ministers must also develop strategies to monitor effectively and deliver environmental net gains in the UK’s international activity, including gains through halting and reversing deforestation.

Environmental Audit Committee Chair, Rt Hon Philip Dunne MP, said: “UK consumption is having an unsustainable impact on the planet at the current rate. UK markets must not be flooded with products that threaten the world’s forests, the people whose livelihoods rely on them and the precious ecosystems that call them home.

“Yet despite the recent commitment before and at COP28 to invest more in reforestation measures and The Amazon Fund to help halt the speed of global deforestation, the UK needs to take tangible steps to turn the dial at home.

“The Government’s ambition and stated commitment at COP26 to halt deforestation by 2030 was very welcome: but it is not on track now. Its legislation for a regime to require certain products to be certified as ‘sustainable’ before they can be sold in UK markets was welcome: but the implementing legislation has still not come forward. There is little sense of urgency about getting a rapid grip on the problem of deforestation, which needs to match the rhetoric.

“Countries all around the world contribute to deforestation, and the international community of course needs to do much more to tackle deforestation. Yet on some measures the intensity of UK consumption of forest-risk commodities is higher than that of China: this should serve as a wake-up call to the Government.

“To demonstrate genuine global leadership in this critical area, the UK must demonstrate domestic policy progress, and embed environmental and biodiversity protections in future trade deals.”

Letters: Volunteering with RNID

Dear Sir/Madam, 

Have you made your new year resolutions yet? Need one more? Why don’t you sign up as an RNID volunteer? 

RNID, the charity supporting people who are deaf, have hearing loss or tinnitus are looking for volunteers to support our vital work across Scotland. 

Last year, our volunteers gave more than 9,000 hours of their time to support people in their communities with practical information and essential hearing aid care. But with one in five adults in the UK being deaf or having hearing loss or tinnitus there is much more to do to make sure everyone in the UK gets support 

Volunteering for RNID could involve providing information to local organisations and community groups, helping people get the most out of their hearing aids, or giving a friendly welcome to everyone who passes through the door at one of our support sessions.  

Many of our volunteers have hearing loss themselves or in their family, and volunteering with us is a great way to meet new people, gain new skills and experience, try something new and help people in your community.  

What are you waiting for? For more information, visit rnid.org.uk/join or contact us on 0808 808 0123.  

Yours sincerely, 

Jackie White, Director at RNID 

Busy night for ambulance staff on Hogmanay

Ambulance staff had an extremely busy night across Scotland on Hogmanay as they dealt with 2,006 calls to Ambulance Control Centres between 7pm on New Year’s Eve and 7am on January 1st.

Hogmanay is traditionally one of the busiest nights of the year for the Service and during this year’s New Year’s Eve, there was an increase of 2.2 percent compared the same period in 2022.

The most intense period was between 1:30am – 2:45am where staff handled 328 calls – around a call every 15 seconds.

Julie Carter, On-call Executive Director with the Scottish Ambulance Service, said: “The overall level of demand for our service over the festive period has exceeded previous years and Hogmanay was one of our busiest nights of the year.

“Yet again, our staff in our Control Centres, on the frontline and support staff showed what an incredible group of dedicated professionals they are. They are a true credit to the SAS.

“This winter we continue to face significant challenges as a result of the time of year and continuing long hospital turnaround times at some hospitals which are stopping our staff from getting back out on the road to help other patients in need.

“To help our staff, we’d like to remind people to please only call 999 in a life-threatening emergency.

“If you need urgent care, but it’s not life-threatening, you can call NHS 24 on 111, day or night, or your GP during opening hours.”

‘Best ever’ year for local travel agency as holiday demand remains high

RECORD BREAKING YEAR FOR BARRHEAD TRAVEL CAMERON TOLL

Barrhead Travel Cameron Toll is set to close 2023 as its “best ever” trading year as demand for travel continues to soar.

The Glasgow-headquartered travel agency group has celebrated 11 consecutive record-breaking months since January 2023 and has forecast that the month of December will also conclude with record sales. Year to date bookings for the group are up by 26 percent, compared with 2019 sales which, before 2023, was the company’s best trading year.

Barrhead Travel’s performance is bucking the trend on the high street. Despite recent ONS figures indicating that October retail sales fell to the lowest levels since the 2021 lockdowns, the travel group says its retail network is “busier than ever” with sales in-store growing by more than 25 percent. The group attributes its strong retail performance to the continued demand for travel as well as consumers returning to reputable travel agents to book their holidays.

Forward bookings for 2024 are performing particularly well with the agency reporting that customers have been securing their annual holiday plans earlier than usual. Last-minute bookings for winter holidays remain a popular option with around 25 percent of new bookings travelling across the 2023/24 winter period.

Earlier this year, Barrhead Travel confirmed it would pursue further expansion during 2024 with multiple store openings planned for the year ahead. Investment will also be channelled into existing stores for refurbishments, additional full and part time roles, and new technology.

Victoria Dodds, Manager at Barrhead Travel Cameron Toll said: “Over the last year, we prioritised smart and sustainable growth, which has seen us deliver record breaking results. This year, we will have recorded our highest ever sales and we expect to continue that pace in 2024.

“Holidays remain a spending priority for consumers of all ages. The demand for a reputable travel agent is at an all-time high which is why we believe that now is the time to move ahead with further expansion throughout the UK.

“Retail travel is thriving, and communities across the country are benefiting from busy travel agency stores. Our commitment to investing in retail has never wavered and we’re excited to be bringing new jobs and opportunities as our expansion progresses over the coming 12 months.

“We are in the process of reviewing our new locations and we expect to announce details in the first quarter of 2024.” 

Barrhead Travel has also announced the addition of a USA specialist division which will be launching in early 2024 as part of its wider plans for organic growth.