Cole-Hamilton Seeks Walk-In Vaccine Centres for Constituency Hot Spots

Edinburgh Western MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton is seeking walk in coronavirus vaccination centres in the Lothians today, after an outbreak in his constituency which forced the temporary closure of a local primary school.

Last week, Mr Cole- Hamilton, raised concerns over the temporary closure of Davidsons Main Primary School within his constituency, after 12 out of the 19 classes were required to self-isolate. Health Secretary Humza Yousaf responded to Mr Cole-Hamilton with the assurance that an extra effort would be made to ensure appropriate testing measures would be in place to keep the virus under control.

Mr Cole-Hamilton believes that more immediate action must be taken, using an opportunity in the Holyrood chamber to ask if the Health Secretary would make drop-in vaccination clinics available for constituents over the age of 18 who have yet to have their first jag or face a long wait for their second in local hotspot areas across Edinburgh, as he had done in Glasgow over the weekend.

Unable to give a definitive answer, Mr Yousaf did promise to raise the merits of walk in centres during a meeting with NHS Lothian that will take place tomorrow.

Mr Cole-Hamilton said: “I am pleased that the Cabinet Secretary understands the value of walk in vaccination centres, and there are many examples of the appetite for them across the United Kingdom.

“If we have learned anything from this pandemic it is the tragedy of being slow to take action. If the city of Edinburgh is to avoid a situation like the one Glasgow has been facing for the last eight months, then walk in vaccination clinics must be set up as soon as possible.

“It is of the utmost importance that local outbreaks, just like the ones in Davidsons Mains and Silverknowes, are dealt with swiftly, to avoid further harm to our to both our health and economy.”

15% of owner-managed businesses are still in survival mode

“11% reported that it is likely they will have to make redundancies in the next 3-6 months putting a potential 1.85 million jobs at risk across the UK”

Owner managed businesses coming out of the third lockdown are still struggling with the impact of Covid-19 and an uncertain economic outlook, according to the Association of Practising Accountants (APA):

  • 11% reported that it is likely they will have to make redundancies in the next 3-6 months putting a potential 1.85 million jobs at risk across the UK
  • 24% reported a negative or very negative impact on their business since the UK left the EU
  • 53% of respondents identified uncertain trading conditions as their biggest single challenge
  • 15% cited Brexit supply chain issues as their single biggest challenge

Nonetheless:

  • 84% of respondents reported that they were either confident or somewhat confident that they would be able to access the finance that they needed over the next 6 months with anecdotal evidence suggesting that the major banks were continuing to lend
  • Longer term 54% were more positive about their economic prospects outside the EU while 46% were less positive

The research among 435 owner managed businesses across the UK was carried out between April and May by the APA, a network of 17 leading business advisory firms who represent over 14,000 of these businesses.

Commenting on the findings APA Chairman Martin Muirhead said: “What is clear from our research is that a significant minority of owner managed businesses who have managed to pull through the last 12 months are still in survival mode with uncertain trading conditions being the biggest concern to a majority.

“Nonetheless there is also evidence to suggest that those businesses that have managed to weather the impact of Covid-19 are now more resilient and that existing and proposed Government support measures have generally been well received.

“Over the coming months it is vital that Government maintains a flexible and targeted approach to business support focusing resource on those sectors where there is the greatest need. Owner managed businesses form the backbone of the UK economy and need continued, targeted support as we emerge from this third lockdown.”

One in Six: Working family poverty hits record high

  • Billions spent on state support enrich private landlords, while one in six working households face poverty 
  • Action needed to bring down housing and childcare costs, and make work pay, to prevent further increases in poverty  
  • Stark new figures show the need to rethink economy and end constant house price spiral, report says 

The UK’s relative poverty rate among working households has hit a record high this century of 17.4 per cent, according to the first comprehensive analysis of official data released last month. 

Working poverty rates among families with three or more children have reached 42 per cent, up more than two thirds over the past decade. 

The figures, reflecting the position just before the pandemic struck, show that working poverty rates have risen across the entire country but are highest in London, Wales and the north of England. Families of all sizes have been affected, with single parents, couples with a single earner and large families affected worst. 

The sharp rise in working poverty (poverty faced by anyone living in a household where someone is in work) is revealed in a newreport by the IPPR think tank.

The report, No Longer Managing, lists four factors behind the growth in poverty: spiralling housing costs among low-income households; low wages; a social security system that has failed to keep up with rental costs; and a lack of flexible and affordable childcare.  

It identifies the economy’s over-dependance on house price growth as a key factor in driving poverty higher, as more families have to rely on renting privately and housing costs for private tenants have risen by almost half (48 per cent) in real terms over 25 years. One in four households is projected to be renting from private landlords by 2025. 

As a result, it says, much of the multi-billion pound benefits bill supports housing costs in the private sector, with any increase effectively channelled into the pockets of private landlords. IPPR estimates that £11.1 billion of housing support spending went to private landlords last year. 

Detailed IPPR analysis of DWP survey data also found that: 

  • Two-earner families where one partner works full-time and one works part-time are increasingly being pulled into poverty, a significant shift. For people in this group, the chances of being pulled into poverty have doubled over the past two decades, from one in 20 to one in 10.
  • Even for households with two people in full-time work, the chances of being pulled into poverty have more than doubled over the same period, rising from 1.4 per cent to 3.9 per cent.
  • Couple households with one full-time earner now have a poverty rate of 31 per cent, almost as high as working households where nobody works full time.
  • London has the highest rate of in-work poverty – 22 per cent – with Wales, the Midlands and the north of England next highest on 18 per cent. The rate is lowest in Northern Ireland (13 per cent). 

The IPPR report argues for new and different long-term targets for welfare, economic and housing policy, which reflect housing, childcare and travel-to-work costs as a percentage of families’ income. 

It says that the government’s current ‘levelling-up’ agenda is “unlikely to benefit working families if it remains largely focused on physical infrastructure” and fails to address growing inequalities. These include rapidly rising house prices and the growing gulf between property owners and renters – often in the most affluent parts of the country. 

Instead it urges developing wider objectives to bear down on some of the highest costs faced by working families – housing and childcare – and to ‘make work pay’. 

The report calls for long-term reforms to: 

  • Contain housing costs as a share of household income. This could include setting a house price inflation target as part of the Bank of England’s remit; greater taxation of property wealth; and investing at least £15 billion in capital grants to help vastly increase the rate of new housebuilding. 
  • Contain childcare costs as a proportion of household income, and make it more flexible. Measures to achieve this would include higher state subsidies for children under five and wraparound care for school-age children, with funding going directly to childcare providers.
  • Make work pay, through labour market reforms, skills policy and higher income support. Greater collective bargaining and unionisation, bearing down on insecure work and increased access to training and skills would all help to raise incomes; but greater support through the social security system, eroded during the transition to universal credit, is also needed so that people are better off in work. 

It also proposes measures to alleviate the problem in the short term, ranging from increases in local housing allowance to changes in childcare payments made through Universal Credit, and a 20 per cent higher minimum wage for zero hours contracts

But it warns that without underlying long-term reforms, government will face a perpetual choice between paying constantly rising social security bills to offset growing in-work poverty – or allowing the number of working families in poverty to increase unchecked, as is currently the case. 

Clare McNeil, IPPR associate director and head of its Future Welfare State programme, said: “These shocking new figures should be a wake-up call for everyone concerned about our future.

“The UK economy’s dependence on ever-rising house prices, and the lack of affordable housing, have trapped us in a vicious circle which, unless broken, will condemn us either to a constantly rising social security bill, or to ever-increasing poverty among working households. 

“A growing private rented sector coupled with high rents enriches property owners at the expense of renters, and represents a transfer of wealth away from people who already have very little, into the hands of others who are steadily accumulating more.  

“We need an alternative to what the government calls ‘levelling up’. That should look beyond headline incomes to the true costs and obstacles people face when struggling to make work pay. Otherwise more and more families who were once ‘just about managing’ will join the growing number who are ‘no longer managing’. 

“Short-term fixes are needed to alleviate the immediate crisis, but to solve the underlying problem we need a far deeper rethink of housing, childcare, social security and work.” 

The Bishop of Dover, the Rt Revd Rose Hudson-Wilkin, who is a member of IPPR’s welfare state advisory panel, said: “The system is broken and it is our responsibility to see that it is changed. 

“Providing a home and building a future for your family is something we all strive for and this report shows that one in six households are trying as hard as they can but still finding it impossible to feed their families and provide a safe roof over their heads. 

The gulf between the rich and the poor is growing, as the pandemic showed us all too clearly. We must do more as a country to ensure that the resources we have been blessed with are shared more equally – now, and in the future.”

Scottish business confidence enters positive territory for first time since the pandemic began

Bank of Scotland’s Business Barometer for April 2021 shows:

  • Scottish business confidence rose 11 points to 9% in April, the first net-positive reading since February 2020
  • But firms are still expecting to reduce staffing levels over the coming months
  • Overall UK business confidence at highest level since September 2018 as lockdown restrictions lift in England and firms in Scotland and Wales begin to reopen

Business confidence in Scotland rose 11 points during April to 9%, the first positive reading since February 2020, according to the latest Business Barometer from Bank of Scotland Commercial Banking.

Companies in Scotland reported higher confidence in their own business prospects month-on-month, up 10 points at 5%.  When taken alongside their optimism in the economy, up 11 points to 13%, this gives a headline confidence reading of 9%.

The Business Barometer questions 1,200 businesses monthly and provides early signals about UK economic trends both regionally and nationwide.

When it comes to jobs, a net balance of 9% of firms expect to reduce staff levels in the next year, down from 20% last month.

Overall UK business confidence surged 14 points in April to 29%, the highest reading since September 2018. The result follows the reopening of outdoor hospitality venues and non-essential retail and personal services providers in England and comes ahead of further restrictions easing in Wales and Scotland. Firms’ confidence in their own business prospects rose by 14 points to 26% and their optimism in the economy increased by 15 points to 32%.

Most UK regions and nations reported a month-on-month increase in confidence during April, with firms in the South West (up 22 points to 30%), London (up 20 points to 32%), the East Midlands (up 20 points to 40%) and Yorkshire and the Humber (up 20 points to 32%) reporting the largest surges.

No nation or region reported a fall in confidence, and nowhere had a net-negative confidence reading for the first time since July 2019.

Fraser Sime, regional director for Scotland at Bank of Scotland Commercial Banking, said: “With hospitality and retail reopening this month, firms are feeling more optimistic as they begin to welcome people back to shop, eat and enjoy what Scotland has to offer.

“While some businesses are still planning to reduce staffing levels this year, it’s encouraging to see the number of companies planning job cuts has decreased month-on-month, a trend we hope to see continue. As lockdown restrictions ease over the coming weeks, we will continue to stand by Scottish businesses as they look to their recovery.”

Confidence increased in all sectors, with manufacturing and retail confidence levels at three-year highs. Manufacturing stood out as the most positive sector (40%), likely reflecting strong global demand and notwithstanding ongoing supply chain issues. Retail confidence jumped to 39%, while construction confidence also increased to 28%. Services confidence rose to 25%, which was also the highest it has been since 2018.

Paul Gordon, Managing Director for SME and Mid Corporates, Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “It’s very encouraging to report a continued improvement in sentiment for the UK’s regions and nations, particularly the Northern English regions that are leading the upward trend.

“In the sectors, the story is broadly positive – especially manufacturing and retail, which stood out and reported confidence levels at three-year highs. The retail sector, specifically, experienced some much-needed relief this month with the easing of lockdown restrictions.

“We hope that pent-up consumer demand will drive growth as the economy reopens further.”

Hann-Ju Ho, Senior Economist, Lloyds Bank Commercial Banking, said: “A third consecutive monthly rise in business confidence alongside the highest level of confidence for two-and-a-half years tells us a positive story about the UK’s continued economic recovery and leaves us optimistic about the road ahead.

“While uncertainties remain regarding the evolution of the pandemic, this month’s improvement in sentiment reflects a further easing of COVID-19 restrictions, while progress in vaccine deployment is raising hopes that the negative impact of the health crisis will continue to fall in the months ahead as the economy reopens.”

Scotland’s night time economy ‘on brink of collapse’

The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) is warning of an impending unemployment tsunami, with up to 24,000 jobs thought to be at risk within weeks, as a majority of struggling night-time economy businesses have now run out of cash to pay furlough contributions and fixed costs. 

The Scottish Government released the latest Strategic Framework update on Friday, which confirmed businesses will be subject to the commercially unviable levels system of restrictions for many months longer despite all financial support being withdrawn by the end of April.

Worse still, there is no commitment or target date for the return to commercially viable trading for businesses in the sector, which is only possible when social distancing and all other legal restrictions end.

A survey this month of NTIA members confirmed the perilous state the sector is now in, with average Covid related debt reaching a wholly unsustainable £150,000 or more per premises, and businesses facing an imminent cash flow crunch.

The survey also confirmed that less than a quarter of premises have licensed outdoor areas, the vast majority are many months behind on rent or mortgage payments, fewer than a third have been able to trade viably at any point in the last year, and almost all cannot reopen or trade viably while social distancing remains.

These businesses have now exhausted financial resources. Cash reserves have been depleted, more borrowing is now impossible with no guaranteed opening dates and businesses are rapidly running out of cash to pay their fixed costs and furlough contributions.

Business insolvencies and mass job losses are now inevitable within weeks unless the Scottish Government acts urgently. The NTIA wrote to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon earlier this month highlighting the issues and requesting immediate crisis talks.

It is beyond disappointing that as yet we have had no response whatsoever.

NTIA Spokesman Gavin Stevenson said: “Our members have done the right thing, closed their previously successful businesses for the sake of public health, and gone deep into debt paying the enormous fixed costs and furlough contributions to keep staff employed for over a year now.  

“We were the first to close and will be last to open.  No sector has suffered more.  But Government have consistently taken our sector for granted and refused to engage meaningfully with our representatives.

“Many of our members have been closed for over a year now, and virtually all have suffered crippling financial losses.  In short, the money going out every month has been far greater than the money coming in, and government support has typically covered less than a quarter of this deficit.

“To add insult to injury government support has now ended while there is no end date to forced closure and other restrictions.  Scottish Government now only has two options, provide substantial and immediate additional support for as long as it is mandated that our businesses stay closed and/or operate under the restrictions that make them unviable, or provide a clear route map with target dates for the end of all legal restrictions on capacity, activity, and opening hours.  

“If neither of those options are forthcoming then our First Minister is, in effect, asking thousands of small Scottish business owners to bankrupt themselves.”

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will make a statement this afternoon. She is expected to confirm the latest easing of restrictions will take place next Monday (26 April) and will include the reopening of hospitality, gyms and non-essential shops.

Business calls for inclusive debate on economic strategy

ISSUED ON BEHALF OF CONCERNED BUSINESS LEADERS

We believe the Oxford Economics report, ‘Raising Scotland’s Economic Growth Rate’ underscores the need for inclusive debate across political parties, Government, trade unions, business, the third sector and the media, indeed all concerned parties, to determine a new economic strategy for Scotland.

Radical and ambitious policy changes are required if Scotland’s economic performance is to be transformed and significantly boosted within the next 15 years and there must be no sacred cows as we determine those changes.

We must, as a necessity not a choice, address Scotland’s low productivity, poor business birth rate and lack of success with scale-ups that mean Scotland’s GDP per head is a mere 44% of Singapore’s level, 48% of Ireland’s, 68% of Norway’s and 75% of Denmark’s.

As the report states “it is not realistic to think that the current economic policies of either the UK or Scottish governments will produce a transformation of Scotland’s economic performance”.

Hence we must act now, in collaboration not conflict, to support and deliver a strategy that takes us up the ladder of GDP and drives innovation and scaling not just within business but across the whole of the public sector.

Achieving significant growth in our GDP is not just in every single persons’ interest, it’s an imperative if we are to maintain and indeed enhance our public services and drive the jobs that are so desperately needed post-pandemic.

We owe it to our young people that we create a vibrant economy for them to inherit and we need to be exceptional custodians of Scotland’s future for their sakes. To do so we cannot simply do what we have always done, tinkering on the edges, Scotland needs to think big and it needs to think fast.

Our opportunity is our size, we are a speed boat compared to the super tanker economies and we are a nation that has historically invented the modern world, its not beyond our ken to do that again.

We implore a rational, national debate on our economic future to then deliver a strategy and an operational implementation plan for Scotland’s growth. 

Signed:

Andrew Parfery,          Company Director,     Caresourcer

Andrew Wilson,          Founding Partner,       Charlotte Street Partners

Carolyn Currie,            Chief Executive,          Women’s Enterprise Scotland

Chris Van Der Kuyl CBE,          Chairman,                   4J Studios

Claus Marquordt,        Co-Founder & CEO,     Integrated Graphene Ltd.

Colin Blair,                   Chairman,                   Buzzworks Holdings

Craig Letton,               CEO,                            MRM Global

Duncan Maclean,        CEO,                            Candle Shack

Ellis Watson,               Company Director

Fraser Edmond,          CEO,                            Broker Insights

Kieran Coyle,               Company Director,     Premiership Experience

Liz Cameron OBE,       Chief Executive,          Scottish Chambers of Commerce

Mairi Mickel,               Company Director and Family Business Adviser

Marie Clare Tully,        Chief Executive,          Columba 1400

Marie Owen,               CEO,                            LS Productions

Mark Beaumont BEM, Athlete, broadcaster, investor and author

Mark Scott,                 Company Director,     Bella & Duke

Paddy Burns,               CEO,                            4J Studios

Philip Ross,                  Company Director,     Safehinge Primera

Poonam Gupta OBE,   CEO,                            PG Paper

Ramin Golzari,            Company Director,     Highlander Outdoor

Ray Perman,                Chairman,                   Inner Ear Ltd

Robin Marshall,           CEO,                            Bain Capital

Ross Tuffee,                CEO,                            Iceberg.tech

Sandy Kennedy,          Chief Executive,          Entrepreneurial Scotland Foundation

Sara Thiam,                 Chief Executive,          Scottish Council for Development and Industry (SCDI)

Steven Easton,            Managing Director,     Green Home Systems Limited

Over £97m contributed to the economy by Barratt East Scotland

– Housebuilder supports 1,530 jobs, creates 18 new careers and 10.1ha of green space across the region –

Despite the challenges of the past year, Barratt Developments Scotland has made a substantial contribution of £245m to the UK economy, with the housebuilder’s East Scotland division supplying £97m in GVA itself.

In the year ending 30 June 2020, Barratt East Scotland has also completed 551 new homes and supported 1,530 direct, indirect and induced jobs across the region.

As the largest UK housebuilder, and one of the most sustainable, Barratt continues to safeguard the Scottish environment by creating nearly 23ha of green space. Barratt East Scotland has created 10.1ha of public green spaces and private gardens.

Barratt is working towards reducing its direct carbon emissions by 29% by 2025 and indirect emissions by 24% per square metre by 2030. In the past year, CO2e emissions per 100m.sq. of completed build area fell to 2.29t. across the East Scotland business. 99% of construction waste was also saved from landfill and 12% of new homes were built on previously developed land.

Interior architectural show home photography of David Wilson Homes Mallets Rise development in Newton Mearns

Alison Condie, managing director for Barratt Homes East Scotland, said: “We’re committed to creating strong communities, prosperous job opportunities and meaningful economic impact across the region.

“To have contributed over £97m to the economy and supported over 1,500 jobs is a fantastic achievement – especially given the challenges of the last year – and we’re determined to do even better this year.”

As part of its housebuilding activity, Barratt East Scotland has made £3m in local contributions to help build new facilities and community infrastructure. This contribution includes the provision of 202 new school places. More than £14m has also been spent on physical works within communities, such as highways, environmental improvements and community facilities.

Other key findings from the Barratt East Scotland 2020 socio-economic report include:

·       Increased support for public services with £36m in generated tax revenues

·       Over £105,000 donated to local charitable and community causes

·       300 supplier and 310 sub-contractor companies supported

·       Increased support for the UK supply chain with 90% of all components centrally procured, assembled or manufactured in-country

·       More than £9.5m in retail spending by new residents, helping support 100 retail and service-related jobs

The development of new and future talent remains a key priority for Barratt Developments Scotland and 56 graduates, apprentices and trainees launched their careers with the company in 2020, an increase from 50 in the previous year.

The assessment of Barratt Developments’ performance was carried out by independent consultants Lichfields, who analysed socio-economic impacts through the delivery chain for new housing based on Barratt datasets, published research and national statistics.

Full scale of Britain’s job crisis uncovered in new research

Seven new private sector jobs will be needed to create one viable job post-pandemic

  • Cities will lead economic bounce back but most new jobs are expected to be low-skilled and low-paid.
  • Government must upskill workers and encourage higher-skilled businesses to invest in cities – particularly in the North and Midlands.

New Centre for Cities’ research in partnership with HSBC UK reveals that Britain’s jobs crisis is bigger than realised as the economy will need to create almost ten million new private sector jobs just to reverse the damage done by the pandemic.

Analysis of Britain’s ‘jobs miracle’ from 2013 to 2019 – when the national economy created 2.7 million net new jobs – finds that 19.3 million private sector jobs were created during this period and 16.6 million were lost. This meant that seven new private sector jobs were needed to create one viable job.

If this pattern repeats post-Covid then 9.4 million new private sector jobs will be needed to get the 1.3 million people who lost their jobs during the pandemic working again.

After the financial crisis big cities created the vast majority of new jobs and are expected to do so again post-Covid. London created one in four of all new private sector jobs (790,300) – equal to 17 Scarboroughs, or 25 Hartlepools. Other big cities also played an outsized role: in Manchester, 152,100 new jobs were created; in Birmingham 99,100 were; and in Glasgow 40,800 were.

In total, Britain’s ten largest cities created almost half (45.6%) of jobs during the ‘jobs miracle’, despite accounting for just 3.5% of land. In contrast, smaller towns and rural areas created 36% of new jobs. These findings underline the important role that big cities will play in helping the country recover from Covid-19.

Contribution of cities and non-urban areas to job creation, 2013-19

Fig 1.png

Source: ONS, Business Structure Database (BSD)

Many of the jobs lost in the pandemic were in sectors such as hospitality and tourism. While they are expected to recover quickly once the economy reopens, with an estimated three quarters of new jobs likely to come from sectors such as these, relying on them for new jobs will not address years of poor productivity and pay stagnation, particularly outside London and the Greater South East.

After the pandemic, the productivity problem that UK cities face will need to be addressed.

To do this the Government should invest in adult education to train people for higher-paid jobs in emerging industries. It should also recognise the crucial role that cities will play in building back better from the pandemic. It should invest £5 billion in a new City Centre Productivity Fund to make struggling city centres more attractive places for high-skilled businesses to locate.

The paper’s other proposals to help the country build back better from the pandemic include reforming business rates, which in their current form are a tax on business investment, and devolving more economic powers and resources to local government – particularly England’s metro mayors.

Centre for Cities’ Chief Executive Andrew Carter said: “Britain’s biggest cities will play a central role in our recovery from the pandemic, as they did after the last economic crisis when London alone created a quarter of all new jobs.

“We must use Covid-19 as an economic reset and address many of the long-standing problems that the economy has faced in recent years such as stalled productivity and stagnant pay. To do this the Government will need to focus on investing in adult education to train people for higher paid jobs.

“Addressing these problems will be be essential if the Government hopes to attract higher-skilled businesses in emerging industries to cities and large towns in the North and Midlands and meet its levelling up objectives.

Ian Stuart, CEO, HSBC UK said: “The employment challenge ahead for the country’s economy cannot be underestimated.

“Beyond the sheer volume of new jobs required, the UK will need to create high value, export-led employment across all regions, if it is to address the age-old productivity puzzle.

“Coming out of the Covid-19 pandemic, we will only truly succeed in levelling up the country if the challenge is shared between government and the private sector with a focus on reskilling our people and attracting new business growth and international investment in the sectors where we have a real competitive advantage.”

BT adds £1.2 billion to the Scottish economy

BT SUPPORTS MORE THAN 12,400 SCOTTISH JOBS, ACCORDING TO INDEPENDENT REPORT 

Vital contribution made to economy continues during Covid-19 pandemic 

  • BT Group employs 1 in every 10 employees in IT and communications sector in Scotland
  • Around 12,400 total jobs supported through direct and indirect effects
  • £167 million annual supply chain spend in Scotland

BT Group, its spend with contractors and suppliers, and the spending power of its employees, are responsible for supporting more than 12,400 jobs in Scotland, according to an independent report published today.  

The Economic Impact of BT Group in the UK report, by consultancy firm Hatch, calculates that the communications and technology company generated more than £24 billion in gross value added (GVA) to the UK economy during the last financial year, including £1.2 billion in Scotland alone*.

The report estimates that around 12,400 full-time jobs in Scotland are supported by BT Group through direct and indirect effects. The firm also spent £167 million with suppliers based in Scotland, including those in the retail, construction and telecommunications industries.

BT Group has broadband and mobile networks spanning from the Scilly Isles to Shetland, built and maintained by some of the 82,800 direct employees it has in the UK. In the Scotland, the firm directly employs 7,240 people, with a further 205 employed as contractors.

The company is currently modernising its business, including investing in the UK’s largest workplace consolidation and modernisation programme, as it moves from 300 locations to around 30 as part of its Better Workplace programme. 

The firm has announced plans to refurbish and expand its office in Glasgow as well as confirming plans for offices in Edinburgh and Dundee. More announcements are expected later this year, providing future-fit workplaces of the future for thousands of colleagues.

Last week BT unveiled plans to recruit dozens more apprentices and graduates in Scotland for its September 2021 intake. Meanwhile, Openreach, the digital network business, part of BT Group, announced in December that it would create 275 new full time engineering roles across Scotland this year.

Mark Dames, BT Group head of external affairs Scotland, said: “I’m immensely proud of the contribution our colleagues make in supporting the Scottish economy. At an important time for our country, our spending on people, networks and suppliers provides a vital economic boost. The wider impact of that spending helps to sustain communities and small businesses right across Scotland.  

“In the past year, having good connectivity has become more important than ever as we’ve all had to work, learn and spend more leisure time online. 

“Despite these challenges, our dedicated and determined colleagues have ensured EE’s 5G network has been extended to cover 125 UK towns and cities, including Stirling, Aberdeen and North Lanarkshire, built out Openreach’s full-fibre network to reach 4.1 million UK premises and EE’s 4G network now reaches 85 per cent of the UK. 

“I know these significant investments will help to underpin the country’s economic recovery post-Covid.” 

Employees from across BT Group, which includes Openreach, EE and Plusnet, have played a key role in keeping the country connected during the pandemic. The company has provided critical support to the NHS, SMEs via its Small Business Support Scheme and school children by providing unlimited broadband and mobile data, free and mobile data, free BT Wi-Fi vouchers and zero rating access to two of the most popular online education sites.

BT’s Consumer contact centres now handle 100% of customer calls in the UK, at centres from Dundee to Greenock. Since customer service for BT, EE and Plusnet customers was brought back to the UK and Ireland last year, more than 34 million calls have been handled.

Tracy Black, CBI Scotland Director, said: “With the Covid-19 pandemic continuing to have an unparalleled impact on our economy, and society, it’s great to see companies like BT continue to invest so significantly in Scotland and its communities.

“The value and impact of that investment is felt in high quality local jobs, economic growth and cross supply chains the length and breadth of the country.   

“As we look to build a high tech, high skilled and more sustainable economy for the future, companies like BT will be at the heart of delivering the technology and connectivity needed to transform that vision into reality. The last twelve months, perhaps more than any other time, have shown us the value of true connectivity, not just for business and the economy, but for maintaining social connections and aiding mental health.”

Tim Fanning, Director at Hatch, said: “Our analysis underlines how vast BT Group’s contribution is to the UK economy as a whole as well as to individual communities in the nations and regions. Its presence across the country generates significant further activity and investment, supporting many thousands of jobs.”

Summary of results for year 2019/20 – Scotland:

• 7,240 employees directly working for BT Group, and 205 contractors (Full Time Equivalent – FTE) in Scotland

• 12,400 total FTE jobs supported (including indirect and induced effects) in Scotland

• £254 million total income of BT Group employees (including contractors)  

• £167 million spend with suppliers based in Scotland

• £1.2 billion total GVA impact associated with BT Group activities (including indirect and induced effects) in Scotland

• BT Group employed 1 in every 10 in the IT and Communications sector and directly employed 1 in every 220 employees in the private sector across Scotland

• BT Group directly created £1 in every £170 of GVA in Scotland

• As a result of the full economic impact of BT Group, the firm supported £1 in every £115 of GVA in the Scottish economy and 1 in every 130 employees working in the Scottish economy 

Mother and daughter on a mission to make the world a better place

Edinburgh based enterprise Sustainably is crowdfunding to transform ‘giving tech’. 

Sustainably, voted Richard Branson’s Start-Up of the Year in 2019, have announced the launch of their crowdfunding campaign on crowdcube.

The mother-daughter team are looking to raise £300,000 which will enable them to market to new users and charities as well as improve functionality and launch a B2B platform.  

Now supporting 40 charities, including Macmillan, Shelter and the British Heart Foundation, Sustainably is a free app that lets people easily and safely give to their chosen good causes by rounding up cashless transactions and donating spare change automatically, every time they shop.  

Loral Quinn, Co-Founder and CEO of Sustainably, said: “We believe that many of us want to support charities but don’t want to commit to one cause and face the hassle and guilt of later cancelling.

“People want convenience, flexibility, transparency and control. With services such as banking, transport and music becoming more automated and frictionless, we aim to do the same for giving. 

“86% of Gen Z and millennials (the UK’s biggest givers) want to donate via mobile and see their impact. And while 50%+ of donations are still made in cash, we live in an increasingly cashless society.” 

Inspired by fintech, augmented reality, gamification, the internet of things and big technology businesses who had become part of everyone’s daily lives, Loral and her daughter Eishel merged their combined experience in FTSE100 digital strategy and ethical retail, to come up with the idea of Sustainably. 

Current investors include Skyscanner’s co-founder, Lastminute.com founder Brent Hoberman’s Founders Factory. The duo also won the WeWork’s Creator Awards – judged by Ashton Kutcher and Monzo’s co-founder scooping £140,000 further investment. 

Sustainably’s app lets individuals and corporates effortlessly make a positive impact every day and sends charity updates showing you the difference you’ve made. You set your donation limits and can stop, start, pause or change them at any time. We’ll never pressure you or share your details. Simply connect your card or device to the app and shop as usual. 

Eishel Quinn concludes:“We’re not just the co-founders of Sustainably, we’re also mother and daughter, and we started Sustainably because we wanted to make a difference.

“We exist to enable people around the world to have a positive impact every day. We’ve created Sustainably so that every financial interaction can have a positive social, environmental and economic impact.” 

For more information visit: https://www.sustainably.co/