Tag: NEN

Chancellor extends furlough scheme until October

The government’s Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will remain open until the end of October, the Chancellor announced today.

  • Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme will continue until end of October
  • furloughed workers across UK will continue to receive 80% of their current salary, up to £2,500
  • new flexibility will be introduced from August to get employees back to work and boost economy

In a boost to millions of jobs and businesses, Rishi Sunak said the furlough scheme would be extended by a further four months with workers continuing to receive 80% of their current salary.

As we reopen the economy (at least in England – Ed.), we need to support people to get back to work. From the start of August, furloughed workers will be able to return to work part-time with employers being asked to pay a percentage towards the salaries of their furloughed staff.

The employer payments will substitute the contribution the government is currently making, ensuring that staff continue to receive 80% of their salary, up to £2,500 a month.

Chancellor Rishi Sunak said: “Our Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme has protected millions of jobs and businesses across the UK during the outbreak – and I’ve been clear that I want to avoid a cliff edge and get people back to work in a measured way.

“This extension and the changes we are making to the scheme will give flexibility to businesses while protecting the livelihoods of the British people and our future economic prospects.”

New statistics published today revealed the job retention scheme has protected 7.5 million workers and almost 1 million businesses.

The scheme will continue in its current form until the end of July and the changes to allow more flexibility will come in from the start of August. More specific details and information around its implementation will be made available by the end of this month.

The government will explore ways through which furloughed workers who wish to do additional training or learn new skills are supported during this period. It will also continue to work closely with the Devolved Administrations to ensure the scheme supports people across the Union.

The Chancellor’s decision to extend the scheme, which will continue to apply across all regions and sectors in the UK economy, comes after the government outlined its plan for the next phase of its response to the coronavirus outbreak.

The scheme is just one part of the government’s world-leading economic response to coronavirus, including an unprecedented package for the self-employed, loans and guarantees that have so far provided billions of pounds in support, tax deferrals and grants for small businesses.

Today the UK government is also publishing new statistics that show businesses have benefitted from over £14 billion in loans and guarantees to support their cashflow during the crisis.

This includes 268,000 Bounce Back Loans worth £8.3 billion, 36,000 loans worth over £6 billion through the Coronavirus Business Interruption Loan Scheme, and £359 million through the Coronavirus Large Business Interruption Loan Scheme.

Mike Cherry, National Chairman of the Federation of Small Businesses, said: “The Job Retention Scheme is a lifeline which has been hugely beneficial in helping small employers keep their staff in work, and it’s extension is welcome.

“Small employers have told us that part-time furloughing will help them recover from this crisis and it is welcome that new flexibility is announced today.

BCC Director General Adam Marshall said: “The extension of the Job Retention Scheme will come as a huge help and a huge relief for businesses across the UK.

“The Chancellor is once again listening to what we’ve been saying, and the changes planned will help businesses bring their people back to work through the introduction of a part-time furlough scheme. We will engage with the Treasury and HMRC on the detail to ensure that this gives companies the flexibility they need to reopen safely.

“Over the coming months, the government should continue to listen to business and evolve the scheme in line with what’s happening on the ground. Further support may yet be needed for companies who are unable to operate for an extended period, or those who face reduced capacity or demand due to ongoing restrictions.”

Dame Carolyn Fairbairn, CBI Director-General, said: “The Chancellor is confronting a challenging balancing act deftly. As economic activity slowly speeds up, it’s essential that support schemes adapt in parallel.

“Extending the furlough to avoid a June cliff-edge continues the significant efforts made already and will protect millions of jobs.

“Introducing much needed flexibility is extremely welcome. It will prepare the ground for firms that are reawakening, while helping those who remain in hibernation. That’s essential as the UK economy revives step-by-step, while supporting livelihoods.

“Firms will, of course, want more detail on how they will contribute to the scheme in the future and will work with government to get this right.

“Above all, the path of the virus is unpredictable, and much change still lies ahead. The government must continue to keep a watchful eye on those industries and employees that remain at risk. All schemes will need to be kept under review to help minimise impacts on people’s livelihoods and keep businesses thriving.

“The greater the number of good businesses saved now, the easier it will be for the economy to recover.”

Commenting on the extension of the government’s job extension scheme today, TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “We are pleased ministers have listened to unions and extended the job retention scheme to the autumn. This will be a big relief for millions.  

“Changing the rules to allow part-time working is key to enabling a gradual and safe return to work. And maintaining the rate at 80% is a win for the pay packets of working families.

“As the economic consequences of Covid-19 become clear, unions will keep pushing for a job guarantee scheme to make sure everyone has a decent job.”

Anneliese Dodds MP, Labour’s Shadow Chancellor, said: “The furlough scheme is a lifeline for millions. The Government was right not to pull it away.

“It is welcome that the Chancellor has heeded the call by Labour, trade unions, and businesses for more flexibility in the scheme, to support employees to go back to work part-time.

“The government must clarify today when employers will be required to start making contributions, and how much they’ll be asked to pay. If every business is suddenly required to make a substantial contribution from the 1st August onwards, there is a very real risk that we will see mass redundancies.”

Extension to Furlough Scheme could cost the Government £70 billion

The Chancellor has extended the current Furlough scheme until the end of October but he now has a huge challenge to get this right, say leading tax and advisory firm Blick Rothenberg.

Heather Self a partner at the firm said: “He needs to achieve a “Goldilocks” effect – not too hot, and not too cold.  If he provides too much it will be very expensive and may discourage firms from reopening. If he provides too little thousands of people could lose their jobs.

She added: “It is going to be a turbulent time for the labour market in the Autumn. Some sectors, such as the hospitality and tourism sector, are likely to see significant redundancies, while others such as construction and financial services will be relieved to see a gradual winding-down of support.

From the announcement today, we now know that:

–          Support will be continued to the end of July in full, with employers required to contribute after that date.

–          Part time working will be permitted, but only for some employees

–          The same level of overall support – 80% of wages up to a maximum of £2500 a month – will be maintained

Heather said: ” As the furlough scheme is reduced the Government needs to incentivise business and come up with creative ideas about how business can keep going and retain staff.

“The Chancellor could not go on paying out billions of pounds indefinitely, and everyone understands that, but there needs to be much more joined up thinking between Government and business.”

So far, some 7.5m employees have been furloughed, at a cost approaching £10bn.

The expected costs to the end of July are likely to be around £50bn, with the extension at a reduced level to the end of October perhaps costing a further £20bn.  These are very significant sums, amounting to around 10% of total Government receipts.

As Britain seeks to get back to work, the pressures on different sectors will be very uneven.

While some sectors, such as construction and financial services, are getting back to work, others such as leisure and hospitality will be much slower to recover.

And the position in the tourism and heritage sectors is likely to become critical if they lose the whole of the Summer season.

Heather Self said: “Enabling part time work is welcome, as it will permit a gradual return to work.  But the Chancellor said this would only be available to businesses “currently using” the scheme – it is not clear what the cut-off date will be for businesses still considering whether they need to furlough employees.

“The Chancellor needs to pay attention to the needs of different sectors, difficult though this may be.  Leisure and hospitality businesses are unlikely to be able to cope with reopening fully by the end of July, and may need to contemplate redundancies.

“Additional support beyond the furlough scheme will be needed for a long time – whether loans such as the CBILS scheme, or grants, or incentives such as an increase in the Employment Allowance to encourage employers to maintain their staff levels, or even take on new employees.”

Peoples Assembly Scotland: Zoom meeting tonight

Over the recent period the Peoples Assembly Scotland, along with trades unions and other progressive groups, have rightly focused on the absence of support  for NHS workers which, coupled with governments across this island’s unpreparedness, has worsened the extent of the Covid 19 crisis.
However they are not the only group of workers for whom the crisis is changing both the nature, and perhaps the future, of their industries.
At its most recent meeting it was agreed to sponsor a number of “public” meetings to hear from those in other sectors whose members are facing similar challenges but whose stories are rarely the focus of the main stream media.
The first of these addressing the plight facing those who work offshore will be TONIGHT (Tuesday 12th May) at 7pm, the invitation below will facilitate entry to the meeting.
We will be welcoming RMT officer Jake Molloy along with UNITE Regional Officer, John Boland, as Chair and Vice Chair of the Offshore Coordinating Group who will be talking about the crisis facing workers with thousand’s of job losses looming in the North Sea. 
Its a crisis not just for those directly employed in oil and gas but across the offshore sector, their supply chains including ferries. As it appears that the industry is heading into recession join the Peoples Assemblies meeting to hear those who represent those workers affected and how the unions must address not just their immediate concerns but the long term effects on our economy .
Attached is the most recent report of the Offshore Coordinating Group “Crisis behind the Crisis”.
Phil McGarry  (Chairperson) Keith Stoddart (Secretary), 
Peoples Assembly Scotland

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/85108863460?pwd=SXlaVGx0cjYyVC83L2hrUzNFckZFQT09

Meeting ID: 851 0886 3460
Password: 562022

Letters: Public services more vital than ever

Dear Editor

The National Health Service has always been valued as a people’s organisation. This value has always been appreciated – but never more so than today.

This lesson on the importance of people’s services shows the way our society must be run. If the NHS is vital, so are gas, electricity and water. As are the railways, buses and trams. Make them public services, too – serving the people.

The value of the NHS to the people is immense: a publicly funded service, available ever day.

Also ever day, 30 million people travel to and from their places of work using rail, bus and tram.

Work, in order to live, is a necessity. These transport industries must also become part of a fully funded, publically owned service with the NHS. It can be arranged and organised as a public service.

The NHS has been our lifeline. People have always guarded the principle of a service of the people.

How right that is!

Tony Delahoy 

Money worries? Financial support and debt advice available

29% of people in Scotland report being worried about their finances having already felt the negative impact of Coronavirus.

People in Edinburgh facing financial difficulty as a result of the Coronavirus outbreak are being encouraged to seek guidance on the help available to them.

Research commissioned by the Scottish Government in partnership with YouGov has revealed that nearly a third of people across Scotland (29%) have already felt the financial strain of the current Covid-19 outbreak and are worried about its impact.

The survey of over 1000 respondents also shows that 71% of people in Scotland are concerned about the lasting impact on their finances.

These findings follow the launch of a new campaign by the Scottish Government and the Citizens Advice network that aims to raise awareness of the financial support available to people in the Capital.

The campaign provides information and advice on issues including rent and mortgage payments, energy bills, council tax, and benefits people may be entitled to.

People throughout Edinburgh are able to access this advice online, by contacting their local Citizens Advice Bureau or getting in touch with any of the capital’s independent advice providers including Granton Information Centre and CHAI.

Cabinet Secretary for Communities and Local Government Aileen Campbell said: “There is no doubt that this is a difficult and worrying time for everyone. Today’s findings further underline the need to provide people across Scotland with the correct support, guidance and information to help them with their finances.

“We need to ensure that people are aware of the support that they are entitled to from the DWP and I would encourage everyone across Scotland who is facing financial difficulty to look into what additional help is available to them.

“That’s why we’ve been working with the Citizens Advice network in Scotland to create this central source of information – with everything from guidance on benefits, right through to what you can do if you are worried about paying your mortgage or rent.”

Adam McVey, City of Edinburgh Council Leader, said: “Work has been ramping up across Edinburgh to make sure our hardest hit citizens get the help they need. From welfare, council tax and debt support for those facing financial hardship, to food supplies for our most vulnerable families, we’ve been pooling resources to direct help to those who are in crisis.

“Our five Council Resilience Centres are providing a base for officers to work from so that they can target online and phone support for those facing hardship or worried about homelessness. And we’re building up a picture of how our most at-risk residents are impacted, so that we can develop longer-term measures through the Edinburgh Poverty Commission.

“It’s going to be so important that we work together to tackle poverty and, in these uncertain times, we know financial worries will weigh on people’s minds. Don’t suffer alone. Know that help is available and get in touch with Citizens Advice or our own Advice Shop for help.”

The Citizen’s Advice network website features dedicated COVID-19 content along with a telephone helpline. Those who have been financially impacted by the coronavirus outbreak and require free, confidential, financial support, can visit cas.org.uk or call 0800 028 1456.

Local Citizens Advice Bureaux are situated around the country. To find your local service, simply enter your postcode at cas.org.uk/bureaux
Free, professional help is also available from Granton Information Centre and Community Help & Advice Initiative (CHAI) who, along with Citizens Advice Edinburgh, deliver debt advice across the capital.
For more information, check out the city council’s advice pages on welfare support, financial worries and debt information.

Coronavirus seven weeks on: First Minister addresses the nation

Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon during an address to the nation from St. Andrew’s House, Edinburgh, last night:

It’s now exactly seven weeks since lockdown measures were introduced.

The extent to which you have stuck to these rules – often at great personal sacrifice – has been truly remarkable.

So I want to start with a heartfelt thank you.

By staying at home, you have saved lives.

Seven weeks ago the virus was spreading out of control.

Today, it is in retreat.

Those who work in our NHS have been under immense pressure – and they have responded magnificently – but the health service has not been overwhelmed in the way we feared it would be.

In the last four weeks, the number of COVID-19 patients in intensive care has fallen by almost two thirds.

And last week, we saw the most welcome sign of all.

For the first time since the epidemic started, the number of deaths registered in a single week fell.

So the progress is real and it is down to you.

But our progress is still fragile. If we ease up too soon, the virus could run out of control again. That would mean more people dying and all of us staying in lockdown much longer.

There will of course be risks whenever we start to ease the lockdown.

But my judgement right now is that the risk is still too great.

Too many people are still dying, and the situation in care homes – despite the extraordinary dedication of our care workers – remains a serious concern.

And the important R number – the rate at which the virus reproduces – is still uncomfortably close to one. If it exceeds one, the virus could rapidly take off again.

That is why the Scottish Government is exercising such care and caution.

We announced one change to the rules yesterday. If you want to exercise outdoors more than once a day, you can now do so.

But otherwise we are asking you to stick with lockdown for a bit longer – so that we can consolidate our progress, not jeopardise it.

Except for essential work that can’t be done at home, going out for food and medicine, or for exercise – please continue to stay at home.

When you do go outside, please stay two metres from other people – and don’t meet up with people from other households.

Please wear a face covering if you are in a shop or on public transport. And wash your hands thoroughly and regularly.

These measures are essential for now. But we know they cause harm of their own, so we will not keep them in place for longer than necessary.

As the infection rate continues to fall, we will gradually relax the restrictions.

And we are already making preparations for that.

We are working with businesses to produce guidance on safe workplaces.

We are working on the changes needed on public transport.

And we are talking to teachers and parents about how and when schools can safely return.

We are doing all of that carefully because it is vital that when we do ask you to return to work or to school, you have clarity about what we are asking you to do and also confidence that it is safe.

We are also expanding our ability to test people for COVID-19, and trace those they have been in contact with. That will be important to control new outbreaks.

On all of this, I will keep you informed every step of the way.

I want to make sure that as we take each step on the path to recovery, the ground beneath us is as solid as possible. But I will not keep these restrictions in place longer than necessary.

As First Minister, I know the impact this has on all of you. And as a citizen, I miss my family too. But I won’t risk unnecessary deaths by acting rashly or prematurely.

So I am asking you please, for the moment, to continue to do what you have been doing so responsibly.

I also want to say a special thank you to children. Not being at school, or seeing your friends, or hugging your grandparents is really tough.

But you have handled it brilliantly. I’m so proud of all of you.

For all of us, I know it’s getting harder but let’s keep supporting each other even as we stay apart. Let’s remember what matters most – health, family, community.

Staying at home now is an expression of love, kindness and solidarity. We are doing it for each other, not just ourselves. It is how we protect each other, protect our NHS, and save lives.

And it will also bring forward that moment when we can begin a return to normality.

So once again, my thanks to each and every one of you.

Relaxing the Lockdown: PM tells England to ‘Stay alert’

PM Boris Johnson’s opening statement from yesterday’s press conference on coronavirus:

Good evening and thank you for joining us for this Downing Street press conference.

First of all, I want to update you on the latest data in our fight against coronavirus. I can report through the Government’s ongoing testing and monitoring programme that, as of today:

  • 1,921,770 tests for coronavirus have now been carried out in the UK, including 100,490 tests carried out yesterday;
  • 223,060 people have tested positive, that’s an increase of 3,877 cases since yesterday;
  • 11,401 people are currently in hospital with coronavirus, down from 11,768 the previous day.
  • And sadly, of those tested positive for coronavirus, across all settings, 32,065 have now died. That’s an increase of 210 fatalities since yesterday. This figure includes deaths in all settings not just in hospitals.

Before we begin questions from the public and from the media I just want to remind people of a number of important things I said in my address to the nation last night.

First, in order to monitor our progress, we are establishing a new COVID Alert Level System. The COVID Alert Level has five levels, each relating to the level of threat posed by the virus. The level will be primarily determined by the R value and the number of coronavirus cases. In turn, that COVID Alert Level will determine the level of social distancing measures in place. The lower the level the fewer the measures; the higher the level the stricter the measures.

Throughout the period of lockdown which started on March 23rd we have been at Level 4 – meaning a Covid19 epidemic is in general circulation, and transmission is high or rising exponentially. Thanks to the hard work and sacrifices of the British people in this lockdown, we have helped to bring the R level down and we are now in a position to begin moving to Level 3, in steps.

And we have set out the first of three steps we will take to carefully modify the measures, gradually ease the lockdown, and begin to allow people to return to their way of life – but crucially while avoiding what would be a disastrous second peak that overwhelms the NHS.

After each step we will closely monitor the impact of that step on the R and the number of infections, and all the available data, and we will only take the next step when we are satisfied that it is safe to do so.

Step 1 – from this week:

  • Those who cannot work from home should now speak to their employer about going back to work.
  • You can now spend time outdoors and exercise as often as you like.
  • You can meet one person outside of your household outside (outdoors), provided you stay 2 metres apart. The social distancing measures remain absolutely crucial to us keeping the infection rate and the number of cases down as low as we possibly can.

Step 2 – from June 1, at the earliest, as long as the data allows, we aim to allow:

  • Primary schools to reopen for some pupils, in smaller class sizes;
  • Non-essential retail to start to reopen, when and where it is safe to do so;
  • Cultural and sporting events to take place behind closed doors, without crowds.

And then Step 3 – no earlier than July 4, and again, only if the data says it safe, we aim to allow:

More businesses and premises to open, including potentially those offering personal care such as leisure facilities, public places, and places of worship. Many of these businesses will need to operate in new ways to ensure they are safe, and we will work with these sectors on how to do this.

So, given we have taken the first step in carefully adjusting some of the measures today, and therefore our advice to people on what to do, we have also updated our messaging. We are now asking people to Stay Alert, Control the Virus and Save Lives.

Yes – staying alert, for the vast majority of people, still means staying at home as much as possible. But there are a range of other actions we’re advising people to take as we modify measures.

People should Stay Alert, by: *

  • working from home if you can;
  • limiting contact with other people;
  • keeping distance if you go out – 2 metres apart where possible;
  • washing your hands regularly;
  • wearing a face covering when you are in enclosed spaces where it’s difficult to be socially distant – for example in some shops and on public transport;
  • and if you or anyone in your household has symptoms, you all need to self-isolate.

Because if everyone stays alert and follows the rules, we can control coronavirus by keeping the R down and reducing the number of infections. This is how we can continue to save lives, and livelihoods, as we begin as a nation to recover from coronavirus.

*NOTE: The Prime Minister’s guidance applies to ENGLAND ONLY 

First Minister hammers home the STAY AT HOME message

Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St. Andrew’s House, Edinburgh on Monday 11 May:

Good afternoon. Thanks for joining us for today’s briefing.

I want to start – as I always do – by updating you on some of the key statistics in relation to COVID-19 in Scotland.

As at 9 o’clock this morning, there have been 13,627 positive cases confirmed – an increase of 141 from yesterday.

A total of 1,453  patients are in hospital with COVID-19 – that is a decrease of 31 from yesterday.

A total of 80 people last night were in intensive care with confirmed or suspected COVID 19. That is a decrease of 2 since yesterday.

I am also able to confirm today that since 5 March, a total of 3114 patients who had tested positive for the virus have been able to leave hospital. I wish all of them well.

And unfortunately I also have to report that in the last 24 hours, 5 deaths have been registered of patients who had been confirmed through a test as having COVID-19 – that takes the total number of deaths in Scotland, under that measurement, to 1,862.

I want to emphasise again today that those figures should be treated with some caution.  Although deaths can be registered at weekends, registration numbers at weekends are usually relatively low, and can be particularly low following a Sunday. This should be taken into account when looking at today’s figures.

And as always, I want to stress that these numbers are not simply statistics. They represent individuals whose loss is being felt deeply by their loved ones. I want to send my deepest condolences to everyone who is grieving as a result of this virus.

I also want to thank, as I always do, our health and care workers. You are doing extraordinary work going above and beyond the extra mile in incredibly challenging circumstances.   All of us owe you a huge debt of gratitude.

In a moment, I’ll ask the Cabinet Secretary to set out the details of a new wellbeing programme which is being launched today – to support the mental health of those working in our health and care sector, at this very difficult time.

Before that, there are two items I want to address.

Firstly, the Scottish Government has today published our second coronavirus bill.

The Bill includes a range further measures, to help Scotland through this pandemic.   Among other things, it provides additional support for unpaid carers.

It ensures that Carers Allowance recipients will receive an extra payment, on top of the Carers Allowance Supplement.  That will see around 83,000 carers receive an additional £230 – to support them through this period.

Being a carer is incredibly demanding at the best of times – and I know it’s only more difficult right now.  So I want to thank each and every one of Scotland’s carers for the incredibly important role that you are playing.

The bill is due to go through parliament in the next two weeks.  And I hope that when it does, this additional payment – alongside the other support we’re providing – helps to make things a little bit easier for you.

The second item I want to cover today concerns the lockdown restrictions.

Last night, the Prime Minister set out some of the details of his plan, for easing restrictions in England.   More of the detail of that has emerged this morning – and will continue to come out, during the day.

I want to reiterate that those announcements do not apply here. That is not, I want to stress, for any political reason. It is because the Scottish Government is not yet confident that these changes can be made in Scotland  without us running the risk of the virus potentially running out of control. Scotland’s lockdown restrictions remain in place for now.

And our key message remains the same.

We need you to stay at home. We do not, at this point, want to see more businesses opening up – or more people going to work. We do not yet want to see more people using public transport. And we are not yet changing who can or should be at school.

The only change we’ve made, here in Scotland is to the guidance on exercise.

As of today, we have removed the once-a-day limit on exercise.  It means that – if you want to go for a walk more often – or to go for a run and also a walk – then you can now do so.

That change obviously doesn’t apply if you or someone in your household has symptoms of COVID-19, or if you received a letter explaining that you are in the shielded group. In those cases, you should still stay at home completely.

For everybody else, you will still need to stay relatively close to your own home.  And at all times, you need to stay at least 2 metres away from people from other households.

I also want to stress that by exercise we mean activities like walking or running or cycling – not sunbathing or having a picnic.  This does not give people a license to meet up, at the park or at the beach.

It’s just one very minor change to the existing rules.  But all of the restrictions in Scotland for now remain in place.

And let me, for a moment, give one example of why this matters.

I read this morning, in the Evening Times, the tragic story of a family in Castlemilk, Glasgow.

Andy Leaman has told how his mum, dad and father in law have all died from the virus. He talks too of the impact on his nine year old daughter.

Their story is heartbreaking. And it could be any of us.

That family have told their story because they want people to listen to the advice.

In today’s paper they say: “People need to realise it’s real.  The guidelines that are set out need to be followed.

“It may be them next and their families, and we would not want anyone to go through what we have had to go through. 

“Stay in the house, social distance.  That is the way to keep people you love safe.”

I think that is a very powerful message. It underlines the importance of the restrictions – and why we need to stick with them.

So to close today, I want to reiterate today – simply and I hope clearly – what the restrictions continue to be while our progress against this potentially deadly virus remains fragile.

Except for essential purposes such as exercise, buying food or medicines, or going to do essential work that you can’t do from home – you should not be going out. You must stay at home.

If you do go out, you should stay more than two meters from other people, and you should not be meeting up with people from other households.

You should wear a face covering if you are in a shop or on public transport.

And you should isolate completely if you or someone else in your household has symptoms.

I know that these restrictions continue to be extremely tough. And I know that hearing any talk about easing the lockdown, might make them seem even tougher. But please, stick with it.

We are making progress. But to combat this virus, we still need to stay apart from each other. We still need to stay at home.

And the more we do that now, the sooner we will be able to ease more of these restrictions.

I set out yesterday the further changes that  we are considering making as soon as we judge it safe to do so.

We all want to see our friends and families – we all miss them more with each day that passes. We all want to see children go back to school, and we all desperately want to get back to some kind of normality.

Please know that I want all of that too – I want that as your First Minister.

But I also want it as an ordinary person who is missing my own family very much.

But I know we will get there more quickly if we all keep doing the right thing now.

If we take our foot off the brake too soon, the real danger is we will end up in this lockdown for longer – and worse of all, we will lose many more people along the way.

None of us want that. So please be patient. And please try not to get distracted by messages from other parts of the UK. All governments across the UK are trying to do the right thing and all of us have a responsibility to take the steps we think are right, at the right time.

So please if you live in Scotland, abide by the law that applies here and follow the Scottish Government guidance.

Can I also make a respectful plea to the media. Your scrutiny role is essential and you perform it robustly – rightly so. But at a time like this – when health is at stake – all of us have a public duty too. Please make it clear to your readers, listeners and viewers what the actual situation is in different parts of the UK.

Moving at different speeds in different parts of the UK for good, evidence based reasons need not be a cause of confusion – indeed  other countries are taking different steps in different areas at different times.

Confusion only arises if we as politicians and the media who report on us are either unclear in what we are asking people to do – or if we give a misleading impression that decisions that apply to one nation only are actually UK wide.

Never has the duty on political leaders to communicate clearly been greater. And in the provision of basic public health information, I hope the media will continue – as you most of you have been doing – to appreciate the importance of that too.

This matters to all of us.

If we see continued high compliance with the restrictions in Scotland for a bit longer, we will continue to slow the spread of the virus, we will protect the NHS, we will save lives and we will all move on quickly to the day when these restrictions start to be eased.

Thank you, once again, to everyone who is doing that.

“You look after us, so we’ll look after you”

New resources for staff, carers, volunteers and their families 

Organisations from across Scotland have worked together to create a new platform to help health and social care workers and carers look after their physical and mental health.

Launching today, a new national digital wellbeing hub will enable staff, carers, volunteers and their families to access relevant support when they need it, and provides a range of self-care and wellbeing resources designed to aid resilience as the whole workforce responds to the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19).

The hub is the first of its kind in the UK and its content has been created by trauma and other specialists in Scotland. Its launch follows the £3.8 million extra funding announced in March to increase the capacity of NHS 24’s mental health helpline services and expand digital therapies.

Specifically tailored to support the challenges being faced by everyone in health and social care, the hub will provide advice on self-care and personal resilience to help users to recognise their own ‘warning signs’. Comprehensive information about services and resources available at national and local level within NHS Boards, Health and Social Care Partnerships (HSCPs) and local authorities will also be available.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman said: “This is a tremendously stressful time for our health and social care workforce and unpaid carers, juggling the demands of working in highly pressurised emotional environments with concerns for their own safety and that their families. We will do all we can to support them.

“The hub, the first of its kind in the UK, has the theme ‘You look after us, so we’ll look after you’ and has been developed with the support of a range of organisations, including professional bodies and trades unions. It actively encourages people to make use of available services such local NHS helplines for staff across health and social care services, including care home workers.

“Protecting health and social care staff, wherever they work, continues to be a priority for the Scottish Government and this includes doing all we can to protect people’s mental health. That is why, in addition to the wellbeing hub, we will also be providing staff with access to coaching and the opportunity to shape our future policies through a new Workforce Wellbeing Champion Network.”

The National Wellbeing Hub went live at 2pm on Monday 11 May.

MSPs seek views on hate crime proposals

The Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee has launched a call for views on the Scottish Government’s plans to update hate crime laws.

MSPs want to know whether the public, including groups who may be directly impacted by the new law, support the proposals, or whether some parts of the Bill could be changed.

In the Bill, age is added to the characteristics which already receive extra protections from hate crimes (which are disability, race, religion, sexual orientation, and transgender identity). The Bill also leaves open the possibility to add ‘variations in sex characteristics’ at a later date.

In addition to adding ‘age’ and bringing together the different bits of legislation which all apply in this area at present into a single law, the proposals:

• create a new offence of ‘stirring up hatred’ against any of these groups; and,
• abolish the offence of blasphemy

As the call for views issued, Justice Committee Convener, Margaret Mitchell MSP, said: “Offences motivated by hatred or prejudice have been more harshly treated by courts for a number of years, and Committee Members broadly support extra protections for vulnerable groups.

“Certainly aspects of this Bill, such as bringing together the various different laws into one place seem eminently sensible, and a way to remove anomalies.

“However, this Bill needs careful consideration. While there are clear cut examples of hate crimes, there are also trickier cases. Making sure the law strikes the right balance, protecting those who fall victim to crime because of the prejudice of others while also protecting the freedom of thought and expression of all citizens, is the task that lies before us.

“These issues are not easy or straightforward and will outlast the current Covid-19 pandemic. It is crucial that they get the close attention and parliamentary scrutiny they deserve.

“The committee wants to hear from Scottish society about whether they agree this Bill the best way to achieve those aims. Does it give the right protections, are any groups overlooked, or could there be any unintended consequences? These are the issues we want to look at in depth as we examine this new legislation.”

The call for views is open until 24 July.