Tag: Politics

First Minister: ‘The bottom line here is that the virus is on the rise again’

Statement given by the First Minister Nicola Sturgeon at a media briefing in St Andrew’s House this afternoon (Friday 18 September):

I can report that the total number of positive cases that were reported yesterday was 203. This represents 4.4% of people newly tested and takes the total number of cases now to 23,776.

Let me remind you again that these are positive cases reported yesterday.

Because of the processing backlog we have been dealing with, which as I said yesterday is improving, more of these than normal may be from swabs taken over the past few days.

However, as I’ve also said before, when we look at whether case numbers are rising or not, we look at results by the date the sample was taken, not just the reporting date – so the backlog doesn’t distort our trend analysis.

The full regional breakdown will be published later as normal, but I can confirm now that 69 of the 203 cases are in Greater Glasgow and Clyde, 30 in Lothian, and 29 in Lanarkshire.  The remaining 75 are across the other 8 mainland health board areas.

I can also confirm that 61 people are in hospital – which is an increase of 9 on yesterday. 5 people are in intensive care, which is the same as yesterday. And finally, I regret to say that in the past 24 hours, one additional death was registered of a patient who first tested positive over the previous 28 days.

That means that the total number of deaths, under this daily measurement, is now 2,502.

This is a reminder that we are again reporting deaths, albeit small numbers, on a regular basis again.

That’s an indication that in Scotland, as elsewhere, Covid is accelerating again, and I will say more about that shortly.

But I want once again to pass on my condolences to everybody who has lost a loved one to this illness – including of course, those  grieving as a result of the death that was registered yesterday.

I’m joined today by our National Clinical Director Jason Leitch.  After my remarks, Jason will say a few words about the news this morning that an Edinburgh Rugby Academy player has tested positive for Covid.

Before that, though, here are a few items I want to cover.

The first let me briefly highlight an announcement that was made by the Scottish Government last night.

We have added two additional places to the list of those that are subject to quarantine restrictions.  Those are Slovenia and Guadeloupe.

That means that from tomorrow, people travelling to Scotland from these countries must self-isolate for 14 days, upon their return or arrival in Scotland. And it is very important that people comply with that.

By contrast, Singapore and Thailand were removed from the international list.

So anyone arriving from either of these countries, from tomorrow, no longer has to quarantine. However, if you have arrived from Singapore or Thailand in the past few days, you do need to complete your 14 days of isolation.

This is all a further reminder of how quickly levels of the virus – in any country or area – can change. So I’ll say again, please avoid non-essential overseas travel at the moment, if possible.

Indeed, please think carefully about non-essential travel at home, as well. In particular, avoid travelling to parts of the UK, that are under tougher restrictions right now because  levels of Covid are rising fastest.

The main thing I want to do today is to take a moment to take stock of where the country stands right now in the pandemic.

We are seeing increasing numbers of places both here in Scotland and across the rest of the UK that are under local and regional restrictions. And, many will have woken up this morning to hear the news of the potential for new national restrictions.

The bottom line here is that the virus is on the rise again.

Our case numbers are not yet rising as fast as there were back in March. But they are rising again and they are rising quite rapidly.  The percentage of tests coming back positive is also not anywhere near as high as it was back in March, but again it is rising.

And as I reported yesterday, the R number we believe is now above 1.

Across the UK, and this is particularly the case in England right now,  hospital admissions are rising. ICU admissions are rising too. While this is particularly the case in England right now, this should sound a warning signal for us here in Scotland too.

And, while for the last few weeks, people might have taken comfort from the low levels of older, more vulnerable people contracting the virus, I have to say to you that picture is also beginning to change.

Recent data shows that the percentage of cases in the older population is now beginning to rise as well.

Looking more widely, we can observe that in broad terms we might now be, at an earlier stage, on a similar path to that which has been taken in recent weeks by France.

About four weeks ago, France stood broadly where we do today.

But now they face around 10,000 new cases per day and hundreds of people in ICU and deaths in France are already rising now as well.

So our task is to make sure – if we can – that we interrupt that, and we don’t end up where they are now.

What lies behind this is a simple reality: we are facing the risk again of exponential growth in Covid. And we all know from our experience earlier this year what that looks like, and why it is so important to seek to avoid  it.

So, I want to talk briefly about what we need to do.

First and foremost, we need to act to interrupt that exponential growth. No one wants to see another full-scale lockdown.

And, above all, we want to keep schools and childcare open because we know how important that is to the education but also to the broader well-being of children and young people.

So right now, and I mean right now, today, over the weekend and into next week, that means following all of the rules and the advice currently in place.

Work from home if you can, that remains our advice. As I said a moment ago, avoid if you can non-essential travel. Don’t meet up with any more than six people from a maximum  of two households, indoors and outdoors.

If you live in Glasgow, as I do, or in East or West Dunbartonshire, Renfrewshire or East Renfrewshire, North or South Lanarkshire, don’t visit other households at all, unless you have to visit to care for or deliver shopping to a vulnerable person.

The fact is we know, and this is one of the things we have learned about this virus, is that when it gets into a household, it is very likely to infect everyone in that household.

So to be blunt, we must do everything we can to keep it out of our households. When we do have to interact with others, the last piece of advice I want to remind you of right now, is to remember to follow FACTS: all of the basic things that help us reduce the risks of transmitting the virus.

These are the current rules and I am asking everybody to please abide by them strictly and rigorously.  But it may well be that if we are to interrupt  and break this growth, we will have to do more over the next few weeks. And this weekend will be critical in the assessment of how best to do that.

As widely reported, SAGE met yesterday. I have chaired a meeting of senior Scottish Government officials and advisors this morning to assess the current situation and discussions across the 4 nations of the UK will, I hope, take place in the coming days. I’ve this morning asked the Prime Minister to convene a COBRA meeting over this weekend.

So, I am today giving the nation advance notice, that the coming days are likely to see some hard but necessary decisions.

If we want to avoid another full-scale lockdown, which all of us do, doing nothing almost certainly isn’t an option.

Now I will of course, as I have sought to do throughout this pandemic, keep you regularly and fully updated. But for now, over this weekend, please rigorously follow all of the current rules and all of the current advice.

Now there is another issue that I want to update you on, another area where some of us may be able to help in the fight against this virus, and it involves Scotland’s involvement in the UK-wide COVID Infection Survey.

The survey is designed to track the spread and prevalence of the virus in the general population. It is conducted by the Office for National Statistics, and the University of Oxford.  And following a successful pilot in England, it has been expanded to other parts of the UK.

In Scotland, it will ultimately see up to 15,000 people being tested, every fortnight.  Households will be randomly selected for the survey.  And over the coming period, these households will all be sent a letter, inviting them to participate.

Those letters will provide details on how to register.  The first of them should be arriving today.  And from Monday, survey teams will begin visiting households that agree to take part.

Those who do take part will be asked to administer swabs to their throats and noses, to test for the virus.  People aged 12 years or older can take the swab themselves – but parents and carers should administer them for younger children.  A subset of participants – over the age of 16 – will also be invited to provide blood samples, to test whether they have already have had Covid.

Participants will be asked to take further tests every week for the first 5 weeks, then every month for up to a year.  Members of the survey team will visit households, to collect the tests.

These results will help us to see how many people are infected with the virus at a given point in time – whether ot not they have symptoms.

And they will give us a sense of how many people are ever likely to have had the infection. They should therefore provide us with really important new insights into the spread of Covid in Scotland.

The survey will also provide additional data on the characteristics of those who are testing positive and so it will help us to examine any difference in the impact of the virus, on different groups in society.

The initial survey results for Scotland should be available in November.  But that is dependent, and that is why I am raising it today, on people’s willingness to sign up.   So if you receive a letter, and you are able to do so, I encourage you to take part in this survey, it is really important and it will be a vital tool in our efforts to understand the virus and therefore equip ourselves better to know the things to keep it under control.

Now to close today, I want to really  come back to emphasise my earlier point and really emphasise to you that we are at another really critical point. Covid-19 is on the rise.  Not just here in Scotland, it is on the rise in the UK and across Europe.

Just yesterday, the World Health Organization warned that weekly cases across Europe, have now topped 300,000. 

That’s higher than it was in March – when the virus first peaked.

As the WHO has said, that must serve as a wake-up call for all of us.  The virus could get out of our grip again. That’s the news that should be the wake-up call.

The better news is that hasn’t happened yet: we do still have time to prevent it happening, and that is down to Government to take a lead and be very clear and decisive in what we have to do, but it also ultimately comes down to all of us. So before I hand over to Jason, I want remind all you watching, and to ask you to remind others,  of what we need you to do.

If you live in Glasgow; East or West Dunbartonshire; Renfrewshire or East Renfrewshire; North or South Lanarkshire, please don’t visit any other households anywhere in Scotland. 

In the rest of the country, please do not meet with more than 6 people, from a maximum of 2 households.  Don’t give the virus an opportunity to spread between households, because if it spreads between households we know it quickly spreads within households.

Download the Protect Scotland app, if you haven’t already done so. A million people have done so, already. We know that will help make a difference

And finally – in everything you do – lets all follow the FACTS.  These are the five golden rules that help all us of us minimise the risk of transmission:

  • Face coverings in enclosed spaces
  • Avoid crowded places.
  • Clean hands and clean all hard surfaces that you are touching regularly
  • keep two metres away from people other households.
  • and self isolate, and book a test, if you have symptoms.

We are at a critical point right now, but as I said in one of these briefings a couple of days ago, nothing is inevitable. We all have power to try and stop this virus running out of control again.

I know the responsibility that is on the shoulders of me and the government here to take the hard decisions that will determine whether we succeed or not.

But as I have said, so many times throughout,  this is down to all of us. We are all in this together and it is only by acting together that we can stop it running out of control and ultimately save lives.

My thanks again to everybody who I know are making all sorts of sacrifices to help us do that. Keep spreading the word to everyone you know.

Scottish Tories launch education plan

Pledge to recruit 433 more teachers in Edinburgh and the Lothians

Six yeas ago today Scotland voted to stay in the UK. We must spend the next six years rebuilding Scotland’s education system, say the Scottish Conservatives.

They say they will hire 3000 new teachers over the next parliament to restore local schools to where they were before the SNP came to power.

Today, the Scottish Conservatives unveiled proposals to recruit 3,000 more teachers over the next Parliament. 

The plans which would cost £550 million, would end teacher shortages that have arisen since the SNP came into power in 2007.  

The paper also calls for a dedicated STEM teacher to be available in every Primary school, increased opportunities for career switchers to move into teaching and a new campaign to encourage the best and brightest to take up teaching. 

Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “Education has to be a top priority in Scotland to invest in the future, however under this SNP Government education standards have slipped.

“Recruiting more teachers would allow each pupils to have a larger choice of subjects, as well as increased one on one learning.

“It is well established that smaller class sizes are better for student learning, so having a smaller teacher to pupil ratio can only be a good thing.

“Edinburgh and the Lothians have the fastest growing population in Scotland so it is important more teachers are recruited in advance, rather than after there is a shortage.”

Council Teachers latest census Teachers increase 
City of Edinburgh 3584 209
East Lothian  980 57
Midlothian 955 55
West Lothian 1930 112

Impact of furlough

Extension of scheme could save thousands of jobs – but UK Government says no

Extending the furlough scheme by eight months could save 61,000 jobs in Scotland, according to new research.

A Scottish Government report estimates that the direct cost of extending the furlough scheme in Scotland to June is around £850 million – and wider economic benefits, such as increasing GDP, mean that it could pay for itself.

It comes as the Business Impact of COVID-19 Statistics, also published today, found that of all Scottish firms surveyed, over two thirds were still furloughing their workforce to some extent. The new data also estimated 15% of the workforce were still on furlough.

Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop said: “The UK Government must think again about withdrawing blanket support and they must urgently implement some form of extension which would continue to provide help for the sectors that have been most heavily affected.

“Extending the Job Retention Scheme for eight months would save 61,000 jobs in Scotland and help secure a stronger economic recovery from coronavirus (COVID-19). Unlike the Scottish Government, the UK Government has the borrowing powers necessary to fund the extension of the Job Retention Scheme and they must act now to protect jobs and livelihoods.

“New furlough statistics for Scotland published today show wide variation between different sectors of the economy. Even though in some sectors a significant number of people have gone back to work, the outlook is much bleaker in other sectors. In accommodation and food services an estimated 34.4% of staff were still on furlough, and this rises to 57.5% of staff in the arts, entertainment and recreation sector. 

“Of course, the furlough scheme cannot continue indefinitely, but an extension would help keep people in jobs while sectors of the economy currently unable to fully open recover and will lead to sustained economic benefits at a relatively small cost.”

Read the COVID-19: Analysis of Extending the Coronavirus Job Retention Scheme

Read the Business Impact of COVID-19 Statistics

No Show!

The UK Government has declined to give evidence to the Scottish Parliament on its UK Internal Market Bill. 

The UK Government says it regrets that Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Alok Sharma MP (above) will not be able to appear before Holyrood’s Finance and Constitution Committee on account of the “tight legislative timeline” for the Bill that is currently going through Westminster.

Finance & Constitution Committee Convener Bruce Crawford MSP says he is ‘dismayed’ by the declined invitation. 

The UK Government acknowledges “all aspects” of the Internal Market Bill will require the legislative consent of the Scottish Parliament.

Finance & Constitution Committee Convener Bruce Crawford MSP said: “The UK Internal Market Bill will affect many people’s lives and livelihoods in Scotland.  It will also have a profound impact on the devolution settlement and on the powers of the Scottish Parliament.

“The UK Government already recognises and accepts that all aspects of this Bill require the legislative consent of the Scottish Parliament.
 
“I am genuinely dismayed, therefore, that the Secretary of State for Business will not make time to give evidence to our committee, as we consider whether or not to recommend that consent be given to this UK Bill.

“Our report to the Scottish Parliament will not have the benefit of direct evidence from the UK Government and that is a matter of regret, as is the discourtesy that colleagues will infer from the UK Government’s response.”

Mr Crawford added: “Under my convenership, this committee has always set out to engage constructively with the UK Government.  Indeed, we will hear from Mr Hands on the Trade Bill next week. 

“It is implausible why a UK Minister is available for the relatively limited impact on devolution of that Bill, while not being available for the Internal Market Bill which has a potentially huge impact on the people of Scotland.”

The text of the email from Mr Sharma’s office is below.

The declined request cites the Bill’s “tight legislative timeline”, which was set by the UK Government.

Full text of email dated 15 September 2020:

Hi (Name of Clerk to Committee),

Apologies for the delay and thank you for your invitation for the SoS to give evidence to the committee. Given the tight legislative timeline for the Bill, it is with regret that the SoS will be unable to attend this committee session. We look forward to the findings of the Committee’s engagement on the UK internal market Bill.

Thanks,
(Name of Private Secretary)
Office of Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Alok Sharma MP

More on the Committee’s scrutiny of the Internal Market Bill can be found here.

Finance Ministers’ “deep concern” over UK Internal Market Bill

Spending proposals would “reverse devolution”.

Finance Ministers from Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have met to discuss a range of fiscal matters and voiced their collective concerns about the financial implications the UK Internal Market Bill will have on devolved governments.

Kate Forbes, Rebecca Evans and Conor Murphy expressed their joint concerns on the spending powers set out in the Bill which override the existing devolution settlement.

The powers enable the UK Government to undertake spending in devolved areas, including for replacement of EU funding, without any engagement with the devolved nations.

Finance Ministers also voiced concerns about what this could mean for future consequential funding arrangements.

Scotland’s Finance Secretary, Kate Forbes said: “It is entirely unacceptable  that – with no prior notice – the UK Government has written provisions into the Bill that presume Whitehall control over the delivery of replacements for the EU funding programme in Scotland – a programme that Scottish Ministers have delivered successfully for decades. 

“This Bill would also allow the UK Government to dictate how  money is spent in devolved areas  without the consent  of Scottish Ministers. It puts at risk funding for a whole host of capital programmes – schools, hospitals and infrastructure. It reverses the devolution process and we will oppose any attempt to bypass the Scottish Parliament and Government, which are elected by the people of Scotland.

“Not only is it in contravention of the devolution settlement, but it has the potential to create confusion, duplication and unnecessary additional bureaucracy at a time when economic recovery is paramount.”

Welsh Finance Minister Rebecca Evans said: “I am deeply concerned that the Bill gives UK Ministers, for the first time since devolution, powers to fund activity in areas which are clearly devolved to Wales.

“In Wales funding decisions are taken in partnership with local communities, to ensure that they reflect the needs of the people in Wales. The powers set out in the Bill completely undermine devolution and will see decisions currently taken in Wales, clawed back by the UK Government.”

Finance Minister for Northern Ireland, Conor Murphy said: “The Internal Market Bill will give the British Government wide ranging powers to make funding decisions in devolved areas.

“This is greatly concerning and could have huge implications for the Good Friday Agreement. The British Government should not interfere in funding matters which are currently the responsibility of the Devolved Administrations.

“It is also imperative that they provide details on the scope of the Shared Prosperity Fund. This will be a vital source of replacement funding for devolved areas and the lack of meaningful engagement to date is extremely disappointing.”

MPs to present concerns to Ministers on support for households during COVID-19

Image representing news article

Westminster’s Petitions Committee will hold a hybrid e-petitions session tomorrow (Thursday 17 September) to put concerns to Ministers on support for households during the COVID-19 pandemic.  

The session, which will be open to Members across the House, follows the Committee receiving a series of popular petitions calling for support for households in light of the pandemic. 

Watch the session here from 2.30pm on Thursday 7 September 

Read the petitions to be discussed:  

The Westminster Hall-style debate will be held in one of Parliament’s committee rooms, with the option of participating via video-link, and will give Members across the House the opportunity to debate and question Government Ministers on the issues being raised by petitioners.  

Ministers attending to answer questions will include Luke Hall MP (Minister for Housing, Communities and Local Government), Will Quince MP (Minister in Department for Work and Pensions) and John Glen MP (Treasury Minister).  

More than 347,000 petitioners have now signed parliamentary petitions relating to supporting households through the coronavirus crisis, as the Government continues to adapt the support system being offered across the country.  

The session comes as the Petitions Committee continues to press Government Ministers on their response to the Coronavirus pandemic. 

Hybrid e-petitions sessions have been devised as sittings in Westminster Hall – the traditional debating Chamber for e-petitions – are still suspended as part of Parliament’s arrangements for adapting to Coronavirus and ensuring the safety of people on the Estate.

Westminster Hall debates are anticipated to resume from 5 October.  

Get involved

Alister Jack responds to September Labour Market figures

The latest quarterly Scottish Government Workforce Information statistics have been published by Scotland’s Chief Statistician. These statistics cover the numbers of workers, staff sickness rates, and the diversity of staff up to the most recent quarter ending June 2020.

The statistics show that:

  • At the end of June 2020 there were 7,119 full time equivalent (FTE) directly employed staff, an increase of 627 on last year’s figure of 6,492 at the end of June 2019. The percentage of directly employed staff in permanent (98%) and temporary (2%) categories remained the same as last year.
  • There was an 8.3% increase in the number (headcount) of contingent (non-directly employed) workers. An increase of 111 workers, from 1332 at the end of June 2019 to 1443 at the end of June 2020.
  • The staff sickness level was 7.4 average working days lost (AWDL) per staff year in the 12 month period ending June 2020, compared with 7.7 AWDL for the same period last year. This equates to a loss of 3.3% of working days in the 12 month period ending June 2020
  • Just over half (53.6%) of the workforce were female, compared to 46.4% male. The proportion of female staff is similar to the same period last year (52.7% in June 2019).
  • At the end of June 2020, the majority of staff were aged between 30 and 59, broken down as follows: 16-29 (17.4%), 30-39 (24.3%), 40-49 (27.0%), 50-59 (25.0%), 60 or over (6.2%).
  • The proportion of directly employed staff providing diversity information on sexual orientation, disability and religion or belief has increased since the same period last year.

Responding to yesterday’s Labour Market Statistics, Scottish Secretary Alister Jack said: “These figures are continuing to show the effect of the pandemic on jobs in Scotland, and the impact on individuals and families across the country. The UK Government has done everything possible to support people through this difficult time.

“Through the furlough scheme, the UK Government has supported more than 930,000 Scottish jobs, a third of the workforce, and we are taking decisive action though our ambitious Plan for Jobs.

“We have launched the £2 billion Kick Start scheme to create thousands of high quality jobs for young people, are doubling the number of work coaches to help people find work and are bringing in a £1,000 job retention bonus to help employers bring back as many furloughed workers as possible.”

The UK Government has loaned £2.3 billion to 65,000 Scottish businesses, put in place VAT cuts for hospitality and tourism businesses, and 6.3 million discounted meals were eaten at 8,543 establishments across Scotland as part of the Eat Out to Help Out Scheme in August.

Holyrood commitee seeks views on UK’s Internal Market Bill

Holyrood’s Finance & Constitution Committee has launched a call for views on the UK Government’s controversial Internal Market Bill, which was was introduced at Westminster on 9 September.

According to its explanatory notes, the purpose of the Bill is to “preserve the UK internal market, providing continued certainty for people and businesses to work and trade freely across the whole of the UK.”

All parts of the Bill trigger the need for legislative consent from the Scottish Parliament – but the Scottish Government has indicated it will not recommend that consent be given.

The Finance & Constitution Committee is therefore seeking views from all interested organisations and individuals to help inform its parliamentary scrutiny of the Bill and of the Scottish Government’s legislative consent memorandum.

The deadline for submissions is 24 September 2020.

Finance & Constitution Committee Convener Bruce Crawford MSP said: “The creation of a UK internal market and how it operates will impact on a wide range of Scottish organisations, including Scottish businesses – especially food production and agriculture, environmental and consumer organisations, as well as the third and voluntary sector and the wider public.

“It is vital therefore that we hear from people who are going to be affected by this Bill, but we only have until 24 September to do so. This is time critical.”

The Committee is scrutinising the UK Internal Market Bill as well as the forthcoming Legislative Consent Memorandum.

In order to inform its scrutiny, the Committee is seeking views, especially in the following areas:

Oral evidence on the Bill will begin later this month.

We’re all in this together, says Council leader

Council Leader’s Report – September

With Covid cases rising across the country and a new six-person rule introduced by the Scottish Government, it’s clear that we all need to keep on top of the latest health advice and look out for one another (writes City Council Leader ADAM McVEY).

We’ve come a long way since March, and our city and our residents have done an incredible job of adapting to changing circumstances and, of course, looking after their communities and those around them in many ways.

We’ve all missed Edinburgh’s buzz and it’s great to see people out and about again. After many challenging months for our local businesses, the last thing we want to see is a need for more stringent local restrictions, so let’s keep up the effort.

Our efforts are ongoing to help us return to our high streets in a safe and comfortable way and the city’s Forever Edinburgh campaign provides advice for making the most of a day or night out in the city. We can all do our bit to support our favourite local businesses, so let’s continue to shop local and see them through this crisis.

With residents, visitors and new and returning students, there are of course a lot more people in our streets. So we’re working closely with universities and colleges to provide all students with a warm welcome and clear information on keeping themselves, their classmates and our communities safe.

It’s a united effort from everyone involved, and we must come together for the good of our city. #AllTogetherEdinburgh

Challenges facing our schools 

Ensuring our schools were safe to reopen last month was an enormous task and I want to recognise the tremendous amount of effort from many Council teams making sure this happened. It’s certainly welcome to see learning and teaching continuing where it should be taking place – in the classroom.

There have been a number of positive Covid cases in our schools, as there have been across the country, and I want to reassure everyone that our response on each occasion has been swift, robust and in line with the latest advice from Health Protection Lothian. Parents can have confidence in this approach.

We take the safety of our schools extremely seriously in these challenging times and have measures in place to keep our young people and school staff safe including keeping groups apart as much as possible, appropriate use of face coverings and regular hygiene measures. As always, we’ll follow the very latest national guidance and I want to wish everyone who has tested positive a swift and full recovery.

Setting our sights on a fairer future

As we gradually work to rebuild our communities and our economy, we’re also taking the opportunity to adapt the way we do things as a Council. Edinburgh has always been a progressive, welcoming city – it’s one of the things that attracts people to want to come and live, work and study here – myself included – and we’re building on this to create a fairer city beyond the current Covid crisis.

We’re still living through a great deal of change and uncertainty. However, our recovery strategy for the Council puts Edinburgh’s 2050 City Vision at its heart and we’re already embracing many lessons learned from lockdown – such as the role better technology can play in breaking down barriers to support our most disadvantaged residents.

For a more equal Edinburgh we’re also making strides in our equalities work, recently launching a new employee campaign to champion diversity and inclusion in everything we do. Alongside our united and ongoing response to the Black Lives Matter movement, we’re fast progressing plans to make our own workplace culture one of the most inclusive in Scotland.

The last six months have served to highlight the things which are most vital and important, like looking after one another and prioritising the protection of our young, old and most vulnerable and the protection of our planet. For Edinburgh, that means setting our sights on a fairer, greener future.

Green light for sustainable transport

We’re continuing apace with an ambitious package of measures to make it easier and safer to travel by foot, bike or wheelchair in the Capital. These schemes will result in some change on our streets to prioritise all of us in our City.

We know there are some concerns around these measures, not least the plan for the first Low Traffic Neighbourhood in East Craigs, but there is also significant support in our communities for better active travel conditions, including in East Craigs, and we’re eager to see these take shape across the city. An LTN, which builds on traffic modelling, research and consultation as part of the West Edinburgh Link project, will make for a quieter, safer and healthier area and ensure residents’ spaces are prioritised. Of course, we’re listening to concerns, and we’ve taken away a range of themes from input from residents and stakeholders which will change the temporary scheme before it’s implemented.

Under the Spaces for People project we’re in the process of installing more than 30km of pop-up cycle lanes, we’ve introduced access improvements at 67 schools, with many more to follow, and we’re creating more space in nine local shopping streets to help people spend time in businesses as they reopen.

We want to help people to travel safely by public transport too as services, shops and some workplaces begin to reopen. That’s why we’re delighted to be receiving £1.2m from the Scottish Government’s Bus Priority Rapid Deployment Fund, along with neighbouring local authorities, as part of the South East Scotland Transport Transition Group. This funding will help us to progress a series of temporary measures to help make bus journeys as quick and reliable as possible as restrictions are eased and traffic increases. These improvements, along with Spaces for People, will support the city’s sustainable recovery by incentivising clean, environmentally friendly travel.

Phased reopening for libraries

I’m sure everyone will be pleased to hear the news that we’re starting a phased reopening of our libraries from next month (Tuesday 13 October) with doors opening at Central, Kirkliston, McDonald Road, Fountainbridge, Stockbridge and Newington.

We know how important this service is to our local communities and this is the first important step in our plans to reopen these valuable community assets across the city. They’ll offer a range of services including the borrowing and returning of items, free access to computers/internet/wifi and Hey Girls free sanitary products. As you would expect, numbers will have to be limited, social distancing measures will be in place and some services will only be available by booking in advance.

We’re working very hard to get the rest of our libraries open safely and want to assure residents that we will open their local library as soon as possible if it’s not already scheduled. We really appreciate everyone’s support and patience and look forward to welcoming people back.

Welcome back to the City Art Centre

Our City Art Centre is also reopening soon, with two new exhibitions City Art Centre at 40: Highlights from the City’s Art Collection and Bright Shadows: Scottish Art in the 1920s available to visit from Saturday (12 September). 

Over the past 40 years the City Art Centre has housed over 500 exhibitions, hosted treasures from across the world as well as priceless paintings made by Edinburgh children and has welcomed hundreds of thousands of visitors through its doors. We’re all keen to see our museums up and running again too and we’re aiming to do this as soon as possible.

Like our libraries, this will involve a range of new safety measures and procedures, including a one way system, hand sanitiser stations, extra barriers and signage and staff will, of course, be wearing masks while offering visitors a very warm, socially distanced welcome.

Visitors too will be asked to wear face coverings and to pre-book a free allocated time slot.

How the UK Internal Market Bill will help to boost the Scottish Economy

Scotland Secretary Alister Jack’s has written to the First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, about the UK Internal Market Bill:

11 September 2020

Dear Nicola,

I am writing to correct the false claims you have made about the UK Government’s Internal Market Bill, introduced to Parliament on Wednesday, 9 September.

As we’ve been clear, the Bill will protect and strengthen our internal market which is so vital to Scotland’s economy with 60 per cent of our exports, worth over £50 billion per year, going to other parts of the United Kingdom.

It will also create new opportunities for the UK Government, working with the Scottish Government, local authorities and other partners, to invest in Scotland.

That’s why I have described the Bill as a win-win for Scotland.

It is good for business, jobs and consumers. It will boost our economy and help us rebuild from the devastating effects of the coronavirus pandemic.

The Bill has now begun its passage through Parliament and will be debated at length in the weeks ahead.

In accordance with the Sewel Convention, the UK Government will seek a Legislative Consent Motion so the Scottish Parliament, also, will have the opportunity to consider our proposals.

Before this takes place, I wish to correct a series of assertions you have made about the Bill.

1. You have said the Bill will lead to a ‘race to the bottom’ in terms of food standards and environmental protections. That is emphatically not the case.

The UK is a world leader in food and environmental standards and that will not change.

Also, as you know, the UK Government and all devolved administrations have agreed a common framework on food and feed safety and hygiene law which clearly sets out the ‘rules and regulations related to the production and distribution of food and feed’. Guaranteeing our shared commitment to high standards across the UK.

The UK Government is proud of our record and keenly aware of the premium our high standards place on UK goods in overseas markets.

2. Similarly, your speculation that Scotland could be ‘forced to accept chlorinated chicken’ is unfounded.

As we have previously reminded Scottish Government ministers during discussions about the Bill, chlorine washed chicken is illegal in the UK. The UK Government has been clear we will not sign a trade deal that would compromise our high standards of food safety, animal welfare and environmental protection.

Of course, we recognise and welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to high standards in these areas. Our shared view should be the basis of an agreed UK approach to high standards.

3. You also claimed the new spending power contained in the Bill could divert funding from schools and hospitals in Scotland. This is not the case.

Education and health are – and will continue to be – devolved to the Scottish Parliament and decisions on funding in those areas are for your Government to take. Scotland’s block grant is at a record level and the Barnett Formula will continue to operate as set out in the Statement on Funding Policy.

The UK Government’s spending power set out in the Bill will complement existing Scottish Government spending powers. This can only be a benefit to the people and businesses of Scotland.

They will enable us to spend money previously controlled by the EU to make strategic investments of UK-wide importance.

This is good news for the communities we serve and I am confident these new opportunities will be warmly welcomed by the people of Scotland.

4. You claim the Bill, had it been in place at the time, would have prohibited the Scottish Parliament from legislating to introduce a minimum price for alcohol. Again – as we have already made clear to Scottish Government ministers – this is incorrect.

Under the terms of the Bill, the Scottish Parliament would be able to introduce a minimum alcohol price provided, of course, it was not applied only to alcoholic drinks produced in certain parts of the UK.

5. You claim the Bill is ‘a naked power grab’ and ‘an attack on the powers of devolution’. It is not.

The Scottish Parliament will lose none of its existing powers. Indeed, as powers return from Brussels when we leave the Transition Period at the end of the year, scores of new responsibilities will flow to Holyrood.

It should be noted that your Government’s ambition to take Scotland out of the UK and into the EU would remove these powers from the Scottish Parliament. That is the only threat to Holyrood’s powers.

6. Finally, you claim the Bill would ‘break’ or ‘cripple’ devolution.

I’m afraid your Government is never less convincing than when it purports to champion a system it unashamedly wishes to overthrow.

Independence would destroy devolution, ending our system of two governments which was backed overwhelmingly by the people of Scotland in the referendums of 1997 and 2014.

The UK Government emphatically supports devolution and our Bill will strengthen the Scottish Parliament and create new opportunities for Scotland.

Your colourful description of the Internal Market Bill as ‘an abomination’ is deeply regrettable.

In my view, it would be abominable for the people of Scotland to be misinformed about a Bill which has such potential to improve lives and strengthen our country.

THE RT HON. ALISTER JACK MP SECRETARY OF STATE FOR SCOTLAND

Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop has since written to the UK Government voicing concern at its plans for a post-Brexit internal market, saying it represents a threat to the Scottish economy.

Ms Hyslop said the proposed Internal Markets Bill will jeopardise Scotland’s food and drink sector, which has a world-renowned reputation for high standards and high quality products.

She also highlighted how the Bill will undermine the good progress made on common frameworks, the preferred means of managing policy difference across the UK when EU rules no longer apply. 

Last month the Scottish Parliament considered the original proposals set out in the UK Government White Paper and voted overwhelmingly – by 92 votes to 31 – to reject them.

In her letter to Alok Sharma, Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy, Ms Hyslop said:

“Coronavirus (COVID-19) is clearly currently the biggest challenge for business and the economy. Unnecessary legislation, which undermines devolution, on top of an entirely unnecessary end to the Brexit transition period will do nothing to protect or promote trade across the UK and beyond.

“If this legislation were already in place, Scotland would not have been able to lead the way on the ban on smoking in public, on introducing minimum unit pricing for alcohol, having rules on the marketing of raw milk consistent with the nature of the dairy sector in Scotland, or taking forward bans on the sale of plastic-stemmed cotton buds and microbeads in cosmetics.

“A linked concern is the prospect of the UK entering into future international trade agreements which might result in lower standard products being accepted into UK markets. Scotland’s world-leading food and drink sector, for example, is built on a reputation for the highest quality produce and nothing should be done to put that at risk.”

Protect Scotland app goes live

Additional protection against coronavirus

https://youtu.be/rzGzh0msKNA

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has urged smartphone users across Scotland to download NHS Scotland’s new contact tracing app to help suppress the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

The Protect Scotland app is now available to download for free via Apple and Google stores.

Supported by a dedicated Protect Scotland website, the app is an extra tool complementing existing person-to-person contact tracing which remains the main component of NHS Scotland’s Test and Protect system.

Individuals privacy will be protected as the app uses Bluetooth technology to anonymously alert users if they have been in close contact with someone who has tested positive for COVID-19, and advises them to self-isolate. Users of the app who test positive will still get a call from a contact tracer to confirm their details and who they have been in close contact with.

The app does not store details on an individual or their location but uses encrypted, anonymised codes exchanged between smartphones to determine all close contacts. Close contacts are defined as people who have been within two metres of someone who has tested positive for 15 minutes.

Built by software developers NearForm for NHS Scotland, the app uses the same technology as the Republic of Ireland and Northern Irish proximity tracing apps.

Sign up is entirely voluntary but strongly recommended for those with compatible smartphones. 

First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “The launch of the app is a welcome development which will offer an additional level of protection – supporting NHS Scotland’s Test and Protect system as it works to drive down the spread of COVID-19 across the country.

“I would encourage everyone to download the free app if they have a compatible smartphone, and help slow the spread of COVID-19.  This will support the work of NHS Scotland and has the potential to help avoid local lockdowns. 

“The more people who download and use the app, the more effective it can be in helping to make connections that may otherwise have been missed. This will allow people to self-isolate quickly if they are exposed to the virus, reducing the risk of them infecting others.

“We all have a part to play in suppressing the virus, and downloading the app – alongside other vital measures such as following hygiene and physical distancing guidance – will help protect you, your family and your community.

“We also know that not everyone uses a smartphone or will be able to or want to access the app, which is why this software is very much there to complement existing contact tracing methods.”

Cian Ó Maidín, CEO, NearForm said: “We’re delighted to partner with NHS Scotland on the Protect Scotland app which puts power in citizens’ pockets to join the fight against COVID-19.

“This open source technology was built with privacy and data protection at its core and, through anonymous keys, allows Scottish citizens to engage, protect each other and break transmission chains.

“The Scottish Government has taken a great approach, using open source software, that has been peer reviewed and rolled out successfully in Ireland and Northern Ireland.”

Since launching last night, the app has already been downloaded more than 600,000 times. 

SNP MSP Gordon MacDonald said: “The Scottish Government has now launched the ‘Protect Scotland’ proximity tracing app, to help stop the spread of the Covid-19 virus and complement the person-to-person approach of Test and Protect.

“The app – which takes less than a minute to download – will allow us to alert people at risk far more quickly, so that we can all take steps to reduce the risk of infecting others. 

“Scotland’s official contact tracing app will help us all to protect ourselves, our family, our friends and our community by enabling faster contact tracing.

“The more people who have the app, the more it can help to slow the spread of Coronavirus.

“That’s why I’m urging people in Edinburgh to download the app, and let’s all protect Scotland.”

For more information on the Protect Scotland app visit www.protect.scot