Tag: Politics

Intergovernmental relations face ongoing challenges, says Holyrood Committee

MSPs split over committee report

A thorough independent review of how UK Government departments and civil servants interact with devolution should be carried out in order to improve the way Westminster works with governments in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland, according to a new report from a Scottish Parliament Committee.

The report from the Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee says interactions between the UK Government and those in devolved nations should be less ad-hoc with a formal, structured and transparent schedule published in advance.

The publication reports “significant concern” around the understanding of the powers and role of the devolved governments and parliaments within Whitehall, and as a result, it says there appears to be a lack of thought in some cases about how devolution affects the development of policy by the UK Government and passage of legislation at the UK Parliament.

The new report was supported by four members – Committee Convener Clare Adamson MSP, Keith Brown MSP, George Adam MSP and Patrick Harvie MSP. Neil Bibby MSP, Stephen Kerr MSP and Jamie Halcro Johnston MSP dissented from the report.

The publication follows the Committee’s inquiry on the transparency of intergovernmental activity – the interaction and cooperation between central and devolved governments – and its implications for parliamentary scrutiny and Ministerial accountability.

As part of its work, Committee members held a number of informal meetings in London with UK Government Ministers, Cabinet Office officials and parliamentary committees in the House of Lords and House of Commons. Its recommendations were also informed by previous work and reports including on the UK Internal Market Act.

The report describes it as “striking” that a majority of Common Frameworks have yet to be agreed by the Scottish Government, more than eight years after an initial agreement on their principles. Common Frameworks are the agreed approaches between the UK Government and the devolved administrations to manage regulatory consistency in specific areas including food safety, environmental standards and agriculture, following the UK’s exit from the EU.

The report notes the example of the UK Internal Market Act (UKIMA), where although the Scottish Parliament voted twice by division to repeal UKIMA, the possibility of repeal was not considered as part of the UK Government’s review of the Act.

It concludes that it is “unclear” how further progress can be made in agreeing Common Frameworks in policy areas impacted by UKIMA, which undermines certainty and trust among businesses and hinders ministerial accountability and parliamentary scrutiny.

Committee Convener, Clare Adamson, said: “There continues to be a number of ongoing challenges which are undermining effective intergovernmental relations.

“The Committee’s view is that the resetting of intergovernmental of relations should include improving the effectiveness of engagement between governments and parliaments in the devolved nations.”

cttee-reportDownload

Notice of the Scottish Parliament election published

An official Notice of Election was published yesterday (March 16), marking the start of the formal process of the Scottish Parliament election, which will take place on May 7.

The notice for Edinburgh and the regional constituencies explains how to stand as a candidate, who is eligible to vote and how to make sure you are registered.

Nominations open today (March 17) for candidates wanting to stand in this election. Nomination papers, which are available on the Council website, must be submitted by 4pm on Wednesday April 1.

People aged 16 and over can vote in this election. The deadline to register to vote is midnight on Monday 20 April, to apply for a postal vote it’s 5pm on Tuesday 21 April, and for a proxy vote it’s 5pm on Tuesday 28 April.

Polling stations will be open from 7am to 10pm on Thursday May 7. You can find your nearest polling place on our website.

The count will take place on Friday 8 May. 

The Edinburgh count will return 13 Members of the Scottish Parliament (MSPs). Six are constituency MSPs and seven are from the regional list for Edinburgh and Lothians East.  

Find out more about the Scottish Parliament election on our website and how to register to vote on the UK Government’s website.

Returning Officer for Edinburgh, Paul Lawrence said: “I would urge everyone to make sure they are registered to vote in this election. If you’ll be on holiday, busy on polling day or would simply prefer to get it done in advance, you have until 21 April to apply for a postal vote. You could also appoint someone you trust – a proxy – to cast your vote for you.

“This election will chart the course of the country’s future and it’s vital that you make your voice heard.

“Here in Edinburgh our teams are working hard behind the scenes to ensure that everything runs smoothly.”

Over £50 million to help families struggling with soaring heating oil costs

  • Chancellor confirms over £50 million for low income families who heat their homes with oil to help tackle surging prices. 
  • The price of kerosene – the fuel used for heating oil – has been especially affected by the conflict in the Middle East and has risen faster than other fuels such as petrol and gas.
  • Government announces intention to regulate heating oil sector to introduce new consumer protections, alongside securing agreement with industry to quickly improve customer experiences.

Families are to benefit from over £50 million to help people pay for the rising cost of heating oil. With winter drawing to a close, and families struggling with the rising price of heating oils, this government is committed to helping ensure that vulnerable families are able to heat their homes and access hot water.

Scotland will receive £4.6 million.

The price of kerosene – the fuel used for heating oil - has been particularly impacted by the conflict in the Middle East and is currently double that of crude oil. 

In Great Britain, unlike gas and electricity customers, those who heat their homes with oil are not covered by the energy price cap, meaning they are exposed to more immediate energy price hikes.

Many, including some of the most vulnerable households, will need to pay an upfront lump sum to top up their tanks in order to maintain their heating and hot water. 

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rachel Reeves said:  “Heating oil prices have spiked sharply, and I know that for families in rural communities that is a real and urgent problem. 

 ”That’s why we’re putting over £50 million of support to help the people who need it most, including funding for the Northern Ireland Executive to deliver support in Northern Ireland where this issue hits hardest.” 

Energy Secretary Ed Miliband said: “This government is committed to fighting people’s corner in tackling cost of living pressures. With this investment, alongside new measures to protect customers against any unfair practices, we are standing up for the British people.”

To bridge the gap, the Chancellor is announcing over £50 million of targeted financial support, helping low-income households in rural communities who have no choice but to top up their tanks at a time when prices have risen so significantly. 

In England, funding will be distributed by local authorities via the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF), which comes into effect from 1 April, targeted areas with higher rates of oil heating. 

This is a particular issue in Northern Ireland, where a greater proportion of homes rely on heating oil, and we have allocated £17 million to support them. England will receive £27 million, Scotland £4.6 million and Wales £3.8 million.

This funding has been allocated based on census data, reflecting where the greatest need is, and it will be allocated directly to the devolved governments, with the expectation that it will be used to support vulnerable households.

Heating oil is different from other sectors in the energy market as it does not have the same consumer protections and is not regulated by Ofgem. The government intends to introduce new consumer protections for heating oil customers and is rapidly exploring new ways to step in and ensure households are better protected.

This includes: 

  • An agreement secured with industry on a strengthened Code of Practice to rapidly provide enhanced protections to customers, including greater flexibility on delivery volumes and improving price transparency and formalising a Priority Customers Register – meaning all customers who are vulnerable are eligible for prioritised support in times of disruption.  
  • Introducing stronger consumer protections in the heating oil market, which could cover dispute resolution, a greater variety of repayment options for those facing hardship, greater price transparency and enhanced protections for vulnerable groups such as the elderly. 
  • Supporting the Competition and Markets Authority’s plans to carry out a more comprehensive examination of the UK’s heating oil industry.
  • Exploring the creation of a new ombudsman or appointment of a regulator, such as Ofgem, to champion consumers, and taking powers to do so through the Energy Independence Bill.
  • Working with the Northern Ireland Executive to ensure that protections are fit for purpose for Northern Irish households, who are particularly reliant on heating oil.

In addition, the Chancellor earlier this week wrote to the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) to ask that it remains vigilant across heating oil prices and supports CMA action to tackle unjustified price increases.

The government will not tolerate profiteering or unfair practices and urge customers to share any evidence of price manipulation with the CMA. 

Vulnerable households who are facing immediate financial difficulties as a result of rising heating oil prices are encouraged to contact their local authority to find out what support may be available to them.  

Closing the Stable Door …

New measures to strengthen appointment and vetting processes following Mandelson revelations

  • National Security Vetting process to be reviewed following Peter Mandelson case
  • Ethics and Integrity Commission tasked with tightening financial disclosures, lobbying and business appointment rules
  • Further reforms build on ambitious programme of standards and ethics reform 

The Westminster Government has ordered an overhaul of standards in Whitehall to boost ethics and integrity in political and public life following the Peter Mandelson case.

Chief Secretary to the Prime Minister Darren Jones confirmed the work builds on the significant action this Government has already taken to deliver reforms to standards and ethics.

However, the Mandelson case has also shown more needs to be done and raised further questions about how the direct ministerial appointment process, and wider operation of government, can be strengthened.

The Government will continue to go further to strengthen standards in public life, including by looking again at how ministers and senior officials declare and publish their financial interests, how transparency around lobbying is enforced, and whether the rules on post‑employment activity are fit for purpose in preventing unfair access to, or influence within, government.

The Prime Minister has written to the Ethics and Integrity Commission, asking them to review current arrangements relating to financial disclosures for ministers and senior officials, transparency around lobbying and the Business Appointment Rules. The Government will swiftly respond to any recommendations to bolster standards in public life.

Alongside this, the Government will review the National Security Vetting system, including lessons learned from Peter Mandelson’s developed vetting.

The Government has already confirmed that, in future, diplomatic appointments will not be announced until security vetting has been completed.

To drive this work forward, Baroness Anderson, Parliamentary Secretary to the Cabinet Office, has been appointed to work on standards policy and to deliver the Government’s agenda on ethical standards and constitutional affairs.

Ministers have asked the Lords Conduct Committee to review the Code of Conduct to consider what changes are required to ensure peers can be removed when they have brought the House into disrepute. Ministers are also exploring whether the Committee can tighten rules on lobbying and paid advocacy to bring the Lords in line with the Commons.

In parallel, the Government has also committed to bringing forward legislation to remove peerages from disgraced peers as soon as possible. This work will build on progress to reform the second chamber, such as the upcoming removal of hereditary peers from the House of Lords. 

These further steps add to the action the Government has already taken to raise standards — including publishing a new Ministerial Code, establishing the Ethics and Integrity Commission, strengthening the powers of the Independent Adviser, and reforming the business appointments system.

The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office is supporting the strengthening of the due diligence and security vetting processes for politically appointed Heads of Mission. This includes introducing individual due diligence-specific interviews with proposed candidates and ensuring politically appointed Ambassadors will have to undergo security vetting before they are appointed.

The government is also looking at assurance processes for high-profile Direct Ministerial Appointments across government, ensuring there are robust measures in place with further details on this work to be set out in due course. 

The Government recognises that the Mandelson case has raised serious concerns about standards and inflicted real damage on people’s trust in politics. While the specifics of that case are now a matter for the police, it has exposed the gaps in whether the systems designed to uphold integrity are strong enough.

Taken together, these measures show this Government’s determination to address the issues raised and uphold integrity in public life by strengthening the rules, improving transparency, and restoring confidence in how government operates.

Hereditary Peers Bill passed

“One of the biggest reforms to Parliament and UK democracy in a generation” – really?

  • Hereditary peers will no longer have the right to sit and vote in the House of Lords in one of the biggest reforms to Parliament in a generation.
  • Fulfilling a key manifesto pledge of the current Government, the Hereditary Peers Bill will ensure that places in the Lords are not reserved for people born into certain families.
  • The passage of the Bill completes a process started a quarter of a century ago to remove the hereditary principle from the House of Lords and bring the UK into line with other 21st century democracies.

The Hereditary Peers Bill has passed in the House of Lords in one of the biggest reforms to Parliament and UK democracy in a generation’. 

The Bill, which was passed on Tuesday evening, fulfills one of the Government’s key manifesto pledges and marks the completion of work started over 25 years ago to remove the right for hereditary peers to sit and vote in the House of Lords.

The Government believes that no one should be able to vote on legislation solely on the basis of their inheritance, so reform of this outdated and undemocratic principle has been long overdue.

Leader of the House of Lords, Baroness Smith said: “The Lords plays a vital role within our bicameral Parliament, but nobody should sit in the House by virtue of an inherited title. That is why the government committed to removing the remaining hereditary peerages, completing the reforms that were started over a quarter of a century ago.

“Getting this bill through is a major first step towards reform of the Lords, with further changes to follow – including on members’ retirement and participation requirements.”

Minister for the Cabinet Office, Nick Thomas-Symonds, said: “Hereditary peerages are an archaic and undemocratic principle. I am proud that we have fulfilled a key manifesto pledge of this government.

“Our Parliament should always be a place where talents are recognised and merit counts. It should never be a gallery of old boys’ networks, nor a place where titles, many of which were handed out centuries ago, hold power over the will of the people.”

In making this change, the Government is committed to ensuring that the House can continue to function effectively. The Government has therefore agreed to offer additional life peerages to the Official Opposition and Crossbenchers. As always, it will be for the Opposition to decide which individuals they wish to nominate for peerages.

The Bill is the first step in wider reform to the House of Lords which, besides Lesotho’s Senate, is the only legislative body that still contains a hereditary element. The Government believes that there should not be places in the second chamber of Parliament reserved for those who were born into certain families.

Currently, 92 excepted hereditary peers, which include a range of Dukes, Viscounts, and Earls, can vote on legislation in the Lords. While over 600 hereditary peers were removed from the Lords in the House of Lords Act 1999, 92 were retained as an interim measure.

The Bill will come into effect at the end of this session of Parliament, after which no peer will be a member of the House of Lords on the basis of their hereditary peerage.

IT’S A START, I SUPPOSE …

Local MP warns women in Scotland are being failed by NHS waiting times

An Edinburgh MP has warned that long NHS waiting times are having a serious impact on women across the Lothians, as concerns grow about a two-tier healthcare system emerging in Scotland.

Private healthcare admissions in Scotland recently hit a record high, raising fresh concerns that patients are increasingly being pushed to pay for treatment due to long NHS wait times.

Tracy Gilbert MP says these delays are particularly affecting women, who are often left waiting the longest for treatment, including for gynaecological conditions and diagnostic tests.

Edinburgh North and Leith MP Tracy Gilbert said: “Across Edinburgh and the Lothians, too many women are being left waiting far too long for the care they need.

“For many women, these delays aren’t just frustrating; they mean months or even years living with pain, uncertainty or conditions that are affecting their daily lives.

“When people feel forced to consider paying privately just to be seen sooner, it raises serious concerns about a two-tier system emerging in our NHS.

“Women across Scotland deserve timely, high-quality care through our NHS, regardless of their ability to pay.”

Committees say Parliament should continue close scrutiny of approach to tackling drug deaths and drug harm following election

Members of three Scottish Parliament committees have urged that a joint approach to the scrutiny of the Scottish Government’s work to reduce drug deaths and tackle drug harm must continue following May’s election.

A legacy report from MSPs on the Criminal Justice, Health, Social Care and Sport and Social Justice and Social Security Committees outlines that meeting together allowed the Members to consider the impact of policy changes more broadly and more effectively.

In the report, one MSP explains that the approach emphasised the importance of the shift from seeing drug problems in Scotland as a crime and justice issue to seeing them as a health and social issue.

The committees worked together during this parliamentary session to look at the impact of the measures recommended by the Scottish Drugs Deaths Taskforce.

As part of their work, the committees commissioned, and worked with, a people’s panel, which called for “brave and bold action” to reduce the harms created by drug use in Scotland.

The Members’ report praises the benefits that this approach had on communication between committees, collaboration on tackling this important issue, and the breadth of scrutiny.

Audrey Nicoll MSP, Convener of the Criminal Justice Committee said: “Taking a cross-committee approach to the issue of how to tackle drug deaths and drug related harms has brought everyone’s expertise to the table.

“It has been encouraging to see so many members working together to tackle this issue of urgent national importance.

“However, this issue is not resolved. As our legacy report makes clear, our committees’ work must continue next session.”

Clare Haughey MSP, Convener of the Health, Sport and Social Care Committee, said: “Thank you to everyone who helped inform our scrutiny of these vital issues, including the members of the people’s panel, who collaborated so well to help recommend what further steps can be taken to prevent drug deaths and harms.

“Cross-party and cross-remit working in the next session will be essential if we are to effectively tackle these issues, and ultimately end the pain caused by drug harms and drug deaths in Scotland.

Collette Stevenson MSP, Convener of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee, said: “I am pleased with the impact that our committees’ work has had this session, and it was good to see the recommendations of the people’s panel that we commissioned be agreed to and acted upon by the Scottish Government.

“Drug deaths are not abstract statistics. My heart goes out to every single family that is affected. MSPs must continue to work together next session and do everything possible to tackle this issue.”

Read the Committees’ report

House of Lords Conduct Committee publishes report on the conduct of Lord Chadlington

ANOTHER DODGY ‘HONOURABLE MEMBER’ SHAMES WESTMINSTER

The House of Lords Conduct Committee has published a report on the conduct of Lord Chadlington (John Selwyn Gummer), recommending he be suspended from the House for 12 months.

The recommendation is the result of an investigation by the independent House of Lords Commissioner for Standards, which followed a complaint made on behalf of Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice.

The Commissioner, Martin Jelley QPM DL, investigated Lord Chadlington’s role in the procurement of personal protective equipment (PPE) during the Covid-19 pandemic and, specifically, his role in assisting a subsidiary of a company he chaired to secure PPE contracts.

The Commissioner found that Lord Chadlington, a former Chairman of the Conservative Party during the Thatcher era, breached the House’s prohibition on members providing “parliamentary services” in return for payment or reward.

He also found that Lord Chadlington had failed to cooperate with two previous investigations into his conduct and had failed to act on his personal honour.

Chadlington appealed against the Commissioner for Standards’ findings and his recommended sanction that he be suspended from the House for 12 months. The Conduct Committee rejected that appeal and upheld the Commissioner’s findings and recommended sanction.  
 
The Conduct Committee’s report will now need to be agreed by the House before the sanction takes effect. The House is expected to consider the report in the week of 16th March.

Chadlington, who is 84, has said he will ‘retire’ from the House of Lords and quit the Tory Party. That’s likely to be of little consolation to Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice:

Grief: A Poem

by Susie Crozier-Flintham

Grief fills the room
Which room or space
Is not a matter
Of speculation
Or some theory
Now debunked
By its own author,
I might add,
But one of
Who
We
Are
As
People
My grief fills my life
Not room or space
But every quarter
Of my being, not
Some speculation
Or some theory,
Conspiracy theory
That serves to
Diminish
Deceive or
Decry
My Dad died.
A declarative
Not speculation
He was among
over 252, 032 others
To pretend

Those things
Untrue
Is to pretend
Some lives
Are worth
Losing
Moreover,
Do we dismiss
Collective grief
As something
Uncomfortable
Because, we don’t decide
We can’t pick and choose
Those dead
Are commemorated
These dead are not
Weren’t they all human?
People with lives?
Weren’t they all children
Once?
Grief fills this room
Because it’s not just
About remembrance
It’s about
Potential lost
Opportunities missed
Connections denied
Grief fills this room
Because it has to
Without it
We are nothing
Mere chattels

On this Earth
Which birthed us
Which birthed us
But masters,
And indeed mistresses
Of our own destiny
Are we
So hear me
You are my family
I lost mine
Not through carelessness
But through design
And in my Dad’s name
You are
Therefore
Mine.

Sarah Boyack hosts Holyrood roundtable for Tourette’s families

Sarah Boyack hosted families of children with Tourette’s in Holyrood on Thursday to meet with a Minister and Scottish Government officials.

The roundtable, which was co-organised with Tourette’s Scotland allowed families to raise the lack of support facing their children in Scotland’s education system.

Natalie Don-Innes attended the meeting in her capacity as Minister for Children and Young People, alongside the Unit Head for Additional Support for Learning and the Promise.

Every parent agreed that many issues stemmed from the lack of training for teachers and school staff.

Many attendants highlighted that their children had been punished due to their involuntary tics because of a lack of understanding of Tourette’s.

Tourette’s Scotland offers training for schools and creates bespoke profiles for each child with Tourette’s for their new school to utilise but both the training and reading of the reports are optional.

One participant revealed that their child was told they weren’t allowed to do one of their tics in the classroom and would have to go to the bathroom to do it, despite tics being involuntary.

Another highlighted that despite having a horrible time in school, their daughter was now thriving in university and getting far better support for her Tourette’s.

The Minister, along with the Scottish Government official, agreed to liaise further with Tourette’s Scotland to examine these issues.

The roundtable came after awareness of Tourette’s has skyrocketed due to the success of “I Swear”.

Ms Boyack also hosted a Holyrood debate about Tourette’s at the start of the year where she highlighted the challenges facing kids in the education system with the condition.

Speaking after the roundtable, Sarah Boyack said: “I was honoured to host this roundtable and give parents the opportunities to tell their stories to the Minister.

“I was deeply moved by the stories I heard of children suffering due to a lack of understanding from those in the education system and the stress it has caused their parents.

“It is obvious that with a greater understanding and robust training, the education system can be a place for those with Tourette’s to thrive in rather than a challenge they have to manage.

“I hope that the next parliament picks up the baton on this issue and ensures increased support for Tourette’s is a priority.”

Tourette’s Scotland commented: “We were delighted to have the opportunity for our families to share their stories directly with the minister for children and young people.

“Our families felt heard and that it was a productive meeting with lots of ideas on how to progress with awareness and understanding.”

You can find more out about Tourette’s Scotland and their work here:

https://www.tourettescotland.org/

ALBA Party to fight on?

Alba Continuation Group welcomes leader MacAskill’s ‘positive engagement’

Hopes for Scottish independence in the next Parliament through the election of Alba MSPS on the list heightens after constructive engagement with Kenny MacAskill following recent correspondence, marking meaningful progress toward a clear and democratic way forward.

In his latest communication, Mr MacAskill acknowledges that a full indemnity has now been offered, to remove all risk from the current Alba leadership.

He sets out a number of constitutional and financial questions requiring clarification. These questions are legitimate and reflect the seriousness of the responsibilities involved.

They provide not an obstacle, but a structured and democratic route to resolving outstanding matters in a transparent and credible way.

Earlier this week The ALBA Continuation Group set out a ‘confident and forward-looking’ proposal aimed at securing the Party’s future and maximising it’s impact in the forthcoming Scottish Parliament election.

The group – made up of Angus Brendan MacNeil, Tommy Sheridan, Christina Hendry and Suzanne Blackley, all elected with substantial support from party members – has confirmed it’s willingness to offer an unconditonal indemnity to facilitate an orderly and dignified transition in the Party’s leadership.

Commenting today, Angus Brendan MacNeil said, “Central to this pathway is democratic legitimacy. Any transfer of responsible officer roles, as defined by the Electoral Commission, must command the confidence of members.

“That legitimacy can be secured straightforwardly through an online ballot of members, organised efficiently and transparently. Such a ballot would provide a clear democratic mandate from the elected membership, ensuring that any organisational changes rest on firm constitutional foundations.

“Addressing financial clarity is equally important. Establishing certainty around liabilities, ongoing costs and indemnity arrangements is essential to protecting members and ensuring long-term stability. These are practical issues that can and should be resolved through open engagement and good faith.

“This moment represents a crossroads. Small decisions taken now may have significant consequences over the next two years. By choosing a democratic, member-led route, there is an opportunity to strengthen credibility, rebuild confidence and position Alba to stand at the forthcoming Scottish Parliament election, which is vital in Scotland’s independence journey.

“Independence is within our grasp. With unity, transparency and democratic endorsement from members, Alba can enter the next Parliament as a clear, forceful and principled advocate for Scotland’s constitutional future.

“We look forward to continued constructive dialogue and to progressing matters swiftly, so that energy and focus can return to the central objective: delivering independence for Scotland through democratic means.”