Lorna Slater MSP, the local Scottish Green MSP for Lothian, has hailed the cheaper greener rail fares pilot that will see peak rail fares scrapped across Scotland from 2nd October.
The pilot, which will last for at least six months, will provide huge financial relief to people commuting to and from Edinburgh at peak hours, and will protect the planet by encouraging more people to take the train rather than drive.
Route Current peak fare New peak fare
Edinburgh to Glasgow £28.90 £14.90
Edinburgh to Dundee £41.40 £32.20
Edinburgh to North Berwick £4.90 £3.80
Lorna Slater, the Minister for Green Skills, Circular Economy and Biodiversity, said: “I’m delighted that with Scottish Greens in government we are introducing this trial, ending the two-tier pricing system and helping thousands of people across Lothian to cut costs while leaving the car at home.
“Every pound saved on a commute is money that can instead go towards heating, eating, and other expenses this winter.
“It’s a game-changing opportunity to transform habits, cut congestion, save money, and make our communities safer, cleaner and greener places to live and work.
“We’ve already seen how free bus travel for everyone under 22 has boosted bus use since we launched it last year, with tens of thousands of journeys being taken across Scotland every day.
“By helping people come back to public transport, and making our streets safer to walk, wheel and cycle, we are beginning to see the kind of positive, transformational change that Scottish Greens joined the government to deliver. Change that will help people, communities like the Lothians, and our planet.”
Families who qualify for Scottish Child Payment are now automatically awarded Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment and School Age Payment when their child becomes eligible, without them having to apply separately.
Figures showed that since Social Security Scotland introduced automation of the payments in November last year, 14,825 Early Learning Payments and 23,810 School Age Payments have been made, up to the end of June 2023.
Early Learning and School Age Payments are one-off payments of £294.70 to help eligible families as their child grows up, with things like clothes, travel, stationery or toys for home learning.
Social Security Scotland began making these payments automatically to eligible families who already get Scottish Child Payment, which is £25 per child per week, when it was extended to under 16 year olds.
1.7 million Best Start Grant and Best Start Foods payments have been made with more than £130 million paid to clients since the benefits launched in 2018.
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Social Security Scotland’s five family payments, which includes Best Start Grant Early Learning and School Age Payments, are part of a package of measurements taken by the Scottish Government which will help lift 90,000 children out of poverty in Scotland this year.
“Tackling child poverty is central to the work of the Scottish Government and part of that work is making processes as straightforward as they can be for eligible people. The introduction of automatic payments for some of our benefits is a crucial part of that.
“This change has meant less paperwork for tens of thousands of families and has made sure that families across Scotland quickly and automatically get the financial support they are entitled to, to help support the development of their child when they are young.
“A very small number of people are eligible for Early Learning and School Age Payment but not Scottish Child Payment and I encourage them to check if they are eligible and continue to apply.”
Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment and School Age Payment are part of a wider package of five family payments including: Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment, Scottish Child Payment and Best Start Foods.
Best Start Grant Early Learning and School Age Payments are paid automatically to parents and carers who already receive Scottish Child Payment when their children become eligible. Automated payments were first made in November last year after Scottish Child Payment was extended to include all eligible people under the age of 16 and increased to £25 per child per week.
A small number of people are eligible for Early Learning Payment and School Age Payment but not Scottish Child Payment. The can apply at mygov.scot/benefits or by calling Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222
Homeowners and businesses need to be prepared as Storm Agnes approaches. But be assured that, should you suffer any storm damage, insurers will do everything they can to help you recover as quickly as possible.
Damage caused by storms is covered by standard home insurance, commercial business policies, and comprehensive motor insurance.
Mark Shepherd, Head of General Insurance Policy at the Association of British Insurers said: “Insurers expect bad weather at any time and their priority is always to help their affected customers recover as quickly as possible.
“Where properties are damaged by floods or storms, insurers will be on hand to make emergency payments, arrange any temporary emergency accommodation, and make sure the damage is repaired.
“If you suffer damage to your property, contact your insurer as soon as you can for help and advice.”
The ABI advises people to:
· Keep a close eye on weather warnings, and follow advice from The Met Office, The Environment Agency, Scottish Environment Protection Agency, Natural Resources Wales and the Department for Infrastructure in Northern Ireland.
· Where possible, store items left in gardens that can easily be blown away and cause damage, like ladders, inside, or ensure they are secure.
· Have contact details of your home insurer to hand, along with other emergency contact numbers for your utility providers and the local authority.
If you suffer storm damage:
· Contact your insurer as soon as possible. Most will have 24-hour emergency helplines to ensure you get advice on what to do and arrange repairs as quickly as is possible.
· If necessary, arrange temporary emergency repairs to stop any damage getting worse, but speak to your insurer first. If you have to arrange emergency repairs yourself, tell your insurer and keep any receipts, as this will form part of your claim.
· Do not be in a rush to throw away damaged items, unless they are a danger to health, as these may be able to be repaired or restored. Your insurer will advise.
If your home is uninhabitable while repairs are being carried out, your insurer will arrange for, and pay the cost of, any alternative temporary accommodation you may need in line with your policy.
Commercial polices will cover damage to premises and stock. Business interruption cover (which may be included or purchased separately) will cover additional trading costs, such as hiring temporary alternative trading premises if necessary.
Comprehensive motor insurance covers the cost of repairing or replacing vehicles damaged by storms.
The North Sea Transition Authority has today granted development and production consent for the Rosebank field, north-west of Shetland.
The consent has been given by the oil and gas regulator to owners Equinor and Ithaca Energy, following the acceptance of the Environmental Statement.
An NSTA spokesperson said: “We have today approved the Rosebank Field Development Plan which allows the owners to proceed with their project.
“The FDP is awarded in accordance with our published guidance and taking net zero considerations into account throughout the project’s lifecycle.”
GREEN MP Caroline Lucas described the announcement as “the greatest act of environmental vandalism in my lifetime, causing emissions equal to 28 lowest income countries, busting #climate targets & doing nothing for energy security since vast majority is for export” #climatecriminals
Labour’s Environment spokesperson, Shadow Climate and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband said: “Here’s what it means. Rosebank: £3.75bn of taxpayer subsidy which could have been invested in renewables. 80% of oil exported, not a penny off bills, equivalent to half all UK emissions for a year.
“Colossal waste of taxpayer money and climate vandalism.” However Ed’s boss Sir Keir Starmer has already said that a future Labour government will NOT reverse the decision.
More responses from environmental organisations to follow
The team at Amazon in Dunfermline recently hosted a movie morning for employees’ children on site to support parents with childcare during the summer break.
The children were invited to visit their parents’ workplace at Amazon in Dunfermline to meet other children and watch a movie together.
The day started with breakfast and games, then the children were taken on a site tour of the fulfilment centre to see exactly what mum and dad do at work. After the tour, the children settled down to watch The Super Mario Bros Movie.
Speaking on the event, Jamie Strain, General Manager at Amazon in Dunfermline, said: “We all know it can be hard to entertain children during the summer holidays, so we wanted to ease the burden for our team members in any way we could.
“By hosting a movie morning, we wanted parents at Amazon in Dunfermline to feel at ease knowing their children were having fun whilst off school.”
Craig Urquhart, an employee from Amazon in Dunfermline who brought her son and daughter to the movie morning, said: “My two kids, Ben and Bella, had such a fantastic time watching The Super Mario Bros Movie with my colleagues’ children.
“It was a lovely experience to show Ben and Bella where I work and give them both the chance to make new friends. The summer break can be very long when the kids aren’t active and busy so I’m grateful that Amazon helped us parents bring joy to our children over the summer.”
Ben, Craig Urquhart’s son, added: “I had the best time at my dad’s work.
“I played loads of games with my new friends and then we got to watch a movie which was really fun too! I definitely want to come back again soon.”
The UK Bartenders Guild has announced a host of activities aimed at raising awareness of European quality products and the Mediterranean ritual of aperitivo with British bartenders and consumers.
The programme, delivered by the Guild, together with the beneficiaries of the Mediterranean Aperitivo Programme (MAP), champions quality European food and drink producers whilst aiming to educate and engage the UK’s hospitality professionals about this age-old lifestyle.
The campaign heads to Edinburgh’s award-winning bar Hey Palu on October 4th with a masterclass hosted by Elon Soddu of London’s Amaro Bar. Elon will take attendees on a journey to learn about the simple joy of the time-honoured ritual of the Mediterranean aperitivo.
The masterclass will showcase unique ingredients sourced from Italy and Greece to demonstrate the quality of European produce and the perfect moment of consumption to enjoy them. The masterclasses will include tastings of Vermouth di Torino PGI, Pecorino Toscano PDO, PGI Costa d’Amalfi Lemon and Olives from Greece.
The Mediterranean Aperitivo Programme (MAP) is a project that sees the participation of European food and drink producers dedicated to communicating the various benefits of a Mediterranean lifestyle and the ritual of drinking an aperitivo to consumers and hospitality professionals in three target countries: the United Kingdom, Canada, and the United States.
The programme of masterclasses and events around the UK began in September in London with further classes taking place in Southampton, Leeds and Edinburgh. They are open for all UKBG members to register for and attend and are completely free to join.
They include tastings, demonstrations and networking opportunities. Places will be allocated on a first-come, first-served basis however members can still attend the sessions via a live stream if all on-site places have been allocated. Membership to the UKBG is free via the website https://ukbartendersguild.co.uk/.
Mediterranean Aperitivo Week will follow, and is due to take place throughout the UK between 23rd and 29th October. A consumer awareness campaign, the week is designed to highlight European-quality products through the ritual of an aperitivo, which began as a social phenomenon to end one’s work day and begin the evening. To this day, aperitivo is still an integral part of Mediterranean culture.
Partner venues who participate in Mediterranean Aperitivo Week will receive complimentary stock and are asked to create a signature serve to promote throughout the week to visitors.
Among the products included, Vermouth di Torino PGI is world-renowned for the tradition and history of its production; an aromatised wine created in the 18th century at the foot of the Alps.
The Consorzio del Vermouth di Torino is the ruler of the world’s most important Vermouth, the oldest and the only one with a protected designation of origin. Based in Turin, Italy, the consortium aims to promote and protect the traditional production methods and quality standards of Vermouth from the region.
Pecorino Toscano PDO is considered one of the best Italian specialty foods; produced exclusively with whole sheep’s milk from the region of Tuscany.
The Consortium of Pecorino Toscano PDO is dedicated to the upholding of the tradition and quality of this Tuscan cheese. Its main objective is to safeguard the authenticity and geographical origin of Pecorino Toscano PDO. Through strict regulations and rigorous inspections, the Consortium ensures that each wheel is crafted following time-honoured methods and using local sheep’s milk.
This dedication to excellence and preservation of heritage has earned Pecorino Toscano PDO worldwide recognition and admiration from cheese connoisseurs and culinary enthusiasts alike.
Costa d’Amalfi Lemons PGI are defined by their intense aroma, a tapered shape, a juicy pulp and almost no seeds. Today, about 100,000 tonnes are harvested every year – with each and every one hand-picked.
OP Costieragrumi De Riso represents the Costa d’Amalfi PGI Lemon. The area of the Amalfi Coast, recognized by Unesco as a World Heritage Site, includes the hanging gardens that stretch from the sea to the slopes of the Lattari mountains.
The cooperative was established to give a voice to many small producers by helping to market lemons, providing phytosanitary assistance, and establishing a Product Specification. Doing so allowed everyone to follow the same rules regarding fertilisation resulting in a genuine product which is unique thanks to its edible peel.
Lastly, the olives are grown in Greece. Recognised worldwide for their quality, given by specific climatic and territorial characteristics, their natural, balanced taste and good texture can be attributed to the simplicity of their production.
The Agri-food Partnership of the Region of Western Greece is a non-profit company whose members include public and private sector stakeholders. Its cluster consists of about 100 partners. The main partner is the Region of Western Greece, who owns 49% of the shares and chairs the Board of Directors.
This network of the agri-food chain in Western Greece tries to support communities, so they can produce heritage varieties, and, therefore, the Agri-Food Partnership is the Region of Western Greece main tool to promote the agricultural products in national and international markets.
The chosen charity partner for the project this year is The Drinks Trust. The Drinks Trust is a charity dedicated to the drinks and hospitality workforce. It strives to empower our industry people through services designed to assist financially, restore well-being and develop skills, and to do so with compassion and respect.
In doing so, The Drinks Trust seeks to create an equitable industry where opportunities to thrive are open to all.
£1 from every Mediterranean Aperitivo drink served during Mediterranean Aperitivo Week will be donated to The Drinks Trust.
For more information, or to nominate your venue to take part in Mediterranean Aperitivo Week, please contact Adamo Varbaro at map@ukbartendersguild.co.uk.
Conifox Adventure Park in Edinburgh has announced its series of Halloween events, with spooky days out and dazzling fireworks evenings making fun for all the family this October.
From Saturday 14 October, families can ‘creep’ it real at the Conifox Pumpkin Patch where they’ll get to pick their own pumpkin to take home and carve. Adults and children alike will love the themed photo backdrops available around the park, where they can take cute photos to keep as momentos for years to come.
And there are even prizes up for grabs – kids can delight in finding all the enchanted creatures around the Adventure Park, collecting the special letters and spelling out a secret password to win a yummy surprise.
The Halloween Fireworks kick off from Friday 20 October where the spectacular show-stopping display will leave attendees seeing stars in the beautiful autumn night skies. Those who like their Halloween events on the spooky side will love The Witches Labyrinth and the Dark Forest Maze, and the whole family will be entertained by the amazing flame-throwing talents of Labyrinth Circus or the Rave’N Dance Disco.
Professors Snotbutt and Crinklebottom will be giving lessons in the Broomstick Flying School and the Pumpkin Patch will also be open in the evenings, with pumpkins included in the ticket price.
Kids and adults alike can take a whirl on Taylor’s of Edinburgh Funfair, try their hand at axe-throwing, marshmallow toasting or get their faces painted as a range of spooky characters for an extra cost.
Halloween Fireworks are on Fridays and Saturdays from 20 – 28 October, with a special Halloween night on Tuesday 31 October.
Tickets are available at www.conifox.co.uk from £15 for adults and £22.50 for children. Babies under one year old go free. Halloween Days at Conifox Adventure Park are on Saturdays and Sundays from 14 – 29 October.
Tickets are available at www.conifox.co.uk from £5 for adults and £10 for children. Babies under one year old go free.
Social Investment Scotland support for Leith credit union
CASTLE Community Bank, based in Leith, has received £1 million investment from Social Investment Scotland.
The credit union received the £1M sub-ordinated loan to support their growth and ambition to be a ‘business of scale’, providing ethical and affordable loans and excellent returns for savers.
Castle Community Bank Chief Executive Adrian Sargent said: “I’m delighted that Social Investment Scotland has confidence in Castle Community Bank and has invested £1 million.
“This fantastic investment will reap benefits for not only our organisation but also the communities and members we support in Leith and beyond. This is another important step in our journey to grow the credit union sector and promote financial inclusion in the UK.”
Social Investment Scotland Head of Investments Chris Jamieson, said: “We’re very happy to be supporting Castle Community Bank and its ambitious programme of targeted growth, which will positively impact people in Leith and the surrounding area.
“We see the important role that credit unions play in building a wellbeing economy, particularly when many individuals and households are struggling with the rising cost of living.
“That’s why we are committed to supporting organisations such as Castle Community Bank, who are providing fair and affordable access to finance for the people and communities who need it most.”
Talk PANTS is a partnership between the Edinburgh Child Protection Committee and NSPCC Scotland. The aim is to protect children from sexual abuse by encouraging parents, carers and professionals to have conversations with children in an age-appropriate way about how to stay safe.
The campaign aims to raise awareness of the PANTS rule across the city. PANTS helps children understand that they have a right to say no and if they need to speak out about something, someone will listen.
2022 greenhouse gas emissions from Scottish industry went up from 2021 – but were still lower than 2019
Global warming potential of greenhouse gas emissions up by 2.7% between 2021 and 2022
The increase is an indication of Scotland’s economic recovery in 2022
Greenhouse gas emissions continue to follow a longer-term downward trend overall.
Year-to-year variations in emissions reflect a complex interplay of factors, which in this dataset includes economic recovery, production demands and pandemic dynamics.
The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) has published its Scottish Pollutant Release Inventory (SPRI) data for 2022.
The statistics show the global warming potential of greenhouse gas emissions, measured in carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) was up 2.7%, 0.30 megatonnes (Mt) CO2e, between 2021 and 2022.
This rise follows on from two years of reductions which were largely attributed to temporary site closures due to pandemic restrictions and a shift in production levels.
However, 2022 overall emissions did not return to pre-2020 levels, hinting at a continued long-term downward trend.
SPRI provides a valuable picture of the amount of pollutants released in Scotland from SEPA-regulated industrial sites. It is a publicly accessible electronic database and aims to provide information for policy makers, academics and the public about the pressure Scottish industry puts on the environment through greenhouse gas emissions.
SPRI does not assess the compliance of the facilities or the health and environmental impact of the releases.
Economic recovery
The increase in greenhouse gas emissions illustrates the “bounce-back” from reduced activity during pandemic restrictions, as well as production demand and economic recovery.
The year-to-year variations reflect the complex interplay between economic recovery, production demands and pandemic dynamics – and the 2022 figures are a look back to a period when Scotland was in recovery.
The economy in Scotland contracted by 12% in 2020, as public health restrictions and changing behaviours suppressed activity, with particular falls in the construction, manufacturing, and mining and quarrying industries. In 2021 around a third of sites reporting pollutant emissions in SPRI still noted a significant difference in their 2021 data compared to 2020. The economy as a whole did not recover to pre-Covid levels until the beginning of 2022.
The 12-month rise is set against a background of reductions overall, with 2022 emissions still lower than the values recorded in 2018, 2019 and 2020. Emissions were 7.6% (0.93 megatonnes CO2e) lower than 2019 figures.
Carbon dioxide emissions, which dominate the greenhouse gas trend, were up 4.1% (0.41 Mt) on 2021 but still 7.3% (0.83 Mt) lower than 2019.
SPRI data 2022
Global warming potential of greenhouse gases reported to SPRI since 2007 (MtCO2e)
Energy emissions show impact of demand
The energy sector remains the highest emitter in Scotland, accounting for 44.7% of the overall greenhouse gas emissions. The sector reported a 7.2% increase in emissions in 2022 due to production demand and throughput and was responsible for 47.1% of overall CO2 emissions, 10.7% of methane and 78.3% of Nitrous oxide.
The largest changes in CO2 emissions were at the Grangemouth refinery, with a 31.6% increase due to higher refinery throughput, and Peterhead Power Station with a 19.9% increase due to commercial requirements for electricity.
In the 2020 SPRI statistics a drop in emissions was reported at energy sites as a result of fewer people travelling during lockdowns and less demand for transport related fuel. In 2021 lower emissions were largely attributed due to reduced production demand and shutdowns for maintenance.
While Scotland generated a record amount of renewable electricity in 2022, there was also increased demand for electricity in Scotland during the first six months of 2022, following suppressed figures in 2021 due to pandemic restrictions.
SSE Peterhead, a gas-fired thermal facility, is now the only large-scale thermal power station in Scotland and is designed to respond quickly to market changes, maintaining security of supply.
Progress towards a circular economy
Scotland’s progress towards a circular economy is also highlighted in the SPRI statistics with a continued reduction in methane emissions from landfills. The waste sector accounted for 24.8% of overall greenhouse gas emissions – 21.2% of overall carbon dioxide emissions, 85.0% of methane, and 21.7% of nitrous oxide.
As Scotland reduces, reuses and recycles more than ever before, waste which cannot be recycled is now being diverted from landfill driven by a number of factors, including increased landfill taxes, a marked shift from landfill to incineration, improved recycling rates, upstream management of waste, and the upcoming ban on sending biodegradable municipal waste to landfill.
As a result, methane from landfills, which account for 83.2% of methane emissions, are down 6.1% on 2021, and 12.9% lower than the average of the last five years. There has also been a reduction of 10.6% in carbon dioxide emissions.
SPRI figures for incineration show a 12.9% increase compared to 2021, but these figures need to be interpreted carefully. Emissions from this sector are small compared to that of the energy sector, and reported carbon dioxide from incinerators includes emissions from large waste wood co-incinerators. As a result, the SPRI statistics are not an accurate comparison for municipal waste management.
It is also important to note that emissions from landfill are emitted over many years as waste breaks down, while incineration emissions are immediate. As a result, the benefits of reducing the amount of waste going to landfill will be realised over a longer time period.
SEPA will publish household waste statistics in October, which will include information on the overall impact of Scotland’s waste management system – taking into account reduction, recycling, incineration and landfill.
Continuing Scotland’s journey
David Pirie, SEPA Executive Director, said: “There is a strong relationship between our environment and our economy, and meeting Scotland’s climate targets will require a collective effort from all sectors.
“SEPA’s annual SPRI data is a very visual demonstration of the progress we’re making as a nation, and is important in helping us understand how changes in our society are impacting on our environment both directly and indirectly – ensuring Scotland can identify priority areas to reduce releases and track progress.
“As Scotland’s environmental regulator, SEPA’s firm focus remains on ensuring Scottish businesses are compliant with permit conditions designed to protect the environment and supporting innovation.
“We’ve all got a role to play in tackling climate change and the continued reduction of greenhouse gas emissions from Scottish businesses is vital in helping our country reach net zero.”
This is a Policy statement and relates to the 2022 pollutant emissions and waste transfers from SEPA-regulated industrial sites Official Statistics published at 9.30am on Tuesday 26 September 2023 and available on SEPA’s website.
