Politics – Page 214 – The NEN – North Edinburgh News

Nicola Sturgeon to take questions at Craigmount

Deputy First Minister to take part in public question and answer sesssion at Craigmount High School

Deputy First Minister Nicola Sturgeon MSP will attend a public question and answer session at Craigmount High School, Craigs Road, Corstorphine from 7 – 8.30pm on Monday (4 August).

This is one of many public question and answer sessions conducted by the Deputy First Minister across Scotland in recent months.

The public meeting will be chaired by local Edinburgh Western constituency MSP Colin Keir. This event has been arranged in order to allow those who have still to make up their minds on the referendum to ask questions of one of the leading campaigners for a Yes vote.

Colin Keir MSP said: “I’m delighted that the Deputy First Minister has accepted the invitation to come and participate in this event at Craigmount High School.

“Although it’s clear that support for a Yes vote on 18 September is steadily growing there are still a fair number who are undecided and want to know more. This is their chance to come along and ask the questions they require answers to before they get to the ballot box. It’s my hope that many locals who are still undecided will take the opportunity to come along and hear from one of Scotland’s leading political figures.”

Westminster and Holyrood pledge more aid to Gaza

Greening: ‘the situation in Gaza is dire’

Police Scotland calls for demonstrators to protest ‘within the law’

Both the UK and the Scottish governments are to increase their aid to Gaza, it hsa been announced. The UK has announced £3 million in new funding so the World Food Programme can get emergency food to more than 300,000 people in Gaza, while Holyrood will provide a further £500,000 to aid stricken civilians there.

And as tension rises Police Scotland today warned protestors that while peaceful demonstrations are acceptable, illegal actions will not be tolerated.

News of the increased aid comes after reports of further bloodshed in Gaza – the UN says that Israel has attacked a UN-run school housing refugees in Gaza despite warnings that civilians were there, killing fifteen people and injuring many more.

The UK is stepping up its humanitarian response to the Gaza crisis with an additional £3 million for the World Food Programme’s emergency appeal to help deal with food shortages, Prime Minister David Cameron announced today.

This £3 million boost will provide emergency food for more than 300,000 people for one month, and the latest commitment from the UK brings to £10 million the amount released to help Gaza since the latest crisis began.

International Development Secretary Justine Greening said:”After more than three weeks of fighting, the death toll in Gaza is rising and more than 200,000 people, many of them children, have been displaced from their homes. We urgently need to stop the bloodshed: we continue to call for an unconditional and immediate humanitarian ceasefire to prevent any more needless suffering.

“The situation in Gaza is dire. The UK is helping to meet immediate needs, including with this latest contribution of £3 million which will get food to hundreds of thousands of vulnerable people.

“All sides must adhere to International Humanitarian Law, all feasible precautions must be taken to avoid harm to civilians, and all sides must allow aid agencies unimpeded access to get to those in desperate need.”

Displacement of families from their homes is a huge problem that is affecting more than 200,000 people at the latest count. This has a significant impact on all aspects of day-to-day life as people rely on UN shelters and aid agencies for all their needs.

Access to food is an increasing issue of concern in Gaza. The latest reports from the UN show that food shortages are being reported in Gaza, with sharp increases in the prices of certain products.

To address the humanitarian needs in Gaza the UK government is pushing for better humanitarian access so that aid agencies can get supplies and personnel into and out of Gaza and a sustainable political solution, which must include the gradual lifting of the economic restrictions.

The UK is the third biggest donor to UNRWA’s General Fund, contributing £107 million between 2011 and 2015. UNRWA is a crucial service provider to the 70 per cent of the Gazan population who are Palestinian refugees. Our support is enabling UNRWA to continue providing basic health services during this conflict through 19 of its 21 clinics.

The Scottish Government has also pledged more support for the beleaguered people of Gaza – it is providing half a million pounds to help people affected by the crisis, External Affairs Minister Humza Yousaf announced today.

The funding, which will be routed through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) Gaza Flash Appeal, will help support the immediate needs of people in Gaza.

Mr Yousaf also reiterated his backing for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and called on the UK Government to take more urgent action with international partners to bring a cessation in violence. He also highlighted that the Scottish Government is continuing to work with relevant governments and local agencies to help some of those injured in the current conflict who might benefit most from treatment in Scotland.

Mr Yousaf said: “The escalating violence in Gaza has already caused far too many lives to be lost and people to be injured. The UN has called for an immediate and unconditional ceasefire and it is crucial that this is delivered.

“Rocket attacks being fired by militants in Gaza is wrong, and must stop, however, the Israeli response has been heavily disproportionate as demonstrated by the unacceptable and mounting loss of civilian life.

“There is also increasing evidence that the humanitarian situation is continuing to deteriorate and that is why the Scottish Government is providing £500,000 funding to help the United Nations provide the water, food shelter and medical assistance people in Gaza need.

“The Prime Minister has described Gaza as “an open air prison”. He and the international community must do more in order to stop any further loss of innocent lives. There must be an immediate lifting of the blockade and siege of Gaza which is tantamount to collective punishment.

“The Scottish Government has already made clear to the UK Government that we stand ready to help where we can and we have offered medical treatment in the Scottish NHS for those who would benefit from that, as well as offering to house refugees from Gaza in Scotland.

“We will continue to work with others and support efforts to help people affected, however an immediate end to the violence and lifting of the blockade are needed to resolve the situation and we will continue to press the UK Government to do more to try to achieve this.”

Senior police officers understand the anger caused by the conflict, but they have asked those members of the public who choose to demonstrate to keep their protests within the law.

Police Scotland’s Chief Superintendent Mark Williams, who is Edinburgh’s Divisional Commander, said today: “We are aware that ongoing issues with the Gaza conflict have understandably raised concerns within our community. There have been a number of incidents reported to Police Scotland involving people using legal and illegal means to show their frustration at the humanitarian crisis.

“We are aware that people may wish to demonstrate and we will facilitate peaceful demonstrations, balancing the needs and rights of protesters with those impacted by the event in Edinburgh and beyond. Our communities will rightly expect that we will not tolerate criminal activity and deal appropriately with anyone engaged in such acts.

“Police Scotland are committed to keeping all communities safe and will continue to work with partners to uphold the law, maintain public order and protect life and property, maintaining confidence and the high reputation of policing in Scotland.

“Police Scotland are proud of the strong links we have with our communities, our local officers will be available to communicate with businesses and community groups in order to pass on any relevant information and help alleviate any concerns.”

Yesterday marked the start of Eid,but instead of the usual day of celebration Gaza’s children woke up to an Eid marked by death and destruction, with no apparent end in sight.

Twenty one days into this conflict, children in Gaza are still paying the highest price. One in four Palestinians killed in the conflict are children, and a child is killed on average almost every hour. Instead of playing in the streets as they normally do when celebrating the end of Ramadan, thousands of children in Gaza are mourning their parents at the graveyards, hundreds are buried with their families. Instead of experiencing the joy of Eid, these children are now facing uncertainty and despair.

At least 194,000 children in Gaza now need specialised psychological support, many having witnessed family deaths, injuries and displacement.

More than 100,000 children have been displaced with their families, the majority of them in schools. A total of 130 schools have been damaged and 22 health facilities have been damaged or destroyed. For Gaza’s estimated 45,000 pregnant women of whom 5,000 have been displaced, access to maternity care is extremely restricted. Local organisations report premature births doubling because of the women’s trauma.

Thousands of explosive remnants of war are left in civilian areas in Gaza, posing a further major threat to children and their families. Save the Children and local partners are taking every opportunity to reach as many of the affected families as possible, but with no clear commitment for a ceasefire, distributing aid on the ground puts our staff at serious risk.

“Children in Gaza and Israel are paying the price of political failure,” said Save the Children’s country director David Hassell. “The international community has so far failed these children, through its inability to use all its diplomatic influence to bring about an immediate end to the bloodshed. Ending the violence, as called for by the UN Security Council, is the first and immediate priority. A sustainable solution, ensuring the wellbeing of both Palestinians and Israelis, will require agreement by the parties to long-term measures that address the legitimate grievances of Palestinians, including an end to the blockade.

“Children never start wars, yet they are the ones that are killed, maimed, traumatised and left homeless, terrified and permanently scarred.”

“Save the children will not stop until innocent children are no longer under fire and the root causes of this conflict are addressed. If the international community does not take action now, the violence against children in Gaza will haunt our generation forever.”

Gaza: more UK aid to stricken civilians

The UK will provide an additional £2 million in emergency assistance for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency’s (UNRWA) Gaza Flash Appeal, International Development Secretary Justine Greening announced this morning – bringing the amount released this week to help Gaza to £7 million.

International Development Secretary Justine Greening said: “More than 800 Palestinians have been killed in recent weeks, with thousands injured and many tens of thousands displaced. It is essential that civilians are protected and all sides must allow aid agencies unimpeded access to get to those in desperate need.

“A ceasefire needs to be agreed urgently as the first step towards a sustainable political solution. That is the only hope for peace and stability in the long term.”

The UK Government is clear that all sides must adhere to International Humanitarian Law and that all feasible precautions must be taken to avoid harm to civilians during a military attack.

Overall, the UK is the fourth biggest donor to UNRWA, providing £106.5m from 2011-2015. That funding is already helping UNRWA provide health services and shelter for Gazans affected by the fighting.

The amount committed by Britain to UNWRA’s emergency appeal in the last week is now £4 million. It will fund basic shelter, blankets, hygiene kits, nappies and other vital help for tens of thousands of people forced to flee their homes. The UK has also brought forward £3 million of International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) support to help it respond to the worsening situation.

Scotland’s First Minister Alex Salmond wrote to Prime Minister David Cameron yesterday, urging him to show equal determination in the UK Government’s approach to the situation in Gaza as they have shown in regard to the atrocity involving Malaysian Airlines flight MH17.

In particular Mr Salmond has called on the UK Government to make a stronger and more urgent response to the crisis in Gaza and – further to the statement by Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, about the failure to distinguish between civilians and combatants – to support an UN investigation.

Mr Salmond said: “The UK rightly called for a UN resolution to guarantee unfettered access to the crash site of flight MH17 and I was pleased to see this gained the support of the Security Council. It is imperative that an international investigation into the cause of the crash proceeds swiftly and effectively, and that the results of that investigation are appropriately acted upon.

“The efforts of the international community, working in concert, reflect the real benefits of a multilateral approach to matters of global security.

“It is with that cooperative spirit in mind that I have urged the UK Government to demonstrate equal determination in cooperating with international partners to resolve the rapidly deteriorating situation in the Middle East.

“The ground offensive in Gaza is a serious and worrying development. The lives lost in this conflict are individual human tragedies and the killing of innocent civilians, be they Palestinian or Israeli, is to be utterly condemned.

“The UN Security Council has called for an immediate cessation of hostilities, emphasising the need to improve the humanitarian situation, and I add my voice to theirs to reiterate that, in the view of the Scottish Government, the rocket attacks on Israel are unacceptable and should stop, as should the Israeli offensive in Gaza.

“The situation in Gaza represents a humanitarian crisis of grave proportions. More than 800 people, most of them civilians, have already lost their lives and over 5,000 have been injured. The UN states that more 118,000 Gazans are sheltering in UN schools. The attack on the school in Beit Hanoun on 24 July, condemned by the UN Secretary General, only serves to underline the desperate need for international action to stop the killing of innocent civilians.

“We note calls for an independent investigation into civilian deaths as a result of the conflict. Navi Pillay, the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights, has commented on the failure to distinguish between civilians and combatants, or to maintain proportionality and precautions in attack. The need for an investigation by the UN is therefore imperative. I urge the UK to give support to these calls.

“Scotland’s offer of medical assistance to help the humanitarian situation still stands and we are currently in dialogue to assess whether Scotland can give specialist medical help to civilians caught up in the conflict should medical evacuation be possible.

“The Scottish Government also believes that the continuation of the blockade in Gaza is exacerbating the suffering experienced by the people there and tantamount to collective punishment. For that reason, I reiterate the Scottish Government’s offer to accept our share of any refugees from the conflict arriving in the UK.

“The Scottish Government stand ready to deliver this support, and any further assistance as deemed necessary and appropriate.”

Gaza: ‘unacceptable, unjustified and illegal’

Lazarowicz calls for ceasefire and an end to Israeli military action

GAZA: Thousands took to the Glasgow streets to protest on Saturday

As the fighting in Gaza has continued with reports of an Israeli attack hitting a Gaza hospital with the loss of four lives, North and Leith MP Mark Lazarowicz has condemned the conduct of military action by Israel in Gaza and called for an immediate ceasefire in a letter to the Foreign Secretary.

The conflict has so far seen the death toll rise to well over 500, the vast majority of whom are Palestinian civilians including more than one hundred children.

In his letter to the Foreign Secretary, Mark Lazarowicz called for an immediate ceasefire to be monitored by the international community and humanitarian relief to be allowed to reach Palestinians in Gaza.

After the conflict saw its worst day yet on Sunday with the death of 100 more Palestinians and 13 Israeli soldiers, the local MP said: “I have written to the Foreign Secretary to urge the Government to exert pressure on Israel to end military action in Gaza and redouble efforts to bring about an immediate ceasefire.

“Like people around the world, I have been shocked by the present conflict and scenes such the bodies on a beach. I completely condemn the violence on all sides, including the rocket attacks on Israel.

“Nevertheless, the scale and conduct of the Israeli military operation is unacceptable, unjustified and illegal: in practice it is the civilian population of Gaza which is suffering its consequences.

“I am calling for an immediate internationally verified ceasefire and humanitarian relief to be allowed into Gaza to be followed by a renewed peace initiative which would see the lifting of the blockade of Gaza.”

According to OCHA (the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs) the number of displaced persons now totals 84,000.

The North and Leith Labour MP went on: “I am concerned that with electricity and water supplies being affected we could face a humanitarian emergency if the fighting continues. Political engagement by the international community is vital to bring about a ceasefire with so many being forced to flee their homes.”

The Scottish Government has confirmed that the country ‘stands ready’ to accept Palestinian refugees.

Speaking on Saturday, External Affairs Minister Humza Yousaf said: “The start of a ground offensive is a serious and worrying development. The lives lost in this conflict are individual human tragedies and the killing of innocent civilians, be they Palestinian or Israeli, is to be utterly condemned. The rocket attacks on Israel are unacceptable and should stop, as should the Israeli offensive in Gaza, which is heavily disproportionate, as demonstrated by the mounting civilian death toll.

“As a Government we continue to call for a complete cessation to all violence and add our voice to those in the international community for an immediate, longer term ceasefire, and that both sides in this conflict put an end to the violence that is causing so many civilian deaths and injuries.

“The worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza has been well documented and the UN now estimates that over 18,000 people have been internally displaced. I have today written to the Home Secretary and told her that Scotland would be willing to accept Palestinian refugees and urged the UK to also play a part in easing the refugee crisis in Gaza and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

“It is essential that the UN should be allowed to independently investigate all civilian deaths to determine whether there has been any violation of international law.

“Our offer of medical assistance to help the humanitarian situation still stands and we are currently in dialogue with the appropriate Governments and agencies to assess whether Scotland can give specialist medical help to civilians caught up in the conflict should should this prove possible.

“The Scottish Government also believes that the continuation of the blockade in Gaza is exacerbating the suffering experienced by the people there and tantamount to collective punishment. For that reason I recently wrote to the UK Government to exert further pressure on the Israeli Government to bring that blockade to an end.”

The UK government yesterday announced the UK will provide more than £5 million in emergency support to help tens of thousands of people affected by the violence in Gaza.

This includes £2 million in new funding announced by Prime Minister David Cameron for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency’s (UNRWA) Flash Appeal, which will provide emergency assistance to more than 84,000 people who have been driven out of their homes.

A further £3 million in funding will be brought forward to help the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) respond to the worsening situation and funding will also be reallocated to help rebuild UNRWA schools that are being used as shelters.

International Development Secretary Justine Greening said: “The escalation in violence has had a devastating impact on civilians. More than 500 Palestinians are now reported to have been killed with at least 83 children among the dead and more than 100,000 people have had to flee their homes.

“This new support from the UK will provide lifesaving food, shelter and clean water to those in desperate need as a result of the fighting. We must see an immediate de-escalation and ceasefire to prevent further civilian loss of life, followed by a return to peaceful negotiations.”

The UK Government has said that all sides must adhere to International Humanitarian Law and humanitarian supplies must be allowed to reach people in need. The security of both Israelis and Palestinians remains paramount, but restrictions that damage the economy and prospects for ordinary people in Gaza must be eased. A prosperous and stable Gaza is firmly in Israel’s security interests.

Dearest Scotland …

Writing initiative ‘re-imagines the future of Scotland’

Take a pen and a piece of paper and write a letter to the future of Scotland? In this age of high-tech, super-fast digital communications it may seem like a very old-fashioned way to communicate, but a new writing project called Dearest Scotland has sparked a revival in letter writing.

The apolitical initiative has caught imaginations in the year of the Referendum by inviting letters and illustrations from people of all ages across the world with a connection to, or an interest in, Scotland.

Dearest Scotland is the brainchild of Glasgow-based social design agency SNOOK, who some readers may recall worked with Total Craigroyston and North Edinburgh Young People’s Forum on the ‘What’s the Matter?’ project in 2012.

Focused on crowd-sourcing from a widest possible demographic with the aim of giving a platform to citizens’ voices, Dearest Scotland’s co-founder, Sarah Drummond, recently spoke of the aspiration to receive handwritten letters that capture insights to what a future Scotland may look like.

Sarah said: “Our team at Snook work in grassroots communities and we hear great ideas everyday from ordinary people. Sadly there is no platform for these voices to be heard in the mainstream media, by governments or local authorities. Dearest Scotland aims to address that.”

The idea originated before the independence referendum was announced, and since it’s March launch Dearest Scotland has received a cross-section of letters keen to articulate visions that reach beyond the political debate of the 18 September vote.

And while the project proves that the art of letter writing isn’t dead, the choice to write and illustrate letters digitally via the Dearest Scotland website is also available!

Sarah also spoke of plans to publish received letters in a collated book format. She said: “Everyone who writes to Dearest Scotland has the chance to see their letter published. This allows for the opportunity to read what people of all ages from every part of the country have to say about their hopes and fears for a future Scotland both in connection to and outside of politics and the referendum.”

While new letters are catalogued daily, Sarah’s aim is to publish the visions in an open source digital catalogue – in addition to the book format – after the 13 September deadline for submissions, and all proceeds will be donated to new and existing Scottish literary projects.

The Dearest Scotland team is currently touring venues and events across the country, spreading the word in towns and rural areas.

The initiative has also caught the attention of politicians. Glasgow Anniesland MSP Bill Kidd lodged a parliamentary motion in support of the project in June, and a Holyrood debate has been scheduled for 13 August – the motion has received cross-party support from a further 25 members of the Scottish parliament. There are also plans to exhibit a display of letters by the Scottish Rural Parliament in November and within Holyrood in early 2015.

Sarah’s business partner and project co-founder, Lauren Currie, added: “We all have a box of letters stashed away somewhere that fill our hearts with joy every time we dig them out and re-read them. Dearest Scotland is our nation’s box of letters. These letters are so much more than communication, they are re-imagining the future of Scotland.”

To find out more information about Dearest Scotland’s project, summer tour, or to submit a future vision of Scotland, visit…

www.dearestscotland.com

twitter @dearestscotand

facebook /dearestscotland

Employment up in Scotland

In a rare outbreak of agreement, both Westminster and Holyrood governments welcomed the latest employment figures published today. However Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael said the figures show the Westminster government is making the right choices for Scotland, while Finance Secretary John Swinney countered that Scotland would perform even better with the full powers of independence.

Employment in Scotland has increased by 12,000 over the three months from March to May, according to Office for National Statistics (ONS) data released today. The number in employment in Scotland now stands at 2,587,000.

Unemployment in Scotland increased by 13,000, to 192,000 in the period March to May 2014. The Scottish unemployment rate is 6.9 per cent, which is above the 6.5 per cent for whole of the UK.

Scottish Secretary Alistair Carmichael said: “We have seen positive developments over the year as a whole with 76,000 more Scots in employment and 13,000 fewer in unemployment. In June alone, the number of people claiming JSA fell by 4,000 and is now 35,500 lower compared to one year ago. Claimant count is now below 100,000 and at its lowest level since December 2008.

“Today’s news reminds us we need to continue creating the right conditions to get people into jobs. While it is disappointing to see unemployment rise at any time, the news comes against a backdrop of record overall employment, female employment and record private sector employment. The number of economically active people in Scotland is rising and the number of Scots claiming unemployment has now fallen for 16 consecutive months.

“This Government is making the right choices for a stable, growing economy and the jobs that come with it – those are the best choices for Scotland and the people who live here.”

Headline Statistics for the March to May 2014 quarter:

Employment in Scotland increased by 12,000 over the quarter, and increased by 76,000 over the year, to stand at 2,587,000
The Scottish employment rate remained unchanged over the quarter to 73.3 per cent. The rate is just above the UK average of 73.1 per cent
Unemployment in Scotland increased by 13,000 over the quarter and fell by 13,000 over the year. The level now stands at 192,000
At 6.9 per cent, the Scots unemployment rate is above the 6.5 per cent for the UK as a whole
Economic Activity increased by 25,000 over the quarter and now stands at 2,779,000. Also, the Economic Activity rate increased over the quarter to stand at 78.8 per cent
In June 2014, the number of people out of work and claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance (JSA) was 96,000

Responding to the latest labour market and GDP figures Finance Secretary John Swinney said: ““Today’s figures mark an important stage in our recovery.

“These positive output figures show that Scotland’s economy continues to go from strength to strength with growth of 1.0 per cent over the quarter and 2.6 per cent over the year – the fastest annual growth in over three years.

“Nearly six years on from the start of the financial crisis, our economy is now larger than before the downturn. Output in Scotland is at record levels and we have exceeded our pre-recession peak at least one quarter ahead of the UK.

“Over the last quarter the improvement in our economy has been broad-based with welcome signs of growth in manufacturing which was up 3.4 per cent and services which account for over 70 per cent of our economy up 0.9 per cent.

“Today’s output figures are supported by new labour market data which show employment has reached a new record in Scotland with our economic activity rate also hitting a record high.

“As the economy recovers more people are moving from inactivity into the labour market to look for employment. With this boost to economic activity it is not surprising that both employment and unemployment have risen over the quarter – albeit unemployment is still down over the year.

“These figures support the emerging body of evidence which all point to the recovery in Scotland continuing to gather momentum.

“Monday’s Bank of Scotland’s PMI survey indicated that private sector activity in Scotland expanded for the 21st consecutive month in June whilst the Fraser of Allander, ITEM Club and PWC have all revised up their forecasts for growth this year.

“There can be no doubt that Scotland has the economic potential to be an independent country. With the full powers of independence we could do more to get people into work, ensure everyone in Scotland is able to benefit from our national wealth and give employers access to the skills they need to grow their business strengthening our economy and creating jobs.”

Cabinet Secretary for Training, Youth and Women’s Employment Angela Constance added: “While today’s figures show growth in Scotland’s economy, our ambition is to do better than to simply return to pre-recession levels of economic performance.

“It is encouraging that female employment continues to increase markedly with a higher employment rate than the rest of the UK.

“Although we continue to do better than the UK in terms of employment rates amongst young people and 90 per cent of school leavers are in positive destinations, our youth unemployment rate remains too high.

“This is why we support the principle outlined in the report last month by the Commission for Developing Scotland’s Young Workforce, that links between schools, colleges and employers can be strengthened, to be more aligned to student and business needs.”

Tackling the scourge of modern slavery

The Modern Slavery Bill was introduced in the House of Commons this week, but local MP Mark Lazarowicz believes the legislation doesn’t go far enough.

The bill would provide law enforcement with stronger tools to stamp out modern slavery, ensure slave drivers can receive suitably severe punishments and enhance protection of and support for victims.

The bill includes provisions to:

ensure that perpetrators can receive suitably severe punishments for these appalling crimes – including life sentences
introduce new orders to enhance the court’s ability to place restrictions on individuals where this is necessary to protect people from the harm caused by modern slavery offences
create an Anti-Slavery Commissioner to improve and better coordinate the response to modern slavery
introduce a defence for victims of slavery and trafficking compelled to commit an offence
create an enabling power for child trafficking advocates
introduce a new reparation order to encourage the courts to compensate victims where assets are confiscated from perpetrators
close gaps in the law to enable the police and Border Force to stop boats where slaves are suspected of being held or trafficked

Edinburgh North & Leith MP Mark Lazarowicz‘ says the Bill is a major step forward but should be tougher. Speaking in Tuesday’s debate on the Modern Slavery Bill at Westminster, he praised the Bill as a major step forward but highlighted two areas where it needs to be strengthened significantly at UK level:

· Extension of the powers and funding of the Gangmasters Licensing Authority created by the last Labour Government, and

· Increased transparency and accountability of companies for their supply chains.

Commenting after the debate, the local MP said: “Modern slavery can see people desperately seeking a better life trapped and exploited in ways as varied as sex trafficking, domestic servitude or agricultural workers whose meagre wages are docked to pay for sub-standard food and accommodation leaving them with debts they can never pay off.

“Vulnerable people, often with very few language skills, may simply not know where to seek help even if they get the chance and be fearful that they may be deported if they do escape.

“The last Labour Government first set out to tackle this modern evil by creating the Gangmasters Licensing Authority to root out abuse in agriculture and related industries: it’s been widely praised and its funding and remit should be increased.

“Companies should also be accountable for how their goods are produced in supply chains with annual reports setting out steps they took to verify and audit suppliers.

“Whilst enabling the prosecution of traffickers and slave-masters, the Bill must also advance the protection of victims: too often companies and consumers do not know and in the worst case may not even care how workers are exploited in producing the food we eat, the clothes we wear.”

Fracking hell: new report ignites energy debate

‘No place for fracking in Scotland’s energy future’ – Patrick Harvie

$frack$ Scotland is sitting on enough shale oil and gas to meet our energy needs for the next half-century, according to a new report by the British Geological Survey – but environmentalists are warning that ‘fracking’ to get at shale gas deposits would have serious consequences for local communities.

The British Geological Survey’s report of the resources in the Midland Valley, Scotland, suggests a ‘modest’ amount of gas and oil in place. The central estimate of shale gas in place is 80 trillion cubic feet, the central estimate for shale oil in place is 6 billion barrels of oil.

However ‘modest’, the Department of Energy and Climate Change believes ‘ the complex geology of the area and historic mine workings means that exploratory drilling and testing is even more important to determine how much can be recovered.’

Business and Energy Minister Michael Fallon said: “Making the most of Britain’s home grown energy is crucial to keep job and business opportunities, widen tax revenues and reduce our reliance on foreign imports.

“We know that shale gas alone won’t be able to supply all of our energy needs, but the environmentally responsible exploration of shale gas could contribute to our energy mix.

“Only the broad shoulders of the United Kingdom can attract investment in new energy sources and maintain the UK’s position as one of the world’s great energy hubs – generating energy and generating jobs.

“The UK’s energy security is among the best in the world, backed by a large consumer and tax base that can afford to support our world-leading energy industries and make us such an attractive place to invest.”

Professor Mike Stephenson, Director of Science and Technology at the British Geological Survey said: “The central estimate of shale gas in place is 80 trillion cubic feet and the central estimate for shale oil in place is 6 billion barrels of oil but reserves cannot be calculated at this stage before drilling and testing take place. The Midland Valley of Scotland has complex geology and a relative lack of data compared to the previous DECC-BGS Bowland-Hodder and Weald Basin studies”

However Green MSP Patrick Harvie says the study by the British Geological Survey shows that ‘potentially modest’ reserves of shale oil and gas prove that fracking shouldn’t figure in Scotland’s energy future.

He pointed out that the estimated 80 trillion cubic feet of shale gas in central Scotland is just six per cent of the reserves thought to be present in northern England and said a huge swathe of Scotland – from Argyll to Aberdeenshire and from Ayrshire to East Lothian – has been earmarked as ‘ripe for fracking’ by the UK Government.

Mr Harvie, Green MSP for Glasgow and Co-convener of the Scottish Greens, said: “This study puts paid to all the hype we’ve been fed about a shale bonanza. Not only would fracking divert attention from our undoubted renewables potential but any economically viable extraction would be modest and short-term. Greens want a long-term energy plan for Scotland, and we have abundant clean sources to do this.

“As communities across Scotland realise the risk to their local environments from the prospect of fracking, and as climate science tells us we must start to leave unburnt fossil fuels in the ground, it’s clear that any such developments will face strong opposition.

“It all serves as a reminder that Westminster controls energy policy in Scotland. The chance to pursue clean, long-lasting power rather than polluting, finite fuels is a compelling reason to vote Yes in September.”

Lararowicz: new homes must be energy efficient

Mark Lazarowicz MP has criticised the Westminster government’s failure to make the energy efficiency of new homes a central plank of its Help to Buy scheme in order to boost jobs, cut energy bills and carbon emissions.

THE North & Leith MP was speaking at Treasury Questions in the House of Commons, and said afterwards: “Increasing the energy efficiency of our homes can help cut fuel bills, create new skilled jobs and meet our targets for reducing carbon emissions.

“For instance, surely the Government could have seen that a scheme aimed at first-time buyers should have prioritised energy efficiency so helping young couples with mortgages save money on fuel bills.

“Building all new homes to a high level of energy efficiency helps avoid the need for retrofits later on and Help to Buy could have been used to provide a strong lead by setting a benchmark for the industry.

“It’s an example of where regulation can create new skilled jobs and apprenticeships and boost small businesses but once again the Government has just sat on its hands and failed to act.”

Royston ready for referendum debate with a difference

North Edinburgh’s Womens International Group (WIG) are holding a Referendum Debate with a difference in Royston Wardieburn Community Centre on Thursday evening – the party politicians won’t be doing the talking!

The WIG group hopes that by inviting ‘ordinary’ people to put the respective cases for independence and the Union the level of debate and discussion will be improved – more ‘light’ than ‘hot air’, if you like!

Pat Smith will advance the argument for a ‘YES’ vote, Heather Levy will put the case for Better Together and Craigroyston High School S4 pupil Nicky Saunders will provide a young person’s perspective on the referendum. James Foley and Bill Scott will be on hand to provide guidance and technical advice during the Question Time session and the event will be chaired by Harry Woodward. And participants will also have an opportunity to vote!

The Referendum Debate takes place at Royston Warduieburn Community Centre in Pilton Drive North tomorrow (Thursday 26 June) from 6.30 – 8.30pm.

Free creche and refreshments.

All welcome – and that includes politicians!

Referendum Debate leaflet wig thursday