DAY ONE EVENTS AT SCOTTISH PARLIAMENT
Festival of Politics starts today
Tag: Holyrood
Festival of Politics starts on Monday
The Festival of Politics starts on Monday and we can’t wait to welcome you into the Scottish Parliament!
For those of you needing last-minute tickets, here’s a list of handy links to every single event …
MONDAY 19th
Dementia – the power of dance and playlists
In Conversation with Jack Lowden
Healing Arts Scotland performance with Edinburgh International Festival
In conversation with Benedetta Tagliabue with a performance by Roberto Cacciapaglia
TUESDAY 20th
The power of age-friendly communities and the arts
Who controls AI – ethics and legality?
Health creators: health inequalities in Scotland
Place and displacement: reconnecting to the world through the arts
WEDNESDAY 21st
Why do we need whistle-blowers?
Space – launching Scotland’s ambitions
Jobs and the just transition – back to the 80s?
Are standards in public life really declining?
U.S. elections – Trump or Harris?
Making amends for the Empire – has Scotland done enough?
THURSDAY 22nd
Global politics in 2024 – testing times ahead?
GameApocalypse now: can games solve Scotland’s digital skills crisis?
Reading between the lines: information literacy
25 years of the Scottish Parliament – where are the young women?
FRIDAY 23rd
Mental health and young people
Raising the curtain on St Andrew’s Day
Think local, act global? – international cultural ambition in perilous times
There’s also live music, exhibitions, book signings, food and drink and merch on offer!
Craftivity Week at Scottish Parliament
Next week, join us for some arts and crafts activities! 
These are free, drop-in sessions running morning and afternoon, Monday to Friday, and all ages are welcome. 
Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP sees community in action in Corstorphine
- Scottish Lib Dem leader sees value of a local branch to prevent fraud and scams and build financial confidence
- Corstorphine branch supports charities including their upstairs neighbours at Dean and Cauvin Young People’s Trust
- Long-serving colleague’s retirement marked with gifts from local community
Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP, the leader of the Scottish Liberal Democrats, visited the Nationwide branch in Corstorphine to learn more about how important the branch is to its local community.
The MSP toured the branch and learned more about what branches do to tackle fraud and scams. Fraud has become more sophisticated, and branch staff often act as a last line of defence. In recent times Corstorphine branch staff have noticed spikes in attempted WhatsApp scams and cowboy tradespeople.
Nationwide has promised that everywhere it has a branch, it will still be there until at least 2026 – making sure that face-to-face service stays available on the high street. This policy has led to Nationwide becoming the biggest banking brand network on the high street, with more branches than any other provider across the UK.
Corstorphine’s branch supports a range of charities by acting as a collection point for the Kids Love Clothes clothing bank and with staff from the branch volunteering for Dean and Cauvin Young People’s Trust, which is located above the branch.
Nationwide offers all its staff two days a year of paid volunteering time, and in 2023 donated over £50,000 to the charity to support young people aged 16-26 who are in or leaving care.
Mr Cole-Hamilton also saw the Safe Space in the branch for people facing abuse, which forms part of an initiative Nationwide has introduced in over 400 branches across the UK. Branch staff at Corstorphine are able to offer a private space for someone to call friends, family, support charities or the police.
Customer representative, Lorraine Mudie, has worked for Nationwide for 42 years and met Mr. Cole-Hamilton a week before her retirement.
She said: “It was such an honour to welcome Alex Cole-Hamilton to our branch. I’m glad to be able to show how important the branch is to our local community here in Corstorphine.
“Some of our customers heard I was retiring and have been bringing in gifts and cards just to say thank you and goodbye – which I find really touching.”
Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said: “At a time when most other banks are closing branches everywhere, it’s refreshing that Nationwide have decided to stick by their communities in this way.
“I know many of my constituents will be delighted to have the reassurance that their local branch will remain open.”
NHS building plans for Scotland delayed: Briggs speaks out
Plans to reveal which new hospitals, surgeries and treatment centres will be built in Scotland have been delayed.
In a letter to Holyrood’s finance committee, Cabinet secretary for Finance and Local Government Shona Robison explained: ‘To provide as much certainty as possible to parliament and wider stakeholders of our capital investment plans, I must wait until I have confirmed capital allocations from the new UK government”.
That confirmation is not expected until late Autumn – and, given the new Labour government’s warnings about a £20 bn. ‘black hole in the UK’s finances, it’s not expected to be good news.
Lothian Conservative MSP, Miles Briggs said: “This further delay to finding out if SNP Ministers will reinstate the funding for a new Princess Alexandra Eye Pavilion is extremely disappointing.
“We urgently need a new eye hospital to improve the delivery of ophthalmology across the South East of Scotland.
“The decision by SNP Ministers not to reverse funding for a new hospital has been a disastrous decision and will ultimately lead to additional costs for the delivery of a new hospital.
“I will continue to lead calls for the funding for a new eye hospital. What we desperately need is to see some leadership from SNP Ministers.”
Holyrood Committee seeks views on the impact of the Child Poverty Act
The Scottish Parliament’s Social Justice and Social Security Committee has opened a consultation to consider the impact of the Child Poverty (Scotland) Act 2017.
The Act aims to measure, tackle and report on child poverty in Scotland. It set out specific targets that seek to virtually eradicate child poverty by April 2030. The Act also established the Poverty and Inequality Commission, which has responsibility for scrutinising child poverty reduction targets.
The Committee has launched its call for views to understand the impact of the Act, and in particular the difference that has been made by having the framework for reducing child poverty set in law.
In addition to interested individuals or groups, the Committee would like to hear from local authorities, health boards, academics with expertise in this area and private and third sector organisations that are working to reduce child poverty.
The Committee also wants to hear from people who engaged in the scrutiny of the Bill in 2017, before it became an Act, so that it can assess whether the Government’s approach has lived up to expectations.
The issue of child poverty has featured prominently in the Committee’s work, including during an inquiry that focused on parental employment where the Committee encouraged the Scottish Government to “supercharge” its efforts.
Speaking at the launch of the call for views, Collette Stevenson MSP, Convener of the Social Justice Committee, said: “The Child Poverty Act is a landmark piece of legislation, enshrining in law targets to virtually eradicate child poverty by April 2030.
“As we are now more than halfway towards the date when the 2030 targets are due to be met, our Committee would like to hear views on how the Act is working in practice.
“We’re really keen to understand whether putting the targets into law has been effective and what might have been different had the Scottish Government not taken this approach.”
Improving gender identity healthcare
Implications of the Cass Review for Scotland
A multi-disciplinary team established to consider how the recommendations in the Cass Review might apply to NHS services in Scotland has submitted its findings to the Scottish Parliament.
A senior clinical team, commissioned by the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, considered all 32 recommendations of the Cass Review into Gender Identity Services for Children and Young People in NHS England.
The team assessed to what extent they were applicable in the Scottish context, and whether they could be implemented in Scotland’s health service.
Recommendations of the multi-disciplinary team included:
- a lead senior clinician, preferably a consultant, should take overall responsibility for each young person’s care
- each care plan should include a full assessment of the child’s needs, both psychological and physical
- as elsewhere in the UK, the use of puberty-supressing hormones – commonly referred to as puberty blockers – should be paused until further clinical trials can be undertaken. NHS Scotland will continue to engage in the forthcoming UK study
- work to design a regional service for children and young people should begin immediately, and services should ultimately be provided as locally as possible, based in children’s health services, with strong links between secondary and specialist services.
The conclusions of the report will now be considered by the Scottish Government – both in relation to how current services should be delivered to ensure service continuity, as well as on how these services should be commissioned in the future to ensure sustainable person-centred care.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Graham Ellis said: “The Cass Review was established to make recommendations on how to improve NHS England gender identity services for children and young people. Through this review we have aimed to set out which recommendations could apply to Scotland, and how they might be implemented.
“At the heart of this question are children and young people in distress, and our ambition must remain focused on meeting their needs with holistic, person-centred care as close to home as practical.
“The Cass Review identified the need to ensure that gender identity services for young people are more closely aligned with other areas of clinical practice, and that responsibility for the full range of services required should extend beyond specialist services. This will be essential as we seek to always provide the best possible care.
“In responding to the Cass Review, the multi-disciplinary team looked at the recommendations from a clinical perspective, always remembering that we have a responsibility to make sure that all children and young people grow up safe, respected and supported.”
Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “The Scottish Government welcomes the multi-disciplinary team’s report, which has carefully considered the Cass Review’s recommendations and how they apply to Scotland.
“The conclusions of the report will now be considered and used to improve gender identity healthcare for children and young people. The Scottish Government will update Parliament after summer recess.
“We remain absolutely committed, not just to ensuring ongoing support is available, but to reforming and improving gender identity healthcare across Scotland.”
Cass Review – Implications for Scotland – letter from Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Gregor Smith to Convener of the Health, Social Care & Sport Committee.
Holyrood committee invites public to share views on Residential Outdoor Education proposals
Proposals to ensure that every school pupil in local authority or grant-aided schools can attend a course of residential outdoor education are to be scrutinised by the Scottish Parliament’s Education, Children and Young People Committee.
If passed, the Schools (Residential Outdoor Education) (Scotland) Bill would give all state school pupils the chance to have four nights and five days residential outdoor education. The Scottish Government would be expected to fund the proposals.
The Committee is now asking for views on the proposal to see whether this would work in practice. It is also keen to hear views on the school year during which pupils should be entitled to residential outdoor education, and whether this should be specified in the Bill, and the requirement for the Scottish Government to fund the programme.
The Bill was introduced by Liz Smith MSP, who has stated the importance of outdoor education as being one of the most valuable and rewarding learning experiences that a young person can have access to.
Sue Webber MSP, Convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee, said: “This Bill would enshrine in law that all state school pupils must have the chance to attend residential outdoor education during their school careers.
“According to the documents presented alongside the Bill, many pupils do not have access to this.
“Our Committee is really keen to hear what the public, and particularly young people, think of the proposal in general and some of the specific ideas within it, before we embark on detailed public scrutiny.
“Please share your views with us by visiting the Scottish Parliament’s website.”
The call for views is now open and will run until 4 September 2024:
https://yourviews.parliament.scot/ecyp/schools-residential-outdoor-education-bill
Eric Liddell Charity set to inspire new generations with Holyrood exhibition
THE INSPIRING EXHIBITION WILL CELEBRATE THE LEGACY OF THE FLYING SCOTSMAN AND OLYMPIC HERO, ERIC LIDDELL
An inspiring exhibition commemorating the legendary athlete Eric Liddell will be unveiled at the Scottish Parliament this summer, marking the centenary of Liddell’s iconic Olympic gold medal victory in Paris in 1924.
Launching on the 25th of July and coinciding with the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the exhibition, ‘Eric Liddell: Legacy of an Olympic legend’, will be on display in the Parliament’s Main Hall and will run until the 12th of September.
Eric Liddell’s remarkable story reached global audiences through the 1981 Oscar-winning film, ‘Chariots of Fire’.
The film, celebrated for its inspiring narrative and memorable soundtrack, continues to influence and uplift people around the world. Born in Tianjin, China, Liddell was a devout Christian who famously withdrew from the 100m heats at the Paris Olympics because they were held on a Sunday, his Sabbath.
Instead, he competed in the 400m event, where he triumphed, securing his place in history as the last British athlete to win gold in this event.
This exhibition offers a unique opportunity for visitors to explore the life and legacy of Eric Liddell – the Flying Scotsman and 1924 Olympic champion – alongside other legends from the Scottish Sporting Hall of Fame and Scottish athletes competing in the 2024 Olympics.
Organised by The Eric Liddell 100 campaign, which Her Royal Highness the Princess Royal serves as Patron, this initiative seeks to honour Liddell’s legacy and inspire future generations through a series of events and activities emphasizing his core values of passion, compassion, and integrity.
John MacMillan, CEO of The Eric Liddell Community, said: “We are thrilled to see the launch of the Eric Liddell exhibition today, as part of our exciting programme of events to celebrate the centenary of Eric Liddell’s gold medal win.
“All of our partners involved in this initiative spent a significant amount of time considering what Eric Liddell would have wanted and how important it is that we reflect him in our endeavours; we believe that any individual can make a positive impact on the world if they approach the challenges they face with passion, compassion, and integrity, which are our three values for The Eric Liddell 100.
“We hope everyone who visits the exhibition leaves feeling uplifted, inspired, and motivated to live life with these values in mind.”
Rt. Hon Alison Johnstone MSP, Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament, said: “We are delighted to host this exhibition in the Scottish Parliament, which celebrates the significant achievements of Eric Liddell but also serves as a powerful reminder of his legacy.
“It seems particularly relevant as Olympians from across the world prepare to compete in Paris. The Scottish Parliament is delighted to provide a platform for sharing his inspiring story with the thousands of people who will visit us this summer.”
The Eric Liddell Exhibition will be on display at the Scottish Parliament daily, from 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The display is free to the public, with no ticket required.
For more information on the event, please visit:
https://www.parliament.scot/visit/events-and-exhibitions/eric-liddell-legacy-of-an-olympic-legend, or for more information on The Eric Liddell 100, please visit https://ericliddell.org/the-eric-liddell-100/.
Committee seek views on proposed amendments to the National Care Service Bill
A Holyrood Committee is seeking views on substantial amendments the Scottish Government is proposing to make to the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill.
The Health, Social Care and Sport Committee backed the Bill at Stage 1 (by a majority) but made clear they would seek to carry out detailed further scrutiny of the proposals at Stage 2. This followed the conclusion of a consensus agreement between COSLA and the Scottish Government on shared legal accountability for governance of the proposed National Care Service, which the Scottish Government had indicated would require the Bill to be substantially amended.
Maree Todd, Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport, has now provided the Committee with draft Scottish Government amendments to the Bill and the Committee is keen to find out views on these proposed amendments, ahead of formal Stage 2 proceedings.
One of the key proposed changes to the Bill which the Committee is seeking views on is the creation of a National Care Service Board which would be responsible for national oversight and improvement of social care and social work services.
The Committee is also seeking views on a newly proposed ‘National Care Service strategy’ and substantial reform of integration authorities via amendment of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014.
In a letter to the Committee, the Minister outlines four areas where she says, ‘further work is needed to confirm which legislative approach would best deliver the intended changes.’ These include direct funding, the inclusion of children’s services, the inclusion of justice social work and Anne’s Law, and the Committee is asking for views on each of these areas.
Clare Haughey MSP, Convener of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, said: “When a majority of our Committee backed the general principles of this Bill, we made clear we would need to carry out detailed further scrutiny at Stage 2.
“Now the Government has provided a package of proposed draft amendments, we are determined to make sure stakeholder organisations and the public are given an opportunity to comment on these proposed changes.
“Since this Bill was first introduced as a ‘framework Bill’, many of the original proposals have changed. These amendments represent some quite fundamental changes, including the introduction of a National Care Service Board and far-reaching reforms to integration authorities through amendment of the 2014 Public Bodies Act.
“That’s why it’s essential our Committee takes the time to scrutinise these proposals effectively. After we have considered the views received, we intend to take further oral evidence before formal Stage 2 proceedings.
“The evidence we gather will be vital to aid our Committee’s scrutiny of these proposals, and to inform individual Members as they prepare their own Stage 2 amendments to the Bill. We look forward to hearing your views.”
The call for views is open until Friday 30 August 2024.