The National Deaf Children’s Society has backed calls in the Scottish Parliament for more support for deaf children affected by the NHS Lothian audiology scandal.
A motion proposed by Jeremy Balfour, Conservative MSP for Lothians, on the current lack of support, has received cross party backing and will be debated in Parliament tomorrow (Thursday 8th June).
The debate follows a roundtable which Mr Balfour organised with families whose children were affected by the scandal earlier in the year.
The motion highlights that the failure of NHS Lothian to identify children’s deafness early will mean some children permanently miss out on opportunities to develop language and communication.
An independent report published in 2021, found that NHS Lothian was identifying children’s deafness when they were on average 4.5 years old, while the average age of identification as deaf in England was three months. The report was commissioned after the National Deaf Children’s Society raised concerns about the quality of children’s audiology at NHS Lothian.
Mark Ballard, Head of Policy for Scotland for the National Deaf Children’s Society, welcomed the debate saying: “It’s vital that NHS Lothian and local authorities work together to ensure every child affected by the failings of NHS Lothian’s paediatric audiology service get the support that they need to thrive.
“We must not fail these children twice – first by failing to identify their deafness and then by failing to give them the support they need, especially as their needs may be more complex due to late identification.”
The National Deaf Children’s Society is calling for a specialist resource provision to be set up within a school in Lothian and the Borders, similar to those in Glasgow, Falkirk and Dundee.
The charity wants NHS Lothian and local authorities to work together on an individual plan for support for every deaf child involved.
The National Deaf Children’s Society also calls for the recruitment of additional specialist staff to address the more complex language and communications needs of children whose deafness was missed in the early years, who may struggle to catch up with their hearing classmates.
CLIMATE GROUPS CALL ON SCOT GOVT TO SURPASS UK LABOUR PHASE OUT PLANS
Climate campaigners have written to the First Minister Yousaf to call on the Scottish Government to ‘not only match but go further’ than the commitment of UK Labour to block future oil and gas development. It says the transition away from fossil fuels is an opportunity for the “political leadership that is needed to build a fairer and more equal Scotland.”
The letter comes ahead of Scottish Parliament debate (7/6/23) on fossil fuels and urges the Scottish Government to prioritise planning and action that delivers a just transition away from fossil fuels for workers and communities currently employed by this industry.
The letter, signed by 5 coalitions and 34 climate, fuel poverty and international justice groups from RSPB to Christian Aid to Extinction Rebellion Scotland, states how countless credible institutions are clear about the incompatibility of new oil and gas fields with a safe climate future.
The call comes amidst concerns that Humza Yousaf’s Government is going backwards on oil and gas after statements about future North Sea activity from Cabinet Secretary Màiri McAllan and criticism of the Labour position by Energy Minister Gillian Martin.
The letter also says that “workers in the oil and gas industry already have a plan for a just transition, they just need political support to make it happen” and that to ensure secure affordable energy Scottish Ministers must use their powers to “accelerate well-planned domestic renewable energy production and improve the energy efficiency of our buildings.”
The chair of the UK Climate Change Committee Lord Deben has also spoken out in support of the Labour position saying that it “should be the common view of all parties.”
Friends of the Earth Scotland’s head of campaigns Mary Church said: “Every new barrel of oil worsens the climate crisis and takes us further away from a fair and fast transition to renewable energy.
“The Scottish Government must be willing to stand up to oil companies and commit to ending oil and gas extraction as an essential part of planning for a just transition for workers and communities.
“Oil and gas workers are ready to lead a rapid and fair transition away from fossil fuels, and have a blueprint to create an energy industry that protects workers, communities and the climate.
“Ministers must set an end date for oil and gas this decade to provide certainty for the sector, enable workforce planning and make it clear that investing in renewables is the only choice for our energy future.”
Jamie Livingstone, Head of Oxfam Scotland highlighted how support for oil and gas expansion will “undermine Scotland’s global climate leadership” commenting: “It’s estimated that one person will die of hunger every 28 seconds across East Africa this month because of a drought that would not have happened without climate change.
“A just transition for those working in the oil and gas industry in the UK is essential, but this transition must also be much faster to avert further devastating global impacts. That starts with blocking all new oil and gas extraction. No ifs, no buts. The Scottish Government’s leadership on global climate justice will only remain credible if it strongly opposes the UK Government granting any new licences for climate-wrecking fossil fuels.”
Anne McCall, Director of RSPB Scotland, said: “The shift away from fossil fuels and toward renewables is essential if we are to tackle the intertwined nature and climate crisis. Continuing to extract and burn oil and gas makes no sense if we want to stop climate change causing chaos for ourselves and the other living creatures that human activities have already harmed.
“With robust ecological evidence informing where new renewable developments go, we must make the shift to clean energy in a nature positive way. Scotland is one of the most wildlife-depleted countries in the world, and our progress in reducing emissions has stalled, so there is no excuse for delaying the transition.”
Dylan Hamilton from youth climate group Fridays for Future commented, “”The Scottish Government has talked the talk, but it’s time to walk the walk.
“We have allowed the climate crisis to worsen and now people are already suffering all over the world. We can’t afford to take our time, it is a fact that to prevent catastrophic climate breakdown we must end oil and gas extraction. You can’t make deals with physics, and millions of lives and the future are on the line.”
TORIES ‘FAILING’ VULNERABLE UNACCOMPANIED ASYLUM-SEEKING CHILDREN
Deidre Brock MP will use a House of Commons debate today to call on the UK government to devolve immigration powers to the Scottish Parliament so Scotland can create an asylum system based on fairness and dignity.
Leading a Westminster Hall debate, the Edinburgh North & Leith MP will argue that the Tories are failing to protect vulnerable, unaccompanied children seeking asylum in the UK.
She will also outline how the Illegal Migration Bill will make the situation even worse for children who have been separated from their parents and how it significantly encroaches on devolved powers.
Commenting, Deidre Brock MP said: “The Tories have utterly failed in their duty to safeguard the wellbeing of vulnerable unaccompanied children seeking safety and refuge in the UK.
“Hundreds of children have gone missing from Home Office run-hotels, sparking condemnation from the UN that the UK Government is failing in its obligations to prevent the trafficking of children.
The Illegal Migration Bill will make the situation even worse as the door will be slammed in their faces when they arrive in the UK to seek sanctuary.
“I am proud that Scotland has played its part in welcoming refugees who are desperate to rebuild their lives. However, powers still lie with the UK government and their hostile environment policies. Creating safe and legal routes is the only realistic way to disrupt the business model human traffickers use to exploit already vulnerable people.
“Power over immigration should be devolved to the Scottish Parliament so we can build an immigration system that works for Scotland and an asylum system with compassion and respect.”
The Prime Minister’s plan to stop the boats is beginning to work, with small boat arrivals to the UK down by 20% this year.
This is the first time since the small boat phenomenon began that arrivals in the first half of the year fell compared to the year before. This is not a Europe-wide trend – small boat arrivals to Europe are up 30%.
The Prime Minister set out the progress that has been made on this, one of his five priorities, on a visit to Dover this morning. He also confirmed that:
Our French deal prevented 33,000 illegal crossings last year, 40% more than the year before
Thanks to our partnership with the Government of Albania, Albanian small boat arrivals are down 90% year-on-year and we have returned more than 1,800 Albanian illegal migrants and foreign criminals on weekly flights since December
We have increased the number of illegal working raids by more than 50%, and arrests have more than doubled
The legacy asylum backlog is down almost a fifth since December – and we are on track to deliver our target to clear this by the end of the year
During his statement, the Prime Minister made clear that we still face significant obstacles, and we will see more crossings in the months ahead, but he is determined to stay the course and do what it takes to fix this problem.
The Prime Minister also announced the next steps in the Government’s relentless efforts to get illegal migrants out of expensive hotels and into alternative sites, including confirming that the Government has secured two new vessels. These plans will see thousands moved out of hotels by the Autumn.
The big political news of the week in Scotland was undoubtedly the further disputes about the Scottish Government’s troubled Deposit Return Scheme (writes Fraser of Allander Institute’s MAIRI SPOWAGE).
This followed the decision by the UK Government to allow the scheme in Scotland to proceed, granting a “temporary and limited” exemption from the Internal Market Act, but only if the Scottish scheme excluded glass – and therefore include PET plastic, aluminium and steel cans only.
The justification from the UK government’s point of view is that the exemption is temporary only until UK-wide schemes are introduced (planned to be in 2025); and that the exemption does not include glass because the scheme that the UK Government are planning to introduce does not include glass.
The Scottish Government have made it clear, through a statement by the responsible Minister Lorna Slater on Tuesday, that this may mean that the scheme as designed in Scotland is not viable. The SG are now examining the implications of how and if the scheme can proceed on this basis.
If the decision by the SG was to scrap the scheme, or even to proceed without glass, there are likely to be calls for significant compensation for the businesses who have invested money to comply with the scheme, including the glass elements.
This is not just an issue about DRS, or actually about Scotland. Wales had also planned to introduce a similar scheme, also including glass, and Mark Drakeford intervened yesterday to say that he would “dispute the use of the internal market for these purposes”, flagging that the UK Government had also initially planned to include glass in their scheme.
This row is now firmly in the area of constitutional grievance, with both the Welsh and Scottish Governments accusing the UK Government of meddling in devolved areas. We await to see how the Scottish Government will respond, but it is likely to include significant condemnation of the UK government no matter which course of action is chosen.
More questions over the cost of the National Care Service
While the fate of the National Care Service overall is uncertain, despite the new First Minister reiterating his commitment to the idea in recent weeks, there have been further exchanges between the Finance and Public Administration Committee at Holyrood and the Minister responsible Maree Todd.
In a letter published on Tuesday, the acting convener Michael Marra MSP has outlined the displeasure of the committee at not being given any more details of the costs of the scheme, given the formal role that this Committee has in scrutinising Financial Memorandums which accompany legislation and the fact they had formally requested more information after what they saw as an inadequate first draft.
A deadline of 21st June for the Minister to respond – watch this space for updates!
Scotland’s economy growing faster than the UK in recent months
This week the Scottish Government published monthly data for March, which also meant they published the first estimate of quarterly growth for Scotland. This showed that Scotland had grown 0.4% in the four months to March, compared to 0.1% for the UK as a whole.
This led to headlines saying “Scottish economy grows at four times rate of the UK” and the like.
As folks who comment a lot on this sort of data, our heart sinks a little when seeing the growth figures being described like this. Yes, 0.4 is 4 times the size of 0.1. (Although to be technical, the figures are actually 0.13 and 0.36 – so not quite). But headlines like this somewhat exaggerate the meaning of such a difference in a quarterly figure and what it tells us about economic performance in Scotland vs the UK.
Digging under the data, the differences mainly come from the figures from March itself, where we see a contraction in the UK figure – driven by a contraction in consumer-facing services. It is really interesting to see these services in Scotland holding up a bit better, at least according to this first estimate of monthly growth.
Scotland
UK
Monthly growth to March
0.0%
-0.3%
Quarterly growth to March
0.4%
0.1%
Annual Growth to March
2.1%
1.9%
Growth since pre-pandemic level (Feb 2020)
1.2%
0.1%
Growth over the last 5 years
1.6%
2.6%
Growth over the last 10 years
9.8%
15.5%
If we look over the last year, Scotland still performs better – growing at 2.1% compared to 1.9% at the UK level. Although, we should all be aware that such differences could change as data get revised.
Over the longer term, we can see that growth in Scotland has been more muted – driven partly by the oil price shock in 2015/16, and also over the medium term in the differences in population growth in Scotland compared to the UK average.
We’ll continue to dig under these data to understand more about differential economic performance in Scotland and the UK!
Summer has definitely arrived over the last week, and I’m sure we won’t be the only ones cracking out the barbeque this weekend. Enjoy the sunshine (with the factor 50 on, of course)!
Scottish Labour MSP Sarah Boyack has branded Humza Yousaf’s time as Health Secretary “catastrophic” as new figures reveal NHS waiting lists in Lothian soaring on his watch.
At the end of March, as Humza Yousaf departed as Health Secretary, there were 123,481 people in Lothian on an NHS waiting list.
This is a shocking 25 per cent increase since the same point in 2021, shortly after Humza Yousaf took over the role.
Across Scotland waiting lists are at a record high, with around 1 in every 7 Scots currently on an NHS waiting list.
Scottish Labour branded this a “national emergency” and called for the Scottish Government to support NHS Lothian and implement a real NHS catch-up plan.
Commenting, Scottish Labour MSP Sarah Boyack said “People in Lothian have been badly let down by this incompetent SNP government and their disastrous stewardship of our NHS.
“It should worry us all that First Minister Humza Yousaf left behind such a catastrophic legacy as Health Secretary.
“Despite the tireless efforts of NHS staff, record numbers of Scots are stuck languishing on NHS waiting list, including more than 120,000 people in Lothian.
“Blame for this national emergency lies squarely with Humza Yousaf and his failed NHS recovery plan, which saw waiting lists in NHS Lothian spiral by 25% after the pandemic.
“The SNP government must support NHS Lothian and deliver a real catch-up plan to help it recover from the damage inflicted by both the pandemic and by this disastrous government.”
Scottish Conservative & Unionist MSP Miles Briggs is supporting calls for ‘Hugo’s Law’ to pass in the Scottish Parliament, making it law that drivers must contact a vet, the police and the RSPCA in the event that they hit a cat.
The calls come after Hugo, a much-loved cat that stalked the streets of Edinburgh’s West End, sadly died last month after being struck by a car. Those who loved Hugo are now leading the calls for a change in the law.
At present, motorists are obliged to inform the authorities if they hit dogs, horses, sheep, pigs, foxes, badgers, mules, cows and goats with their vehicle, under a section of the Road Traffic Act 1988, which applies to England, Scotland and Wales. A vet must also be contacted to look over the animals and treat them for injuries, however this section does not apply to cats.
Mr. Briggs has already written to the Scottish Government requesting a meeting so that discussions around the law change can begin.
Lothian MSP Miles Briggssaid: “I wholeheartedly support the campaign for ‘Hugo’s Law’ to change the law on stopping for animals to include cats.
“A cat’s life is worth no less than a dog’s and a change in the law would increase the chances of survival for cats who are struck by vehicles.
“It is imperative we include cats so that more people are not left bereft like Hugo’s family.
“A change in the law would bring comfort to Hugo’s family and other cat owners who will be safe in the knowledge that tragic incidents such as Hugo’s passing can be avoided, and that is why I am seeking a meeting with government officials to push this through”.
Responding to the news that foreign postgraduate students on non-research courses will no longer be able to bring family members to the UK due to new UK Tory immigration curbs, Foysol Choudhury MSP said:“The recent news from the Tories at 10 Downing Street is that foreign postgraduate students on non-research courses will no longer be able to bring family members to the UK.
“This is disappointing news for Scotland which could hinder the Scottish economy.
“Suella Braverman, UK Home Secretary, says that this policy “strikes the right balance” between bringing down migration and “protecting the economic benefits that students can bring to the UK”.
“In fact, not only could these policies hurt the economy in the future and damage the talented pool from which we can draw on to fill roles, but harmful Tory immigration policies could continue to fracture relationships between migrants to the UK and existing communities.
“I’m incredibly concerned about reports suggesting that some in the UK Government wanted to go even further and ban the dependants of all postgraduate students, including those on research courses.
“We run the risk of discouraging talented postgraduate students from coming to the UK at all.
“If their families are not welcomed by the UK Government, they might choose to take their talent and knowledge elsewhere, both potentially damaging the economy in the long-run and contributing further to the dangerous rhetoric on immigration which we have sadly seen all too often come out of 10 Downing Street recently.
“It is time to create policies that allow our communities across the UK to diversify, flourish and be enriched by the multitude of perspectives, skills and knowledge which migrants in our country offer.
“We cannot allow harmful policies like this divide us even further.
“The Scottish Government should enter into urgent talks with the UK Government to ensure that international students in Scotland are not further impacted by disruption to their studies and are instead made to feel welcome and valued.”
Councils empowered to raise money for local tourism
A Bill to enable councils to invest more in local tourism facilities and services through a levy on overnight stays has been published.
If passed by the Scottish Parliament, the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill will give councils the power to apply a levy on stays in overnight accommodation based on a percentage of the accommodation cost.
All money raised would have to be reinvested locally on facilities and services substantially for or used by visitors, enhancing the tourist experience and benefitting local communities and their economies.
Under the plans, councils would be required to consult communities, businesses and tourism organisations before putting a visitor levy in place. They would also have to consult on how any revenue raised should be spent.
The proposals follow public consultation and form part of the New Deal for Local Government which gives councils greater financial flexibility and strengthens local democracy.
The Scottish Government has also invited representatives from the tourism industry, COSLA and other partners to join an expert group to consider how it could best be implemented if passed.
Public Finance Minister Tom Arthur said: “Scotland is already a very popular tourist destination and the domestic and international visitors we welcome every year have a significant and positive impact on the Scottish economy. Giving councils the power to introduce a visitor levy is one tool that will provide additional resources to continue to attract visitors to Scotland.
“Levies on visitors staying in paid-for accommodation are already used around the world and it is reasonable for local areas to want a small contribution from tourists to help support and sustain visitor economies.
“There have been significant contributions to the Bill so far from the tourism industry, COSLA and other partners and I look forward to continuing to work with them as it progresses through Parliament.”
COSLA Resources Spokesperson Councillor Katie Hagmann said: “COSLA welcomes the Scottish Government’s move to give councils the power to apply a visitor levy. This represents a key step towards reaching COSLA’s long-standing goal of a more empowered Scottish local government.
“COSLA has consistently called for the ability of councils to set and raise taxes based on what is needed and decided locally. By providing each local authority with the power to set a rate charged to visitors, and to do so independently of the Scottish Government, the Local Visitor Levy empowers local decision-making, with councils able to respond to the needs of their area and the people who live there.
“COSLA is well aware that Scotland’s councils and communities have a great diversity of needs – what works for one council will not necessarily be suitable for another. We welcome the flexibility offered by this legislation, and will consider if there are opportunities for it to go further. We are looking forward to seeing further investment both in tourism and our communities in the future.”
City council Leader Cammy Day has welcomed today’s publication of a Bill by the Scottish Parliament to empower councils to raise money through tourism.
If passed, the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill will give the City of Edinburgh Council the power to progress plans for a levy on stays in overnight accommodation, which it has been campaigning to see introduced for over five years.
The council has produced a substantial body of work to back its case for why a levy is the right move for Edinburgh, including a detailed consultation in 2018 which saw 85% of 2,500 respondents expressing strong support for its introduction. This figure included a majority of Edinburgh-based businesses and accommodation providers.
It was estimated then that a levy in Edinburgh could raise in the region of £15m per year to invest in sustainable tourism and managing the impact of tourism on the city. The Bill published today stipulates that levies must be based on a percentage of the accommodation cost, and spent of services substantially for or used by tourists.
Council Leader Cammy Day said: We’ve been building the case for Edinburgh to introduce such a levy for years so it’s great to finally see this Bill brought forward.
“We’re very proud that Edinburgh is one of the world’s most popular visitor destinations, but we’re equally aware that this success comes at a cost. That’s why we believe it’s right to ask visitors to make a small contribution to help us sustain and improve our tourism offer while managing its impact, and why we’ve been a key driver working with COSLA and the Scottish Government to see this legislation brought forward.
“A visitor levy is common practice in other major cities and destinations so why not here, in the place named ‘best city in the world’ to visit by Time Out magazine?
“From our citywide consultation held in 2018, our proposals gained overwhelming backing from Edinburgh’s residents, businesses and attractions – and, importantly, also from the majority of accommodation providers.
“Clearly, this model will need to be reviewed in line with the recommendations of the Bill so reshaping this with input from industry partners and communities is our next priority. It has been an extremely challenging period for our culture and hospitality industries so it’s more important than ever that we are fully committed to working together with them and other partners to co-produce a scheme that works best for the whole of our Capital city.”
EDINBURGH SNP POLITICIANS WELCOME INTRODUCTION OF TOURIST TAX LEGISLATION
Tommy Sheppard MP and SNP Council Group Leader, Adam McVey, have today welcomed the publication of a Bill which would give Edinburgh City Council the power to invest more in local tourism facilities and services through a levy on overnight stays.
Sheppard, whose Edinburgh East constituency encompasses some of the City’s most popular tourist attractions like Edinburgh Castle and the Royal Mile, has committed to work with the local tourism industry, City Councillors and MSP colleagues to “get the Bill over the line.”
If approved by the Scottish Parliament, the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill will grant councils the authority to impose a levy on overnight accommodation, calculated as a percentage of the accommodation cost.
All funds generated from this levy would be reinvested locally, primarily in facilities and services used by tourists. This reinvested aims to enhance the tourist experience and bring significant benefits to local communities and their economies.
Edinburgh City Council have announced its proposal to implement a nightly charge of £2 for the first week of a stay, to be added to the price of any room. It is estimated the scheme would bring in between £5 million and £35 million a year, depending on the final model agreed.
Commenting, Tommy Sheppard MP said: “It’s great to see the Scottish Government move forward with proposals to give councils the power to apply a visitor levy. It’s particularly welcome here in Edinburgh – a city which proudly welcomes over welcomes over 4 million visitors annually.
“This isn’t a question of fleecing tourists as some suggest, but a rather a matter of fairness. It cost money to keep our streets clean, well-lit, and safe. It costs to support our festivals, to keep our museums and public spaces world class.
“Residents pay for this through their council tax and yet many living outside the city centre don’t get a lot of benefit from it. It’s only fair that people who come here for a few days or weeks and take advantage of these facilities make a modest contribution too. That’s what this legislation will give Edinburgh City Council the power to do.
“I look forward to working with the local tourism industry, Edinburgh Councillors and my MSP colleagues to get this Bill over the line.”
SNP group leader Adam McVey, added: “Edinburgh has well-developed plans for a tourist tax, and I’m delighted this legislation has moved to the next stage to make these plans a reality.
“More than 90% of residents backed plans for this levy in the City when asked and the engagement from industry means the Edinburgh plan is well thought out and deliverable for businesses too.
“This has been a key ask of local government for the last 6 years and it’s fantastic that the SNP Government have responded so positively through this process to further empower Councils on this policy as well as progressing many others.”
BOYACK CONCERNED THAT VISITOR LEVY IS STILL YEARS AWAY
Following the introduction of a Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill, Sarah Boyack MSP has written to the Minister for Community Wealth and Public Finance, Tom Arthur, to welcome the Bill but raise concerns that the powers for local authorities to implement a Levy could be years away.
In her letter, the Scottish Labour MSP said that “there are some key aspects of the proposed Bill that lack detail and will have an impact on local authorities like the City of Edinburgh that are ready to get on and introduce a Levy.”
Boyack referred to the Section 12 of the draft Bill which requires local authorities to carry out consultation prior to making a decision to implement a Scheme, raising questions about whether consultation already carried out by the City of Edinburgh Council would be accepted by Ministers to meet the requirements in the draft Bill.
It comes after the City of Edinburgh Council Leader, Cllr Cammy Day, raised concerns that having the power and implementing a Visitor Levy could still be two years away. Sarah Boyack is concerned that the draft Bill means that this is an underestimation.
Commenting, Sarah Boyack MSP said: “I welcome the introduction of this Bill, which will make a huge difference in public purse and will allow our councils to fund vital local services.
“A Visitor Levy Bill is long overdue.
“However, the lack of detail, particularly on timescales, in the draft legislation concerns me given that the warning from the City of Edinburgh Council that having the powers and implementing a Visitor Levy could be two years away is actually an underestimation of the time it will take to get a scheme up and running.
“Our Councils are severely underfunded. Introducing a Visitor Levy like other cities across Europe could raise approximately £15 million extra every year which would go towards funding local services.
“I am keen to ensure that there are no unnecessary hurdles for Edinburgh to implement a Visitor Levy and get the full benefits for local services as quickly as possible.”
In a recent Parliamentary Question on a Visitor Levy the Minister for Community Wealth and Public Finance agreed to meet with Sarah Boyack MSP and representative from Edinburgh City Council on the Government’s proposal. It is hoped that this meeting will take place within weeks.
It’s been 25 years since devolution in the UK started gathering speed, with the first legislative frameworks for devolution in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland agreed in 1998 (writes TUC’s ABIGAIL HUNT).
To mark this milestone, we decided to take stock of what devolution has delivered for working people. As a first step, we commissioned Centre for Research in Employment and Work (CREW) academics to research whether and how devolution has raised employment standards.
In this blog I consider key findings from their new report launched today – and reflect on what needs to happen next.
Where are we now?
As this helpful primer explains, devolution – the process of transferring power from Westminster to the nations and regions of the UK – has led to a patchwork of deals, with different levels of power and resources conferred on devolved authorities.
Since 1998 successive UK governments have pursued devolution. The pace has picked up in England in recent years, where two ‘trailblazer deals’ expanding powers have just been agreed and several other new devolution deals are underway.
The Labour Party is also looking to expand devolution. The Gordon Brown-led Commission on the UK’s Future wrapped up at the end of 2022 with proposals to ‘create a virtuous circle where spreading power and opportunity more equally throughout the country unlocks the potential for growth and prosperity’.
Since then Lisa Nandy MP, the Shadow Secretary of State for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, has pledged that under a Labour government, ‘every part of Britain that wants it will be able to access powers over skills, employment support and housing that support their local communities’.
So far, employment rights (collective and individual), health and safety at work and aspects of workplace training in Scotland, Wales and England have been reserved to the UK government, meaning devolved authorities in these areas have no power to legislate around these issues. Labour has endorsed keeping a national labour rights framework, as outlined in its New Deal for Working People.
What has devolution delivered for working people?
A few of things jumped out at me from the CREW report.
First, some devolved authorities have innovated in using the powers available to them to promote good work on their patch. This has seen them raise the bar above the currently weak national employment rights framework, which has seen poor quality, insecure work become a mainstay of the UK labour market in recent years.
For example, the Scottish Government’s Fair Work Convention has cemented a tripartite relationship between unions, government and employers. It has also helped increase the proportion of people earning the Real Living Wage, improved employment security, narrowed gender and ethnicity pay gaps and increased collective bargaining coverage in Scotland.
Across England, some elected devolved authority leaders have set up employment charters or pledges – essentially locally-developed yet voluntary employment standards. Perhaps the best known of these is the Greater Manchester Good Employment Charter established following a 2017 campaign pledge by Metro Mayor Andy Burnham. Members commit to various aspects of good work including improving employment security, flexible work, decent pay, health and wellbeing, and trade union recognition and collective bargaining.
Second, as the Manchester charter clearly shows, political will has been critical to advancing employment standards in devolved authorities. But when good work commitments are linked to individual leaders and not formally ‘baked in’ to devolution deals there is a real risk that change at the top can lead to a roll-back in localised gains.
Third, the formal role of trade unions in devolved structures has been mixed. In Wales, a “Welsh way” of social partnership working has led to development of a new Social Partnership and Public Procurement (Wales) Act. This offers significant potential to cement social partnership in Wales by putting a duty on public bodies to engage with trade unions when they are setting out what they will do to comply with the Well-being of Future Generations (Wales) Act 2016.
Devolution looks set to stay firmly on the political agenda in the years to come. But so far it has not delivered enough for working people.
This needs to change.
Workers and their unions need to be meaningfully engaged in debate and decision-making related to devolution at all levels – from devo deals to devolved authorities’ support for union recognition and collective bargaining in-house and across their area.
The TUC is ramping up effort to make this a reality. Watch this space!
