Changes to the care of children and the involvement of children in the criminal justice system are to come under scrutiny at the Scottish Parliament.
The Education, Children and Young People Committee will consider the proposals laid out in the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill and would like to hear the views of people from across Scotland.
The Bill changes how the justice system approaches offences committed by people under the age of 18. This will include allowing most 16- and 17-year-olds to attend a Children’s Hearing, rather than a court.
Changes would also be made to regulations around accommodations for young people. Under the proposals 16- and 17-year-olds, accused of or guilty of offences would not be held in Young Offenders Institutions or prisons, but instead would be sent to secure accommodation. The Bill would also change how care services providing residential accommodation to children are regulated.
The Committee is opening a call for views so it can hear the views of organisations supporting young people in conflict with the law, young people and parents. The Committee is also very interested in hearing the views of legal professionals, secure accommodation providers and victims of crime.
Following the end of the consultation the Committee plans to hold a series of evidence sessions to discuss the Bill, before reporting its findings to the Parliament later in the year.
Sue Webber, Convener of the Education, Children and Young People Committee said: “The Bill we will be scrutinising will allow all 16- and 17-year-olds to access the Children’s Hearings System for the first time.
“This aims to safeguard those at risk of harm and change how the justice system deals with young people who have committed offences. It also introduces a range of further measures designed to improve the way that children are treated, including ensuring no young person under the age of 18 will be sent to a Young Offenders’ Institution or prison.
“We want to get a thorough understanding of how the proposals in the Bill might impact on people across Scotland, including young people themselves, children’s support organisations and youth justice bodies.
“Please share your views on these proposals with our Committee before the 17 March 2023 deadline.”
Edinburgh Pentlands MSP Gordon Macdonald has welcomed the news that around 27,500 households across Edinburgh will receive an automatic £50 from the Scottish Government’s new Winter Heating Payment in the coming few weeks regardless of the weather conditions.
The new payment replaces the Cold Weather Payment – a Westminster benefit administered by the DWP – that only paid out when the temperature in Edinburgh fell far enough for an extended period.
This meant many areas across Scotland missed out on any help at all from one year to the next because it was just not cold enough for long enough.
In contrast, the new £50 Scottish payment is guaranteed to be paid to every eligible household regardless of what the weather is like.
Earlier this week, the SNP Scottish Government received the data needed from the DWP to identify everyone in Scotland who is eligible. That data is now going through a quality assurance process to make sure all payments are paid safely and securely.
And the money will be delivered to eligible households later this month and next.
Commenting Mr Macdonald said: “This really is a massive improvement for around 27,500 hard-pressed households across Edinburgh.
“We have replaced the old Westminster payment – which only paid out when the temperature plunged for a sustained period – with a new Scottish payment that is reliable because it is guaranteed every year and does not depend on the temperature turning Baltic.
“It means those in need will get the much-needed extra cash this month or next without having to shiver away at home while hoping the weather stays cold long enough to trigger a payment.
“Last winter, no cold weather payments were made across whole swathes of the country. In total, only 11,000 people in the whole of the country received the cash from Westminster. This year, because of the SNP Scottish Government, around 27,500 households across Edinburgh alone will get an extra £50 to help with the Tory cost-of-living crisis.
“And the total amount paid out by Westminster also varied enormously from year to year. Between 2015 and 2022, an average of only £8.3million was given out in Scotland to an average of 185,000 households.
“The new Scottish benefit will see £20million put into the pockets of 415,000 households in the next few weeks.
“That means around 27,500 households in Edinburgh are guaranteed to receive £50 to help with their bills – regardless of how cold it is.”
ONLY INDEPENDENCE CAN TAKE SCOTLAND AND VOTERS IN EDINBURGH NORTH AND LEITH BACK INTO THE EU, SAYS DEIRDRE BROCK
Local MP Deidre Brock has highlighted the findings of a recent poll that suggest 70% of people in the constituency agreed that Britain was wrong to leave the EU.
More than half strongly agreed, with just 15% disagreeing and 15% not expressing a view. The poll found opposition to Brexit in Edinburgh North & Leith was the seventh highest out of all 650 constituencies in the UK.
It follows the result in 2016 where every constituency and local authority in Scotland voted to remain, with 62% of Scots backing continued membership of the EU, including an estimated 78% of voters in Edinburgh North & Leith. Recent polls have suggested the figure across Scotland is now as high as 72% as the damage of Brexit hits hard.
Commenting, Deidre Brock MP said: “People in Edinburgh North & Leith and Scotland as a whole voted overwhelmingly to remain in the EU in 2016.
“Instead we’ve been dragged out against our will and forced to endure the economic hardship that’s come with it.
“Brexit has been a disaster for my constituency and for Scotland, decimating industries, exacerbating the Tory-made cost of living crisis and allowing Westminster to ride roughshod over Holyrood with blatant powergrabs.
“Three years in and the UK has nothing to show for it but a declining economy and falling reputation abroad.
“People in Edinburgh North & Leith deserve better with a return to the EU that only the full powers of independence can deliver.”
”These factors, however, cannot mitigate my overall judgement that Mr Zahawi’s conduct as a Minister has fallen below the high standards that, as Prime Minister, you rightly expect from those who serve in your government.“
LETTER from Sir Laurie Magnus to the Prime Minister, 29 January 2023:
Letter from the Prime Minister to Nadhim Zahawi, 29th January 2023:
The government will introduce new passport fees for all applications on 2nd February 2023, the first time in 5 years that the cost of applying for a passport has increased.
The proposals, which are subject to Parliamentary scrutiny, will include the following:
the fee for a standard online application made from within the UK will rise from £75.50 to £82.50 for adults and £49 to £53.50 for children
postal applications will increase from £85 to £93 for adults and £58.50 to £64 for children
priority service fees are being aligned so all customers will pay the same
the fee for a standard online application when applying from overseas for a UK passport will rise from £86.00 to £94.00 for adults and £56 to £61.00 for children
overseas standard paper applications will increase from £95.50 to £104.50 for adults and £65.50 to £71.50 for children
The new fees will help the Home Office move towards a system that meets its costs through those who use it, reducing reliance on funding from general taxation. The government does not make any profit from the cost of passport applications.
The fees will also contribute to the cost of processing passport applications, consular support overseas, including for lost or stolen passports, and the cost of processing British citizens at UK borders. The increase will also help enable the government to continue improving its services.
The new fees include those newly applying or renewing their passport.
Since January last year, over 95% of standard applications have been processed within 10 weeks and customers are advised that they should apply in good time before travelling. Apply online for a UK passport.
Passport fees are reviewed in line with His Majesty’s Treasury guidance Managing public money.
Scotland will not meet its ambitious target of being net zero by 2045 without a more empowered local government sector, with better access to the skills and capital it needs to play its full role in the net zero energy revolution.
The Scottish Government must also set out a comprehensive roadmap that gives local government detailed guidance on how it wants the sector to make its full contribution to net zero.
These are the overarching conclusions reached in a report published today by Holyrood’s Net Zero, Energy & Transport Committee, following a year-long inquiry into the role local government should play in helping Scotland achieve its ambitious net zero goal by 2045.
The report calls for the Scottish Government to provide additional financial support to Councils in future budget cycles to help them contribute to national net zero targets.
But it also makes clear that, with estimates of £33bn needed to decarbonise heat in buildings alone*, attracting private investment at scale is essential. It calls on the Scottish Government and its agencies to work with local government on an investment strategy that will increase investor appetite and lead to deals being agreed. It also calls for an expanded role for the Scottish National Investment Bank, to help bring together local government and investors in public-private co-financing.
The Committee calls for an area-specific place-based approach to tackle climate change across Scotland; to ensure all players work together to co-ordinate and report on climate change measures. It calls for Councils to be given the powers they will need to make this place-based approach work.
In the report, the Committee recognises the leadership many local authorities are showing in responding to the climate crisis and says good practice should be more widely shared across Councils. The sector should take a more consistent approach to net zero planning, budgeting and target-setting and embed net zero decision-taking at senior levels within Councils. The report also calls for Councils to set targets covering all emissions in their area, because even in areas where they do not have direct control, they can still have influence.
The report calls for Scottish Government assistance to address a skills deficit at local government level, with the drive to reach net zero making “unprecedented and often highly technical demands” on the sector.
Launching the report, Convener of the Committee, Edward Mountain MSP, said: “Over the course of almost a year of evidence-taking, it’s clear that unless key barriers facing local government are dealt with, we will not reach net zero by 2045.
“Local Government is the layer of democracy closest to communities. They have local knowledge and capacity to lead by example and are also uniquely well-placed to form the partnerships we’re going to need at a local and regional level.
“We saw for ourselves on committee visits across Scotland the leadership and good practice many Councils and their local partners are modelling. But against a backdrop of financial pressure, where Councils feel they are being asked to do more for less, they are struggling to think and plan strategically to maximise their contribution to net zero.
“We hope that the Scottish Government, COSLA and the wider local government sector will pay close attention to the recommendations we have made to enable the scale of transformational and behavioural change required for Scotland to succeed.”
Some of the key recommendations made by the Committee to the Scottish Government include that it should:
create a local government-facing “climate intelligence unit” to provide specialist help to Councils in areas where in-depth specialist knowledge is lacking;
allocate larger, fewer and more flexible challenge fund streams for net zero related projects at a local level that better support a holistic and place-based response to climate change;
address the churn, repetition and delay in the planning process that is holding up major renewables and other projects necessary to help meet net zero goals and has a chilling effect on investment. The long-term decline in numbers of Council-employed planners must be reversed in order to meet the ambitions of the new National Planning Framework, and one measure it calls for is the introduction of planning apprenticeships;
clarify the role Councils will play in an area-based approach to heat decarbonisation and set out the additional support they will be offered in preparation and delivery of their Local Heat and Energy Efficiency Strategies. We want to see the new Public Energy Agency empowered and directed to work with local government on area-based delivery.
The report also says Councils should set out how they will engage with local communities to ensure that the net zero transition is not something imposed on communities, but something that people and groups can help shape, lead and deliver.
COSLA believes that the Net Zero, Energy and Transport Committee Report out today (23rd January) is a watershed moment for tackling Climate Change.
Cllr Gail Macgregor, COSLA Environment and Economy Spokesperson said: “This report by the Committee on the just transition to a net zero economy is potentially a watershed moment for Scotland in tackling climate change.
“The report is clear that Scotland will not meet its ambitious climate targets without a more empowered Local Government. To empower Local Government, Councils need not just increased funding, but also larger, fewer and more flexible funding streams. This has long been COSLA’s central message, so it is hugely heartening to see it recognised so strongly in the report.
“Climate Change is a challenge we all must face. Local Government is committed, locally and nationally, to leading the net zero transition, but COSLA has been open that local authorities can’t do that effectively without the increased support of Scottish Government. The report by the Committee lays out in the clearest way yet the support that is needed and why.
“The recommendations of the report are mainly directed at Scottish Government, but we need to consider them carefully too. Climate change requires a genuine team Scotland approach and I would hope that this report coupled with last year’s publication by the Climate Change Committee could be the defining moment we have needed to get delivery of the net zero transition on track for 2030 and beyond.
“I commend the Committee for the fullness, diligence and clarity of their report.”
Nominations open today (Monday 23 January) for candidates to stand in the forthcoming Corstorphine/Murrayfield by-election which is being held following the resignation of Councillor Frank Ross.
On Thursday 9 March, Corstorphine/Murrayfield residents will go to the polls to select a new councillor to represent the ward which also covers Balgreen, Broomhall, Carrick Knowe, Ravelston and Roseburn and has a current electorate of 19,287.
An official Notice of Election was published on Friday explaining how to stand as a candidate, who is eligible to vote and how to make sure you are on the Electoral Register.
In order to stand as a candidate, individuals must submit nomination papers by 4pm on Monday 6 February.
Andrew Kerr, Chief Executive of the City of Edinburgh Council and Returning Officer, said: “The Notice of Election signifies the official start of the election period for Corstorphine/Murrayfield.
“I would urge all citizens in the ward to make sure they are registered and have their details or preference of how they would like to vote up to date in plenty of time. They should now think about the way they want to cast their vote – in a polling place or by post – and make sure to use that vote on 9 March.”
Anyone unsure about how to register, where to vote or how to vote by post can find more information on the Council website.
Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm on 9 March. Details of where these are will be announced shortly.
People aged 16 and over and all those legally resident – including foreign citizens – can register to vote in this election.
The deadline to register to vote is midnight Tuesday 21 February, to apply for a postal vote the deadline is 5pm on Wednesday 22 February, and for a proxy vote the deadline is 5pm on Wednesday 1 March.
TEN projects across Scotland receive grants from round two of the UK Government’s flagship Levelling Up Fund
A new ferry for Fair Isle, restoration of Kilmarnock’s historic Palace Theatre, and regeneration in Stirling are just some of the transformational local projects across Scotland awarded a share of £2.1 billion from the UK Government’s landmark Levelling Up Fund.
Major UK Government investment will benefit people across Scotland by spreading opportunity and breathing new life into historically overlooked areas.
A total of 10 projects in Scotland have been allocated more than £177 million from round two of the Levelling Up Fund. The projects will create jobs, drive economic growth, help restore people’s pride in the places where they live and spread opportunity more equally.
This will drive forward the Prime Minister’s priority to grow the economy by levelling up and provide the foundations for building a better future in communities across the UK. By working together the UK is better able to collectively tackle the individual challenges faced by every region and nation across the country.
Grants include nearly £27 million for a new roll-on, roll-off ferry for Fair Isle. There is also £20 million to fund the refurbishment of Kilmarnock’s 163-year-old Palace Theatre and Grand Hall, and a new park near the town square, as well as more than £19 million towards the regeneration of the Forthside area in Stirling.
In Aberdeenshire, £20 million will transform Peterhead’s disused Arbuthnot House into a new museum, library and cultural hub, while the popular marine aquarium in Macduff will be modernised and expanded.
Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said: “Through greater investment in local areas, we can grow the economy, create good jobs and spread opportunity everywhere.
“That’s why we are backing a number of projects with new transformational funding to level up local communities in Scotland.
“By reaching even more parts of the country than before, we will build a future of optimism and pride in people’s lives and the places they call home.”
Levelling Up Secretary Michael Gove said: “We are firing the starting gun on more than a hundred transformational projects in every corner of the UK that will revitalise communities that have historically been overlooked but are bursting with potential.
“This new funding will create jobs, drive economic growth, and help to restore local pride. We are delivering on the people’s priorities, levelling up across the UK to ensure that no matter where you are from, you can go as far as your talents will take you.”
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: “It’s fantastic to see real momentum gathering as we level up across Scotland. This latest round of UK Government funding will see more than £177 million invested into 10 exciting projects which will breathe new life into communities across Scotland.
“Working with local partners we are boosting culture and leisure in Aberdeenshire, Galloway and Kilmarnock; improving connectivity in Shetland and Dundee; regenerating Greenock and Cumbernauld town centres; unlocking huge swathes of land for green development in East Lothian and Stirling; and helping communities in Fife connect with nature.
“We must and will continue to invest in initiatives that will make a difference to communities and help grow our economy. So far we have announced more than £2.26 billion – including the two Freeports confirmed last week – to bring prosperity and growth to Scotland that is crucial as we tackle the challenges associated with rising energy prices and the increased cost of living.”
Projects in Scotland awarded Levelling Up Fund grants in round 2:
nearly £27 million has been guaranteed for a new roll-on, roll-off ferry for Fair Isle. The service is a lifeline for the island, supporting its residents, visitors and supply chains, and without its replacement the community will become further isolated.
in Aberdeenshire, £20 million will transform Peterhead’s disused Arbuthnot House into a new museum, library and cultural hub, while the popular marine aquarium in Macduff will be modernised and expanded.
there is £20 million to fund the refurbishment of 163-year-old Palace Theatre and Grand Hall, and a new park near the town square in Kilmarnock.
in Dundee, £14 million will go towards redeveloping a dated multi-storey car park into a sustainable transport hub, creating 350 electrical vehicle charging points, car share spaces, and an e-bike hire scheme.
nearly £20 million will help demolish and reroute the A78 dual carriageway to reconnect and transform Greenock town centre into a modern, vibrant hub based around public squares and green spaces.
in Stirling, more than £19 million will go towards the regeneration of the Forthside area, helping to create 1,000 new jobs.
more than £19.4 million to accelerate the regeneration of Riverside Park in Fife and improve access to the River Leven with new walking routes.
in Cumbernauld, more than £9 million will support the demolition and regeneration of two failing shopping centres and a vacant office block, helping to bring education, employment and homes into the heart of North Lanarkshire’s largest town.
in East Lothian, nearly £11.3 million of funding will help free up land at a former coal fired power station for future, green regeneration.
almost £18 million will help Dumfries and Galloway turn redundant spaces and buildings into exciting new cultural and leisure opportunities.
The major investment announced follows the allocation of £1.7 billion to 105 projects from round one of the Levelling Up Fund in 2021– taking the total allocated so far from the fund to £3.8 billion. In Scotland there was an allocation of £172 million to 8 Scottish projects from round one of the Levelling Up Fund in 2021– taking the total allocated so far from the fund to £349 million. The UK Government’s levelling up projects across Scotland can be explored on this map.
The UK Government has also confirmed there will be a further round of the Levelling Up Fund, providing more opportunity to level up places across the UK.
Gordon Macdonald MSP for Edinburgh Pentlands led a members debate in Parliament yesterday, highlighting the benefits of robotics, AI and autonomous systems and the important work being developed at the National Robotarium located at Heriot Watt University campus in partnership with the University of Edinburgh.
The motion for debate focused on the National Robotarium’s unrivalled technology and facilities which is central to the development and testing of robotics and AI solutions across the three distinct areas of robotics and autonomous systems, human and robot interaction, and high-precision manufacturing.
Mr Macdonald highlighted the National Robotarium’s role in growing Scotland as a world leading international hub which will require sufficient support to ensure a trained, qualified workforce and the development of a manufacturing base.
Commenting Mr Macdonald said: “I was delighted to have the opportunity to lead my members debate on the National Robotarium, the largest and most advanced applied research facility for robotics and artificial intelligence found anywhere in the UK and located here in the Edinburgh Pentlands constituency.
“On a recent visit to the centre I saw first-hand the incredible work they are doing in their state of the art facility and heard about the aspirations of the centre and indeed the opportunities for Scotland.
“Scotland, unlike many areas of the UK, still has a manufacturing base and the National Robotarium is in a position to move innovative products and services rapidly from laboratory to market, to develop new prototypes, and support early-stage product development within an incubator environment that drives productivity.
“The National Robotarium will be central in creating opportunities for companies to establish, develop and scale up, as well as meeting the future challenges of growth and manufacturing but it is imperative we have a trained workforce so planning for skills is crucial if we are to realise this industry’s potential.”
National Robotarium CEO Stewart Miller, who attended the debate, commented: “I’m grateful to Mr Macdonald for raising this important debate in Parliament and highlighting the work we’re doing at the National Robotarium to build skills and increase the adoption of robotics and AI across all sectors.
“Many of the points raised during the debate clearly illustrate how the expansion of robotics capabilities can positively impact both the economy and society as a whole. The National Robotarium is an important milestone in this story, however, only with increased government support and investment can Scotland and the UK fully realise its potential to become a leading knowledge base and potential manufacturing hub for robotics.”
Scottish Secretary Alister Jack has made an order under section 35 of the Scotland Act 1998, preventing the Scottish Parliament’s Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill from proceeding to Royal Assent.
Oral statement by Scottish Secretary Alister Jack to the House of Commons yesterday in relation to the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill:
Mr Speaker, today I will make an order under section 35 of the Scotland Act 1998 preventing the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill from proceeding to Royal Assent.
This Order will mean the Presiding Officer of the Scottish Parliament will not submit the Bill for Royal Assent.
This Government believes however that transgender people deserve our respect, our support and our understanding.
My decision is centred on the legislation’s consequences for the operation of reserved matters, including equality legislation across Scotland, England and Wales.
The Scottish Government’s Bill would introduce a new process for applying for legal gender recognition in Scotland.
The changes include reducing the minimum age a person can apply for a Gender Recognition Certificate from eighteen to sixteen, and removing the need for a medical diagnosis and evidence of having lived for two years in their acquired gender.
The Bill would amend the Gender Recognition Act 2004, which legislated for a single gender recognition system across the UK and which received a Legislative Consent Motion from the Scottish Parliament.
The approach taken in the Scottish Government’s Gender Recognition Reform Bill was the subject of intense debate in the Scottish Parliament.
A number of significant amendments were tabled right up until the end of the Bill’s passage.
And the Minister for Women and Equalities corresponded with and met with the Cabinet Secretary Shona Robison to discuss the UK Government’s concerns, before the Bill had reached its final stage.
Mr Speaker, I have not taken this decision lightly.
The Government has looked closely at the potential impact of the Bill and I have considered all relevant policy and operational implications, together with the Minister for Women and Equalities.
And it is our assessment that the Bill would have a serious adverse impact, among other things, on the operation of the Equality Act 2010.
Those adverse effects include impacts on the operation of single-sex clubs, associations and schools, and protections such as equal pay.
The Government shares the concerns of many members of the public and civic society groups regarding the potential impact of the Bill on women and girls.
The Bill also risks creating significant complications from having two different gender recognition regimes in the UK and allowing more fraudulent or bad faith applications.
The Government is today publishing a full Statement of Reasons, alongside the order, which will set in full the adverse effects the Government is concerned about (see below – Ed.).
Mr Speaker, I would like to address the claims put forward by those who would seek to politicise this decision and claim that this is some kind of “constitutional outrage” and you can hear them Mr Speaker, you can hear them.
The section 35 power was included in the Scotland Act, which established the Scottish Parliament.
This the first time the power has been exercised and I acknowledge that this is a significant decision.
The powers in Section 35 of the Scotland Act are not new, and this Government has not created them. They have existed as long as devolution itself.
And we should be clear that the power was included in the Act by the architects of devolution for a reason. Donald Dewar himself noted that the power struck an “important balance”.
The section 35 power provides a sensible measure to ensure that devolved legislation does not have adverse impacts on reserved matters, including on equalities legislation such as the Equality Act 2010.
This is not about preventing the Scottish Parliament from legislating on devolved matters but about ensuring that we do not have legal frameworks in one part of the UK which have adverse effects on reserved matters.
And we should be clear that this is absolutely not about the UK Government being able to veto Scottish Parliament legislation whenever it chooses, as some have implied.
The power can only be exercised on specific grounds – and the fact that this is the first time it has been necessary to exercise the power in almost twenty-five years of devolution emphasises that it is not a power to be used lightly.
In the instance of the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill, I have concluded that the bill would have serious, adverse effects on the operation of the Equality Act 2010.
As I set out in my correspondence with the First Minister yesterday, I would prefer not to be in this situation.
The UK Government does all we can to respect the devolution settlement and to resolve disputes.
It is open to the Scottish Government to bring back an amended Bill for reconsideration in the Scottish Parliament.
So to conclude, Mr Speaker, I have set out to the Scottish Government that should they choose to do so, I hope we can work together to find a constructive way forward that both respects devolution and the operation of UK Parliament legislation.
Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon told the BBC that the Scottish government will seek a judicial review of the Westminster government’s decision at the Court of Session in Edinburgh.
There’s every possibility that this constitutional wrangle will end up in the UK’s Supreme Court.
