North-East project boosts capacity outside Central Belt
First Minister John Swinney has officially opened the first phase of a new residential rehabilitation service in Aberdeenshire, which will increase capacity in the North East of Scotland.
The 27-bed facility, named Rae House and run by Phoenix Futures, will be followed by a second phase which will consist of 53 units of housing and therapeutic community ‘Dayhab’ in Aberdeen City, which in total could provide up to 200 placements a year.
In the following phase, the therapeutic community ‘Dayhab’ model will see people living in separate accommodation coming together for day programmes at a central hub in Aberdeen to help them address their drug and alcohol use.
Speaking at the official opening, First Minister John Swinney said: ““We want every person experiencing harm from drug use to be able access the support they need. Residential rehabilitation is central to that and we have made £100 million available to improve access over the course of the Parliament.
“Following our support for Phoenix Futures’ family service in Saltcoats, this further investment of £11 million into the North East service will help address geographic barriers and provide a welcome increase in residential rehabilitation capacity in Scotland, particularly for areas outside the Central Belt.
“I am pleased that the way we have funded placements has allowed more people in the North East to access this type of treatment quickly.
“A recent report suggests we have achieved our aim of 1,000 people a year receiving public funding for their residential rehabilitation placement by March 2026, but we want to do more and our Additional Placement Fund will support even more people to access rehabilitation.
“Yesterday’s suspected drug death figures showed an 11% decrease for 2024 but they remain too high. There has been some encouraging progress, but we know there is much more to do and that is why, through our National Mission on drugs, we’ll continue to invest in a wide range of evidence-based measures to save lives and reduce harms.”
Phoenix Futures Chief Executive Karen Biggs said: “We are delighted to open Phoenix Futures Scotland’s new residential rehab in Aberdeenshire, bringing much-needed recovery support to the North East. This service ensures people can access life-changing treatment closer to home.
“Thanks to the Scottish Government’s innovative funding model, we’ve overcome financial and systemic barriers that previously limited access to residential rehab.
“By prioritising investment in recovery services, Scotland is setting a precedent for inclusive and effective addiction treatment. This facility will provide a safe, supportive space for people to rebuild their lives.
“We look forward to working with local communities and partners to make recovery accessible to all who need it.”
ROAD Policing officers are appealing for information following a hit and run in Edinburgh yesterday – Saturday, 15 March, 2025.
The incident involving a cyclist and a black BMW happened on Colinton Road at the junction with Tipperlinn Road, Edinburgh, around 1.30pm on Saturday afternoon.
The BMW left the scene prior to officers attending and headed south along Tipperlinn Road and enquiries are ongoing to trace it.
The 55-year-old male cyclist was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment.
Constable Neill Sage said: “Our enquiries into this incident are ongoing and I am appealing for anyone who witnessed the crash and who have not already spoken to officers to get in touch.
“I would also appeal to anyone who was in that area around the time and who may have dash-cam of private CCTV footage which would assist us to contact us.”
Anyone with any information is asked to contact 101 quoting reference 1644 of 15 March, 2025.
A leading Scottish wine merchant celebrates its 50th anniversary this month, unveiling a refreshed brand identity and a series of events to mark the milestone.
Wine Importers was founded in Edinburgh during March 1975 by three local businessmen: Nicholas Henderson, Johnny Noble, and Robin Morrison. The group dreamed up the business over a nightcap in Whigham’s Wine Cellars, which later opened as a wine bar and remains a cornerstone of the Edinburgh food and drink scene.
Since that day, the business has grown into a premier supplier of fine wines to Scotland’s hospitality industry, providing a personalised service to hotels, restaurants, bars, and cafes across the country.
In 2007, Wine Importers was acquired by the private investment office of Sir David Murray’s family, Murray Capital, which itself celebrated 50 years in business last year.
The family has a strong passion for wine, which is further reflected in its direct investment into a French vineyard – Chateau Routas – and its 2010 acquisition of Scotland’s oldest wine merchants, Cockburns of Leith, which was established in 1796.
Wine Importers’ 50th anniversary celebrations will feature a series of key events throughout the year, including a special portfolio tasting at Murrayfield in March and an exclusive customer event later in the year. The company has also introduced a new refreshed logo and brand identity.
With a 18,000 square-foot bonded warehouse in Livingston, Wine Importers ensures a seamless supply chain, allowing for efficient distribution and quick turnaround times. The company’s regionalised sales team remains one of Scotland’s most experienced, offering tailored support and expert advice to customers.
Keith Murray, Director of Wine Importers, said: “We are proud to celebrate the 50-year anniversary of Wine Importers.
“This milestone is testament to the loyalty of our customers and the strong relationships we have built our global suppliers. We look forward to continuing to provide exceptional wines and service for years to come.”
Neil Renton, Managing Director, said: “The wine industry has changed dramatically over the past 50 years, and we are proud to have adapted and evolved while staying true to our values.
“As we celebrate this anniversary, we reaffirm our commitment to offering Scotland’s hospitality sector the best selection of wines, backed by unparalleled expertise and service.”
To mark Food Waste Action Week (17th – 23rd March), Aldi is calling on children in Edinburgh and the Lothians to design a poster that encourages people to reduce food waste.
Britain’s fourth-largest supermarket is inviting children to submit their creative designs for the chance to win a £250 Aldi voucher for their family.
The entries will be judged by a panel of Aldi’s sustainability experts, with the winning designs proudly displayed at Aldi’s UK Headquarters to inspire colleagues to cut down their food waste.
The competition is part of Aldi’s ongoing efforts to tackle food waste and support sustainable shopping habits, which has seen the supermarket recently reach the milestone of selling one million of its Surprise Bags through its partnership with Too Good To Go.
It also forms part of the supermarket’s Get Set to Eat Fresh programme, run in partnership with Team GB and ParalympicsGB, that aims to inspire young people to eat healthily.
Luke Emery, National Sustainability Director at Aldi, said: “At Aldi, we’re committed to reducing food waste and this competition is a great opportunity to show children how important of an issue food waste is.
“We can’t wait to see the creative designs that everyone comes up with, and we hope the competition can inspire the next generation to think more about how everyday changes can make a big difference.”
To enter the competition, parents and teachers can submit their children’s entries via email to foodwastecomp@aldi.co.uk.
Entries should be submitted alongside the name and county of each entrant.
Entries opened on Monday 10th March and close on Monday 24th March.
Holyrood’s Rural Affairs & Islands Committee is seeking views on legislative proposals which aim to help restore nature and protect biodiversity in Scotland.
The Natural Environment (Scotland) Bill would place a duty on Ministers to set the first legally binding nature restoration targets in Scotland, recognising that previous non-statutory approaches have failed to halt nature decline.
The Bill also provides Scottish Ministers with powers to amend environmental impact assessment legislation and habitats regulations; make changes to National Parks legislation to modernise how they are managed; and make detailed changes to wild deer legislation, to modernise how they are managed and respond to the twin climate and nature crises.
The Scottish Government says that “taken together, the provisions in this Bill aim to support the work already being undertaken by land managers, farmers, nature agencies, charities and the stewards of our land, to restore and protect the natural environment on which we all depend.”
Speaking as the inquiry was launched, Committee Convener, Finlay Carson MSP, said; “We depend on nature for the food we eat, the surroundings we live in, and to help mitigate the impacts of climate change. Improving biodiversity and regenerating the natural environment, should be important to us all.
“The focus of our inquiry will be to ensure that the measures proposed in the Bill are appropriate and firmly underpin Scotland’s goals of protecting biodiversity and reducing harmful carbon emissions.
“Casting our net wide, we would like to hear from those with environmental and wildlife interests, planners, national park authorities, regulators, deer management groups, to name only a few.
“Do you think that statutory nature targets are needed in Scotland? Do you agree with the proposed changes to the aims of National Parks or the way wild deer would be managed in Scotland?
“Please get in touch to share your views and help us ensure that this Bill does what it says it will do.”
https://twitter.com/i/status/1900516997030461845
The committee will take oral evidence over the coming months before submitting a report to the Scottish Parliament later in the year.
The call for views closes on Friday 9 May 2025 and be accessed here.
Acting Minister for Climate Action Dr Alasdair Allan has asked for urgent actions to increase the pace of progress on replacing Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) meters ahead of the service switching off in June.
RTS meters are out of date and energy suppliers are being encouraged by Ofgem to replace old meters with smart meters. If meters are not replaced before the service is switched off, it could mean disruption to heating and hot water supplies, and possibly higher bills for households and businesses still using the technology.
In response to Ofgem’s consultation on an introduction of new licence conditions to the RTS, Dr Allan reiterated the Scottish Government’s repeated calls for further action to be taken to protect energy consumers as the industry works to replace thousands of meters across the country.
Ofgem’s data from suppliers shows that between October 2024 and January 2025 around 18,700 RTS meters were replaced in Scotland. As of January 2025, there were still 146,302 RTS consumers in Scotland who need to have their meters replaced. Support for RTS energy meters ends on June 30 2025.
Acting Climate Action Minister Alasdair Allan said: “Protecting consumers is the Scottish Government’s highest priority. The approach taken so far has been insufficient, and consumers cannot be blamed for the failure of the energy industry to properly plan for and respond to the RTS switch-off.
“People who rely on the RTS will experience considerable detriment unless meters are replaced by the switch-off date – particularly in rural and island communities.
“There is a real and pressing need for suppliers to be made to explain what their workforce plan is to get engineers to premises. Consideration should also be given to additional enforcement action to reduce no-show instances and to ensure that every household is fitted with a fully functioning meter before the deadline.
“Due to the cost of living crisis, it is also unacceptable to expect consumers to pay for expensive re-wiring as a consequence of the RTS switch-off – they should not be confronted with any additional anxieties. The creation of a fund to support consumers in this position is critical.
“While devolved governments do not hold the levers, the Scottish Government will work with Ofgem, the UK Government and industry to raise awareness of the RTS switch-off.”
Energy infrastructure and regulation is the responsibility of the UK Government.
From: Alasdair Allan MSP, Acting Minister for Climate Action
10 March 2025
Dear Jonathan,
I wrote to the UK Government in January, copying Ofgem, to urge more action to protect consumers as a result of the Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) switch-off. Protecting consumers remains the Scottish Government’s highest priority in this matter; however, feedback from consumer organisations and members of the public continues to suggest to me that the approach taken so far has been insufficient, and consumers cannot be blamed for the failure of the energy industry to properly plan for and respond to the RTS switch-off.
As your consultation rightly states, people who rely on the RTS will experience considerable detriment unless meters are replaced by the switch-off date – particularly in rural and island communities.
This makes the timely replacement of RTS meters essential. I made it clear in my letter to Minister Fahnbulleh in January that there should be penalties for suppliers who fail to replace RTS with smart meters (whether fully functional or pre-programmed) by June this year.
I am pleased that, by updating license conditions, Ofgem will be able to take appropriate compliance action against suppliers who fail to do so.
The consultation suggests that changing the regulations to prohibit the supply of electricity to RTS consumers through a metering arrangement which relies on the RTS infrastructure will protect consumers and reduce detriment. It also states that RTS meters should be immediately phased out of the electricity market and associated infrastructure.
While I understand that this is an important regulatory change to allow enforcement action to be taken following the switch-off, I have two concerns regarding its implementation. Firstly, that it may in practice see some consumers removed from supply and properties de-energised, and secondly, that it may see some suppliers offering imperfect metering solutions solely to avoid a breach of license conditions.
I understand from my officials that Ofgem does not expect consumers to be removed from supply as a result of these changes, however I feel duty bound to put on record how dangerous such a situation would be, with large scale contingency planning needed now to prevent serious harm to individuals. Safeguards and protections must be put in place.
For example, where a supplier does not have the capacity or capability to upgrade a meter, consideration must be given to proactively offering a change of supplier to any affected consumers. Consumers cannot be left with no support and many are trying, with no success, to arrange a meter upgrade.
The energy industry must ensure those consumers do not suffer any detriment either before or after the RTS switch-off.
While not included in the published consultation, the Scottish Government continues to believe that there should be penalties applied to the DCC for failing to deliver smart-meter coverage across every part of the country. While 99.3% of the UK is covered by the smart meter communications network, this coverage does not yet apply to some rural and island parts of Scotland, England and Wales.
I understand from Minister Fahnbulleh’s response that the DCC is currently undertaking work to develop technical solutions to overcome the connectivity issues that currently prevent some consumers from accessing the WAN. A solution must be put in place as a matter of urgency.
I believe an update to the DCC license conditions would provide enduring protection to consumers given the pace at which technical solutions are likely to change and the potential for meters to become unfit for purpose through no fault of the consumer.
I was pleased to note that the proposed update ensures suppliers must take all reasonable steps to provide a tariff that leaves the consumer ‘no worse off’ than their existing arrangements as a result of a RTS meter replacement.
However, this issue only arises post-meter upgrade whereas many still wait for engineers who never turn up or are insufficiently trained to upgrade the meter in question. I continue to believe that there is a real and pressing need for suppliers to be made to explain what their workforce plan is in terms of actually getting engineers to premises.
Consideration should be given to additional enforcement action designed to reduce no-show instances and to ensure that every household is fitted with a fully functioning meter before the deadline.
Separately, and while understandably not for the license conditions to cover, it is unacceptable to expect consumers to pay for expensive re-wiring as a consequence of the RTS switch-off. As you know well, too many consumers are already in energy and other consumer debt due to the cost of living crisis – they should not be confronted with any additional anxieties.
The creation of a fund to support consumers in this position is critical. If households are to be upgraded in time, and with no financial detriment, then progress on such a fund is needed urgently.
Finally, I want to repeat my assurance that the Scottish Government remains on hand to work with Ofgem, the UK Government, and industry to raise awareness of the RTS switch-off. However, devolved governments do not hold the levers to make a difference in this area, and policy power reservations mean the people of Scotland must rely on decisions taken by Ofgem and the UK Government.
I hope that these license changes are sufficient to substantially increase the number of properties upgraded, particularly in rural and island areas where the number of RTS meters is disproportionate and where the impact on already high levels of fuel poverty could be significant.
However, frankly, I am not convinced that some suppliers will see the prospect of no longer having to deal with the most remote or complex cases as a spur to action to assist them.
Yours sincerely,
Alasdair Allan
Consumers may use an RTS meter if their property:
has a meter that switches between peak and off-peak tariff rates, such as Economy 7 or Economy 10, or a Total Heating Total Control tariff
has a meter that automatically turns on heating or hot water
uses electric or storage heaters
is located in a no-gas supply area (off-grid), especially in rural areas.
Advice Direct Scotland 0800 028 1456 and Citizens Advice Scotland 0800 028 1456.
A highlight of the Scottish student sporting calendar, the Varsity American football game has been played annually since 2012 and returns to Meggetland Stadium on Wednesday.
The Knights play traditional rivals the University of Edinburgh Mavericks, as both teams fight it out for the most spectacular trophy in UK American Football.
This year’s game is held on a mid-week evening under the floodlightsat Meggetland Stadium, Wednesday 19th March, with a 7pm Kickoff.
With all the usual on and off-field family friendly entertainment including live music and the Canalside Bar will be open throughout with hot food available.
Last years game produced fireworks during, on and off the field, with the Edinburgh Mavericks edging the game in a 14-6 victory.
Meggetland sports complex features a seated stand for watching the action.
Join us under the lights for the city’s biggest American Football fixture of the season!
Tickets are Adults £5, Students £3, and U-16’s Free Entry and can be purchased in advance online or on the gate. Gates open from 6pm, with a 7pm kickoff.
Head Coach of the Knights, Pete Laird, explained why he was looking forward to the game: “This has been an incredible season for the Knights as we claimed the Scottish Division and advanced all the way to the UK Northern Final.
“Now we have an opportunity to finish the season with one last game, a true Cup Final, against our biggest rivals in an Edinburgh Derby match’
‘The mid-week Varsity game is such a fantastic event for all those who attend. A bumper crowd of all ages really seem to enjoy watching American Football under the floodlights.
“There’s so much noise, colour, and entertainment on offer, and the players all rise to the occasion to put on a great performance. It’s sure to be another fantastic evening, and with free entry for kids I’m sure the stadium will be jumping again!”
PRIME MINISTER’S STATEMENT FOLLOWING LEADERS’ MEETING
This morning I convened the largest, strongest group of countries yet behind a just and lasting peace in Ukraine.
Now a huge amount has happened since I brought leaders together at Lancaster House here in London, just two weeks ago.
President Zelenskyy has shown once again, and beyond any doubt, that Ukraine is the party of peace. Volodymyr has committed to a 30-day unconditional ceasefire.
But Putin is trying to delay – saying there must be a painstaking study before a ceasefire can take place.
Well, the world needs action. Not a study, not empty words and conditions.So my message is very clear. Sooner or later, Putin will have to come to the table.
So, this is the moment, let the guns fall silent, let the barbaric attacks on Ukraine, once and for all, stop and agree to a ceasefire now.
And let’s be clear why this is so important – Russia’s appetite for conflict and chaos undermines our security back here at home.
It drives up the cost of living. It drives up energy costs.
So this matters deeply to the United Kingdom.
That is why now is the time to engage in discussions on a mechanism to manage and monitor a full ceasefire and agree to serious negotiations towards not just a pause but a lasting peace, backed by strong security arrangements through our Coalition of the Willing.
And we won’t sit back and wait for Putin to act.
Instead we will keep pushing forward.
So the group I convened today is more important than ever.
It brings together partners from across Europe as well as Canada, Australia and New Zealand, with backing from others too – including Japan.
We agreed we will keep increasing the pressure on Russia, keep the military aid flowing to Ukraine and keep tightening the restrictions on Russia’s economy to weaken Putin’s war machine and bring him to the table.
And we agreed to accelerate our practical work to support a potential deal.
So we will now move into an operational phase.
Our militaries will meet on Thursday this week here in the UK to put strong and robust plans in place to swing in behind a peace deal and guarantee Ukraine’s future security.
President Trump has offered Putin the way forward to a lasting peace. Now we must make this a reality.
So this is the moment to keep driving towards the outcome we want to see, to end the killing. A just and lasting peace in Ukraine and lasting security for all of us.
A 25-year-old man has been convicted of murder and an attempted murder in Edinburgh in 2023.
On Friday, 2 June 2023, police were called to attend a report of a disturbance on Leith Street near to the junction with Greenside Row. Peter Mullen, aged 30, was found with serious injuries and was taken to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh where he died a short time later.
Officers subsequently arrested and charged Dylan Curran in connection with the death, and on Friday (14 March, 2025), he was convicted of murder following a trial at the High Court in Edinburgh.
Curran was also convicted of the attempted murder of a 43-year-old man during the same incident. He will be sentenced at a later date.
Detective Chief Inspector Bob Williamson said: “Our thoughts remain with Peter’s family and friends as they come to terms with what happened to him. I hope this verdict will bring some sense of justice for them.
“Dylan Curran will now face the consequences of his deplorable actions.
“Thankfully violent crimes like these in public places are rare in our communities. When such incidents take place, we will use all resources necessary to carry out thorough, rigorous inquiries to ensure we track down those responsible to bring them to justice.
“I would like to thank those members of the public who assisted with our enquiries.”
