Lothian Conservative MSP Miles Briggs has called on SNP and Green Minister to do more to support Edinburgh Council in preventing homelessness.
Yesterday the city council’s Housing, Homelessness and Fair Work Committee met to discuss challenges facing the capital.
Councillors raised concerns that the number of people presenting as homeless would rise over the next few months. Between 1st April 2020 and 30 June 2021, 2,550 people presented to the Council as homeless.
The number of household in temporary accommodation increased from 3,570 in March 2020 to 4,431 in March 2021, an increase of 24%.
Mr Briggs has also supported calls for tenants to contact Edinburgh Council if they are having trouble paying their rent to help resolve the issue sooner rather than later.
The pledge to end homelessness across Scotland by the end of this Parliament has received cross party support, with Lothian MSP Miles Briggs going even further, calling for homelessness to be ended by 2023.
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said:“If we are going to end homelessness in Scotland then the first step is to prevent people becoming homeless.
“Charities, such as Crisis, do excellent work to stop people becoming homeless, by working with Private landlords and Edinburgh Council.
“In Edinburgh we face unique challenges to preventing homelessness and SNP/ Green Ministers are not providing enough support to prevent people from becoming homeless.
“I will be meeting with the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government later this month to discuss these issues in greater detail.”
The largest coalition of organisations to date on this issue has signed a joint open letter to the Prime Minster calling on him not to go ahead with the planned £20-a-week cut to Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit, due to come into effect on 6 October.
The joint letter, coordinated by the Joseph Rowntree Foundation, is signed by a wide range of 100 organisations that operate at a national level as well as in communities across the UK. Among the signatories are leading voices on health, education, children, housing, poverty, the economy and other aspects of public policy.
OPEN LETTER
Dear Prime Minister,
We are writing to collectively urge you not to go ahead with the planned £20-a-week cut to Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit at the beginning of October.
Many of us provide frontline support in communities up and down our country and see first-hand the importance of our social security system. Life is full of crises that we cannot plan for, such as job loss or illness, and periods of lower earnings or caring responsibilities. We all need the security and stability of a strong lifeline, not just during a national crisis, but every day.
Imposing what is effectively the biggest overnight cut to the basic rate of social security since World War II will pile unnecessary financial pressure on around 5.5 million families, both in and out of work.
At the start of the pandemic, the Chancellor rightly said that he was introducing the £20 increase to “strengthen the safety net” – a tacit admission that a decade of cuts and freezes had left it unfit to provide the support families need. We all strongly supported this crucial improvement in support.
We are at risk of repeating the same mistakes that were made after the last economic crisis, where our country’s recovery was too often not felt by people on the lowest incomes. The erosion of social security support was one of the main drivers of the rise in in-work and child poverty, and contributed to a soaring need for food banks, rising debt and worsening health inequalities.
We deeply regret that the Department for Work & Pensions has not published its assessment on the impact of cutting Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit. However, the latest independent analysis from the Joseph Rowntree Foundation (JRF) shows it risks plunging 500,000 people into poverty, including 200,000 children. It will take the main rate of out of work support down to its lowest levels in real terms since around 1990.
This is not a question of having to choose between a recovery based on getting people into jobs or investing in social security, in fact most families impacted by this cut to Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit are already in work. The reality of the UK labour market means that to improve living standards, we need to both improve job quality and strengthen the social security system. We also must never lose sight of the need to provide adequate support to families who are not able to work so they can meet their needs with dignity.
Six former Conservative Work & Pensions Secretaries believe previous cuts to social security spending went too far and oppose this cut, and your own Conservative MPs are warning that it will have deep and far-reaching effects in their constituencies.
Recent analysis from JRF shows that 413 parliamentary constituencies across Great Britain will see over a third of working-age families with children hit by the planned cut to Universal Credit and Working Tax Credit on 6 October 2021. Of these 413 constituencies, 191 are Conservative – 53 of which were newly won at the last general election or in a subsequent by-election.
This looming cut would fundamentally undermine the Government’s mission to level up. Citizens Advice has identified that people are one and a half times more likely to claim Universal Credit in places the Government has prioritised for levelling up investment. They also found for every £1 that could be invested from the Levelling Up Fund in England, £1.80 would be taken from these local economies if the Government presses ahead.
Furthermore, it is unacceptable that legacy benefits, such as Employment and Support Allowance, Jobseeker’s Allowance and Income Support, continue to be excluded from this crucial improvement in support, mostly impacting people who are sick, disabled or carers.
We are rapidly approaching a national crossroads which will reveal the true depth of the Government’s commitment to improving the lives of families on the lowest incomes.
We all want a social security system that supports families to escape poverty rather than pulling them deeper into it. However, this cut risks causing immense, immediate, and avoidable hardship. A strong social security system is a crucial first step to building back better. We strongly urge you to make the right decision.
Yours sincerely,
Action For Children
Advice NI
APLE Collective
The Association of Charitable Organisations
Become
Bevan Foundation
The Big Issue
Bright Blue
The British Association of Social Workers
British Psychological Society
Business in the Community
Carers UK
Caritas Social Action Network
Centre for Cities
Centrepoint
Child Poverty Action Group
Children England
Christians Against Poverty
Church Action on Poverty
Citizens Advice
Citizens Advice Scotland
Citizens UK
Communities that Work
Crisis
Disability Benefits Consortium (a network of over 100 disability organisations)
Employment Related Services Association (ERSA)
End Child Poverty Coalition
End Furniture Poverty
The Equality Trust
The Faculty of Public Health
Family Fund
Feeding Britain
The Food Foundation
Generation Rent
Gingerbread, the charity for single parent families
“A threat hanging over the whole of the hospitality industry” – Scottish Licensed Trade Association
Coronavirus vaccination certificates will be required to enter certain events and higher risk venues, such as nightclubs, music festivals and some football grounds, if Parliament backs the move in a vote planned for next week.
While Covid cases continue to rise and to avoid as little disruption to the economy as possible, the Scottish Parliament will be asked to vote on the introduction of the certification scheme which will only be implemented once all adults have had the opportunity to receive both doses of the vaccine. Children and adults that are ineligible for vaccination will be exempt.
Proof of vaccination will be required later this month to enter:
nightclubs and adult entertainment venues
unseated indoor live events, with more than 500 people in the audience
unseated outdoor live events, with more than 4,000 people in the audience
any event, of any nature, which has more than 10,000 people in attendance
There are currently no plans to introduce certification for the wider hospitality industry but this will be kept under review over the autumn and winter months.
From Friday (3 September), people will be able to download a PDF copy of their vaccination certificate, with a personalised QR code, to print off instantly or store on their mobile phone for use domestically or internationally. This is in addition to the existing paper letters that can be requested from NHS Inform and the CovidHelpline.
First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “We do not want to reimpose any of the restrictions that have been in place for much of this year as we all know how much harm they have caused to businesses, to education and to people’s general wellbeing but we must stem the rise in cases.
“In addition to measures such as free testing and the installation of CO2 monitors in schools, we believe that a limited use of vaccine certification in certain higher risk settings, could help us to keep businesses open and prevent any further restrictions as we head into autumn and winter.
“They will be for use in very limited settings and never for public services such as transport, hospitals and education. This is a significant step forward and not a decision we have taken lightly but it is in line with certification in other European countries.
“The original protective measures such as wearing a face covering, physical distancing, hand washing and isolating when necessary are still key to reducing prevalence of the virus but getting vaccinated remains the single most important step that any of us can take to keep ourselves and others safe.
“Ensuring that as many people as possible get vaccinated remains a key priority and the Scottish Government will continue to do everything we can to improve on the already high up take of the vaccine. We continue to urge anyone aged 16 and over to get vaccinated, please find your local drop-in clinic by visiting NHS Inform.”
THE announcement by the First Minister that the Scottish Government proposes to roll out vaccine certificates in nightclubs and larger event settings is a “threat hanging over the whole of the hospitality industry”, says the Scottish Licensed Trade Association (SLTA).
Colin Wilkinson, SLTA managing director, said:- “Although the suggestion is that the wider hospitality industry will not be affected should the Scottish Government agree to the introduction of ‘Covid passports’ next week, it is a most unwelcome development for the licensed trade in general.
“But a simple question is: where is the evidence that this is required for nightclubs and what is a night club? We are seeing a large spike in infection rates following the general reopening of the economy when a number of sectors fully reopened and Scottish schools have been opened for two weeks, universities and colleges are about to open, but nightclubs alone have been targeted with the possible introduction of a Covid status certification system at this time.
“And what is a night club? With a wide variety of hybrid premises in the Scottish licensed trade market, how is this defined? Many pubs, bars and hotels are larger than nightclubs and offer various entertainments. Consultation with the industry before this announcement was made would have been helpful.
“If Covid status certification is to be introduced, any system must be easy to use for both businesses and members of the public.
“We await the finer details of how this scheme will work and will strive to work with the Scottish Government to ensure that their introduction, if that is what happens, is seamless and easy for all involved.”
With COP26 just around the corner, we are happy to announce our Youth Climate Summit, ‘Let’s Talk COP26’, taking place digitally on the 4th of September from 10.00 – 15.15 BST.
This event will host a diverse variety of speakers and workshop sessions grounded in 5 key themes up for discussion on COP26’s presidential programme: nature-based solutions, adaptation and resilience, finance, energy transition, and clean road transport.
These sessions will be led by youth activists, community groups, and industry leaders from organisations such as Friends of the Earth Scotland, the Black Environmental Network, and the Loss and Damage Youth Coalition (to name just a few!).
By engaging specifically with the event of COP26 and its themes, ‘Let’s Talk COP26’ strives to unpack a political decision-making process that lacks transparency and marginalises those experiencing the climate emergency first and worst. This event will tackle the key issues being discussed at COP26 so that we can take informed and effective youth action moving forward.
This event is free and open to young people aged 18-35 in Scotland and beyond. Sign up now!
Arrivals under Afghan Relocations and Assistance Policy will be given immediate indefinite leave to remain, alongside funding for school places and healthcare
A significant cross-government effort, dubbed ‘Operation Warm Welcome’, is underway to ensure Afghans arriving in the UK receive the vital support they need to rebuild their lives, find work, pursue education and integrate into their local communities.
As part of the New Plan for Immigration, the government announced that those coming to the UK through resettlement routes would receive immediate indefinite leave to remain, and today (September 1) the Home Secretary has announced that this will apply to Afghans who worked closely with the British military and UK Government in Afghanistan, and risked their lives in doing so, meaning they can now stay in the UK without any time restrictions.
People already relocated to the UK under the Afghanistan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) will be able to apply free of charge to convert their temporary leave into indefinite leave. This will give Afghans the certainty and stability to rebuild their lives with unrestricted rights to work and the option to apply for British citizenship in the future.
To give children and young adults the best start in life the government is making at least £12 million available to prioritise additional school places so children can be enrolled as soon as possible, and to provide school transport, specialist teachers and English language support to assist with learning.
Further funding will be provided for up to 300 undergraduate and postgraduate scholarships for Afghans at UK universities and adults will also be able to access English language courses free of charge. While many will speak English through their work with the UK Government and British Forces, and as translators, language classes will ensure all their family members can fully integrate into their local communities.
Families who need support navigating the system will also have access to liaison officers who can work with local authorities to help them get set up with a GP, National Insurance number, school place, accommodation and more tailored support, as required.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “We owe an immense debt to those who worked with the Armed Forces in Afghanistan and I am determined that we give them and their families the support they need to rebuild their lives here in the UK.
“I know this will be an incredibly daunting time, but I hope they will take heart from the wave of support and generosity already expressed by the British public.”
The support for Afghan arrivals follows the largest and most complex evacuation in living memory. It includes:
£3 million of additional NHS funding so that Afghans arriving under the Afghanistan Relocations and Assistance Policy (ARAP) scheme can access healthcare and register with a GP once they leave quarantine;
all are being offered the COVID-19 vaccine and so far more than 700 arrivals under the ARAP scheme have left quarantine and received their first vaccination, with more leaving and receiving a jab each day;
£5 million funding for councils in England, Wales and Scotland to support Afghans coming to the UK via the ARAP scheme and provide a top up to help meet the costs of renting properties;
the government is already working with more than 100 councils across the UK to meet the demand for housing, with over 2,000 places already confirmed;
the Communities Secretary will convene a roundtable with council leaders from across the country in the coming days;
to harness the generosity of the British public and make sure those who want to help know where to turn we will launch an online portal to allow people to submit offers of support for people arriving from Afghanistan;
this portal is already available to submit offers of housing and work is now underway to expand this to further offers, such as job opportunities, professional skills training or donations of items like clothes or toys; and
£200 million has been committed to meet the cost of the first year of the Afghanistan Citizens’ Resettlement Scheme, which aims to welcome up to 20,000 Afghans.
Home Secretary Priti Patel said: “We owe a great deal to the brave Afghans who worked alongside us and we want to make sure they have certainty and stability to be able to thrive in the UK.
“As part of the New Plan for Immigration, I committed to providing refugees who make their home here the ability to rebuild their lives in the UK with essential support to integrate into the community, learn English, and become self-sufficient.
“By providing immediate indefinite leave to remain we are ensuring that those who have fled their homes have every opportunity to look to the future with stability and security and make a success of their new life in the UK.
Afghan Resettlement Minister Victoria Atkins said: Operation Warm Welcome is a huge effort across government to make sure that those fleeing Afghanistan are able to make a success of a new life in the UK.
“The stability of indefinite leave, the security of access to healthcare and the opportunity of education are the foundation upon which those resettled to the UK can build.”
Health and Social Care Secretary Sajid Javid said: “This support package will help Afghan evacuees start a new life in the UK and I’m proud we are providing £3 million to ensure they receive the healthcare they need.
“This includes access to prescriptions, wound care and dressings, maternity care, mental health support and screening for infectious diseases. We will also offer the protection of a COVID-19 vaccination as they settle and rebuild.”
Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab will face Westminister’s Foreign Affairs Select Committee today to answer questions over the evacuation programme.
The Scottish Parliament has launched its ‘Emerging Leaders’ programme to improve minority ethnic diversity and seniority amongst Holyrood staff.
In a dual approach, the initiative aims to develop existing minority ethnic talent within the organisation and seeks to attract future employees from a wider range of backgrounds.
While the diversity of MSPs increased at the 2021 Scottish Election, diversity monitoring within the Parliament found minority ethnic staff were under-represented in its staff group compared to the national population, along with an ethnicity pay gap.
The new scheme will help develop the leadership skills of existing staff, while a paid internship programme for 18 to 29 year olds aims to promote the Parliament’s profile as an employer for people from black and minority ethnic communities.
Scottish Parliament Presiding Officer Alison Johnstone MSP said: “We now have a Parliament of MSPs that better reflects the diversity of Scotland. It’s fundamentally important however that the talented staff who make the Scottish Parliament function also reflect the diversity of our country, and further progress must be made on that front.
“I wholeheartedly welcome the Emerging Leaders programme and the steps being taken to improve ethnic diversity at all levels of seniority within the Scottish Parliament.”
Lothian Tory MSP, Miles Briggs, has warned that NHS Lothian needs a record level of financial support to match a record number of patients waiting for treatments.
The number of patients waiting for an outpatient appointment in NHS Lothian has risen to almost 75,000 people, 74,546. This is an increase of 19,873 patients from 54,673 at the end of June 2020, an increase of 36%. The number of patients waiting for an appointment has increased from 65,855 at the end of June 2019, pre the Covid-19 pandemic. Over the last ten years, the number of patients waiting for an outpatient appointment in NHS Lothian has almost doubled, from 38,880 at the end of June 2011.
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, has repeatedly called for NHS Lothian to receive fairer funding from the Scottish Government with the health board receiving a lower percentage of funding than other health boards due to the formula used to work out allocations.
The Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Spice) found the gap between the amount NHS Lothian should receive and its actual allocation added up to a total of £365.7m, over the last 10 years.
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said:“Under this SNP Government the number of patients waiting for an outpatient appointment has almost doubled.
“Over the last decade NHS Lothian has been underfunded by SNP Ministers and it is patients in Edinburgh and the Lothian’s who are suffering.
“NHS Lothian staff have made an incredible effort over the last year and a half and patients waiting numbers are still growing.
“Significant investment will be needed to return services to even where they were five years ago and this SNP/ Green government -who is independence first and recovery second – isn’t up to the job.”
Lothian MSP Miles Briggs is supporting Scottish Conservative colleague Murdo Fraser MSPs plans to introduce a Members’ Bill to tackle fly-tipping.
Mr Briggs has highlighted the increase in fly tipping across Edinburgh and the Lothians over the last five years.
Incidents of fly tipping have become worse in Edinburgh and West Lothian in particular, with the number of fly tipping incidents in Edinburgh increasing from 7,439 in 2016 to 10,358 in 2020. In West Lothian the number of fly tipping incidents rose to from 1,404 in 2016 to 2,367 in 2020.
So far this year Edinburgh has had 7,599 incidents of fly tipping and West Lothian has had 1,795 incidents. [Figures from SPICe, see below]
Work has begun with the Scottish Parliament Non-Government Bills Unit on the new law, which would crack down on those caught fly-tipping by increasing fines and making offenders liable.
Scottish Land and Estates (SLE) have welcomed the intention to introduce a Bill to tackle the “scourge of fly-tipping”.
NFU Scotland also called for action on fly-tipping, branding it a “permanent scar on our natural environment”.
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said:“The level of fly-tipping in Edinburgh and the Lothians has got out of control, with the number of incidents on the rise, especially in Edinburgh and West Lothian.
“It is clear that something needs to be done and the low number of penalties for fly tipping shows that the current sanctions are not working.
“I fully support my colleague Murdo Fraser’s bill to crack down on fly-tipping and change the liability of cleaning up fly-tipping, to those who have committed the crime, rather than the landowner.
“SNP Ministers have let fly-tipping in Scotland get out of control, so the Scottish Conservatives are introducing legislation to make a positive difference and crack down on fly-tipping.”
This data was provided by Zero Waste Scotland on behalf of the Local Authorities.
Table 1: The number of annual flytipping incidents in City of Edinburgh, West Lothian, East Lothian and Midlothian council, 2016 to 31 July 2021
Year
City of Edinburgh
West Lothian
East Lothian
Midlothian
2016
7,439
1,404
779
505
2017
5,701
1,590
654
651
2018
8,145
1,999
500
502
2019
9,322
2,089
487
*352
2020
10,358
2,367
415
558
2021 (to 31 July)
7599
1795
275
293
*Note: In 2019, there were 2 months with limited data available in Midlothian.
Westminster’s Foreign Affairs Committee is to hold an evidence session on the UK’s evacuation of people from Afghanistan, following the Taliban’s seizure of power. MPs will have the opportunity to question Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab at the session which takes place on Wednesday (1 September) at 2.00pm.
The Taliban took control of Kabul on 15 August.
The Foreign Secretary has said that: “Afghanistan must never again be used as a base for terrorist attacks against the West or any other country.
“We will have to address the looming humanitarian crisis in the country, which would also threaten regional stability, and strive to secure a more inclusive Afghan government that can maintain stability and avoid the kind of human rights abuses that the Taliban have committed before, particularly against women.
“We will use all of the levers at our disposal, including sanctions, aid and access to the international finance system, and we are rallying our international partners around these shared priorities.”
Members of the Committee are likely to question the Foreign Secretary on issues such as:
Progress on the effort to evacuate UK nationals and others eligible for relocation;
The security, humanitarian and human rights impacts of the Taliban takeover;
The use of levers such as sanctions and aid to pressure the Taliban.
Announcing the evidence session, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee Tom Tugendhat MP, said: “The last two weeks have been tough for so many of us: anger, shame, even incredulity.
“We never thought we would see the day NATO forces, led by the US, would turn their backs on the people of Afghanistan. It is the biggest foreign policy failure since Suez and highlights once again the importance of building up networks of allies, not having a single partner.
“Many of those raw emotions have now turned to questions on the future of UK foreign policy. How will we deal with the Taliban? How will Afghanistan shape our regional strategy? How will the Government hold the Taliban to account for reverses in human rights?
“These questions, and so many others, will be put to the Foreign Secretary this week.”
Work is underway across the whole of Government to ensure the Afghans who stood side by side with us in conflict, their families and those at highest risk who have been evacuated, are supported as they now rebuild their lives in the UK.
The plans, dubbed ‘Operation Warm Welcome’, will be overseen by Victoria Atkins (pictured below) as the new Minister for Afghan Resettlement.
The support provided will be similar to the commitments in the Syrian Resettlement Programme and ensure that those who worked closely with the British military and UK Government in Afghanistan, and risked their lives in doing so, get the vital health, education, support into employment and accommodation they need to fully integrate into society.
The UK has a proud history of providing safe haven to those in need and the plans to be set out next week will also harness that generosity of spirit and the offers of support which have already flooded in from charities, businesses and the British public.
This includes the creation of a central portal where people, organisations and businesses can register their offer of support, be it volunteering, a job opportunity, professional skills to help with integration and deal with trauma or donations of items like clothes and toys. Free English language courses will also be provided in recognition that many of the dependents of former staff and Afghan translators may need this.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: “For those who have left their homes with no more than a small bag of belongings, and in fear for their lives, coming to the UK will no doubt have been a daunting experience, but also one of hope for the future.
“I am determined that we welcome them with open arms and that my Government puts in place the support they need to rebuild their lives.
“We will never forget the brave sacrifice made by Afghans who chose to work with us, at great risk to themselves. We owe them, and their families, a huge debt.”
Full details will be set out this week and build on the commitments already made.
These include £5 million for local councils to provide housing support, an offer of a vaccine for everyone on arrival and access to rapid mental well-being and trauma support.
That’s more than THREE TIMES the population of Scotland
Joint International Statement on Afghanistan safe passage
We are all committed to ensuring that our citizens, nationals and residents, employees, Afghans who have worked with us and those who are at risk can continue to travel freely to destinations outside Afghanistan.
We have received assurances from the Taliban that all foreign nationals and any Afghan citizen with travel authorization from our countries will be allowed to proceed in a safe and orderly manner to points of departure and travel outside the country.
We will continue issuing travel documentation to designated Afghans, and we have the clear expectation of and commitment from the Taliban that they can travel to our respective countries. We note the public statements of the Taliban confirming this understanding.
The statement was released initially by the governments of the United States of America, Albania, Australia, Belgium, Belize, Bulgaria, Burkina Faso, Cabo Verde, Canada, Central African Republic, Colombia, Costa Rica, Côte d’Ivoire, Croatia, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Denmark, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, El Salvador, Estonia, Eswatini, Federated States of Micronesia, Fiji, Finland, France, Gabon, Georgia, Germany, Ghana, Greece, Guinea, Guyana, Haiti, Honduras, Iceland, Ireland, Israel, Italy, Japan, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kenya, Kiribati, Kyrgyzstan, Latvia, Lebanon, Liberia, Libya, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Madagascar, Maldives, Malta, Marshall Islands, Moldova, Montenegro, Morocco, Nauru, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, North Macedonia, Norway, Palau, Papua New Guinea, Poland, Portugal, Republic of Cyprus, Republic of Korea, Republic of Kosovo, Romania, Rwanda, Secretary General of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization, Senegal, Serbia, Sierra Leone, Slovakia, Slovenia, Somalia, Spain, St. Kitts and Nevis, Sudan, Suriname, Sweden, Switzerland , The Bahamas, The Gambia, The High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Togo, Trinidad and Tobago, Turkey, Uganda, Ukraine, Union of the Comoros, United Kingdom, Vanuatu, Yemen, and Zambia.
