All arrivals to Scotland from outside the Common Travel Area must book and pay for managed isolation in quarantine hotels to help protect against the importation of Coronavirus (COVID-19) from Monday (15 February).
Six hotels close to Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow airports with a combined capacity of 1,300 rooms will be used to implement the quarantine at a cost of £1,750 per individual traveller. Final costs for those not travelling alone are currently being worked through, as well as the details for a Managed Isolation Welfare Fund which will be launched for those who cannot afford the charge.
All arrivals must quarantine for at least ten days and will be tested twice for the virus – once on day two and once on day eight after arrival.
Existing travel exemptions will be strengthened, including limiting overseas training for elite sportspeople to athletes and coaches preparing for the Olympics and Paralympics.
A small number of arrivals will not be required to isolate, such as those involved in essential supply chains for goods coming into Scotland.
The Scottish Government will continue to engage with airports and discussions to secure a four nations approach to contracting the security, transport and accommodation services required are already under way.
As regulations to support the introduction of managed isolation are developed a range of offences and penalties to help ensure compliance will be considered.
It is still the case that all non-essential international travel is not permitted.
In a statement to Parliament the Transport Secretary urged the UK Government to match the comprehensive approach being taken by the Scottish Government.
Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said: “To manage the risk of importing new variants, and to give vaccine deployment the best chance of bringing us closer to normality here in Scotland, we have to place further limits on international travel.
“The UK Government has only committed to adopting this for travellers returning from “red list” countries. However, we know that is not sufficient and we will go further.
“The clinical advice is clear that a comprehensive system of managed quarantine is essential to minimise the impact of new COVID-19 variants.”
Travel conditions remain tricky today and weather forecasters advise only essential travel.
There will be occasional snow showers in the east. Edinburgh, Lothians and Borders seeing sunshine and a few snow showers, these becoming less widespread this afternoon. It will be very cold, maximum temperature 1 °C.
Tonight: Many places will have a dry, clear and very cold night. Still a chance of an isolated snow shower across the east. Widespread severe or very severe frost. Minimum temperature -10 °C.
Edinburgh Tram services are currently suspended due to weather conditions.
Good morning from Edinburgh Trams. Due to weather conditions, all services are currently suspended. Ticket acceptance in place with @on_lothianbuses. Apologies for any inconvenience. #edintravelpic.twitter.com/b1hObntt7b
LOTHIAN BUSES report that due to adverse weather buses are unable to serve Picardy Place and Leith Street and are instead diverted via London Road, Regent Road and Waterloo Place southbound only until further notice.
Car Won’t Start?
The RAC estimate that 28% of breakdown issues are battery-related, so it is best to keep it regularly maintained, charged and in good health.
This is one of the handiest pieces of advice at your disposal when the cold weather begins to creep in.
After all it is illegal to drive if your visibility is impeded and steamed up windows are the biggest culprit of this. Did you know that more often than not you will actually clear your windscreen faster using cold air than hot air?
The Freemasons are encouraging its 200,000 members to roll up their sleeves and volunteer to help vaccinate the population.
To help protect all UK citizens during this difficult time, the Freemasons have also offered their lodges to administer the vital jabs and many buildings are being used as Covid-19 vaccination centres.
In Hertfordshire, for example, Halsey Hall is being used as a vaccination centre and supporting three local GP surgeries. The centre has been operational since 15 January and once fully scaled, there will be up to 1,000 vaccinations given each day at the centre.
NHS frontline staff members are also administering the jabs at the Freemasons building in Essex. Meanwhile, Freemasons in south Wales are opening the doors of Barry Masonic Hall to local medical practices to help in the mass vaccination against Covid-19, from 21 January.
Two halls are also being used as vaccination centres in west Kent. At the Westwood Masonic Centre in Welling, more than 2,000 people were vaccinated on 9-10 January 2021, while the Tunbridge Wells Masonic Centre opened its doors for vaccinations on 14 January.
In addition, the United Grand Lodge of England (UGLE), the governing body for Freemasonry in England and Wales, is encouraging Freemasons to donate their time and efforts to help fight the virus. It also emphasised that those volunteering should not participate if they are in an at-risk group.
Freemason Alec Hurley is a retired RAF senior medical officer and a self-employed medical examiner for the Civil Aviation Authority. During these difficult times, he is back on duty working 12-hour shifts three times a week for clinical Covid-19 assessment, and as a clinical supervisor at the Stevenage super hub for vaccinations.
In many provinces, Freemasons are volunteering to help. In Devonshire, Lincolnshire, Leicester and Wiltshire they are assisting at vaccination sites, while in Dorset they are driving ambulances and working as volunteer vaccinators.
More than 100 Freemasons from Northamptonshire and Huntingdonshire have volunteered with St John’s Ambulance to help the NHS Covid-19 vaccination team. St John’s Ambulance is providing full training for the volunteers, while the Freemasons have made their buildings available to the St John’s logistics team.
Meanwhile, in Cheshire, Freemasons are working with the Clinical Commissioning Group to provide the local Masonic Hall as a major vaccination hub to protect patients.
The UGLE campaign is being carried out through its monthly email to members and official social media channels. The idea is to reach as members as possible, to encourage them to help immunise the population.
Dr David Staples, chief executive of the UGLE, said: “In 2018, more than 18.5 million hours of volunteer work were undertaken by Freemasons. Now that we have the vaccine in the UK, it is crucial that we help in every way we can to protect the population. If the NHS needs people, then we are happy to encourage and emphasise the importance of this to our members.
“We want to support the NHS and show our gratitude for its people’s efforts and the amazing job they have done during the pandemic. Freemasons always stand behind our core values of friendship, integrity, charity and respect – and we are proud to help so many people.”
According to the NHS, more than six million people had received a vaccine by 28 January. Britain has ordered 140 million vaccine doses – enough to protect the entire population. But the NHS faces a race against time to protect everyone before a possible new wave.
More than ever, efforts to vaccinate those most at risk from serious illness are now paramount, and there is a need to ensure that the NHS has as many volunteers as possible. To help the NHS in the vaccination campaign, volunteers should sign up at: https://nhsvolunteerresponders.org.uk
Volunteers will then receive an email with login details to sign up online and be asked to download the GoodSAM app, which will match the person to their area.
BT SUPPORTS MORE THAN 12,400 SCOTTISH JOBS, ACCORDING TO INDEPENDENT REPORT
Vital contribution made to economy continues during Covid-19 pandemic
BT Group employs 1 in every 10 employees in IT and communications sector in Scotland
Around 12,400 total jobs supported through direct and indirect effects
£167 million annual supply chain spend in Scotland
BT Group, its spend with contractors and suppliers, and the spending power of its employees, are responsible for supporting more than 12,400 jobs in Scotland, according to an independent report published today.
The Economic Impact of BT Group in the UK report, by consultancy firm Hatch, calculates that the communications and technology company generated more than £24 billion in gross value added (GVA) to the UK economy during the last financial year, including £1.2 billion in Scotland alone*.
The report estimates that around 12,400 full-time jobs in Scotland are supported by BT Group through direct and indirect effects. The firm also spent £167 million with suppliers based in Scotland, including those in the retail, construction and telecommunications industries.
BT Group has broadband and mobile networks spanning from the Scilly Isles to Shetland, built and maintained by some of the 82,800 direct employees it has in the UK. In the Scotland, the firm directly employs 7,240 people, with a further 205 employed as contractors.
The company is currently modernising its business, including investing in the UK’s largest workplace consolidation and modernisation programme, as it moves from 300 locations to around 30 as part of its Better Workplace programme.
The firm has announced plans to refurbish and expand its office in Glasgow as well as confirming plans for offices in Edinburgh and Dundee. More announcements are expected later this year, providing future-fit workplaces of the future for thousands of colleagues.
Last week BT unveiled plans to recruit dozens more apprentices and graduates in Scotland for its September 2021 intake. Meanwhile, Openreach, the digital network business, part of BT Group, announced in December that it would create 275 new full time engineering roles across Scotland this year.
Mark Dames, BT Group head of external affairs Scotland, said:“I’m immensely proud of the contribution our colleagues make in supporting the Scottish economy. At an important time for our country, our spending on people, networks and suppliers provides a vital economic boost. The wider impact of that spending helps to sustain communities and small businesses right across Scotland.
“In the past year, having good connectivity has become more important than ever as we’ve all had to work, learn and spend more leisure time online.
“Despite these challenges, our dedicated and determined colleagues have ensured EE’s 5G network has been extended to cover 125 UK towns and cities, including Stirling, Aberdeen and North Lanarkshire, built out Openreach’s full-fibre network to reach 4.1 million UK premises and EE’s 4G network now reaches 85 per cent of the UK.
“I know these significant investments will help to underpin the country’s economic recovery post-Covid.”
Employees from across BT Group, which includes Openreach, EE and Plusnet, have played a key role in keeping the country connected during the pandemic. The company has provided critical support to the NHS, SMEs via its Small Business Support Scheme and school children by providing unlimited broadband and mobile data, free and mobile data, free BT Wi-Fi vouchers and zero rating access to two of the most popular online education sites.
BT’s Consumer contact centres now handle 100% of customer calls in the UK, at centres from Dundee to Greenock. Since customer service for BT, EE and Plusnet customers was brought back to the UK and Ireland last year, more than 34 million calls have been handled.
Tracy Black, CBI Scotland Director, said: “With the Covid-19 pandemic continuing to have an unparalleled impact on our economy, and society, it’s great to see companies like BT continue to invest so significantly in Scotland and its communities.
“The value and impact of that investment is felt in high quality local jobs, economic growth and cross supply chains the length and breadth of the country.
“As we look to build a high tech, high skilled and more sustainable economy for the future, companies like BT will be at the heart of delivering the technology and connectivity needed to transform that vision into reality. The last twelve months, perhaps more than any other time, have shown us the value of true connectivity, not just for business and the economy, but for maintaining social connections and aiding mental health.”
Tim Fanning, Director at Hatch, said:“Our analysis underlines how vast BT Group’s contribution is to the UK economy as a whole as well as to individual communities in the nations and regions. Its presence across the country generates significant further activity and investment, supporting many thousands of jobs.”
Summary of results for year 2019/20 – Scotland:
• 7,240 employees directly working for BT Group, and 205 contractors (Full Time Equivalent – FTE) in Scotland
• 12,400 total FTE jobs supported (including indirect and induced effects) in Scotland
• £254 million total income of BT Group employees (including contractors)
• £167 million spend with suppliers based in Scotland
• £1.2 billion total GVA impact associated with BT Group activities (including indirect and induced effects) in Scotland
• BT Group employed 1 in every 10 in the IT and Communications sector and directly employed 1 in every 220 employees in the private sector across Scotland
• BT Group directly created £1 in every £170 of GVA in Scotland
• As a result of the full economic impact of BT Group, the firm supported £1 in every £115 of GVA in the Scottish economy and 1 in every 130 employees working in the Scottish economy
Morrisons is giving away 60,000 pizza-making kits across the UK this half term to help fight holiday hunger.
Colleagues working on Morrisons pizza counters in stores will each prepare 30 pizza kits per day, which will then be distributed to local schools and community groups to help support families in need via Morrisons Community Champions.
Each kit includes ready to roll pizza dough, tomato sauce, grated cheese and either peppers and sweetcorn or pepperoni and ham depending on whether families would like a meat or vegetarian option.
The kits also contain a recipe card with cooking instructions and details of a competition that families can enter to be in with the chance of winning £100 Morrisons vouchers. All they have to do is post a picture of their pizza tagging Morrisons on Instagram and include the hashtag #PizzaKitWin.
Morrisons pizza-kit donations follow the donation of over 75,000 lunchboxes to school children over the previous half term break in October 2020.
Sian Ayling, Head of Food To Go at Morrisons,said: “We want to ensure that as many children as possible have access to the food they need over the half term break, which is why we’re offering these pizza kits to those who need them in our local communities and would encourage as many people as possible to get involved with our competition.’
Morrisons also offers customers the option of buying their own ‘Pick Up Packs’, which are also distributed to local food banks, schools and community groups.
The packs’ cost between £1 and £5 and contain a nutritionally balanced mix of food products and other essentials that have been requested by the local community groups according to their needs.
The pre-packed parcels are available at the front of all Morrisons stores and are paid for at the checkout. The pack is then put aside in our dedicated donation areas ready to be passed on the local food banks and community groups.
A 33-year-old man has been arrested and charged in connection with an assault and robbery in Leith.
The incident happened around 4.35pm on Mon, 8 Feb, 2021, on Hamburgh Place. A report will be submitted to the PF and the man is due to appear at Edinburgh SC today (Thursday 18 February).
See original report below:
Police are appealing for witnesses following an assault and robbery in Leith. The incident happened around 4.35pm yesterday (Monday 8 February) on Hamburgh Place and involved an 82-year-old woman.
She was hit to the head from behind and her handbag was grabbed by a man, before being pushed to the ground in a struggle and her bag taken. Hear assailant then ran off on foot down Portland Street.
The woman suffered serious injury and was taken to Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for treatment to a broken hip, where she remains in a stable condition.The suspect is described as being a white man around 16 to 30-years-old and of a slim build. At the time of the incident he was wearing dark clothing and a dark hoodie with the hood up.
Detective Inspector Kevin Tait of Edinburgh CID: “This was a terrifying attack for the woman involved who has suffered serious injury and remains in hospital for treatment.
“Officers are reviewing CCTV footage in the area to help trace the person responsible for this and I would urge anyone with private or business systems in the area to please make this available to us.
“We are also appealing to anyone who was in the area at the time of the incident and saw anything which might be helpful to our enquiries to come forward.
“Similarly, anyone who might have been driving in the area and recording via dash-cam, please let us know if you captured anything which might be relevant to our investigation.”
Anyone with information should contact police on 101, quoting incident number 2375 of 8 February, or alternatively call Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.
The AD-Cademy, a free, 8-week virtual course has officially launched nationwide, kickstarting improved access to the advertising, marketing and digital industries for younger talent, no matter their background.
The course is targeted at 18-25 year-olds across the UK, to prioritise the next generation of creative stars entering the advertising industries in the wake of diminishing opportunities caused by the pandemic.
Developed by the award-winning employment inclusion project, Brixton Finishing School, the AD-Cademy’s aim is to ensure the progression of multicultural and working class talent into the creative and technology industries.
The programme has been designed with national reach and accessibility in mind, to ensure that fresh talent from the 20 most challenged places in the UK and Scotland, including Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow, stop being overlooked by agencies which can have a London-leaning bias when it comes to recruitment.
The programme is packed with industry masterclasses and professional skills workshops. It has been created to upskill participants in key aspects of marketing, creativity, and digital, help build their networks and increase the chance of them securing a role through employability workshops including personal branding, accountability, interview tips, and CV writing.
The course modules have been designed to allow participants to learn from home and fit it in around their schedule, and graduates will have an opportunity to be placed in the industry at an agency. 200 young people are actively learning in the course so far.
The AD-Cademy is supported by big name sponsors including KFC, and will feature presentations and workshops from some of the biggest advertising and media agencies and technology partners, including Adam & Eve DDB, Saatchi & Saatchi, R/GA, GSK, Mail Metro Media, Clear Channel, Kinetic, Wolff Olins, Blis, RAPP, AD YOU LIKE, Anomaly, Amplify, Brand Advance, Oglivy, 21st Century Brand, Oliver, Westmill, M&C Saatchi and 1000 Heads.
Launched in 2018, the Brixton Finishing School is the brainchild of Ally Owen, former exec at Unruly, MailOnline and Yahoo. Ally saw the urgent need to diversify talent in advertising and encourage untapped talent from traditionally underrepresented backgrounds – whether multicultural, neuro-diverse, or female – into the industry through training and work experience.
Ally Owen, Founder of Brixton Finishing School said: “The AD-cademy is a game-changing moment for the rebalancing of the future talent pipeline at scale. Young people in Liverpool, Burnley, Manchester, Glasgow and all across the country will have access to amazing teachings from some of the stars of the creative and media industries.
“The AD-Cademy will be an awesome self-serve learning platform of lectures, as well as showcases and events that will enrich young people’s knowledge of the advertising industry.
AllyOwen concluded: “Covid-19 is having a hugely negative impact on young people’s futures across the country. Internships and work experience opportunities have been put on ice as businesses look to stay afloat, and entry-level roles have all but disappeared.
“Brixton Finishing School’s mission has always been to break down the barriers that prevent young people from working class, multicultural and neurodiverse backgrounds having an equal chance to succeed in their careers. It’s also incredibly important to challenge companies to see the massive value you get from a diverse and inclusive workforce.”
We are asking Edinburgh pupils from 5 to 18 years to take part in our local Greenpeace competition to show Edinburgh councillors how much they love green accessible spaces and what they think the future of active travel should look like.
The Greenpeace Art and Photography Competition runs until 13th February. Posters and photographs should be emailed to greenpeace-edinburgh@live.co.uk.
This competition gives younger generations the chance to have their voices heard and celebrate what they like about the changes made so far.
Categories are age appropriate and entries will be judged by Councillors on the Transport and Environment Committee alongside local artists and representatives from cycling and wheeling organisations in Edinburgh. The winning pictures will be used in future Greenpeace campaigns to highlight local transport improvements.
Why – Transport is the UK’s single largest source of greenhouse gas emissions. Greenpeace Edinburgh Local Group is calling on the local council and the Government to invest more money into walking, cycling and green public transport, rather than building new roads.
The pandemic has helped us to appreciate our city with less cars on the streets and the corresponding reduction in noise, air pollution, or danger to cyclists and pedestrians. We want children to engage with this important topic as it will shape their future living spaces.
During February half-term, we are hosting an art competition to celebrate our existing low traffic neighbourhoods, cycling paths and other active travel infrastructure. Pupils are asked to submit their ideas, solutions, or simply their favourite active-travel locations as a photo or in form of a poster.
Producers of Scotland’s largest community choir, Love Music, have ‘blind date’ matched five of Scotland’s most talented songwriters with five community choirs busy keeping the music alive despite lockdown across the country.
They will now come together to create five new works to share with the world in August this year, sharing their experience as they go.
Photos: Earnsong
The pairings of a diverse range of organisations and individuals across Scotland, from Moray, West Highlands, Falkirk, Lanarkshire and Perth & Kinross are:
Sing Mor, a small Scottish folk/roots project in rural Lochaber near Fort William, is only 18 months old but its singers are managing to run online weekly sessions and creating some lovely vocal recordings together. The song leader describes herself as self-taught and avidly learning on the hoof. Through the accessible nature of zoom, they now have regular singers from across the West of Scotland and the Islands. Sing Mor will be working withDebbie Armour, one half of the Scottish folk duo Burd Ellen, who are sonic adventurers combining innovation with a deep love of traditional song.
Stonehouse Male Voice Choir is one of longest formed groups which began in a builder’s yard in Stonehouse in Lanarkshire in 1936 as a lunch time sing. With over 40 members aged from 12 to 80+ the choir has managed to run some sessions using familiar repertoire but feel there is more to be done to try and bring more of their members on board and tackle the digital isolation some of their group are facing.
As they haven’t learned any new songs since lockdown, they are excited to take up the challenge. They will be collaborating with highly respectedsongwriter Penny Stone. One of the most active song leaders in the Scottish sector Penny uses singing to support people living with chronic health conditions such as Parkinson’s and dementia and is passionate about peace and social and environmental justice.
Fochabers Community Sing in Moray is a project run by Lizzie, who has been a music teacher and music therapist and is now delivering fun and accessible community focused projects in her local area.
Since the first lockdown she has turned her hand to making instructional videos of specially arranged songs, contemporary and pop, asking people to send in their own recorded versions and mixing them into joyful music films for people to share.
Their songwriter collaborator is emerging artist Zac Scott. Zac is a Glasgow based acoustic singer-songwriter with a pop sensibility who has spent the past two years writing and recording a unique collection of songs inspired by Scotland and Iceland, leading to the release of his debut album in 2020.
Earnsong, a project from Comrie in Perth & Kinross who describe themselves as a close and supportive community, have worked hard to embrace new digital platforms. They love harmony and are up for anything. Challenge us! is what they said on their application!
To keep local spirits up since March 2020, they have been making musical video gifts to share with friends and residents in their local care home. Earnsong will work with Djana Gabrielle, a French-Cameroonian singer-songwriter who has been honing her craft on the Scottish music scene for a few years. Djana was a 2019 Celtic Connections Danny Kyle Stage Winner.
Photo: Djana Gabrielle
Freedom of Mind Choir is a welcoming, inclusive and supportive project in Falkirk that provides opportunities for their members to focus on the benefits of singing for good mental health.
They have been working hard to address digital exclusion during the pandemic and creating weekly learning videos. They will be working on a new collaboration with Hannah Fredsgaard-Jones who was born in Denmark and is now living in Glasgow. Hannah is a singer, songwriter, composer and audio documentary maker. Rooted in storytelling, her work encompasses folklore, memory, voice and intimacy.
Stephen Deazley, Love Music’s artistic director said: “The recruitment process for choirs was fascinating and moving in equal measures. Each application really conveyed their own style, a strong sense of identity, purpose and musical interests.
“The work and efforts that everyone is doing in this difficult time is so inspiring, producing videos and running online sessions, phone calls to stay connected, newsletters, songwriting, homemade DVDs, intergenerational and family projects, filmed musical gifts for friends and family living in care settings – all are testament to the importance of community singing to our health and creative well-being.
“You get a real sense of determination, resilience, personal and collective motivation and great acts of kindness – there were more than a few tears on our ‘at-home’ desks during the selection process.
“A big thanks to all our applicants. It was great to be introduced to such a range of choirs and songwriters from the length and breadth of Scotland. This country has more than its fair share of diverse songwriting talent and such a long history of musical innovation especially in folk and indie music, it’s always punched well beyond its weight. We were truly inspired, and sad to have to select only five.”
Love Singingis a community engagement initiative aimed at promoting and supporting creative, healthy singing communities across Scotland.
It focuses on collaborative practice, connecting choirs across the country, addressing digital isolation, increasing tech skills and confidence, and buddying up with professional songwriters to commission five brand new songs and a bank of useful and accessible song resources, providing information and motivation to help people stay connected in these challenging times.
The project is made possible with funding from Creative Scotland.
The 8-month project through to August 2021 will tackle the ongoing challenges of distanced rehearsals and remote learning head on, sharing the journey as it happens through a series of blogs, and creating an online information bank of what is learned, sharing the trials and triumphs with choir leaders across Scotland.
Westminster’s Women and Equalities Committee has published its report on coronavirus and the gendered economic impact. The report has found that the economic impact of coronavirus has affected men and women differently. This is because of existing gendered economic inequalities, the over-representation of women in certain types of work and the actions the Government has taken.
Conduct an Equality Impact Assessment of the Job Retention Scheme and the Self Employed Income Support Scheme. This should draw on existing inequalities and would better protect those already at a disadvantage in the labour market, including women. It could also inform more effective responses to future crises.
Assess the equality impact of the Industrial Strategy and the New Deal, and analyse who has benefited from the industrial strategy. Priorities for recovery are heavily gendered in nature, with investment plans skewing towards male dominated sectors.
Conduct an economic growth assessment of the care-led recovery proposals made by the Women’s Budget Group. (Treasury)
Maintain increases in support, including the £20 increase to the Universal Credit standard allowance. (Department for Work and Pensions)
Review the adequacy of and eligibility for Statutory Sick Pay. Women are over represented among those who are not eligible.
Legislate to extend redundancy protection to pregnant women and new mothers.
Review childcare provision to provide support for working parents and those who are job seeking or retraining.
Reinstate gender pay gap reporting and include parental leave policies, ethnicity and disability.
Provide better data to improve reporting and analysis on how gender, ethnicity, disability, age and socio-economic status interact to compound disadvantage.
Ensure that the Government Equalities Office and Minister for Women are more ambitious and proactive.
Committee Chair Caroline Nokes said: “As the pandemic struck, the Government had to act quickly to protect jobs and adapt welfare benefits. “These have provided a vital safety net for millions of people. But it overlooked the labour market and caring inequalities faced by women.
“These are not a mystery, they are specific and well understood. And yet the Government has repeatedly failed to consider them.
“This passive approach to gender equality is not enough. And for many women it has made existing equality problems worse: in the support to self-employed people, to pregnant women and new mothers, to the professional childcare sector, and for women claiming benefits. And it risks doing the same in its plans for economic recovery.
“We heard evidence from a wide range of organisations, including Maternity Action, the National Hair and Beauty Federation, the TUC, the Professional Association of Childcare and Early Years, the single parents campaign group Gingerbread, the Young Women’s Trust and the Women’s Budget Group. And written evidence from many more.
“The message from our evidence is clear: Government policies have repeatedly skewed towards men—and it keeps happening.
“We need to see more than good intentions and hoping for the best. The Government must start actively analysing and assessing the equality impact of every policy, or it risks turning the clock back.
“Our report sets out a package of twenty recommendations for change and a timescale. Taken together, these will go a long way towards tackling the problems and creating the more equal future that so many women—and men—want to see.
“The Government should seize this opportunity.”
Responding to today’s report by the Woman and Equalities Committee, which sets out how women have been disproportionately impacted by the pandemic, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady (above) said: “Women have been put in an impossible situation during the pandemic – often expected to work and look after children at the same time.
“Too many working mums are having to cut their hours or being forced to leave their jobs because they cannot manage.
“If ministers don’t act, women will be pushed out of the labour market. And that means women’s and children’s poverty will soar.
“Ministers must give all parents a temporary right to be furloughed now.
“And they must fix the UK’s lamentable support for working parents. That means giving all parents at least ten days’ paid parental leave each year, making real flexible working available to all, and funding childcare properly.
“Unless ministers strengthen rights and support for working parents, women’s equality risks being set back decades.”
On the committee’s recommendation to carry out and publish an equality impact assessment on how government policies have affected women, Frances O’Grady added: “The government must urgently carry out and publish equality impact assessments of all its policies during this pandemic.
“This crisis, and the government’s response to it, is deepening inequalities for women at work.”
A TUC survey of 52,000 working mums published earlier this month revealed that 9 in 10 had experienced higher levels of anxiety and stress levels during this latest lockdown.
Nearly three-quarters (71%) of those who had applied for furlough following the latest school closures have had their requests turned down.
The TUC says this situation results from the UK’s failure to help families balance paid work and childcare.
It is calling on the government to introduce:
A new temporary right to furlough for groups who cannot work because of coronavirus restrictions – both parents and those who are clinically extremely vulnerable and required to shield.
Ten days’ paid parental leave, from day one in a job, for all parents. Currently parents have no statutory right to paid leave to look after their children.
A right to flexible work for all parents. Flexible working can take lots of different forms, including having predictable or set hours, working from home, job-sharing, compressed hours and term-time working.
Give additional financial support to the childcare sector so that childcare providers can continue to offer support to working parents.
An increase in sick pay to at least the level of the real Living Wage, for everyone in work, to ensure workers can afford to self-isolate if they need to.
Newly self-employed parents to have access the self-employment income support scheme (SEISS).
