Over half (51%) of 6 – 15 year olds don’t talk to their parents about choosing what content to watch.
Four in ten (42%) parents say they’re concerned about what effect upsetting or disturbing content might have on their child’s development.
But the majority of parents (63%) agree films and TV shows are good springboards to talk to their children about difficult topics, including mental health and sexuality.
New research by the British Board of Film Classification (BBFC) has revealed that more than half (51%) of children aged 6 – 15 choose what to watch all or almost all of the time, without help from their parents.
The research, by YouGov, showed that as many as half (46%) of 6 year olds are regularly making their own decisions about what to watch without asking mum or dad. Four in 10 (42%) parents say they’re worried about the effect watching disturbing or upsetting content might have on their development.
Six in 10 (63%) parents of 12-15 year olds think that films and TV can be a useful springboard in starting difficult conversations with their children around topics like mental health and sexuality. And interestingly, three quarters of teens agree (72%).
When it comes to parents with young children, two thirds (65%) with 4-11 years olds say that content can help them start conversations about relationship breakdown, death, illness or bullying. And their children also agree (66%).
David Austin, Chief Executive of the BBFC, said: “It’s clear from our new research that young people and their parents need the right information to help them choose content well. It’s vital for children’s healthy development, and parents’ peace of mind, that they’re confident they’re pressing play on something that won’t cause harm or upset.
“It’s very encouraging that parents – and their children – are approaching each other to talk about depictions of issues they see on screen. That’s why we have comprehensive ratings info on our website, alongside our trusted and well known age ratings, which gives everyone an idea of what to expect.”
Girls are much more likely to talk about their mental health with a parent after watching content on a streaming service – with a quarter of 6 – 15 year old girls (25%) saying they’ve approached a parent after seeing something, compared to less than one in five (19%) boys.
Find out more information on the BBFC website www.bbfc.co.uk
Two test events to be played in front of home supporters
Two pilot Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) matches are to take place in front of 300 home supporters following extensive discussions involving Ministers and the football authorities.
The games – Aberdeen v Kilmarnock and Ross County v Celtic – on Saturday 12 September, have been approved after each of the home teams submitted detailed operational plans for the safe admission of fans.
Both home clubs have undertaken to ensure supporters attending will be local to their areas to keep travel to a minimum.
Proposed pilot events involving Rangers and St Mirren will not go ahead following the extension of coronavirus (COVID-19) restrictions in the west of Scotland.
Each of the home clubs will also provide a post-match report on operational delivery to inform guidance for future pilots. No date has been confirmed for the general resumption of stadia events outlined in the Scottish Government Route Map out of the COVID-19 crisis.
Sports Minister Joe FitzPatrick said: “No final decision has yet been taken regarding the general resumption of stadia events with restricted numbers of spectators and nothing should be taken for granted at this stage.
“However, the Scottish Government has agreed that the Scottish Professional Football League (SPFL) can hold two pilot events, each with 300 home supporters only, on 12 September.
“A lot of work has gone on behind the scenes in recent months to create the protocols and testing regimes to allow top-level professional sport in Scotland to resume, and this arrangement follows extensive discussions with the Scottish FA, SPFL and clubs about public safety – particularly in relation to physical distancing and hygiene measures.
“The football authorities and the clubs involved have also been able to review and learn from the pilot event staged by Scottish Rugby on 28 August and we are confident there will be strict protocols in place at these two initial pilot football events.
“We are keeping all pilot events under close review.”
SPFL Chief Executive Neil Doncaster said: “The Joint Response Group (JRG) is pleased to have received confirmation of pilot events at two Scottish Premiership fixtures on 12 September and I would like to thank the respective home clubs – and indeed all 12 Premiership clubs – for the comprehensive Return to Supporting plans.
“We look forward to building on the successful supporter rugby pilot at BT Murrayfield and I know that clubs take the responsibility for the safe return of supporters seriously. This is another significant step forward for Scottish football and I reiterate the importance of fans to our national game.
“The JRG will continue to liaise with all clubs, especially the home clubs, in the coming week to ensure all protocols and guidance are adhered to and that fans can look forward to a phased return to supporting their respective teams.”
The First Minister will make a full statement on Thursday (10 September) with a further update on COVID-19, including stadia events, as set out in the revised Scottish Government COVID-19 route map published on 20 August 2020.
Bill introduced ‘to protect jobs and trade across the whole of the United Kingdom’
Bill introduced to protect trade and jobs across the UK by preventing new burdens on business when the Transition Period ends
transfer of powers from the EU to the UK government to invest in businesses and communities across Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland as we recover from Covid-19
a new independent Office for the Internal Market (OIM) to be set up within the Competition and Markets Authority to monitor the smooth running of trade within the United Kingdom
the Bill will also set out limited and reasonable steps ensure that the government is always able to deliver on its commitments to the people of Northern Ireland
A new Bill to protect jobs and trade across the whole of the United Kingdom after the Transition Period ends will be introduced to Parliament today.
The UK Internal Market Bill will ‘guarantee companies can trade unhindered in every part of the UK as they have done for centuries, ensuring the continued prosperity of people and business across 4 parts of the UK, while maintaining our world-leading high standards for consumers, workers, food, animal welfare and the environment’ says the UK Government – but if enacted the Bill breaks international law.
From 1 January 2021, powers in a range of policy areas previously exercised at an EU level will flow directly to the devolved administrations in Holyrood, Cardiff Bay and Stormont for the first time. This will give the devolved legislatures power over more issues than they have ever had before, including over air quality, energy efficiency of buildings and elements of employment law, without removing any of their current powers.
Once the Transition Period ends, rules that have regulated how each home nation trades with each other over the past 45 years will fall away. Without urgent legislation to preserve the status quo of seamless internal trade, rules and regulations set in Scotland, England, Wales and Northern Ireland could create new barriers to trade between different parts of the UK, unnecessary red tape for business and additional costs for consumers. Data shows that the combined total sales from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland to the rest of the United Kingdom were worth over £90 billion in 2018.
The Bill will ‘avoid this uncertainty for business by creating an open, fair, and competitive market across the United Kingdom, ensuring regulations from one part of the country will be recognised in another’. Each devolved administration will still be able to set their own standards as they do now, while also being able to benefit from the trade of businesses based anywhere in the UK. The rules in this bill will also bind the UK government when acting on behalf of England in areas of devolved competence.
Business Secretary Alok Sharma said: “For centuries the UK’s internal market has been the cornerstone of our shared prosperity, delivering unparalleled stability and economic growth across the Union.
“This Bill will protect our highly integrated market by guaranteeing that companies can continue to trade unhindered in every part of the UK after the Transition Period ends and EU law falls away.
“By providing clarity over rules that will govern the UK economy after we take back control of our money and laws, we can increase investment and create new jobs across the United Kingdom, while our maintaining world-leading standards for consumers, workers, food and the environment.
“Without these necessary reforms, the way we trade goods and services between the home nations could be seriously impacted, harming the way we do business within our own borders. Now is not the time to create uncertainty for business with new barriers and additional costs that would trash our chances of an economic recovery.”
The Bill will also enable the UK government to provide financial assistance to Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland with new powers to spend taxpayers’ money previously administered by the EU. From January 2021, the UK will be able to invest in communities and businesses nationwide with powers covering infrastructure, economic development, culture, sport, and support for educational, training and exchange opportunities both within the UK and internationally – much of which were previously done at an EU level.
The transfer of powers from the EU to the UK government will complement and strengthen existing support given to citizens in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland by the devolved administrations, without taking away their responsibilities. A strong UK Internal Market, with the ability of the UK government to invest to support all parts of our Union, will help the UK government to deliver prosperity for businesses and communities across all parts of the UK, levelling up the country and strengthening the Union.
The proposals will allow the UK government to meet its commitments to deliver replacements for EU programmes, such as a UK Shared Prosperity Fund, replacing bureaucratic EU structural funds and at a minimum match the size of those funds in each nation.
The Bill will also set out limited and reasonable steps to ensure that the government is always able to deliver on its commitments to the people of Northern Ireland. The UK government remains fully committed to implementing the Withdrawal Agreement and Northern Ireland Protocol.
However, at all stages we must, as a responsible government, ensure that we have the ability to uphold our commitments to the people of Northern Ireland, preserve the huge gains of the peace process and protect Northern Ireland’s place in our United Kingdom – as set out in the Command Paper published in May.
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster Michael Gove said: The devolved administrations of the UK will enjoy a power surge when the Transition Period ends in December. Holyrood, Stormont and Cardiff Bay will soon have more powers than ever before and there will be no change to the powers the devolved administrations already have.
“This Bill will also give the UK government new spending powers to drive our economic recovery from COVID-19 and support businesses and communities right across the UK.
“No longer will unelected EU bodies be spending our money on our behalf. These new spending powers will mean that these decisions will now be made in the UK, focus on UK priorities and be accountable to the UK Parliament and people of the UK.”
The UK government has also laid out plans to establish an independent monitoring body, the Office for the Internal Market (OIM), to support the smooth running of trade within the United Kingdom.
The body will sit within the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) and provide independent, technical advice to parliament and the devolved administrations on regulation that may damage the UK’s internal market.
The reporting and monitoring role undertaken by the OIM will be non-binding and carried independently from ministers and devolved administrations, ensuring impartiality and transparency when developing its evidence.
Where there is a matter of dispute, the OIM will ultimately provide such reports to the UK Parliament and each of the devolved legislatures and it will be for these bodies, supported by their respective administrations and intergovernmental processes, to determine how to take action in response, minimising the need to seek court action.
Andrea Coscelli, CEO of the Competition and Markets Authority, said: The new independent Office for the Internal Market will stand ready to provide technical advice to the UK government and parliament and the devolved administrations and legislatures on the smooth running of trade within the United Kingdom. The CMA will ensure that the OIM fulfils its role with professionalism, impartiality and analytical rigour.“
Without this action to preserve the status quo of seamless domestic trade, businesses across the UK could face serious problems: a Welsh lamb producer could end up unable to sell their lamb in Scotland, or Scotch whisky producers could lose access to supply from English barley farmers. These proposals create certainty for businesses that might otherwise face a complex and increasingly fragmented regulatory environment.
The UK’s existing high standards across areas including environmental standards, workers’ rights, animal welfare and food standards will underpin the functioning of the Internal Market to protect consumers and workers across the economy. The UK government is committed to maintaining high standards in these areas, including in all free trade agreement negotiations.
More than 270 businesses, charities, academics and industry groups responded to a public consultation on the proposals, launched in July. Responses showed overwhelming support from businesses for the measures to avoid additional costs to doing business between different parts of the UK and providing vital certainty for firms from January 2021.
Try as they may to sell the Bill, the Westminster government’s decision to renege on parts of the agreement previously negotiated with the EU will see the UK set on a collision course with Brussels, making a ‘No Deal’ Brexit increasingly likely.
The controversial decision has seen the UK Government’s most senior lawyer quit his post over the plans to modify the Brexit withdrawal agreement. It is understood Sir Jonathan Jones, permanent secretary to the UK Government Legal Department, is unhappy with the new bill to be unveiled today – a Bill which government minister Brandon Lewis admits will ‘break international law’.
The Scottish Government has said it is impossible to recommend the Scottish Parliament gives consent to the UK Government’s Internal Market bill.
The bill, which will be published by the UK Government tomorrow, engages the Sewel Convention, and therefore the UK’s constitutional rules require the consent of Holyrood.
Constitution Secretary Michael Russell said if the UK Government refuses to respect the will of the Scottish Parliament it will demonstrate once more that the UK’s constitution provides no protection to the devolution settlement and the UK Government can ignore the rules whenever it chooses.
Mr Russell said there is no mechanism to challenge such disregard for accepted practice, demonstrating the UK is “not a genuine partnership of equals”.
Mr Russell said: “It beggars belief that the UK Government is asking the Scottish Government to recommend consent to the Internal Market Bill. This is not a genuine partnership of equals and we couldn’t recommend consent to a Bill that undermines devolution and the Scottish Parliament, and which, by the UK Government’s own admission, is going to break international law.
“This is a shabby blueprint that will open the door to bad trade deals and unleashes an assault on devolution the like we have not experienced since the Scottish Parliament was established. We cannot, and will not, allow that to happen.
“It will open the door to a race to the bottom on food standards, environmental standards and will endanger key public health policies such as minimum unit pricing. It will also deliver a hammer blow to the Scottish economy by making it harder for the UK Government to conclude Free Trade agreements if other countries think the UK won’t meet its obligations.
“As each day passes, it becomes clearer that the people of Scotland deserve the right to choose a better direction, to determine their own future. That is why, before the end of this parliament, we will set out the terms of a future independence referendum clearly and unambiguously to the people of Scotland, in a draft referendum bill.”
Scotland’s leading pro-EU organisation, the European Movement in Scotland, today condemns the UK Government’s Internal Market Bill as both a breach of faith with the EU and an assault on Scotland’s democratic devolved settlement.
In a strongly worded letter sent to Ursula von der Leyen, European Commission president, and other leading EU figures, EMiS says it disassociates itself entirely from the UK’s “reckless behaviour” that “puts at risk the rule of law” and “threatens peace on the island of Ireland.”
At the same time, EMiS vice-chair David Clarke condemns the bill’s proposal to confer sweeping powers on UK ministers over the devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland without any control by MPs, MSPs etc.
He says: “The Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government are having their powers cut against the democratic will of the voters of Scotland. This Bill is an assault on democracy.”
The full letter , also sent to Michel Barnier, EU chief Brexit negotiator, Charles Michel, European Council president, and David Sassoli, European Parliament president, is attached in full:
Dear President Von der Leyen,
I am writing on behalf of the hundreds of members and supporters of the European Movement in Scotland to let you, and all our EU friends and partners, know that we dissociate ourselves entirely from the reckless behaviour of the United Kingdom Government.
We share the view of the European Union that the Internal Market Bill is a breach of the undertaking in the Withdrawal Agreement to negotiate in good faith. It puts at risk the rule of law, it jeopardises arrangements for the continuation of peace on the island of Ireland and makes more likely a no deal outcome to the EU/UK trade negotiations. We utterly condemn this disgraceful and underhand proposal and support the EU’s demand that international law is upheld. It is not in our name.
In addition, we want to express our concern that the democratic settlement in Scotland is being undermined by this same legislation. As analysis by the Centre on Constitutional Change makes clear, the Internal Market Bill gives UK ministers new powers to control a wide range of devolved matters.
The devolved nations are to have no role in defining the internal market. UK Ministers will gain sweeping powers and can get more, through statutory instrument rather than fully scrutinised primary legislation.
The mutual recognition principle in the Bill means that goods, services and professionals meeting the standards of any part of the UK can be traded or work in all the others, and as England is by far the largest part, and the UK Government sets the rules there, it will decide. This is not a partnership of equals.
Further powers are given to UK ministers to spend in devolved areas. UK ministers can also decide the conditions of such spending. So the UK will gain more powers and it will exercise them on its own. There is no equivalent in the UK to the binding subsidiarity and proportionality principles in the EU. The Scottish Parliament and the Scottish Government are having their powers cut against the democratic will of the voters of Scotland. This Bill is an assault on democracy.
We in the European Movement in Scotland campaign relentlessly for membership of Scotland, and the wider UK, in the EU and for EU values of democracy, the rule of law, international solidarity etc. You will know that the voters of Scotland chose by a significant majority in the 2016 referendum to Remain in the EU. We ask that our friends and partners in Europe leave a light on for Scotland’s European future.
I am writing in similar terms to M. Barnier, to the President of the European Council and to the President of the European Parliament.
Appeal to younger people: please think about your loved ones
Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House, yesterday (Tuesday 8th September):
Good afternoon, and thanks for joining us again today. As usual I will take us through the daily COVID statistics starting with today’s positive cases.
I can report that an additional 176 cases were confirmed yesterday. That represents 2.3% of people newly tested yesterday and takes the total number of cases now to 21,719.
As usual the full health board breakdown will be published on the website later on, but I can give you the provisional information I have which is that 91 cases are in Greater Glasgow & Clyde, 32 in Lanarkshire, 16 in Lothian and 8 in Ayrshire and Arran.
The remaining 29 cases are spread across the other seven mainland health boards.
And it is worth me stressing today that we have positive cases reported today in every mainland health board area.
I can also confirm that 267 patients are currently in hospital with COVID, that is 11 more than yesterday and six people are in intensive care, which is one more than yesterday.
I am also very sad to report that in the past 24 hours, three deaths have been registered of patients who first tested positive over the previous 28 days. The total number of deaths, under this measurement, is now 2,499.
Today is the first occasion on which three deaths have been reported in our daily figures since 30 June.
This reminds us of the impact that the virus has had, and continues to have. But most of all of course, that figure speaks of three individual tragedies.
I want to send my condolences to those who are grieving as a result of the deaths reported today, and to everyone who has lost a loved one during this pandemic.
My remarks today are going to focus very much on the announcement that the Scottish Government made last night about the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board area and then say something about the more general situation.
The Scottish Government’s Resilience Committee met late yesterday afternoon to discuss the restrictions which were put in place a week ago today in Glasgow, East Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire.
We considered a report from the Incident Management Team, and consulted the representatives of the local authorities affected.
Having assessed the latest information about new cases, and assessed advice from our senior clinical advisors, the Scottish Government decided yesterday that existing restrictions must remain in place for these three local authority areas.
We also concluded – on the evidence presented – that the restrictions should also be extended to cover two other local authority areas in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde health board region and those two additional council areas where Renfrewshire and West Dunbartonshire, both of these areas recorded a high number of new cases in the past week.
So that means that for anyone who lives in these five local authority areas, just as a reminder that is Renfrewshire, West Dunbartonshire, Glasgow City, East Dunbartonshire and East Renfrewshire, that the following restrictions will apply for at least the next week.
Can I just recap, I think I may at one point have mixed up East Dunbartonshire and West Dunbartonshire, the restrictions were in place last week for West Dunbartonshire and they are now in addition in place for East Dunbartonshire. So, East Dunbartonshire, West Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire, East Renfrewshire and Glasgow City, just in case I didn’t mention all of these areas correctly. So let me recap what the restrictions that are in place in these areas are.
First, if you live in these council areas, you should not host people from other households in your own home, and you should not visit someone else’s home – no matter where it is.
And to use my own example, I live in Glasgow City, I should not have people in my home and nor should I visit my parents who live in Ayrshire even though Ayrshire is not one of the affected council areas.
Secondly, if anyone in a household is identified as a close contact of someone who has tested positive for COVID – then we are advising everyone in that household should self-isolate for 14 days.
That is different to the normal rules – where only the person who is a contact has to isolate – but our advice is that this extension is essential at this stage to help us break the chains of transmission.
And finally, visiting in care homes across Greater Glasgow and Clyde is restricted to outdoor visits only unfortunately, except for essential visits. Hospital visiting is for essential purposes only.
More details – including information about exceptions to the rules on household meetings, for carers and extended households – are available on the Scottish Government website.
I know that these rules are really unwelcome. As I already said, I live in Glasgow, and know how frustrating they are and I, just like all of you watching, do not want them to be in place for any longer than is necessary.
But overall I believe that they represent a proportionate – and hopefully effective – but also absolutely necessary response to a worrying increase in COVID across these areas.
The restrictions will be reviewed again next week. They will stay in place for as long as they are needed – but not for any longer than that.
Yesterday’s meeting also discussed the situation in other parts of Scotland – such as Inverclyde, and North and South Lanarkshire. At the moment, the number of new cases in these areas does not warrant additional restrictions – however this will be kept under close review.
We also discussed the hospitality sector.
The evidence we have at this stage suggests that house gatherings – which by their nature are hard to regulate for things like physical distancing – have made the biggest contribution to the spread of COVID across Greater Glasgow and Clyde.
They are also a setting in which older and more vulnerable people are often most at risk of infection because older and more vulnerable people are perhaps more likely to socialise at home rather than visit pubs and restaurants.
As a result, our restrictions focus on meetings in people’s houses. However some transmission we know is taking place in pubs and restaurants, and so we will also keep that under close review.
We will discuss with the five local authorities concerned, what further steps we can take to ensure that pubs, bars and restaurants are operating in line with all the necessary rules.
In doing that, we will learn lessons from the work that environmental health officers did in Aberdeen before pubs and bars there were able to re-open.
One point I would stress here, though, is that there has always been – and there remains – a responsibility for customers.
The rules on indoor meetings still apply in pubs.
So when you go out there should be now more than eight people from a maximum of three households in a group in a pub or restaurant; and different households should physically distance.
If you arrive in a bar which is a bit too crowded, and where physical distancing is difficult, then my strong advice would be not to stay there. Try to find a venue that is less busy.
And when you do go out, it is far better to stay in one pub than to visit several.
If you spend time in three or four different bars, you are significantly increasing the number of people who could transmit COVID to you.
And if you have COVID, but don’t yet have symptoms, you are significantly increasing the number of people you could infect.
In addition, if you think about how Test and Protect system works, one person visiting several pubs in a night or a week, creates a far bigger challenge to them than someone who just stays in one venue.
So please, try to ensure that you stay in the same place if at all possible. It makes a difference to your safety and also to the safety of those around you.
This is an area which is hard to regulate, and we do not want if we can avoid it, have to create rules or laws.
But there is, very clearly, a responsibility for individuals here.
The hospitality sector has reopened, and we want people to support the sector and of course to be able to safely enjoy themselves.
But we are still living in a global pandemic and that pandemic is now accelerating again across the country and of course and it is still accelerating across the world. So you should not be socialising in the same way as you were last year or the earlier part of this year before the pandemic struck
I also want to take the opportunity to remind you again that the international situation remains very volatile too – we see the number of cases raising in many countries across Europe and further afield so my advice is that you should still be cautious at this time about non-essential foreign travel.
The final point I want to make is that the situation I have outlined today is a sharp reminder for all of us– not just people in Greater Glasgow and Clyde but for all of us – that COVID unfortunately is spreading again.
That was always likely to happen when we substantially lifted lockdown.
That means we have to think carefully about whether it is safe or possible to open up further at this stage.
It is only fair that I signal now that – while final decisions have not been taken – when we do our latest three weekly review on Thursday, we may well not be able to go ahead with any further easing of restrictions at this time.
Obviously we want to do everything possible to avoid the situation where more restrictions that have been lifted have to be re-imposed.
And the key to avoiding that rests with all of us. The decisions we all make as individuals, still affect the safety and well-being of our communities.
So please do everything you can to avoid creating a bridge for the virus to cross over from one person to another or one household to another, if you do that there is less chance of you getting the virus and less chance of you transmitting the virus and less chance of course of you being contacted by Test and Protect and asked to self-isolate as a contact of someone who has tested positive
And before I finish briefly let me again, like I did yesterday, take head on an argument that we hear more frequently just now – and that argument is that because the virus is, at the moment, infecting more young people than old people, and because we are not yet seeing a sharp rise in serious illness or deaths, then we don’t need to worry about this.
That is, in my view, potentially a really dangerous delusion.
Firstly, the risk of a young person getting seriously ill or dying is thankfully lower – but it is not zero. And I would ask people of all ages to remember that.
Second, we are seeing warning signs here already. I have reported three deaths today – that’s the first time I’ve had to do that in more than two months, so we should listen to the warning signals that already here.
And thirdly, we don’t live in entirely generationally segregated ways. If transmission becomes established in the younger population, it will eventually reach the older, more vulnerable population.
So to younger people, please think about your loved ones as well as yourselves, which I know everybody does.
And to older people, be even more vigilant about hygiene and distancing if you are spending time with young relatives who may have been in pubs or restaurants.
And to all of us, let’s treat the current situation with the seriousness it most certainly merits.
Abide by the rules and remember that the simplest way in which all of us can deny the virus the opportunity to spread, is by following the FACTS advice.
These are the five golden rules that all of us must follow to protect ourselves, our families, our communities, protect the NHS and ultimately let’s not lose sight of this, save lives. So let me just end with a reminder of these five rules.
• Face coverings should be worn in enclosed spaces • Avoid crowded places, whether they are indoor or outdoor. • Clean your hands and clean hard as well. • keep to Two metre distancing where ever you can. I know that that can be difficult, but it remains a really vital protection against this virus spreading. • and remember to Self-isolate, and book a test, if you have symptoms of COVID.
It’s not easy for any of us to do all of this, but doing all of this helps us individually to contribute to a situation where collectively we have the best chance of keeping this virus under control, so my thanks to all of you for joining us again today.
Social gatherings above six banned in England from 14 September
Social gatherings of more than six people will be illegal in England from Monday following a steep rise in coronavirus cases.
A law change will ban larger groups meeting anywhere socially indoors or outdoors, but it will not apply to schools, workplaces or Covid-secure weddings, funerals and organised team sports.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson will confirm details of the new restrictions later today.
Strike Action Starts Tomorrow Over ‘Derisory’ Pay Offer
Workers at Edinburgh biscuit manufacturer Burton’s will start the first of three 24-hour strike actions tomorrow morning (Wednesday 9 September) over the company’s refusal to improve a “derisory” pay offer.
Over 200 GMB members will take part in the action after the company failed to cooperate with union attempts to enter conciliation and negotiate improvements to the existing 1.6 per cent offer for 2020-21.
A smaller socially distanced picket line will be enforced from 6am tomorrow until 05.59 hours on Thursday morning, complying with the UK industrial action laws and Scottish Government public health guidelines on COVID-19.
An indefinite “work to rule”, including an overtime ban, started this afternoon at 14.00 hours.
GMB Scotland Organiser Benny Rankin said:“This dispute strikes at the heart of the debate around fair work and decent pay in the Scottish economy.
“The fact management claim to be shocked at our union’s claim for a rise that would put just 65 pence an hour more on the wages of the lowest paid shows you how out of touch they are.
“Burton’s somehow think it is credible to offer just 14 pence an hour more to their lowest paid:that’s derisory given many of their workers make the living wage and just over or under £10 an hour.
“After everything they have done for the business, and particularly against the backdrop of the COVID pandemic, our members are ready to fight to make their work better.”
Since the appearance of Covid-19 pet ownership has been on the increase. Lockdown has brought a variety of changes to our lives and for many families adding a new canine friend has been a popular choice due to lockdown and months of isolation.
Problems arise once a new puppy or dog is brought into the home and understanding the right type of care to give can be a struggle.
Perfect-Pets books have published a new guide entitled Which Dog?An Essential Guide to Britain’s 20 Most Popular Breeds. Beautifully illustrated with colour photos it is a book that all the family can enjoy that helps dog lovers decide which breed is best for them and offers tips on the type of care they will need.
Owning a new dog certainly has its rewards but knowing which dog to choose can be a difficult choice to make. Some breeds require high-octane activity while others enjoy quieter solitude. The type of home an owner has may or may not be suitable for the type of breed that is desired.
In the beginning a puppy is very cute but depending on the breed that same puppy can grow into a very large dog that needs a great amount of attention, space and exercise. This can be disconcerting for some owners who might prefer a smaller dog, or a dog that has a quieter nature that requires less fuss.
In general, pet ownership has increased due to Covid-19. A recent survey has found that nearly half of all pet owners in the UK added at least one new furry friend during lockdown and 10% of British households currently without pets intend to get one in the next six months.
These are staggering statistics but with 37% of pet owners working from home during the height of the pandemic it was inevitable that owners would get closer to their pets and be tempted to bring another one into their home.
Lockdown has also brought the darker side of dog breeding into the spotlight, as demand soared. Google searches for “buy a puppy” increased by 166 percent since lockdown was announced on 23 March 2020. The increase in demand has caused an upswing in prices for puppies which is a worry for breeders and charities. Siberian
Husky breeder Stephen Biddlecombe points out they have been inundated with emails from prospective owners. He says: “A puppy is a puppy only for a few weeks and then that puppy grows into an adult, an adult dog, and you’ve got a completely different animal on your hands, as you can see.”
It is feared that not all breeders are acting appropriately. The Kennel Club’s Bill Lambert said some breeders had hiked their prices and there is concern that some buyers would look abroad, where welfare standards can be lower. He said: ‘We are hearing stories that some breeders are actually profiteering.”
As many workers return to their jobs and children go back to school there is a worry that the novelty of owning a new puppy or dog will wear off and they will be abandoned or dropped off at a rescue centre.
Since Covid-19 rescue centres have seen an increase in the number of abandoned dogs as rising unemployment hits record levels. The public has shown great interest in adopting or fostering dogs during the crisis, but Dogs Trust said: “Dog ownership is a wonderful thing, but it is a lifelong commitment which must be carefully considered.
“As our saying goes, ‘a dog is for life’ and, in this case, not just for self-isolation.”
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Morrisons has cut and will hold down the price of over 400 of the most popular items to make good food affordable for families this autumn.
With the UK now in recession and some family budgets under pressure, Morrisons yesterday reduced the prices of the 400 essentials by an average of 23 per cent.
Morrisons has already cut the price of over 800 customer favourites across its stores since last year.
This week’s cuts will span Morrisons fresh food, store cupboard staples and cleaning. Products will include fruit and veg, meat and poultry, bread and cornflakes, rice and pasta, plus bleach, cleaning fluid and toilet rolls.
The lower prices are intended to help families returning to work and school. For example, the cost of a family lunch box will be coming down as will the cost of the nation’s most often cooked meal spaghetti bolognese with beef mince, ragu sauce and own-brand spaghetti all coming down in price.[1]
David Potts, Morrisons Chief Executive said: “It’s been a tough year for many families who find themselves stretched. To play our full part in feeding the nation, we’re cutting prices and holding them low to make our food more affordable for everyone. These are not short term promotions these are price cuts that are here to stay.”
Morrisons has been listening carefully to customers who have said that budgeting and value for money have become more important since the Covid-19 pandemic started. Many are worried about its effect on the British economy[2].
The report, published in June, made a number of recommendations about supporting those claiming Universal Credit, as well as legacy benefits and those with no recourse to public funds due to their immigration status.
It also made recommendations on the HSE and called on the DWP to develop a strategy for dealing with the effects of the economic downturn.
Committee Chair Stephen Timms MP has now written to the Secretary of State Thérèse Coffey MP to press the Department on a number of points not addressed by the Government response.
Rt Hon Stephen Timms MP, Chair of the Work and Pensions Committee, said: “We don’t necessarily expect the Government immediately to accept every recommendation we make. But we do expect that it will at least explain its position. This response to our report leaves many questions unanswered.
“In the course of our inquiry, we heard concerns that the Government’s very welcome increases to some benefit rates would be undermined by the benefit cap. Ministers assured us in April that only a small number of people would be affected. In fact, DWP’s own statistics show that 84,000 households were newly capped between February and May this year.
“The Secretary of State also assured the House in May that she was looking very carefully at what could be done for people who had mistakenly applied for Universal Credit and left themselves worse off as a result. We recommended that the Government act urgently to put this right. It now seems that nothing is going to be done for these people. If that’s the case, the Government should say so clearly, and explain why.
“Just as importantly, there seems to be little acknowledgement of the role of the Department in planning for future pressure on the social security system. There needs to be a firm commitment to analysing how coronavirus has affected levels of poverty and a clear strategy—available for public scrutiny— for coordinating the employment response to the economic downturn.”
New legislation which would incorporate the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into Scots law and allow children to take public authorities to court for breaches of their rights is to be considered by a Holyrood Committee.
The Bill legally obliges public authorities – including Scottish Ministers – to respect children’s rights, placing them under a duty not to act incompatibly with the UN Convention, while Ministers will also be required to make a Children’s Rights Scheme to set out how it will comply with the duty.
Children and representatives acting on their behalf will be able to challenge public authorities in court for infringing their rights, and the new legislation will allow the courts to strike down legislation that is incompatible with any UNCRC requirements.
The Bill also provides new powers to the Children and Young People’s Commissioner in Scotland (CYPCS) to litigate in the public interest, which would enable the Commissioner to take cases to court on behalf of children and provide advice to courts about the Convention.
Committee Convener, Ruth Maguire MSP, said: “The UNCRC is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in the world and this Bill aims to incorporate the treaty into domestic law so that all children in Scotland – whatever their ethnicity, gender, religion or abilities – have their rights respected.
“We want to hear from children and young people, as well from public authorities and third sector organisations, about whether they think this legislation will make it easier for children to access and enforce their rights.
“Children have different experiences and backgrounds, so we want to explore the existing barriers which currently prevent young people from making sure their rights are respected.
“We also want to consider whether the Bill goes far enough and if there is anything more that can be done to make children’s rights stronger in Scotland.”
The closing date for responses to the committee, which is expected to be designated lead committee for stage one of the Bill, is Friday 16 October 2020.
The UNCRC was adopted by the General Assembly of the 1989 and ratified by the UK Government in 1991. Since then the UK has been obliged under international law to give effect to the rights set out in the UNCRC.
It sets out the civil, political, economic, social and cultural rights that all children are entitled to and is the most widely ratified human rights treaty in the world. The rights in the UNCRC, which consists of 54 articles, are guaranteed to every child whatever their ethnicity, gender, religion, language, abilities or any other status.
The UK has also signed two out of three optional protocols: (1) on the involvement of children in armed conflict; and (2) on the sale of children, child prostitution and child pornography.
The third optional protocol, which allows complaints to be made to the UN Committee on the Rights of the Child, has not yet been signed by the UK.
While the UK is bound by the UNCRC in international law, because the UNCRC has not been incorporated into domestic law, those rights are not part of the law which can be enforced directly in Scottish courts.
As the UK Government embarks on a massive push back to work campaign, the STUC is urging employers and workers in Scotland to follow Scottish Government guidelines.
Roz Foyer, STUC General Secretary said: “The UK’s government’s plan to drive people back into their offices are adding even more confusion to an already shambolic Coronavirus response.
“In Scotland, we have taken a different track and are still in Stage 3 of the route map out of lockdown. It’s highly dangerous for the UK Government to be pressuring workers who don’t have to be based there back into the workplace and it needs to be made clear to all Scottish workers that this is not in line with public health guidance here in Scotland.
“Many offices, particularly call centres, are potential Coronavirus hot beds. Employers and Governments should be ensuring that they’re doing everything they can to assist workers to work effectively from home, until we can be confident that the virus has been sufficiently suppressed. We also need to keep the pressure off our public transport systems as far as possible at this key time.
“We understand that working from home can have its own challenges for workers and there are economic impacts on city centres, but continuing this where viable is still one of the best things we can do to prevent an autumn/winter spike in Coronavirus cases.
“Nothing could be more damaging for our economy than a second lockdown, which is why we must continue to show caution and restraint in the business of reopening our economy.
“The UK Government should be standing firmly in agreement with the Scottish Government that if you can work from home, you should work from home.”
