A consultation on improving victims’ experiences of the justice system, with a particular focus on sexual offences, has opened.
It takes forward the work of the Victims Taskforce and Programme for Government commitments to establish a Victims’ Commissioner, introduce a statutory right to anonymity for complainers in sexual offence cases and carefully consider the recommendations from Lady Dorrian’s Review into the management of sexual offence cases.
The 12 week consultation is part of a wide-ranging programme of work to transform the justice system and deliver the Scottish Government’s new Vision for Justice in Scotland.
Justice Secretary Keith Brown said: “The Scottish Government recognises that the justice system can be distressing and re-traumatising for those who come into contact with it. We are committed to improving victims’ experiences of the system by putting them at its centre.
“This consultation explores how to do this by making the justice system more trauma informed and person centred.
“It is an important part of far-reaching and ambitious plans to bring about transformational change necessary to ensure our justice system is trusted, modern, smart and effective.
“We will continue to take an open and collaborative approach to achieve this aim, and this consultation will seek to capture the views of legal professionals, the third sector and those with experience of the system.”
Consultation proposes changes to boost economy and help net zero transition
As part of its Permitted Development Rights review, the Scottish Government is consulting on measures that would save applicants the time and expense of applying for planning permission for some types of development.
Consultation proposals include:
outdoor restaurant seating could be permitted without a planning application under new proposals to support the hospitality industry
relaxing the need to seek planning permission for electric vehicle charging infrastructure in car parks or at filling stations
allowing a wider variety of changes of use for premises in city, town and local centres to promote more rapid adaption to changing circumstances
permitting conversion of buildings to small workspaces to support local innovation and entrepreneurship as part of the national strategy to transform the economy
Planning Minister Tom Arthur said: “The pandemic has highlighted that use of outdoor spaces can help bolster our hospitality industry and make city, town and local centres feel more welcoming and vibrant. I encourage local businesses and communities to submit their views on these proposals to relax planning requirements.
“Extending permitted development rights to make changes in use easier will help to deliver our entrepreneurship ambitions by creating enterprising communities, as set out in the National Strategy for Economic Transformation.
“Proposals to support the extension of the charging network reflect the significant growth in electric vehicle ownership forecasted for the coming years and the vital role of electric vehicle owners in helping Scotland reach net zero by 2045.”
UKHospitality Scotland Executive Director Leon Thompson said: “Over the course of the pandemic hospitality businesses made great use of outdoor space, allowing them to trade whilst keeping customers and workers safe.
“Outdoor seating is extremely popular with guests and these often imaginative and creative spaces continue to be used extensively.
“UKHospitality Scotland is pleased that the Scottish Government has listened to our calls and is putting forward plans to relax planning requirements. This will save businesses time and money, whilst adding to the vibrancy of our towns and cities. This move will also help to boost local economies and create jobs.”
Edinburgh-based housebuilder Cruden Homes is to hold a digital consultation event on its exciting proposals to deliver much-needed housing in Leith.
Located on the site of the Edinburgh Carpet and Flooring Warehouse, on the corner of Salamander Street and Salamander Yards, the proposed development will aim to comprise 99 apartments.
Including a range of different sized apartments, the development will range from four to six storeys, with the added bonus of ground floor retail fronting onto Salamander Street.
A web-based community consultation event, in line with Scottish Government Covid-guidelines, will allow the community to provide feedback on and shape the proposals.
This online public consultation event, where the development team will be available via a live chat function to answer any questions, will take place on Thursday 28th April between 3.30pm and 7.30pm at www.orbitconsultations.scot/salamanderstreet
Further information relating to the proposed development may be obtained at the above website, or if unable to view material online by contacting:
The event follows extensive engagement locally with key stakeholders.
Commenting on these proposals, Rory Stephens from Cruden Homes said: “We are delighted to be bringing forward these exciting proposals for consultation with the local community.
“This ambitious scheme regenerates the current brownfield site, delivering much-needed sustainable housing, including affordable homes, as well as providing a retail offering on the ground floor.
“We’re keen to hear community views, allowing us to further shape and refine our proposals for the site, and would urge those able to do so to participate.”
Public to be consulted on laws to criminalise misogynistic conduct
Plans for future legislation are part of the Scottish Government’s official response to the independent working group on misogyny.
A new Bill to tackle misogyny is being considered by Scottish Ministers as part of these proposals.
Chaired by Baroness Kennedy QC, the group’s report recommended a number of new offences to criminalise specific forms of misogynistic conduct – including stirring up hatred against women and public sexual harassment of women.
The Scottish Government has accepted the recommendations are pivotal in challenging misogyny and will develop draft legislative provisions for public consultation.
The timing of a final Bill will be considered as part of the Scottish Government’s future legislative programme.
Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans Keith Brown said: “The independent report rightly recognises the need to address misogyny and makes a compelling case for creating new laws to tackle this unacceptable conduct.
“The Scottish Government response outlines how we intend to make progress on the blueprint for legislation contained within the report by bringing forward a Bill to the Scottish Parliament.
“With such a substantial and significant report it will take time to work through the recommendations in discussion with key partners, but we are confident the resulting legislation will help send a clear message that male attitudes which emanate from prejudice and misogyny have no place in a modern and equal Scotland.”
People across Lothian are being encouraged to help ensure health and care services across the region are fit for the future.
NHS Lothian and Lothian’s four Health and Social Care Partnerships has launched a major engagement initiative as they begin planning how services should be designed and delivered over the next five years. Priorities include ensuring that people have equal access to the right care and support, wherever they live in the region.
Calum Campbell, Chief Executive of NHS Lothian, said: “There are lots of reasons why we need to consider how things may need to change to ensure everyone has equal access to the care they need to live their best lives.
“The past two years of pandemic have been hugely challenging, so we need to make sure that we prioritise our resources as effectively as possible to help reduce waiting times.
“There are opportunities too. Technology and innovation in medicine can have a huge impact on what we can do and how we do it, and we have learnt a lot about new ways of working.”
The move comes against a backdrop of challenge facing health and care services that existed even before the pandemic.
More people are living longer – a testament to improvements in general population health and innovation in medicine and healthcare – but this has also created the highest ever demand for these services, as people are likely to need them more in their later years.
The NHS workforce is ageing too. There are more NHS staff over 55 years of age than under 30. That means a focus on recruitment and training is vital, but also that the roles themselves in healthcare might need to change.
Mr Campbell added: “It’s really important that patients, carers, partner organisations and our staff understand the constraints and the opportunities and tell us what matters most to them as we develop our plans.
“There is not a household in the land that is not affected by these services at some point, so this really is for everyone to think about and have their say.”
This phase of the engagement process is running until the end of May and the public are invited to get involved by reading the draft framework and providing feedback or by attending one of the virtual events being held across the next two months.
The Scottish Ambulance Service is actively engaged with NHS Boards, Health & Social Care Partnerships, GP practices and other key stakeholders to support the effective delivery of high-quality care.
As a result, we believe we have enormous potential to play a significantly enhanced role in the future of health and social care provision, by working collaboratively with the public and stakeholders around how we plan and provide safe, effective and person-centred health and care for the people of Scotland.
In 2019, we actively consulted with staff and the public to get input into the development of our 2030 Strategy. However, soon afterwards, we had to pause the development of the strategy to allow us to focus on our response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Now, taking account of the new post-pandemic landscape, we must consider how we develop our strategy to respond to Scotland’s Health & Social Care priorities to help address the root cause of the challenges we face on a day-to-day basis.
There are just two weeks left to have your say on the governance, scope and operation of the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board.
The Edinburgh Integration Joint Board (EIJB) for Edinburgh Health and Social Care Partnership is made up of representatives from City of Edinburgh Council and NHS Lothian, Third Sector representatives, service users and carers.
The Edinburgh Integration Joint Board, through its Chief Officer has responsibility for the planning, resourcing and the operational oversight of a wide range of health and social care services.
The City of Edinburgh Council and NHS Lothian are consulting on a general update to the Scheme of Integration – the document which outlines the governance, scope and operation of the Edinburgh Integration Joint Board.
The consultation is being conducted to help further inform and finalise this revision of the scheme.
You are invited to participate in the consultation, by providing your views on the revised Scheme of Integration:
Campaigners call for targets on consumption as the Scottish Government announces it will launch a consultation into a new Circular Economy Bill in May.
The Scottish Government has said that one of the measures included in the Circular Economy Bill is a ban on the destruction of unsold goods.
Kim Pratt, circular economy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland said “The Circular Economy Bill is Scotland’s chance to reduce the over-consumption of materials which is killing our planet.
“The Scottish Government can send a clear signal to all sectors in Scotland, and across the world, that we are serious about the system-level change required to create a circular economy. To do this, we need strong targets which measure, for the first time, the global impact of Scotland’s material consumption.
“We consumed 18 tonnes of materials per person per year in Scotland in 2017. Creating a circular economy, with sustainable levels of material use and which also meets high quality living standards for everyone could reduce this to eight tonnes.
“The Circular Economy Bill should include targets to reduce consumption and the means to create an independent advisory body, similar to the Climate Change Committee, to advise the Scottish Government on progress.
“The recent ban on single use plastic items should be extended to cover all single use items. A Circular Economy Business Standard should be introduced and the public sector should be required to use this new standard in all its procurement, encouraging new sustainable business models to flourish.
“Government should estimate the critical material use of policies, in addition to current requirements to measure carbon impact.”
82% of Scotland’s carbon footprint relates to material consumption. From buildings and transport to food and clothing, we use materials in a linear way: extracting raw materials, making them into products, using them (sometimes only once) and throwing them away to be burnt or buried.
Cutting our material consumption to sustainable levels will support Scotland to reach its climate goals.
The Netherlands has set a target to move to a full circular economy by 2050, with an interim objective of a 50% reduction in the primary raw materials (minerals, fossil fuels and metals) by 2030. In 2021, the European Parliament voted to create binding, science based targets for material use and consumption footprint.
Edinburgh-based housebuilder Cruden Homes has revealed exciting proposals to deliver much-needed housing in Leith.
Located on the site of the former Edinburgh Carpet and Flooring Warehouse, on the corner of Salamander Street and Salamander Yards, the proposed development will aim to comprise 96 apartments.
Including a range of different sized apartments, the development will range from four to six storeys, with the added bonus of ground floor retail fronting onto Salamander Street.
A proposal of application notice (PAN) has now been submitted with City of Edinburgh Council, noting the intent to submit a planning application following a minimum 12-week consultation period.
A web-based community consultation events, in line with Scottish Government Covid-guidelines, will allow the community to provide feedback on and shape the proposals.
The event will take place on 27th April from 3.30pm-7.30pm.
Commenting on these proposals, Rory Stephens from Cruden Homes said: “This exciting and ambitious scheme will serve to regenerate the current brownfield site, delivering much-needed sustainable housing, including affordable homes, as well as providing a retail offering on the ground floor.
“We’re very much looking forward to consulting widely with the local community and key stakeholders over the coming months, which will include a digital consultation event, and are keen to hear their views in shaping proposals for this site.”
Views are being sought on plans to improve support for Scotland’s community of unpaid carers through the introduction of a new benefit.
Under Scottish Government proposals, Scottish Carer’s Assistance will replace Carer’s Allowance, currently delivered by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), and be delivered by Social Security Scotland.
It will support over 80,000 people who provide 35 hours per week or more of care to those receiving certain disability benefits. An additional payment of more than £500 a year will be made to those who care for more than one person.
A consultation published today outlines proposals aimed at improving the service that carers receive, including increased financial support and links to wider support in areas such as social care, employability, education and bereavement.
It also highlights how support could be expanded once those already in receipt of Carer’s Allowance have been transferred from DWP to Social Security Scotland.
Social Security Minister Ben Macpherson said: “Caring for a loved one can be a positive and life changing experience but also presents many challenges. We will deliver Scottish Carer’s Assistance in a compassionate and considerate way, linking carers to wider services.
“We will also create a weekly payment of £10 for those caring for more than one person, and if the person they care for is challenging a change to their disability benefits we will make support available.
“This is in addition to continuing support for young carers and maintaining the extra support from our Carer’s Allowance Supplement, providing eligible carers with an extra £460 a year.
“When we have introduced our new benefit, and safely and securely transferred people from Carer’s Allowance to Scottish Carer’s Assistance, we intend to make further improvements. We will look for opportunities to make these changes sooner if we can do so without putting carers’ existing benefits at risk.
“These further changes would help remove barriers to education, allow carers to add together hours spent caring for more than one person to qualify for support, extend support after the loss of a cared for person or when a cared for person is in hospital, and enable carers to earn more from paid work.
“We want to hear people’s views on these plans, other potential changes beyond these, and thoughts on how improvements would help address inequality and poverty.”
Fiona Collie, Policy & Public Affairs Manager at Carers Scotland, said: “Carers Scotland is very pleased to welcome the publication of this consultation on proposals for Scottish Carer’s Assistance and a new Carer Additional Person Payment to support unpaid carers.
“This opportunity to improve the main financial support for carers in Scotland is an important one and carers have long discussed ways in which it can be changed to recognise their caring and better meet their needs.
“I would encourage as many carers as possible to respond and bring their views and experiences to the consultation, either individually or through events and activities that are planned.”
