People seeking work who are disabled or have long-term health conditions are to be offered help from a dedicated employability adviser.
The initiative will be in place by next summer and involve advisers working with employers to develop roles suited to an individual’s needs.
Included as part of last week’s Programme for Government, it is designed to support people into work, boosting Scotland’s workforce and helping to drive economic growth. It will also help to deliver the Scottish Government’s ambition of creating a fairer labour market and halving the disability employment gap by 2038.
The Scottish Government will partner with local authorities and others including health and voluntary organisations to implement the measures. They build on the existing No-one Left Behind approach which has supported 61,930 people since April 2019, 19% of whom reported having a disability.
Employment Minister Tom Arthur visited the Routes to Work South, Cook and Learn Café in Cambuslang to find out how people facing challenges in getting back to work are currently being helped.
Mr Arthur said:“Our commitment to deliver specialist employability support from summer 2025 will ensure that more disabled people are able to secure fulfilling jobs.
“Tackling discrimination and stigma faced by those with disabilities and long-term health conditions is key to building a diverse workforce and creating a more prosperous and resilient economy.
“The project that I am visiting today demonstrates how supporting those furthest away from employment into work helps us to address labour market inequality and provide people with a better of quality-of-life.”
This support is being brought forward as part of the Scottish Government’s No One Left Behind Strategic Plan launched earlier today.
The Prime Minister will drive forward UK economic growth in Berlin and Paris this week, as he puts delivering for the British people at the top of his international agenda.
Keir Starmer will meet German Chancellor Olaf Scholz to launch negotiations on a new bilateral treaty, which is expected to boost business and trade, deepen defence and security cooperation, and increase joint action on illegal migration.
The Prime Minister is expected to tell Chancellor Scholz that he is focused on ensuring the UK moves beyond Brexit to rebuild relationships with key partners and improve the lives of hardworking people in both countries. He is also expected to meet German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier.
He will say that driving growth will be key to doing that. Germany is Europe’s largest economy and the UK’s second largest trading partner, accounting for 8.5% of all UK trade.
As part of the trip to Berlin, the Prime Minister is also expected to meet Dr. Christian Bruch, chief executive of Siemens Energy. Through its technology, Siemens supports one-sixth of global energy generation.
The company also employs nearly 100,000 people, including more than 6,000 in the UK. The stop is part of a string of visits planned by the Prime Minister to drive up investment in the UK and create more highly skilled jobs in every corner of the country.
German companies already support more than 330, 000 jobs in the UK, in places such as Derby, Manchester, Goole and Oxford while UK exports to Germany supported a further 500,000 jobs.
He will also meet Armin Theodor Papperger, the chief executive of Germany’s largest defence and security company, Rheinmetall. Rheinmetall is also vital to the modernisation of the British Army, supporting thousands of jobs at sites in the south west and Shropshire, and has recently made significant investments in its Telford Hub to deliver Boxer armoured fighting vehicles.
The two-day European visit comes after the Prime Minister hosted Crown Prince Salman Bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Prime Minister of Bahrain, at Downing Street on Tuesday, to progress inward investment from the Gulf.
The Prime Minister is expected to travel on to Paris for the Paralympics Opening Ceremony on Wednesday night, before meeting French business leaders, including major investors into the UK economy, for breakfast on Thursday morning including from Thales, Eutelsat, Mistral AI and Sanofi.
France is the UK’s fourth-largest trading partner, accounting for 6% of all UK trade. The Prime Minister will then go on to meet Paralympians as they prepare for competition, before meeting President Macron at the Elysée Palace.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer will say: “We have a once in a generation opportunity to reset our relationship with Europe and strive for genuine, ambitious partnerships that deliver for the British people.
“We must turn a corner on Brexit and fix the broken relationships left behind by the previous government. That work started at the European Political Community meeting last month, and I am determined to continue it, which is why I am visiting Germany and France this week.
“Strengthening our relationship with these countries is crucial, not only in tackling the global problem of illegal migration, but also in boosting economic growth across the continent and crucially in the UK – one of the key missions of my government.”
The new UK-Germany treaty will be a key pillar of the UK’s wider reset with Europe and build on the defence agreement, which is currently being negotiated between the two countries, and expected to be finalised in the autumn.
The Prime Minister’s negotiating team will spend the next six months agreeing the new treaty, with both sides wanting to agree the new partnership in early 2025.
The ambitious agreement is expected to cover vital areas for increased collaboration, such as market access, critical science, innovation and tech, clean energy, trade across the North Sea, supply chain resilience, energy security and green transition education, biodiversity, and the environment.
A treaty of such magnitude has never been agreed between the UK and Germany. Alongside the longstanding Lancaster House Treaties that underpin the UK’s relationship with France, this new agreement will bring all E3 members in line as our governments work in lockstep on key geo-political issues, such as the conflict in the Middle East and war in Ukraine.
Germany is a central part of the Government’s push to recalibrate relations with Europe, given the close cultural ties and defence collaboration.
The leaders are also expected to discuss joint action to tackle illegal migration, including further intelligence sharing to intercept and shut down organised immigration crime rings.
The Prime Minister will also reiterate his personal condolences to the German people following the attack in Solingen on Friday, where three people died.
The European visit is the fifth time the Prime Minister has met Chancellor Scholz and the fourth time meeting President Macron, following the NATO Summit in Washington, the European Political Community hosted at Blenheim Palace, the UEFA Euro 2024 final, and the Olympic opening ceremony hosted last month.
The European business drive comes ahead of the Prime Minister hosting a major International Investment Summit in October to advance opportunities for investment and growth across the country and deliver for the British people.
£7.2 million to incentivise industrial decarbonisation
Scottish businesses have been awarded grants to help grow their innovative energy-saving projects in a new round of Scottish Government funding totalling £7.2 million.
The Scottish Industrial Energy Transformation Fund (SIETF) supports projects that aim to reduce carbon emissions that are created during energy-intensive manufacturing processes.
This set of grants has been awarded to nine projects across a range of businesses – including food and drink manufacture and timber pallet processing – leveraging private funding to reach a total of £19 million of investment.
First Minister John Swinney visited Chivas Brothers Strathclyde Distillery in Glasgow – which produces grain whisky for blends including Chivas Regal and Ballantine’s – to see new Mechanical Vapour Recompression (MVR) technology, supported by a £3.1 million grant from the latest round of SIETF.
The company says this will reduce carbon emissions for the distilling process by more than half and reduce energy usage by over 46,000 Megawatt hours per year – enough energy to power 17,000 homes for a year.
The First Minister said: “Growing the economy and tackling the climate emergency are two of my priorities in Government. Projects like the one at the Strathclyde Distillery will be essential in helping us meet our climate change ambitions and promote sustainable economic growth across Scotland – by supporting our existing energy intensive sectors and attracting the manufacturing industries of the future.
“With an average ratio of £1 of public to £1.75 of private funds, the Scottish Industrial Energy Transformation Fund has been incredibly successful in leveraging investment across industrial sites to accelerate adoption of low-carbon, energy efficient technologies. The fund also delivers business benefits through energy-related manufacturing savings.
“The SIETF demonstrates how government and industry are taking steps together to deliver against climate change plan targets by co-investing to decarbonise the industrial sites that local jobs and communities depend upon.
“We will continue to work closely with industrial sectors to support the progression of projects to decarbonise Scottish manufacturing.”
Production Director at Chivas Brothers Brian MacAulay, said: “This grant from the Scottish Government via SIETF validates our approach to decarbonisation and our commitment to shaping the future of sustainable Scotch.
“It is only by embracing innovative solutions and working together with specialist partners like GEA Wiegand that we can reduce our environmental impact, while also ensuring the longevity and resilience of the Scotch whisky industry for generations to come.”
Mark Kent, Chief Executive of the Scotch Whisky Association said: “How the Scotch Whisky industry will achieve emissions reduction will be as diverse as our distilleries and locations.
“Each site will have different challenges, but through support from the Scottish Government with grants like SIETF, distilleries can accelerate decarbonisation in their own operations towards our shared industry goal of 2040.
“As an industry with a strong track record delivering environmental improvement, we are determined to achieve net zero emissions in our own operations and supply chains as fast as possible. Innovation, collaboration and an enabling policy framework will enable us to continue to celebrate and produce Scotch Whisky for the long term.”
New projects support by the Scottish Industrial Energy Transformation Fund:
Name and location
Technology
Sector
Culloden foods (Highland)
New energy efficient ovens
Food and drink (distilling)
Eyemouth freezers (Scottish Borders)
Energy efficiency improvements relating to coldstores
Food and drink (fruit processing)
Kettle Produce (Fife)
Upgrading and replacing equipment with more energy efficient options.
Improving living standards for working people through economic growth will be the central focus of new laws set to be unveiled by His Majesty The King today
King’s Speech set to unveil a raft of bills to unlock growth and improve living standards for working people
Ambitious legislative agenda will drive forward delivery of the government’s first steps and missions to rebuild Britain
New laws deliver manifesto commitments to provide better transport, more jobs and turbocharge building of houses and infrastructure
Improving living standards for working people through economic growth will be the central focus of new laws set to be unveiled by His Majesty The King today [Wednesday 17 July].
In the first State Opening of Parliament under this government, The King’s Speech is expected to unveil over 35 bills and draft bills which will support delivery of the government’s first steps and missions to rebuild Britain.
The package of bills will focus on growing the economy through better transport, more jobs and turbocharging building of houses and infrastructure – helping to make every part of the country better off.
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Now is the time to take the brakes off Britain. For too long people have been held back, their paths determined by where they came from – not their talents and hard work.
“I am determined to create wealth for people up and down the country. It is the only way our country can progress, and my government is focussed on supporting that aspiration.
“Today’s new laws will take back control and lay the foundations of real change that this country is crying out for, creating wealth in every community and making people better off – supporting their ambitions, hopes and dreams.”
Transport
New legislation will be introduced to create a simplified rail system by bringing rail services into public ownership once their contracts expire or if operators fail to deliver on their commitments. This approach will avoid the burden falling on taxpayers to cough up for compensation to operators for taking services into public ownership.
Transferring operations to the public sector will save the taxpayer millions of pounds currently paid out in fees to private operators each year. It will end the fragmentation of our railways, establishing a more efficient and reliable rail service for passengers – helping to get people to work on time and boosting productivity.
The government will also introduce legislation to establish a new public body, Great British Railways (GBR) which will be focused on improving services and creating better value for money for passengers.
With Great British Railways, the fares and ticketing system will see simplified fares, discounts, and ticket types. Once established, the new body will also ensure that ticketing innovations like automatic compensation, digital pay-as-you-go and digital season ticketing are rolled out across the whole network.
The King’s Speech is also expected to feature a Better Buses Bill to deliver the government’s manifesto commitment to reform the bus system by delivering new powers for local leaders to franchise local bus services and to lift the restriction on new publicly owned bus operators.
This will help bring an end to the postcode lottery of bus services and will give local communities throughout England the power to take back control of their bus services. It will mean local leaders can decide to introduce better bus networks, at pace, which reflect the needs of the local communities that rely on them.
Building
Getting Britain to build more housing and infrastructure, including through planning reform, will also be central to the Government’s plans to strengthen economic growth.
The Bill will speed up and streamline the planning process to build more homes of all tenures and accelerate the delivery of major infrastructure projects.
By enabling democratic engagement with how, not if, homes and infrastructure are built – the major brakes on the planning system will be addressed to support sustainable growth.
Empowering local communities
As part of the government’s plans to empower local leaders to deliver change for their communities, the King’s Speech is also expected to unveil the English Devolution Bill. This will deliver the Government’s manifesto commitment to transfer power into local communities and recognising the vital role local leaders play in supporting growth by establishing local growth plans that bring economic benefit to communities and households across the country.
The speech will build on the first fortnight of the government’s mission of national renewal.
From the launch of a National Wealth Fund to strengthen UK investment, to a new Mission Control tasked with turbocharging the UK to clean power by 2030, to opening the recruitment of a new Border Security Command, and the Deputy Prime Minister’s pledge to kickstart a new devolution revolution to transfer more powers out of Westminster and into the hands of local people – the Government is hitting the ground running and wasting no time in its work to change the country.
What is the King’s Speech and what does it mean for me?
All you need to know about the State Opening of Parliament
The King’s Speech is a speech written by the government and delivered by the Monarch at the State Opening of Parliament.
It marks the beginning of a new parliamentary year, or session, and is an opportunity for the government to set out its legislative agenda for the coming months.
In the speech, the government will typically set out bills which it intends to introduce to Parliament in the session ahead, as well as other policy priorities which do not require legislation.
When is the State Opening of Parliament?
The State Opening of Parliament takes place on the first day of a new parliamentary session.
Each parliamentary session begins with the State Opening of Parliament and runs for around 12 months.
Sessions are not a specified length, but there are normally five sessions in each Parliament. This means there are typically five sessions between each general election. A new parliamentary session will begin after every general election.
When a parliamentary session comes to an end the House is prorogued, which means the parliamentary year has formally ended until the next State Opening of Parliament.
What happens during the State Opening of Parliament?
The State Opening of Parliament begins with the Monarch’s procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster.
The Monarch arrives at the Sovereign’s Entrance to Parliament and subsequently leads the Royal Procession to the chamber of the House of Lords.
A senior officer in the House of Lords known as Black Rod will then summon members of the House of Commons into the Lord’s Chamber to listen to the speech.
Before entering the Commons chamber, the door is shut in Black Rod’s face and the official will strike the door three times before it is opened. This practice dates back to the Civil War and symbolises the Commons’ independence from the monarchy.
When the Monarch leaves the chamber, a new parliamentary session begins.
Members of both the House of Commons and House of Lords will then debate the content of the speech for a number of days before the speech is voted on.
Did you know?
Traditions around the Monarch’s speech and the State Opening of Parliament can be traced back to the 16th century.
Before the Monarch arrives, the Yeomen of the Guard search the cellars of the Palace of Westminster for explosives to commemorate Guy Fawkes’s gunpowder plot of 1605.
The custom of Black Rod banging on the door of the Commons dates back to 1642, when Charles I tried to arrest five MPs, and symbolises the right of the Commons to exclude royal messengers.
The Imperial State Crown has 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 269 pearls, and 4 rubies.
On a visit to Leeds Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall will today (Thursday 11 July) confirm the Government’s commitments to its manifesto Back to Work plan, and say tackling economic inactivity is central to the UK Government’s number one mission of growing the economy.
New Work and Pensions Secretary today sets out how the Government’s back to work plan is critical to growing the economy
On a visit to Leeds with Ministerial team, Liz Kendall identifies tackling economic inactivity as top priority, saying Mayors and local areas will be in the driving seat of change
Visit follows Chancellor’s speech earlier this week setting out immediate action to fix the foundations of the economy, rebuild Britain and make every part of the country better off
The visit comes days after the Chancellor, Rachel Reeves MP, unveiled the Government’s first steps to securing sustained economic growth as the only route to improving the prosperity of the country and the living standards of working people.
Ms Kendall said rising levels of economic inactivity are unacceptable and that immediate action must be taken. 9.4 million people are now economically inactive, a record 2.8 million people are out of work due to long-term sickness, and 900,000 young people (1 in 8) are not in education, employment, and training.
On her first visit as Secretary of State, with the rest of the Ministerial team, Liz Kendall MP will confirm the three pillars of the UK Government’s Back to Work plan:
A new national jobs and career service to help get more people into work, and on in their work.
New work, health and skills plans for the economically inactive, led by Mayors and local areas.
A youth guarantee for all young people aged 18-21.
Work and Pensions Secretary, Liz Kendall MP, said: “Growth is our number one mission and, as the Chancellor said, our Back to Work Plan is central to achieving our plans.
“Economic inactivity is holding Britain back – it’s bad for people, it’s bad for businesses, and it’s bad for growth.
“It’s not good enough that the UK is the only G7 country with employment not back to pre-pandemic levels.
“It is time for change in every corner of the country.
“We’ll create more good jobs, make work pay, transform skills, and overhaul jobcentres, alongside action to tackle the root causes of worklessness including poor physical and mental health.
“Change delivered by local areas for local people, driving growth and delivering opportunity and prosperity to everyone, wherever they live.”
Earlier this week the Health Secretary set out how cutting NHS waiting lists will get Britain back to health and back to work, and how by taking bold action on public health we can build the healthy society needed for a healthy economy.
Under the DWP’s plan, Jobcentre Plus and the National Careers Service will be merged to get more people into work and to support those seeking better opportunities with the means to find better paid work.
The Youth Guarantee will mean more opportunities for training, an apprenticeship or help to find work for all young people aged 18-21 years old, to prevent young people becoming excluded from the world of work at a young age.
More disabled people and those with health conditions will be supported to enter and stay in work, by devolving more power to local areas so they can shape a joined-up work, health, and skills offer that suits the needs of the people they serve.
On their visit to Leeds today the DWP’s new ministerial team will visit a jobcentre to see first-hand how they’re supporting people with health conditions, and those aged 18-24 and over 50.
They will then be joined by Tracy Brabin, West Yorkshire Mayor. They will visit Smartworks – a charity who work to build the confidence of clients and help prepare for interviews by providing free clothing ahead of interviews.
Chancellor pledges she will take action to fix the foundations of the economy to make everyone, not just a few, better off.
Government to get Britain building by taking immediate action on planning reform and unblocking stalled sites to unlock thousands of homes.
Immediate removal of the de facto ban on onshore wind in England as government starts delivering on clean energy mission to cut bills for families and boost energy independence.
The Chancellor yesterday (8 July) promised to take immediate action to fix the foundations of the economy, rebuild Britain and make every part of the country better off.
In her first speech as Chancellor, Rachel Reeves pledged to leaders of some of the UK’s pioneering industries to build growth on strong and secure foundations built on stability, investment and reform, and forged through a new partnership with the private sector.
Addressing the difficult economic inheritance this government faces, she committed to taking immediate action to drive sustained economic growth, the only route to improving the prosperity of our country and the living standards of working people.
Setting out her first steps to deliver on the government’s commitments in its manifesto that every action it takes will be based on sound money and economy stability, the Chancellor promised a new economic model that will grow the economy and keep taxes, inflation and mortgages as low as possible.
The Chancellor said had the UK economy grown at the average rate of OECD economies over the fourteen years from 2010, it would be £143.3 billion larger – worth £5,053 for every household in the country. This could have brought in an additional £58 billion in tax revenues in the last year alone to sustain our public services.
Taking decisive action, the government is today announcing a series of measures to lay the foundations for a dynamic, modern and growing economy, including taking urgent steps to build 1.5 million homes over the next five years and the immediate removal of the de facto ban on onshore wind in England, as part of its clean energy mission.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:“Today I am taking immediate action to fix Britain’s economic foundations.
“By growing our economy we can rebuild Britain and make every part of the country better off.”
Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said: ““Our country is under new management and a new era for economic growth will be built on secure foundations.
“The Chancellor and I will work in lockstep to kickstart the economy, unleashing housebuilding and powering local growth.
“Change starts now. We will unblock the bottlenecks and drive forward a transformational package to build the homes people need.”
Energy Security and Net Zero Secretary Ed Miliband said:“Every family has paid the price of the ban on onshore wind farms in higher energy bills. This ban has undermined our energy security, put costs on people’s bills – especially those on lower incomes – and held us back in our fight against climate change.
“This Government is wasting no time in delivering the bold plan we need to take back control of our energy; boosting our energy independence and cutting bills for families as we tackle the climate crisis.
“Getting rid of this ban and giving priority for planning permission for much needed infrastructure sends an immediate signal to investors here and around the world that the UK is back in business, an immediate step in our mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower.”
The UK government is taking swift action on its central growth mission by announcing the following:
Planning
The government is taking swift action to identify and unblock key ‘stalled sites’ to get large housing schemes moving forward, starting with four sites across England to unlock over 14,000 homes: Liverpool Central Docks, Northstowe, Worcester Parkway and Langley Sutton Coldfield.
The Chancellor has also welcomed the Deputy Prime Minister’s commitment to make the economic benefit of development a central consideration when intervening in the planning system. This starts today by recovering two appealed planning applications for data centres in Buckinghamshire and Hertfordshire.
To facilitate this new approach, the Deputy Prime Minister will also write to local mayors and the Office for Investment to ensure that any investment opportunity with important planning considerations that comes across their desks is brought to her attention and to the Chancellor’s.
This will help to ensure the planning system can unlock major schemes from clean energy projects and transport infrastructure to film studios and art-entertainment venues.
The Chancellor has also confirmed that the government will support local authorities with 300 additional planning officers across the country.
Further announcements will be made in the coming weeks to accelerate the development of housing and infrastructure, including launching a landmark consultation on an updated, growth-focused National Planning Policy Framework to include mandatory housing targets and a requirement to review greenbelt boundaries where necessary to meet them.
These will prioritise Brownfield and “grey belt” land for development to meet housing targets where needed, partnered with new ‘golden rules’ that will make sure the development this frees up will also deliver thousands of affordable homes, including more for social rent.
Critical major infrastructure
The current planning regime acts as a major brake on economic growth which is why the government will make the changes the country needs to forge ahead with new roads, railways, reservoirs, and other nationally significant infrastructure.
The government will set out new policy intentions for critical infrastructure in the coming months, ahead of updating relevant National Policy Statements within the next 12 months to provide certainty to industry. We will legislate to ensure they are updated at least every 5 years.
The government will also build on the Strategic Spatial Energy Plan which is being developed by the National Energy System Operator to speed up the roll out of clean power, and will seek to expand the use of spatial planning to other infrastructure sectors.
The Chancellor has asked the Secretaries of State for Transport and Energy Security and Net Zero to prioritise taking decisions on critical infrastructure projects which are with them now.
To go further, to help speed up delivery on infrastructure such as transport and energy, the government will review how it can unlock critical infrastructure, without weakening environment protections.
Alongside this, the government will make sure energy projects are prioritised in the planning system and consult on including onshore wind power developments in the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIP) planning regime.
Further details on ending the de facto ban on onshore wind will be set out later by the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero, and the Department for Levelling up, Housing and Communities.
Martha Lane Fox, President of the British Chambers of Commerce, said:“Fixing the foundations of the economy can provide businesses with the stability and certainty they need to unleash a wave of investment to create growth and new jobs.
“Labour’s pledges to create an industrial strategy, improve trade relations with the EU, and boost skills training all have capacity to make a huge difference.
“Today’s commitment to deliver large scale infrastructure at greater pace, especially green energy projects and more housing where people want to live, is very welcome.
“But policy must be backed up with better skilled and resourced planning departments to deliver this step change. That’s why the pledge to fund an extra 300 planning officers is so important.
“It’s also why the BCC’s Planning Skills Fund has been set up in partnership with Government. It will develop an additional pipeline of new and upskilled planning talent to boost growth in our local economies.”
David Thomas, Chief Executive Officer, Barratt Developments’ said:“We welcome the Government’s commitment to reform of the planning system and their drive for growth.
“Building more new homes will bring huge economic and social benefits to the UK, and it is vital that local and central government are united with industry to plan positively to deliver high quality new homes and developments across the country.”
Keith Anderson, Chief Executive Officer, Scottish Power said:“I welcome the clear sense of urgency and direction set out by the Chancellor today.
“Prioritising clean energy infrastructure and building at speed and at scale will unleash strong economic growth across the country.
“If the UK can halve the time it takes to get renewables, electricity grid and storage projects through the planning system, we’ll look to double our investment over the coming years.”
Henrik L. Pedersen, Chief Executive Officer, Associated British Ports said:“Associated British Ports has an ambitious project pipeline of major investments in port infrastructure including supporting the development of floating offshore wind in Wales as well as green hydrogen and carbon capture and storage in the Humber.
“The right enabling measures from Government will unlock these developments at pace. In this regard the Chancellor’s speech is very welcome and encouraging.”
Mark Reynolds, Chairman & Chief Executive Officer, Mace Grop, Co-Chair of the Construction Leadership Council said:“Today’s announcements show a welcome proactive approach to tackling the delays to the planning system that are costing the UK up to £11bn a year in growth and hampering the delivery of the homes and infrastructure we sorely need.
“The focus on cutting the red tape to progress nationally important projects, such as data centres, combined with increased resourcing of the planning departments, will bring a renewed energy and focus to the construction sector.
“It’s particularly welcome to see the Chancellor has put this at the top of her agenda – we stand fully behind the delivery of the Government’s ambitions.”
Kate Kenny, Senior Vice President, Jacobs said:““We greatly welcome the changes outlined by the Chancellor today to simplify the planning regime and unlock greater investment in critical national infrastructure projects.
“The updating of National Policy Statements will also play a major role in providing clarity and certainty of pipeline for industry and its supply chains to invest in the long-term skills required to deliver the clean energy, transport, water and other significant infrastructure projects that the UK requires for a prosperous future.”
Tom Glover, UK Country Chair, RWE said:“We fully support the new government’s focus on unblocking the planning system, and welcome commitments to prioritise taking decisions on critical national infrastructure projects as soon as possible.
“Ensuring that local authorities are properly resourced to deliver a real acceleration in planning approvals is also crucial – we therefore welcome the announcement to fund an additional 300 planning officers.
“As a leading renewables developer we are also pleased that the government are moving swiftly to end the ban of onshore wind, in the long-term this means committing to bring projects over 50MW back into the Nationally Significant Infrastructure Projects (NSIPs) regime. We look forward to further information on this in due course”.
Andrea Rossi, Chief Executive Officer, M&G said:“As a major investor in the real economy we welcome efforts to provide long-term policy certainty and the ambition to get Britain building. Speed and ambition are crucial.
“By providing clarity on infrastructure priorities, combined with a swifter planning system, we can deliver investment, kick-start the economy and secure good returns for UK pension policy holders.”
Chris Cummings, Chief Executive Officer, The Investment Association said:“The Investment Management industry strongly supports the Chancellor’s ambition to drive economic growth. There is more our industry can do to support the UK economy and its people, and we are ready to work with the new government to achieve this.
“Investment is the engine of economic growth, and our industry supports the government in finding innovative ways for more capital to be channelled into thriving British businesses and infrastructure projects. Removing blockers in the planning system will be key to this.
“It is vital we open straightforward ways for pension funds to invest in the housing, transport and energy projects we all rely on by removing regulatory obstacles and overturning the culture of “safetyism” that has curtailed economic growth.”
Rob Perrins, Chief Executive Officer, Berkeley Group said: “We’re hugely encouraged to see the clear priority and focus on housing delivery as part of the Government’s mission for growth.
“Today’s announcements are a very positive start and we will continue to work closely with Government to help unlock the potential of brownfield regeneration sites to deliver good green homes, both affordable and private. Reviving urban land has a vital role to play in driving the sustainable growth and productivity our country needs.”
Nick Jansa, Executive Managing Director EMEA, Ontario Teachers’ Pension Plan said:“We welcome the government’s announcement today on improvements to the planning system and removing barriers to investment in growing the UK’s critical infrastructure.”
Chancellor Rachel Reeves will vow to “fix the foundations of Britain’s economy” to make every part of Britain better off.
In her first major speech, the Chancellor will declare economic growth is “a national mission” and promise to take the tough decisions to deliver on the Government’s mandate.
She is expected to announce swift changes to unblock infrastructure and private investment.
The Government will take the difficult decisions to deliver growth, Rachel Reeves will say in her first speech as Chancellor today.
Business leaders from some of Britain’s most pioneering industries – including its financial services and green industries – are expected to be in attendance in central London to hear Ms Reeves vow to “fix the foundations of our economy so we can rebuild Britain and make every part of our country better off.”
Rachel Reeves will say there is “no time to waste” on delivering change, pledging to reverse “the legacy of fourteen years of chaos and economic irresponsibility”.
The Chancellor is expected to say:““Last week, the British people voted for change. And over the past 72 hours I have begun the work necessary to deliver on that mandate.
“Our manifesto was clear: ‘Sustained economic growth is the only route to improving the prosperity of our country and the living standards of working people.’
“Where governments have been unwilling to take the difficult decisions to deliver growth – or have waited too long to act – I will deliver.
“It is now a national mission. There is no time to waste.
“This morning I want to outline the first steps this new government has taken to fix the foundations of our economy, so we can rebuild Britain and make every part of our country better off.
“We face the legacy of fourteen years of chaos and economic irresponsibility.
“New Treasury analysis I requested over the weekend exposed the opportunities lost from this failure.
“Had the UK economy grown at the average rate of OECD economies since 2010, it would have been over £140 billion larger.
“This could have brought in an additional £58 billion in tax revenues last year alone to sustain our public services.
“It falls to this new Government to fix the foundations.”
“Labour’s ambitions for growth can’t happen unless we get closer to Europe.” says Labour’s longest-serving former Member of European Parliament“
Food safety agreement with EU could cut weekly foods bills by £2”
David Martin, who was the Labour Party’s longest serving Member of the European Parliament, has said Labour’s ambitions for growth in the economy can only be achieved by closer alignment with the EU.
Speaking today (24 June) in a Bylines Scotland podcast, Mr Martin said: ““The programme Labour has put forward for government is dependent on growth. In my view that growth cannot happen unless we get closer to Europe. It’s just not going to happen if we are outside all the European decision-making processes.”
He said realigning with Europe is a long-term process: “Things won’t happen overnight, but a new Labour government can reach early accommodations with the EU that can benefit the UK and EU.”
Mr Martin who is President of the European Movement in Scotland, the leading all-party pro EU organisation, cited post-Brexit rules on food safety controls that currently cost UK and European exporters £40 for every consignment passing between the UK and the EU.
He argues that having mutually agreed new food hygiene standards would cut out these costs and protect public health.
“A new accord between the UK and EU on veterinary standards would benefit farmers, food importers and exporters. Most importantly, it’s estimated that it could cut household shopping bills by around £2 a week.”
The former MEP believes the UK’s hospitality and retail sectors would benefit from the UK agreeing to the EU’s proposal to allow people between the ages of 18 and 30 the right to study or work in the UK or EU for up to four years. Labour has rejected the proposal. David Martin thinks that if Labour wins the general election, it must be open to reviewing its position on Europe.
“The EU proposal on limited free movement would be beneficial to both sides. It would give our industries a source of valuable labour,”
The Forth Green Freeport (FGF) is officially “open for business” today, 12 June, following approval from the Scottish and UK Governments of its Outline Business Case.
This major step unlocks the investment incentives to deliver the green freeport vision.
Dame Susan Rice DBE, Chair of Forth Green Freeport, said: “This is it, Forth Green Freeport is officially open for business. It is an important time for the Green Freeport as we move through the business case development phase to delivery for Scotland.
“Through innovations in offshore wind manufacturing, assembly and commissioning, alongside innovative shipbuilding, modular assembly and hydrogen manufacture, the country’s net zero targets can be boosted by Forth Green Freeport.
“This is a long-term project and one which we know will deliver real benefits to the local communities through economic growth, skills re-training and training and access to high quality, green jobs.”
Responding to the news, Council Leader Cammy Day said: “The Forth Green Freeport is go – making North Edinburgh and the region open for significant investment and good, green, economic growth.
“The whole coastline has huge potential as we develop our city and address the climate emergency and, clearly, the Scottish and UK Governments agree. The news just this week of a global leader in sustainable energy potentially looking to invest in the Port of Leith is also testament to the opportunities Edinburgh has to offer.
“Our extension of Edinburgh’s tram line to Newhaven is already unlocking many areas in the North of the city for long-term investment and regeneration plus, our £1.3 billion green vision for Granton Waterfront is creating a brand new sustainable coastal community, with thousands of net zero homes.
“Through the Edinburgh and South East Scotland City Region Deal we’ve already achieved massive success working collaboratively with our neighbouring councils, with central government and with the private sector. I’m looking forward to similar success with all the partners on the Forth Green Freeport.
“I’ve said all along that fair work and fair opportunities – with employers paying the real Living Wage and real benefits to the community – should be central to the Green Freeport’s plans.
“Following positive conversations with our partners, I’m pleased this is now confirmed with a Fair Work Charter right at the heart of everyone’s ambitions.
“Around 11,000 direct jobs are expected to be created as a result of the Forth Green Freeport, and we expect around 4,000 of those to be here in Edinburgh, which is major. This is of course long-term but we have the opportunity to not only boost employment opportunities but the skills we need in green industries as we address the climate challenge and work towards net zero as a city and country.”
Retail trade union Usdaw has a delegation of members, reps and officials attending the annual conference of the Scottish Trade Union Congress (STUC) in Dundee, which started on Monday and concludes tomorrow.
Moving the composite motion about childcare, Elaine Dennis – Usdaw delegate said: “In recent years working parents across Scotland have come under huge strain due to the growing lack of affordable, flexible and accessible childcare.
“Undoubtedly, the cost of living crisis has intensified this problem, with women often bearing the brunt. Childcare is not just an equality issue and a trade union issue, it’s key to economic growth and essential to tackling child poverty.
“Despite childcare being so crucial to working families and women’s equality.
“The current system is failing parents who are struggling to find good quality affordable childcare, failing childcare workers, who are often underpaid, and underappreciated, and failing children across Scotland, who are missing out on vital opportunities with one in four living in poverty.
“Most Usdaw members work in lower paid sectors like retail and warehousing; the majority are women, so childcare is a huge issue for our members. The costs of childcare and nursery fees are simply unaffordable for many parents in lower paid jobs and even where free hours are available, the system is complicated and difficult to navigate. Many families don’t know what they are entitled to and many more are left with huge gaps in provision.
“Balancing work with childcare in a sector like retail is not easy and women are often the primary carer. It is so often invisible to employers and managers, yet it shapes working lives.
“We know from supporting many of our women members with children, the effort they put in to making themselves available for work is enormous. It often means getting up very early or going to bed very late and regularly arriving at work on very little sleep.
“It means putting a lot of effort into scheduling childcare around work, creating a complicated patchwork of support. Working out when grandparents, neighbours or older siblings are available to look after young children in the morning, evening or for a few hours after school. This is why good wraparound childcare provisions are so important to working parents.
“We know that many parents work ‘opposite shifts’, with families barely able to spend a minute of quality time together. Workplace policies help and unions do a great job negotiating flexible working agreements that make a real difference to women’s working lives, but women working in part-time, low hours and low paid jobs, who are worried about holding onto them, are often too afraid to ask their employer for help.
“A successful childcare system should enable parents to work the jobs and the hours that they choose to. Instead, it is a barrier to work for those in lower paid jobs.
“It prevents women from progressing, trapping families in poverty and ingraining inequality. We desperately need a childcare system that supports working parents and grandparents, valuing these dedicated workers and supporting families in Scotland.”
