Tag: Programme for Government

King’s Speech to unlock growth and “take the brakes off Britain”


Improving living standards for working people through economic growth will be the central focus of new laws set to be unveiled by His Majesty The King today

  • King’s Speech set to unveil a raft of bills to unlock growth and improve living standards for working people 
  • Ambitious legislative agenda will drive forward delivery of the government’s first steps and missions to rebuild Britain
  • New laws deliver manifesto commitments to provide better transport, more jobs and turbocharge building of houses and infrastructure

Improving living standards for working people through economic growth will be the central focus of new laws set to be unveiled by His Majesty The King today [Wednesday 17 July].

In the first State Opening of Parliament under this government, The King’s Speech is expected to unveil over 35 bills and draft bills which will support delivery of the government’s first steps and missions to rebuild Britain. 

The package of bills will focus on growing the economy through better transport, more jobs and turbocharging building of houses and infrastructure – helping to make every part of the country better off.  

Prime Minister Keir Starmer said: “Now is the time to take the brakes off Britain. For too long people have been held back, their paths determined by where they came from – not their talents and hard work. 

“I am determined to create wealth for people up and down the country. It is the only way our country can progress, and my government is focussed on supporting that aspiration. 

“Today’s new laws will take back control and lay the foundations of real change that this country is crying out for, creating wealth in every community and making people better off – supporting their ambitions, hopes and dreams.”

Transport 

New legislation will be introduced to create a simplified rail system by bringing rail services into public ownership once their contracts expire or if operators fail to deliver on their commitments. This approach will avoid the burden falling on taxpayers to cough up for compensation to operators for taking services into public ownership. 

Transferring operations to the public sector will save the taxpayer millions of pounds currently paid out in fees to private operators each year. It will end the fragmentation of our railways, establishing a more efficient and reliable rail service for passengers – helping to get people to work on time and boosting productivity.

The government will also introduce legislation to establish a new public body, Great British Railways (GBR) which will be focused on improving services and creating better value for money for passengers.

With Great British Railways, the fares and ticketing system will see simplified fares, discounts, and ticket types. Once established, the new body will also ensure that ticketing innovations like automatic compensation, digital pay-as-you-go and digital season ticketing are rolled out across the whole network.  

The King’s Speech is also expected to feature a Better Buses Bill to deliver the government’s manifesto commitment to reform the bus system by delivering new powers for local leaders to franchise local bus services and to lift the restriction on new publicly owned bus operators. 

This will help bring an end to the postcode lottery of bus services and will give local communities throughout England the power to take back control of their bus services. It will mean local leaders can decide to introduce better bus networks, at pace, which reflect the needs of the local communities that rely on them.  

Building 

Getting Britain to build more housing and infrastructure, including through planning reform, will also be central to the Government’s plans to strengthen economic growth.

The Bill will speed up and streamline the planning process to build more homes of all tenures and accelerate the delivery of major infrastructure projects. 

By enabling democratic engagement with how, not if, homes and infrastructure are built – the major brakes on the planning system will be addressed to support sustainable growth. 

Empowering local communities 

As part of the government’s plans to empower local leaders to deliver change for their communities, the King’s Speech is also expected to unveil the English Devolution Bill. This will deliver the Government’s manifesto commitment to transfer power into local communities and recognising the vital role local leaders play in supporting growth by establishing local growth plans that bring economic benefit to communities and households across the country.

The speech will build on the first fortnight of the government’s mission of national renewal. 

From the launch of a National Wealth Fund to strengthen UK investment, to a new Mission Control tasked with turbocharging the UK to clean power by 2030, to opening the recruitment of a new Border Security Command, and the Deputy Prime Minister’s pledge to kickstart a new devolution revolution to transfer more powers out of Westminster and into the hands of local people – the Government is hitting the ground running and wasting no time in its work to change the country.

What is the King’s Speech and what does it mean for me?

All you need to know about the State Opening of Parliament

The King’s Speech is a speech written by the government and delivered by the Monarch at the State Opening of Parliament.

It marks the beginning of a new parliamentary year, or session, and is an opportunity for the government to set out its legislative agenda for the coming months.

In the speech, the government will typically set out bills which it intends to introduce to Parliament in the session ahead, as well as other policy priorities which do not require legislation.

When is the State Opening of Parliament?

The State Opening of Parliament takes place on the first day of a new parliamentary session.

Each parliamentary session begins with the State Opening of Parliament and runs for around 12 months.

Sessions are not a specified length, but there are normally five sessions in each Parliament. This means there are typically five sessions between each general election. A new parliamentary session will begin after every general election.

When a parliamentary session comes to an end the House is prorogued, which means the parliamentary year has formally ended until the next State Opening of Parliament.

What happens during the State Opening of Parliament?

The State Opening of Parliament begins with the Monarch’s procession from Buckingham Palace to Westminster.

The Monarch arrives at the Sovereign’s Entrance to Parliament and subsequently leads the Royal Procession to the chamber of the House of Lords.

A senior officer in the House of Lords known as Black Rod will then summon members of the House of Commons into the Lord’s Chamber to listen to the speech.

Before entering the Commons chamber, the door is shut in Black Rod’s face and the official will strike the door three times before it is opened. This practice dates back to the Civil War and symbolises the Commons’ independence from the monarchy.

When the Monarch leaves the chamber, a new parliamentary session begins.

Members of both the House of Commons and House of Lords will then debate the content of the speech for a number of days before the speech is voted on.

Did you know?

Traditions around the Monarch’s speech and the State Opening of Parliament can be traced back to the 16th century.

Before the Monarch arrives, the Yeomen of the Guard search the cellars of the Palace of Westminster for explosives to commemorate Guy Fawkes’s gunpowder plot of 1605.

The custom of Black Rod banging on the door of the Commons dates back to 1642, when Charles I tried to arrest five MPs, and symbolises the right of the Commons to exclude royal messengers.

The Imperial State Crown has 2,868 diamonds, 17 sapphires, 11 emeralds, 269 pearls, and 4 rubies.

June Programme for Government

Immediate focus on Scotland’s priorities

First Minister John Swinney has declared the priorities that his government will focus on as part of his vision to deliver for all of Scotland.

The Scottish Government will focus on four areas targeted to have the most immediate benefits for people in their everyday lives. They are:

  • Eradicating child poverty
  • Growing the economy
  • Tackling the climate emergency
  • Improving public services

In order for work to be prioritised immediately, the First Minister confirmed he will present his first Programme for Government before the Scottish Parliament’s summer recess.

He also committed to work with Members across the chamber to realise Scotland’s potential, in the spirit of the opening of Parliament 25 years ago.

The First Minister said: “In setting out my approach to government, I am acutely aware of the economic and fiscal realities we face.

“With that important context, today, I will outline the four priorities that will guide my government’s decisions on policy and budget; the four priorities around which I will work to secure cross-party support, for the good of the people of Scotland.

“Eradicating child poverty, growing the economy and tackling the climate emergency all link together to support my fourth key priority – to improve Scotland’s public services – not as a cost, but as a vital investment in our future health, equality and prosperity.

“I will set out how my government and my cabinet will take practical steps to deliver in these four areas of priority when I present my Programme for Government before the summer recess.

“The Programme for Government will be central to a wider range of decision-making that will happen before the summer on key issues on energy, on oil and gas, on reform of the health service and on taxation. Action will be set out on each, tackling the challenges facing Scotland today.”

The date for Programme for Government will be confirmed in due course, subject to Parliamentary timetable.

What’s in the Programme for Government?

It’s a new term at Holyrood, and a new Programme for Government – the first for the new First Minister Humza Yousaf (writes Fraser of Allander Institute’s EMMA CONGREVE).

In terms of content, however, there are not a lot of new ideas to get excited about. This isn’t necessarily a criticism – we all remember the meltdown generated by a certain “mini-budget” statement made by the UK Government about this time last year. In addition, the public finances don’t exactly have a lot of give in them at the moment.

However (and this a criticism!) there are a few big issues that have been kicked into the long grass, yet again, some of which could raise money, others that could prove critical to preventing additional spend in the future.

Here is our first glance summary of what is on offer for the next parliamentary year.

A focus on rebuilding trust with business

The First Minister’s New Deal for Business Group was mentioned several times as a way the Scottish Government plans to rebuild relationships with business after a rocky few months in the Spring.

The FM has said the PfG is “anti-poverty, pro-growth”. The data we published last week showed that the Scottish Government does have some way to go to build trust with business.

There is a specific commitment to “work with business to identify and remove regulations that are no longer required, if a good case can be made”. It will be interesting to see how this works in practice – particularly given the recent response to concerns about the short-term lets regulations.

More widely on the economy, there is a commitment to a new Green Industrial Strategy. While many may welcome a clear expression of how the Scottish Government plan to grasp the economic opportunity presented by net zero, the thought of another Government strategy document may also fill some with horror.

Childcare

Widely trailed, the expansion of childcare makes up a key plank of the commitment to reducing poverty.

However, in terms of detail, there isn’t a lot to go on. A vague commitment to phase in funded support to those two-year-olds “who will benefit the most”, developing some evidence on what might be required for future expansion for those over nine months and at primary school, and testing a new digital service for parents managing their childcare is the extent of it.

We may have to wait till the Budget until we have any more clarity on what the scale of some the spend and outcomes here could be. There appears to be no commitment to expanding the childcare entitlement to two-year-olds on the same basis currently offered to three- and four-year-olds, though we can only infer that from reading between the lines of the document.

A figure of 13,000 additional children and families accessing funded childcare is mentioned, but it’s not clear what this this relates to or what this will do to reduce poverty. Overall, these announcements are unlikely to add up to a significant impact on child poverty numbers unless they are deployed at a much larger scale.

There is also a specific funding commitment for the next budget year to increase pay in the early learning and childcare sector to £12 an hour, in line with the commitment for social care workers. Given the recent concerns from the childcare sector about the viability of their operations, it will be interesting to see if this alleviates their concerns.

What wasn’t in there

There is scant mention of the National Care Service, other than the Bill will continue (“subject to the agreement of Parliament” which sounds fairly ominous), but we had previously been promised an update “after the summer recess” on what the Government’s updated plans (and associated costings) are. The Programme for Government would have been an obvious place to provide that update, but we shall have to wait a bit longer to see

On Council Tax, there will be a ‘continuation’ of the Joint Working Group to identify further reforms to council tax (we have a few ideas) and some new levers to be handed over to local government for empty and second properties. Nothing substantive here and another year, it seems, of everyone avoiding dealing with the thorn in the side of any claims that Scotland has a progressive tax system.

Little detail on fiscal trade-offs

In May, the Deputy First Minister presented the Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS), in which outlined three pillars to achieving fiscal sustainability – spending decisions focused on critical missions, supporting economic growth and a strategic approach to tax policy – set against the backdrop of spending commitments in excess of funding by £1bn in 2024-25, rising to £1.9 billion by 2027-28.

At the time, the SFC expected a larger income tax reconciliation than has transpired, and the increased borrowing powers in the latest Fiscal Framework Agreement also help ease some of this, but we think the funding gap remains at around £600m – still a large number.

The Programme for Government adds little detail on how the Scottish Government will deal with this shortfall. There is a vague mention of “more effective targeting of existing provision and services to support those who need it most” in line with the MTFS, but no specifics on whether there will be cuts to programmes and if so, to which.

The list of public service reform activities, while welcome (who could object to cataloguing assets or trying to save public funds on estates?), is hardly transformational, and unlikely to go a long way towards addressing the funding gap.

There is also no detail on the direction of travel of the taxes the Scottish Government does control, with a tax strategy promised for May next year instead – and of course we will know more about plans for 2024-25 come Budget time, even if being clear in advance and about longer-term intentions would be more in line with the aim of being strategic in tax policymaking.

The First Minister did outline the intention to introduce a new Building Safety Levy akin to that legislated for by the UK Government for England and which will apply from next year, with the intention to make developers contribute to the cost of cladding remediation work.

But this is not part of current devolved powers, and so the Scottish Government would need to successfully negotiate that with the UK Government before even starting the lengthy process of introducing and designing a new levy. So it’s unclear when it could come into place, assuming the Scottish Government did get said powers.

As for revenues, clearly that depends on the tax rate – but that would have to be balanced against the Government’s intention to encourage further housebuilding. If it were to be levied at a similar rate to England, while it no doubt would raise welcome revenues, it would not be a major solution to the medium-term funding gap.

Looking ahead to the budget – on 14th December??

So, we’ll need to get the details on these trade-offs – and therefore the areas that will be bearing the brunt of any cuts – in the Scottish Budget itself. Given we’ve heard today that the UK Autumn Statement will be on 22nd November, the usual timing would mean the Scottish budget would be on 14th December.

We’ll have to wait for confirmation from the Scottish Government on the timing, which hopefully will come soon!

Supporting a start-up Scotland

£1.5 million to open up entrepreneurial opportunities

The first phase of a new initiative to identify and nurture new entrepreneurial talent has been launched.

Funding of up to £1.5 million will be delivered through the Pathways Pre-Start Fund this financial year to provide support, mentoring and advice services for people thinking about taking the first steps towards creating a start-up company.

It will have a particular focus on closing the gender gap and widening participation in entrepreneurship, and is the first step to developing a pre-start network to bring more people into the entrepreneurship pipeline.

This week’s Programme for Government has committed to a further £15 million of investment in Scotland’s start-up community, encouraging entrepreneurs from all walks of life to start and scale their business.

To launch the Pathways Pre-Start Fund, Wellbeing Economy & Fair Work Secretary Neil Gray visited the offices of PwC UK in Glasgow to meet with members of the Black Social Entrepreneurship Programme, run by The School for Social Entrepreneurs in collaboration with PwC.

He said: “Through the jobs they provide and problems they solve, new businesses play a fundamental role in growing our economy while creating better futures for our people and communities. That is why we must inspire more Scots to view starting a business as a viable path.

“We want to cultivate a thriving, world-leading entrepreneurial ecosystem and our Programme for Government 2023/24 sets out a very clear vision and tangible actions to help this and future generations of entrepreneurs succeed.

“There is a moral and economic duty to do more to ensure women – indeed, every under-represented group – have the support and opportunities they need to start and grow successful businesses.

“Kick-started by immediate funding this year, our Pre-Start programme will play an important role in breaking down barriers and ensuring Scotland’s start-up community continues to flourish.”    

The Programme for Government 2023/24

Pay uplift promise for both health and social care and childcare workers

Scottish Government makes £12 an hour commitment

Private and voluntary sector staff working in Adult Social Care (ASC), Children’s Services (CS) and those who deliver funded Early Learning and Childcare (ELC) will receive at least £12 an hour under a new pledge made by the First Minister.

This uplift, announced in the First Minister’s first Programme for Government, will mean an increase of more than £2,000 a year for some staff in April 2024.

The £12 minimum pay rate represents an increase of 10.1% from the £10.90 minimum rate that was introduced in April 2023 for eligible staff in ASC and ELC.

For workers in CS who previously received National Minimum Wage, this increase will represent a minimum increase in pay of 15.2% compared to April 2023.

First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “Up to 100,000 workers will benefit from this policy. They fulfil a vital role in society, and we are immensely grateful for the contribution they make.

“Pay and conditions are of great importance in the wellbeing and retention of the social care workforce, and that is why we are committing to make sure staff in these vital services are paid at least £12 per hour.

“Four out of five people who will benefit from this uplift in pay are female. Increasing pay not only helps the workforce in question, but will also help achieve our wider priorities on child poverty, fair work, and post-Covid recovery in the health and care sector.”

The Scottish Government is working with COSLA and local authorities to support the implementation of this commitment and will set out further details in the coming months, building on the current guidance that supports implementation of the real Living Wage commitment.

Public Health Scotland welcomes consultation on single-use vapes

Action to protect young people and the planet

Single use vapes could be banned in Scotland, as part of plans to protect public health and the environment.

The Programme for Government outlined a commitment to take action to reduce vaping among non-smokers and young people and to tackle the environmental impact of single-use vapes, including consulting on a proposal to ban their sale and other appropriate measures.

Research suggests that almost one in five (18%) of adolescents have tried vapes. Zero Waste Scotland estimates that up to 26 million disposable vapes were consumed and thrown away in Scotland in the last year, with 10 per cent being littered and more than half disposed of incorrectly.

With millions of vapes littered every year, there is a significant and increasing cost to local authorities through litter clear up and waste management.

Following a request of Scottish Ministers, the Circular Economy Minister and Public Health Minister will meet with counterparts in the UK Government, Welsh Government and Northern Ireland Executive to discuss the findings of recent research and potential policy responses.

In addition, action to help ensure that children, young people and non-smokers do not use these devices will also be set out in this year’s refreshed Tobacco Action Plan, which will set out our road map to 2034.

After publishing his first Programme for Government, First Minister Humza Yousaf said: “Disposable vapes are a threat to both public health and the environment.

“We know that the bright colours and sweet flavours catch the eye of children and young people in particular. The World Health Organisation has said there is evidence to suggest that young people who have never smoked but use e-cigarettes, double their chance of starting to smoke tobacco cigarettes in later life.

“Last year we consulted on restrictions on the advertising and promotion of vaping products. Any action we seek to take will build on the regulations already in place to restrict the marketing, promotion and sale of vaping products to under 18s and the findings will be used to inform the refreshed Tobacco Action Plan.

“On the environment, the evidence is undeniable – from litter on our streets, to the risk of fires in waste facilities, there are issues which demand action.

“We will be working constructively with retailers and other stakeholders to come up with solutions. While we will be asking for views on a ban, we are also keen to explore other interventions that could have a more immediate impact. 

“Of course, this is not just an issue for Scotland – these problems are being experienced all over the UK and we will soon be holding discussions on potential solutions.”

Public Health Scotland (PHS) welcomes the Scottish Government’s commitment to consult on plans to ban the sale of single use e-cigarettes (also known as vapes), following today’s Programme for Government announcement.

PHS wants to see ambition and clear action around measures that will improve human health and protect the environment. A ban on disposable vapes is one example of a measure that can benefit both people and planet.

PHS is working with the Scottish Government, academics and the third sector to better understand and address this important issue.

Dr Garth Reid, Consultant in Public Health at PHS, said: “The rise in youth vaping in Scotland is deeply concerning. E-cigarettes contain nicotine which is addictive and the long-term negative impacts of vaping are not yet clear. They can be a gateway to smoking and are not products for children.

“PHS welcomes a ban on the sale of disposable e-cigarettes as part of a comprehensive approach to tackling youth vaping and wider efforts to improve population health.”

ASH Scotland is welcoming today’s Programme for Government announcement by the First Minister, Humza Yousaf MSP, that a consultation on banning the sale of disposable e-cigarettes will be carried out by the Scottish Government.

Sheila Duffy, Chief Executive of ASH Scotland said: “We have been alarmed for some time about the upsurge of children across Scotland using disposable e-cigarettes so welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to consulting on proposals that include an outright ban on the health harming recreational vaping products.

“Young people who use e-cigarettes are three times more likely to start smoking cigarettes and only a ban would ensure the availability of single-use health-harming products that have become so popular with children are off the market as soon as possible.

“France is currently in the process of banning disposable e-cigarettes and their law could be enacted before the end of this year. Several other European countries are considering bans too so Scotland has a great opportunity to re-establish itself as a leading public health nation by prohibiting the sale or use of these products in 2024.

“Throughout the consultation period we expect the Scottish Government to ensure that interference by the tobacco industry and its vested interests, including retailers, to influence policy development is not permitted, as part of the good global health governance for which Scotland is known internationally.

“Under the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC) Article 5.3, WHO describes tobacco industry interests as ‘fundamentally and irreconcilably opposed’ to the aims of public health and, through their long record of denial and deceit, tobacco companies have shown they cannot be trusted to tell the truth about their own health harming products, and have sought to disrupt or delay health regulations designed to reduce use of tobacco and related products such as electronic nicotine and non-nicotine devices.

“By implementing a ban on the sale of disposable e-cigarettes, Scotland can start to address the exponential rise in young people vaping which is being driven by these products, safeguard public health and mitigate the environmental impacts.”

Programme for Government launched

2023-24 Programme for Government published  

Reducing poverty, delivering growth, tackling climate change and providing high-quality public services will be the Scottish Government’s top priorities for the year ahead, First Minister Humza Yousaf has pledged. 

Outlining his first Programme for Government, the First Minister described it as “unashamedly anti-poverty and pro-growth”. The package of measures aims to help build a more equal society through concerted efforts to eradicate poverty, tackle the cost of living crisis, and create opportunities for businesses and individuals.

The Programme supports the Scottish Government’s wider work in building a fair, green and growing economy, and strengthening public services.

Key commitments include: 

  • expanding access to funded childcare
  • paying social care workers in a direct care role and frontline staff providing funded early learning and childcare in the private, voluntary and independent (PVI) sector, at least £12 an hour from April 
  • speeding up renewable energy projects with a new deal for the onshore wind industry
  • delivering a new £15 million support package to unleash entrepreneurial talent 
  • expanding free school meals in primary schools

The First Minister said: ““The Scottish Government will always be on the side of the people we serve. Scotland is – certainly should be – a land of opportunity, but I know it doesn’t always feel like that to people bearing the brunt of the UK Government cost-of-living crisis, to families living in the poverty, to struggling businesses, to those who still face consequences of discrimination and inequality. I get that.

“This Programme is an opportunity to be explicit about the driving mission of this government. So let me make it abundantly clear, we are a government who will maximise every lever at our disposal to tackle the scourge of poverty in our country.

“But let me be equally clear, we also need to support economic growth. Not for its own sake but so we can tackle poverty and improve our public services. And we will be unapologetic in taking the action necessary to ensure a sustainable future for our children and planet.

“The unfortunate reality is that the Scottish Government is currently operating with one hand tied behind our back. In the last five years we have spent more than £700 million in countering the impact of UK Government welfare cuts alone.

“That’s why this government will never stop believing that decisions about Scotland should not be made by a government based in Westminster, but by the people of Scotland. In proposing the case for independence we will set out a positive vision for Scotland’s future.

“Scotland’s economy already performs better than most parts of the UK, we have world-class universities and colleges, and significant strengths and potential in many of the key economic sectors of the future. Today’s Programme for Government sets out how we will build on these strengths, to make people’s lives better.

“In the year ahead, we will support more than 300,000 children with more than £1,000 a year through the Scottish Child payment.

We will expand the availability of high quality childcare – providing funding in six early adopter local authority areas to offer increased access to childcare from nine months through to the end of primary school. And we will invest in raising the pay of childcare and social care staff.

“We will also safeguard the rights of tenants, promote payment of the living wage, and provide help for disabled people with complex needs, so that they can live independent lives.

“We will do all of this – first and foremost because it is the right thing to do. And also, as I know well from my own family history, because providing people with support and security helps them to contribute to society and to create opportunities for others. This Programme for Government shows how we will make progress towards a fairer, wealthier and greener Scotland.”

Programme for Government

SCVO: PFG IS TOO TIMID

Responding to Tuesday’s Programme for Government, Anna Fowlie, Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations’ (SCVO) Chief Executive, said:  ““The First Minister has today set out a Programme for Government (PfG) which outlines priorities for Scotland which voluntary organisations working in and for communities have welcomed.

“While the PfG recognises the contribution voluntary organisations make across different portfolios, it doesn’t move far or fast enough to address fundamental changes to the operating environment that would recognise the vital role of Scotland’s voluntary sector in delivering on government priorities. 

“Today’s PfG restates the Scottish Government’s commitment to Fairer Funding for the voluntary sector, which we welcome. The Scottish Government’s current poor grant-making practice makes the focus on improving the clarity and consistency of existing approaches very important, but we must continue to work together to support the sector to be financially sustainable. 

‘To secure the future of the invaluable work our sector delivers, we must not only address disappointing practice, but also implement the longer-term improvements that are so desperately needed. 

“We can’t forget that an on-paper commitment to Fairer Funding was made by ministers earlier this year. It is disappointing that progress on this commitment has been so slow. Today’s announcement commits to developing a plan, when urgent action is needed. Our long-term work on Fair Funding provides clear recommendations, based on the sector’s experiences, and a clear blueprint for next steps. 

“The PfG’s firm commitment to taking forward a wider review of charity law is also welcome, particularly the commitment to work alongside the sector. It is important that the review is comprehensive and independent and doesn’t shy away from fundamental issues. We need a holistic approach to regulating the voluntary sector that supports the role of modern charities. 

“With charities experiencing growing frustration at the funding relationship with Scottish Government and the impact this is having on organisations, staff, volunteers, and the services and support they offer, we had hoped for more action and urgency.

The steps outlined will move us in the right direction, albeit slowly, and we will of course work with the Scottish Government to ensure that they do so in the ways that make the biggest difference to voluntary organisations across Scotland, supporting the invaluable contribution they make to Scotland’s economy and society.” 

‘Warm words won’t stop a warming planet’

Climate campaigners have reacted to the latest Scottish Programme for Government saying that “warm words won’t stop a warming planet.”

Friends of the Earth Scotland climate and energy campaigner Caroline Rance commented, “This is an underwhelming programme for more of the same when what is needed a radical change that can speed Scotland away from the damage being wrought by fossil fuel companies.

“The First Minister talked a good game about the importance of climate action and a just transition to net zero, but warm words won’t stop a warming planet.

“The climate emergency demands scaled up action that rapidly shifts us away from fossil fuels, prioritises public transport and puts in a credible plan in place to support workers in the transition from the oil industry to good, green jobs.”

+++ SPEEDING UP OF RENEWABLES PLANNING

Rance commented: “It’s a positive step that the process for onshore renewables will be quickened up but sites must still be environmentally appropriate, and far more work is needed to ensure that local communities can benefit from developments in their area.

+++ SINGLE USE VAPES

Friends of the Earth Scotland circular economy campaigner Kim Pratt: “The evidence that single use vapes are harmful to young people and polluting our environment is overwhelming.

“Businesses have been allowed to put profit before their obligations to provide safe disposal service for these products. The quickest and surest way to end the harm caused by single use vapes is to ban them.

“While consultation on a ban is welcome, we don’t have time to change our economy one product at a time. From wasteful plastic packaging to phones that can’t be fixed, and harmful products like single use vapes, everything we own needs to become more sustainable.

“That’s why the Circular Economy Bill is so important because it must transform our economic systems so that all materials are used sustainably.”

+++  CIRCULAR ECONOMY BILL

Friends of the Earth Scotland circular economy campaigner Kim Pratt commented: “Scotland’s material use is more than twice sustainable levels. The Circular Economy Bill is an important opportunity for Scotland to change the way it uses materials by making businesses design products with less materials, encourage repair and reuse and limit harmful single use products.

“The Circular Economy Bill must be as strong as possible to create the system change that we need, including strong targets for reducing our consumption and consideration of the social impacts of material use.”

Independent Age: ‘A Missed Opportunity’

Following the First Minister’s Programme for Government, Debbie Horne, Scotland Policy and Public Affairs Manager at Independent Age said: “Today is a missed opportunity to help the 150,000 older people living in poverty across Scotland.

“Alarmingly, this figure has risen by 25% in the last decade alone, with the ongoing costs crisis squeezing the budgets of those in later life to breaking point. The First Minister should have used today’s Programme for Government to announce a strategy to tackle pensioner poverty and reverse this frightening trend.

“None of us dream of a later life where, because of the cost, we risk falls by not turning on the lights or are forced to skip meals, yet this is now a reality for 1 in 7 older people.

“With over 3 in 5 over 65s on a low income currently cutting their food spending, and almost 3 in 4 reducing their heating, they’re terrified for the winter to come.

“The Scottish Government should reconsider this glaring omission from today’s announcement and urgently announce a plan to reduce financial hardship in later life. They’ve said that tackling poverty is a key priority – older people must not be forgotten in this.” 

Programme for Government: First Minister urged to put fossil fuel phase-out at core of plan

Climate campaigners have urged the First Minister to “put action to wind down fossil fuels at the core” of his Programme for Government today. 

Campaigners point to the fact that the major environmental interventions during the first six months of the First Minister’s term have included scrapping key measures including enhanced protection of the marine environment and delaying the deposit return scheme. 

The First Minister has refused to unequivocally speak out against the controversial Rosebank oil field – the largest undeveloped field in the North Sea – and members of his cabinet criticised UK Labour announcement that they would not grant permission for new oil fields if they won the next general election. 
 


As Europe was gripped by the deadly heatwave and the Greece wildfires began, Humza Yousaf travelled to Peterhead gas-fired power station – the single biggest source of pollution in Scotland – to demand subsidy for Shell’s carbon capture scheme at Acorn Porject, a scheme which would only enable yet more drilling for oil. 

Friends of the Earth Scotland climate and energy campaigner Caroline Rance commented: “The time for timid climate politics must be over. Humza Yousaf must quickly get to grips with the climate science and the severity of the climate crisis and put action to wind down fossil fuels at the very core of his Government’s plans for coming years.   

“This deadly summer of wildfire, floods and even water shortage warnings in Scotland show that there is no more time to waste with half measures or to listen to those demanding delays to environmental progress. Ministers need to speed to the transition away from fossil fuels, reject plans for a new polluting power station at Peterhead and finally join the campaign to stop the Rosebank oil field.  

“Yousaf’s Government needs to supercharge plans that will improve lives as we move beyond fossil fuels such as delivering warm homes, prioritising public transport and putting a credible plan in place to transition workers from oil and gas to good green jobs.” 

On the Scottish Government’s Circular Economy Bill which is at Stage 1 of its legislative progress. Friends of the Earth Scotland Circular Economy Campaigner Kim Pratt said: “The forthcoming Circular Economy Bill must tackle Scotland’s resource use, which has serious and extensive environmental and social impacts internationally.

“The vast majority of Scotland’s carbon footprint comes from the products and services we buy so we need strong consumption targets to change this. This would mean policies to encourage producers to make products last for longer, ensure they are easy to reuse and repair and to shift consumption patterns away from carbon intensive goods and services.  

“The climate crisis is a global problem, so we need to take responsibility for the impact which happens outside of our borders due to our consumption of materials.” 

Programme for Government: Boost for childcare to be announced

Support with cost of living pressures

Childcare provision will be expanded to increase access for more families across Scotland, as part of a new package of measures to tackle poverty.

The First Minister will outline the proposals as part of this year’s Programme for Government, which will be focussed on reducing poverty and offering practical help and support, particularly to those families who need it most.

Further support is to be announced for frontline staff working in private, voluntary and independent (PVI) providers in the early learning and childcare sector.

The First Minister will set out details of the expansion plans in an address to Parliament today.  Speaking ahead of his statement he said: “Helping families deal with cost of living pressures is one of my key priorities, and providing further funding to expand childcare provision will help deliver that.

“Scotland already has the most generous and high quality early learning and childcare offer in the UK and the measures I am setting out today will help make it even fairer and more affordable for those who need it most.                              

“Supporting families is not only fundamentally the right thing to do, it is critical to our mission – affordable and accessible childcare supports employment and the economy, and secure and sustainable employment helps lift families out of poverty.

“This will be a Programme for Government focused on what really matters to the people of Scotland – reducing poverty, delivering growth, helping to tackle climate change, and providing high quality public services.”

The First Minister met parents who have benefitted from early learning and childcare provision at Rowantree Primary School Nursery, Dundee, on Monday. 

In 2022-23 the Scottish Government delivered on a commitment to start designing and building a system of school age childcare to help tackle child poverty through work in four ‘early adopter’ communities in Glasgow, Dundee, Clackmannanshire and Inverclyde – supported by £15 million of funding.

Seizing Scotland’s economic potential to help tackle poverty

Programme for Government will be published tomorrow

Scottish Government investment in the years ahead will be prioritised on measures that help grow Scotland’s economy, tackle poverty and deliver high quality public services, First Minister Humzah Yousaf said.

Speaking ahead of Tuesday’s publication of his first Programme for Government Humza Yousaf said that by supporting businesses and building a wellbeing economy – focused on well-paid jobs and growth – Scotland can unleash entrepreneurial talent and generate new investment that helps deliver targeted measures to lift families and communities out of poverty.

The Programme for Government will also set Scotland on a path towards tackling some of the big issues facing the country. It will ensure that responding to the climate crisis is at the heart of government, while also taking the next steps in reforming and modernising public services to help tackle the aftermath of the pandemic.

The First Minister said: “The challenges we face – including the cost of living crisis, the impacts of the UK Government’s hard Brexit, and pandemic recovery – are significant, but we have strong foundations that we can build upon, to grasp opportunities and deliver real change. 

“During these challenging times, the people of Scotland need a government that is on their side. In the coming days we will outline our measures to support businesses and communities to unleash potential and promote entrepreneurship – helping provide well-paid jobs right across Scotland, and boosting national and local economies.

“Our focus on boosting economic growth will enable us to invest more in anti-poverty measures and support our vital public services, protecting the most vulnerable in society and raising the standard of living for everyone.”

CPAG: IT’S TIME TO DELIVER

Speaking ahead of tomorrow’s Programme for Government statement from the First Minister, John Dickie, Director of the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland said: “The First Minister has been right to say that tackling child poverty must be a top priority and his leadership campaign pledge to increase the Scottish child payment to £30 in his first budget was especially welcome.

“His first Programme for Government is his opportunity to show he will deliver on that promise. With low-income families still reeling under the pressures of the cost-of-living crisis there is not a moment to lose to turn his welcome words into concrete policies.”

In a briefing circulated to all MSPs the Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) in Scotland say Scottish government policies, including the Scottish child payment, are working to reduce child poverty.

However, they point to the government’s own analysis showing that the interim child poverty target may be missed, and that the government’s current policy package is not sufficient to meet the 2030 target of less than 10% of children living in poverty by 2030.

With one in four children still locked in poverty they say the Programme for Government must now include action that will:

•    increase the Scottish child payment at the very least to £30 per week from April 2024, as committed by the First Minister in his leadership campaign (note 2). To be sure of bringing child poverty below 18% (the interim statutory child poverty target) they say a £40 Scottish child payment is needed (note 3).
•    Provide additional cash payments to families impacted by the UK government’s poverty producing two-child benefit limit and by the young parent penalty in universal credit . CPAG analysis shows the two-child limit affects over 80 000 children in Scotland and pushes up to 15 000 of them into poverty.
•    Further invest in childcare so that every parent can access the childcare they need, when they need it. 
•    Keep the manifesto commitment to increase the minimum school clothing grant in line with inflation. That would mean lifting them to at least  £150 (from £120) for primary school and £185 (from £150) for high school pupils by summer 2024.
•    Ensure that schools have sufficient resources to remove cost barriers, including to provide every child with a device and connectivity; remove costs for curriculum related trips and activities and ensure all pupils can attend ‘rite of passage’ trips.
•    Be bold in using tax powers in a progressive way to ensure sufficient resources are available to fully deliver on the actions that are needed to tackle child poverty. 

The 2023-24 Programme for Government will be published alongside the First Minister’s statement to the Scottish Parliament tomorrow (Tuesday 5 September).

This Programme for Government will build on the prospectus paper, ‘New Leadership – A Fresh Start’. This was published in April, shortly after the First Minister was appointed, and set out his three national missions: equality, opportunity and community.