Tag: Sarah Boyack MSP

Scottish Budget Bill passed

Further support for councils, culture sector and island ferries

An additional £223 million will be provided to local authorities to support pay awards to staff as part of the 2023-24 Scottish Budget.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney said an improving financial position enabled him to address some pressing asks. The extra money for local authorities comprises a new £100 million for non-teaching staff and the £123 million announced last week for 2023-24 to support a new pay offer for teachers which would see salaries rise by 11.5% from April.

It comes on top of the additional £570 million already included in the local government settlement and takes the total settlement to nearly £13.5 billion.

Opening the Budget Bill Stage 3 debate in the Scottish Parliament, Mr Swinney also announced a £6.6 million increase to Creative Scotland’s budget and promised to fund the revenue cost increases incurred by local authorities managing the inter-islands ferry network.

He said additional funding confirmed by the UK Government in Supplementary Estimate figures this morning had enabled him to go further in 2023-24 – but stressed that the financial position remained exceptionally challenging and would require continued prioritisation throughout the coming year.

Mr Swinney said: “I am very aware of the challenges faced as we manage our way through this cost crisis and this Budget is designed to do as much as we possibly can to assist at this most difficult moment.

“None of this is easy – this is by far the hardest Scottish Budget process that I have led – with the effects of raging inflation being felt against the impact of more than a decade of austerity and Barnett funding down 5% in real terms since 2021-22.

“I hope this additional funding will enable a swift agreement in the Scottish Joint Council pay negotiations so that relevant staff receive a pay increase as early as possible in 2023-24.  

“The Budget strengthens our social contract with every citizen of Scotland who will continue to enjoy many benefits not available throughout the UK. Delivering support for people most in need, in these difficult times, is the foundation of this Budget.

“The Budget that has been set out to Parliament enables us to invest in our public services, to ensure a strong boost to local authority funding and to ensure that we help those who need it the most.”

The Deputy First Minister’s statement to Parliament.

SARAH BOYACK ON SCOTTISH GOVT’S DECISION TO REVERSE CULTURE CUTS

The Deputy First Minister, John Swinney, announced an uplift of £6.6 million for Creative Scotland in his Scottish Budget statement on Tuesday.

John Swinney acknowledged “the calls form Claire Adamson MSP, Convener of the Parliament’s Culture and Constitution Committee to continue to sustain our investment in culture and the arts.” 

In his statement, Scotland’s Deputy First Minister said: “We had asked Creative Scotland to sustain investment next year by utilising £6.6 million from their accumulative Lottery reserves in place of a further year of additional grant funding to compensate for generally lower National Lottery income.

“I am now in a position now to require that and I will provide an uplift of £6.6 million for Creative Scotland for 2023-24 to ensure their reserve funding can supplement rather than replace grant funding.” 

The decision comes following calls from trade unions, artists, cultural organisations and campaigners to reverse the cuts.

Last week, the Scottish Trades Union Congress wrote to John Swinney and Culture Secretary Angus Robertson on behalf of the Musicians’ Union, the Scottish Artists Union, BECTU, Equity, the Writers’ Guild, Scottish Society of Playwrights and the Society of Authors, warning that cutting arts funding is “the wrong choice at the wrong time.”

Commenting, Scottish Labour’s Culture spokesperson, Sarah Boyack MSP said: “I welcome Scottish Government’s U-turn and the decision to reverse the culture cuts.

“The proposals to cut Creative Scotland’s funding should have never been put forward – they simply didn’t make sense and if implemented, would have added to the huge pressure the culture sector is facing because of the cost of living crisis and rising costs.

“Culture workers have been living with uncertainty, precarious and under-paid work for years – the current crisis has only made things worse for them.

“There is so much more that the Scottish Government should be doing now to support the sector. In my own city for example the King’s Theatre needs support now. ”

David Watt, Chief Executive, Arts & Business Scotland, said: “We warmly welcome yesterday’s announcement by the Scottish Government to reverse the proposed £6.6m reduction in Creative Scotland’s funding for 2023/24.

“Arts & Business Scotland serves as the bridge between Scotland’s cultural and business sectors, fostering innovation and cross-sector collaboration and delivering major cultural, social and economic benefits both here and internationally. The success of our nation’s cultural profile relies on this and the creative and cultural sector has an essential role to play in facilitating a thriving and innovative economy.

“Scotland’s creative and cultural sector continues to reel from the aftermath of the pandemic, from rising energy costs and from increasing inflation; so opportunities to maintain ongoing financial support are very much a step in the right direction for both the sector and for the many businesses across Scotland that collaborate with them.

“Indeed we believe the coming together of the arts, culture and business communities can bring innovation and fresh thinking to the economy. Whilst we welcome this renewed confidence in the sector, we now need to look towards a sustainable, longer term future that embrace Scotland’s creative and cultural landscape as a catalyst for social and economic, as well as cultural, change.”

Celtic Connections gears up for 30th edition

Preparations are well underway for Celtic Connections, Europe’s premier folk and roots music festival, which launches in Glasgow next week.

This year marking its 30th edition, the 18-day event kicks off on Thursday 19th January, and features some of the world’s most celebrated musical artists in genre-defying spectacles and one-off collaborations.

Organisers and contributors are full steam ahead with arrangements for what is set to be a full-scale return and celebration of the Scottish music scene’s resilience in the face of adversity.

1200 musicians will take to the stage for 300 events at more than 25 venues across the city, with shows spanning traditional folk, roots, Americana, jazz, soul and world music from Thursday 19th January – Sunday 5th February.

Donald Shaw, Creative Producer for Celtic Connections, said: “It feels remarkable that in just a matter of days the 30th edition of Celtic Connections will kick off in Glasgow, celebrating all genres of music, a variety of world cultures, and bringing communities together from across the globe.

“A huge amount of work and preparation has gone into this year’s festival; it is testament to the strength and tenacity of the Scottish music industry, which has successfully overcome an incredibly tough period.

We are so appreciative of the musicians and artists who have contributed in all manner of ways to Celtic Connections over the past three decades, and we will pay homage to them throughout the 2023 festival, as well as looking forward towards a bright and hopeful future. We look forward to seeing venues full, artists doing what they do best and the musical community thriving right across the city in a week’s time.

Among the wall-to-wall shows taking place across the start of 2023 is a show-stopping performance from  Irish six-piece contemporary ensemble NOTIFY, who celebrate their 10th anniversary at Saint Luke’s on Saturday 21st January, with special guests Caoimhe and Séamus Uí Fhlatharta. Support comes from The Canny Band, whose music fuses piano, diatonic button accordion and bodhrán.

On Wednesday 25th January, the Mackintosh Church will play host to Scottish folk singer, songwriter and ukulele player Claire Hastings and Welsh language singer, songwriter and musician Gwilym Bowen Rhys, along with Icelandic sibling trio Blood Harmony, who are making their unmissable Celtic Connections debut with their unique fusion of Nordic melancholic folk and Americana.

Elsewhere, Róisín Reimagined sees award-winning Irish singer Muireann Nic Amhlaoibh and the Irish Chamber Orchestra team up for an exciting new project that combines Muireann’s exceptional vocals with fresh orchestral arrangements of sean nós songs, breathing new life into the noble, classical music of 16th-19th century Gaelic Ireland.

The first time another national orchestra has played Celtic Connections, they will share the stage at Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on Wednesday 25th January, with Brìghde Chaimbeul, Ross Ainslie and Steven Byrnes, who will perform their new album LAS, a collaboration featuring tunes from France, Scotland, Bulgaria, Ireland alongside self-penned compositions.

On Friday 27th January, Afro Celtic Connections will see Saint Luke’s play host to Rise Kagona, the founder, lead guitarist and only remaining member of the mega-successful Zimbabwean rock band The Bhundu Boys.

Also on the bill is  Diwan, who bring an exuberant fusion of funky mbalax and Afrobeat grooves, with undercurrents of ska, rock and Senegalese soul led by charismatic Senegalese singer Samba Sene and Chief Cheb, a celebrated African philosopher, poet storyteller and music teacher.

One of the most successful contemporary folk musicians from Finland, Maija Kauhanen will be combining her expressive voice with Finnish kantele and inventive percussion on Friday 27th January. She will perform at The National Piping Centre along with acclaimed traditional trio Oakes // Bews // Thorpe, and talented accordion player and composer Andrew Waite.

On Sunday 29th January, audiences at Drygate Brewery will be able to enjoy uplifting performances from Rozi Plain and Terra Kin. London-based folk musician Rozi Plain will perform tracks from her upcoming fifth LP, Prize, which continues to display her musical growth whilst retaining the home-grown intimacy and a familial warmth she is known for.

Local musician Terra Kin will present their debut EP Too Far Gone. Combining a love for jazz, ambient and folk music with a soft soulful voice, the resulting sound defies genres and is sure to delight audiences.

Malian husband-and-wife duo Amadou Bagayoko and Mariam Doumbia will bring their rich, radiant blend of desert blues, Afro-pop, rock, disco and hip-hop to Glasgow Royal Concert Hall on Wednesday 1st February.

Since their 2004 breakthrough album Dimanche à Bamako, produced by Manu Chao, the duo have grown a passionate international following, and have regularly appeared in Damon Albarn’s Africa Express and collaborated with Johnny Marr, Flea and David Gilmour as well as fellow African greats including Toumani Diabaté and Bassekou Kouyate.

The incredible wealth and breadth of talent on display doesn’t stop there. Saint Luke’s will also showcase the talents of Hen Hoose and Man of the Minch on Saturday 4th February. Founded by Tamara Schlesinger (aka MALKA), Hen Hoose are an all-female/non-binary songwriting collective, bringing together an array of artists from across the creative industries including Karine Polwart, Emma Pollock, Jayda and Elisabeth Elektra to produce groundbreaking new music.

Man of the Minch is the stage name of Pedro Cameron, who has become one of the most exciting names at the forefront of Scottish folk music. Performing tracks from his debut album, The Tide is at the Turning, with a full live band, he blends traditional Celtic sounds with personal and profound storytelling.

Also on Saturday 4th February, The Old Fruitmarket will host Rokia Koné’s first UK live performance of her debut album Bamanan, which was named as one of the New York Times Best Albums of 2022.

One of Mali’s most beloved and dynamic artists, Rokia will share the stage with the Togo All Stars, renowned for their spectacular live performances showcasing their distinctive blend of afrofunk and voodoo rhythms from the musical heart of West Africa.

Tickets for Celtic Connections 2023 are available from www.celticconnections.com.

BOYACK: BBC Radio Scotland cuts will be a massive hit for artists, audiences and our Scottish heritage’

Commenting on the open letter sent by members of the music scene to Angus Robertson regarding the BBC Radio Scotland cuts, Scottish Labour culture spokesperson Sarah Boyack MSP said:“The arts and culture sector is collapsing. 

“These BBC Radio Scotland cuts will be a massive hit for artists, audiences and our Scottish heritage. This decision must be reversed given the perfect storm our artists and musicians are facing.

“The proposed cuts to Creative Scotland in the Scottish Government’s budget which were announced just before Christmas will also add to the huge pressures the sector is facing and are undermining the Scottish arts and culture industry putting jobs and livelihoods at risk.

“It’s difficult to avoid a “culture of doom” when the sector desperately needs urgent solutions but all we get is vague answers.

“We need urgent action to support our musicians from both the BBC and the Scottish Government.”

‘Yousaf must go’ call as thousands wait for over 12 hours in A&E in Lothian

Humza Yousaf must be sacked for ‘dangerous negligence’, Scottish Labour MSP Sarah Boyack has said, as the party revealed that the number of patients waiting over 12 hours to be seen in Accident and Emergency in Lothian has soared.

Statistics have shown that, in the year from November 2021 to October 2022, a shocking 15,936 people in NHS Lothian spent more than 12 hours in A&E waiting to be seen – despite an SNP government commitment to see 95% of patients within four hours.

This figure has spiralled in recent years, with the number of people waiting more than 12 hours now around 18 times higher than the same period in 2018/19.

With A&E services in disarray and the situation only worsening throughout the winter, Scottish Labour is warning that lives will be lost due to the SNP-created A&E crisis.

Scottish Labour MSP Sarah Boyack said: “The facts are plain for all to see – NHS Lothian’s A&E services have been plunged into a deadly freefall by Humza Yousaf’s dangerous negligence.

“Despite the efforts of hardworking staff, the number of patients spending a shocking 12 hours waiting in A&E has soared this year.

“The SNP’s mismanagement of our NHS is putting lives at risk – we urgently need a real plan to put a stop to this chaos and protect services in Lothian.”

The Scottish Conservatives are also calling for Yousaf’s sacking. A spokesperson said: “With each passing week, Humza Yousaf continues to preside over complete chaos in our A&E departments.

“His tenure as Health Secretary has been nothing short of a disaster and Nicola Sturgeon must sack him immediately.”

Number of A&E patients waiting more than 12 hours:

Year to October 2019* Year to October 2022* Change (%)Change (times higher) 
NHS Ayrshire & Arran15578038416%5
NHS Borders5629255123%52
NHS Dumfries & Galloway43392812%9
NHS Fife4105326225%263
NHS Forth Valley20628991307%14
NHS Grampian2816855918%60
NHS Greater Glasgow & Clyde19759972944%30
NHS Highland206673235%33
NHS Lanarkshire8516267636%7
NHS Lothian910159361651%18
NHS Orkney48100%2
NHS Shetland01
NHS Tayside327800%9
NHS Western Isles00
NHS Scotland3879458951083%12

* 12 month period from November to October

2,265 children stuck in temporary accommodation in Edinburgh

Scottish Labour MSP Sarah Boyack has warned that children in Edinburgh may be forced to spend Christmas in temporary accommodation.

Across Scotland, the number of children staying in temporary accommodation has soared to a shameful record high of 8,635.

This includes 2,265 children in Edinburgh – an increase of 20 per cent on the previous year and an appalling increase of 930 per cent since 2002.

Overall the length of time people have to spend in temporary accommodation has also been climbing year-on-year across Scotland, with families being hit hardest by long waits. 

In Edinburgh couples with children are now typically stuck in temporary accommodation for an average of 725 days.

Scottish Labour MSP Sarah Boyack said: “It is nothing short of a national scandal that 2,265 children in Edinburgh could be spending Christmas in temporary accommodation.

“Things are at crisis point across Scotland, after years of neglect under the SNP.

“Leaving children stranded in limbo for so long will have a devastating effect on their wellbeing, attainment and life chances.

“The SNP need to act urgently to fix this shameful dereliction of duty and make sure families in Edinburgh have the safe, secure housing they need. It is appalling that children can be stuck in temporary accommodation for nearly two years.”

ENDS

Notes 

Local Authority  Number of children in temporary accommodationAverage Days Spent in Temporary Accommodation in 2022 – Couple with Children


200220212022



Change
2021 to 2022
(%)

Change 2002 to 2022 (%)
Scotland2,3907,3858,63517%261%343
Aberdeen City158511029%633%76
Aberdeenshire706555-15%-21%84
Angus15202525%67%0
Argyll & Bute156045-25%200%196
Clackmannanshire45304550%0%64
Dumfries & Galloway506560-8%20%93
Dundee City100235215-9%115%656
East Ayrshire5404513%800%131
East Dunbartonshire658580-6%23%288
East Lothian701701806%157%614
East Renfrewshire52060200%1100%125
Edinburgh2201,8802,26520%930%725
Eilean Siar020200%126
Falkirk701601706%143%291
Fife19531539024%100%174
Glasgow City4752,2552,82525%495%359
Highland90210180-14%100%299
Inverclyde1550-100%-100%86
Midlothian10230155-33%1450%656
Moray4035350%-13%81
North Ayrshire5070757%50%141
North Lanarkshire100235230-2%130%126
Orkney15152033%33%0
Perth & Kinross15515200%0%77
Renfrewshire9555609%-37%112
Scottish Borders20405025%150%160
Shetland502015-25%-70%681
South Ayrshire909010517%17%175
South Lanarkshire17537043518%149%252
Stirling401801906%375%319
West Dunbartonshire30759020%200%243
West Lothian14025039056%179%397

Source: https://www.gov.scot/publications/homelessness-scotland-2021-22/documents/ 

Naya Koulocheri (she/her) | Research & Communications Officer

Health crisis in NHS Lothian can no longer be ignored, warns Boyack

More than 90 dentists withdrew from NHS Lothian dental list from 2021 to June 2022, a Freedom of Information request submitted by the Scottish Labour has revealed.

Sarah Boyack warns of a health crisis as waiting times for A&E and NHS dentistry continue to spiral, while delayed discharges have gone up.

Scottish Labour’s FOI request revealed that between 2021 and June 2022, 92 dentists withdrew from NHS Lothian dental list. As at beginning of June this year, out of the 163 general dental practices in Lothian, only 51 confirmed that they are accepting patients, with some accepting children only.

Since 8th May 2022 and up until 11th  December, there has been only one week during which the percentage of people seen within Scottish Government’s 4-hour target was above 70 per cent – in the week ending 11th December more than 1,756 people were stuck in A&E for more than four hours – only 63.6 per cent of those attending NHS Lothian’s emergencies were seen within 4 hours. In the same week, 353 people were stuck in A&E for more than 12 hours.

This comes as the recent monthly report on delayed discharge shows rates in NHS Lothian for October 2022 soaring to 1,644 compared to 1,420 in September 2022.

This makes NHS Lothian the second-worst performing health board in Scotland, only topped by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, with 3,848 delayed discharges in October 2022.

October recorded the highest average number of beds occupied per day due to delayed discharges in Scotland since the current guidance came into place in July 2016.

Scottish Labour MSP for Lothian Sarah Boyack said: “Another month, another set of damning statistics from NHS Lothian.

“On top of the cost of living crisis, which is taking its toll on people’s mental and physical health, we see piling pressure on our NHS, worsening patients outcomes and huge waste of public money.

“With the freezing cold, people will get sick and they will require care. That’s why we need support to GPs to allow them to respond to the rising demand and handle cases, whenever possible, at primary care level.

“These are not just figures – it is someone’s dad, friend or life partner; it’s the NHS staff who is overworked and underpaid; it’s the people who left our health service because they simply couldn’t cope.

“With a general election approaching, now is the time focus on what really matters and make a difference for millions of people.”

MSP consults on wellbeing and sustainable development bill proposal

Autumn has arrived the the Scottish Parliament with leaves changing from green to gold and the final bits of gardening being done for the year in the landscaped gardens. 18 October 2022. Pic-Andrew Cowan/Scottish Parliament

A proposal to establish a Commissioner with a remit over wellbeing and sustainable development and to strengthen duties on the public sector has been published in a proposal for a Member’s Bill by Lothian Labour MSP Sarah Boyack, and is now out to public consultation.

Boyack hopes her planned Wellbeing and Sustainable Development Bill proposal will introduce a duty for public bodies to promote these principles and establish a Commissioner for Sustainable and Wellbeing in order to address the devastating consequences of short-termism at both local and global scale.  

The Members Bill proposal comes on the back of calls for a Wellbeing and Sustainable Development (Scotland) Bill during the Scottish Parliament election by a large number of individuals and organisations. The proposal builds on the 14 recommendations for policy makers published by the Scotland’s International Development Alliance in their report Towards a Wellbeing and Sustainable Development (Scotland) Bill  and Carnegie UK’s recent Five steps to put wellbeing at the centre of policymaking in Scotland publication.

The proposed Bill seeks to place new definitions of sustainable development and wellbeing into legislation and to bring forward the Scottish equivalent to the Welsh Future Generations Commissioner.

Introducing her consultation, Sarah Boyack said, “The climate emergency demonstrates in real terms the consequences of short-termism. We are now seeing countries that did nothing to aggravate the unfolding environmental catastrophe, bearing the cost for a damage they didn’t cause.

“Future generations in Scotland and across the world will be faced with the results of the actions we take – or not – right here and now. The proposal I am launching today is neither a new nor untested idea. In Wales, the Future Generations Commissioner was established in 2015 and has already made a difference.

“The Scottish Government talks a lot about wellbeing and sustainable development, but it has repeatedly failed to define them, let alone implement them.

“I want to hear from as many people as possible so we can strengthen the legislation currently in place and ensure that Scotland is a country that takes wellbeing and sustainable development seriously both now and for future generation.”

Speaking in support of the proposal; Frances Guy, Chief Executive Officer at Scotland’s International Development Alliance said: “The Alliance is delighted to see the launch of this Members Bill consultation.

“The Bill is an opportunity for Scotland to demonstrate joined-up policymaking, linking global and domestic priorities, alongside human and environmental wellbeing and putting them at the forefront of decision making.  It’s clearer than ever before that our systems are not working for people, or for the planet.

This legislation could trigger a step change in the way decisions are made in Scotland, ensuring sustainable development and wellbeing become the main drivers of policy and practice across public life”.

The Members’ Bill is supported by Carnegie UK, a Dunfermline-based charitable foundation that advocates for putting collective wellbeing at the centre of policymaking.

Sarah Davidson, Chief Executive of Carnegie UK, said: “It is time for Scotland to up the pace on putting wellbeing at the centre of big decisions.

“That means a new commissioner to look after everyone’s interests now and in the future, backed with statutory powers. That means policies and spending-decisions which balance the needs of the economy with other social, environmental, and democratic imperatives. It means longer term thinking, after a decade of crisis management at home and abroad.

“That’s why we’re pleased to see Sarah Boyack’s Members’ Bill and would urge forward-thinking organisations and individuals to get involved in this consultation.”

To see the full proposal and to respond to the consultation please visit https://sarahboyack.com/wellbeing-and-sustainable-development-bill/

Small Business Saturday at Dovecot Studios: At Home with Knitwear

This year’s Small Business Saturday takes place on 3rd December and it is an opportunity to support and promote small businesses in Scotland.

To celebrate Scottish knitwear, Dovecot Studios has invited local designers to take over the pop-up space in-store.

Highlights include Custom Loop, an app developed by Jeni Allison which enables people to personalise knitted scarfs or baby blankets, gansey knits by Di Gilpin, machine knits by Jennifer Kent, and cashmere throws by Kinross-based Todd and Duncan.

Jeni Allison, a knitwear brand based in Edinburgh, utilises and celebrates the historic successful innovation in knitwear which Scotland is famous for by creating contemporary garments and accessories. Orders can be placed in-store and online.

The creator, Jeni Allison, said: “Whilst working for a luxury knitwear manufacturer in the Scottish Borders I saw an opportunity to develop a product which would allow customers to design their own knitwear whilst also making knitwear manufacturing more sustainable.

“Custom Loop is a web-based application which makes it easy for people to customise knitted products and for factories to make the knitted goods to order, eliminating waste from excess stock. By having an input into the design of the product customers also feel more emotional attachment to it, and hopefully keep it longer as a result. 

“Running my business through the pandemic and now during the cost of living crisis, is challenging, and a main benefit of Custom Loop is I only pay for stock which has already been purchased, making my business both more environmentally and financially sustainable. 

“It’s really important that places like Dovecot exist to introduce the work of small businesses to a larger like-minded audience, especially as social media reach is getting smaller and smaller for small businesses.”

Shoppers will find a variety of brands such as Jennifer Kent studio, which specialises in modern knitwear, accessories and interior products and the Fife-based Di Gilpin, which creates one-off pieces and special commissions desired by private clients, fashion designers, and the catwalk, with a single Di Gilpin garment requiring as long as two months to complete!

The pop-up at Dovecot will also feature Todd and Duncan, founded in 1867: a Kinross-based brand that specialises in cashmere and uses traditional methods with a modern approach. Today they are the only Scottish spinner offering cashmere yarn to fashion houses and quality manufacturers worldwide.

The pop-up coincides with Dovecot’s exhibition; KNITWEAR CHANEL to Westwood. The exhibition showcases over 150 inspirational knitwear pieces from the collection of Mark and Cleo Butterfield as well modern Scottish pieces from the Studio of Di Gilpin and La Fetiche.

Outwith the pop-up, shoppers can find gift ideas produced by Scottish makers and business, including a selection of jewellery, textiles, books, cards, homeware and Edinburgh Printmaker prints – to name a few.

From next month Dovecot will also be introducing a selection of stock produced by Garvald members –  a creative community and charity supporting adults with learning disabilities made here in Edinburgh.

The pop-up shop will remain open up until March 2023.

Sarah Boyack Scottish Labour MSP for Lothian region will be at Dovecot Studios this Saturday and she encourages people in Edinburgh to join her.

She commented: “Scotland’s culture organisations are facing ‘a perfect storm.’ Before they even got a chance to recover from the pandemic, they have been hit hard by soaring bills and the chaos of the cost of living emergency.

“The impact on individual artists and makers is unimaginable. In a hostile economic environment, most people can hardly keep afloat, let alone run a viable, small business. The pressures are huge.

“It’s fantastic that Dovecot Studios gives local brands inspired by and celebrating Scotland’s rich cultural heritage and provenance the opportunity to showcase and sell the products right here in Edinburgh.

“Small businesses will face ‘a bleak winter’ – unfortunately, there will be many people who, no matter how much they want to support local makers, they simply can’t afford to do so.  

“But if you can, Scotland has a remarkable tradition in arts and crafts – this Small Business Saturday is an excellent opportunity to support them.”

Boyack warns against ‘cliff-edge’ in housing support

Sarah Boyack has warned against a “cliff-edge” in housing support in Lothian as a report reveals the number of open housing advice cases hit its highest point on record after pandemic protections were stripped away.

“Housing Options” services provide support and advice for people facing homelessness or other housing issues. Most people who seek advice through this system will go on to make a homelessness application, with this being the outcome in 55 per cent of cases in 2021/22.

In Edinburgh, in 2021/22 the number people approaching this service fell by 2 per cent, however, the average time taken for the local authority to deliver this support rose by a shocking 179%, up to 148 days in 2021/22 from 53 days in 2020/21, making it highest increase among all local councils.

The number of open cases in Edinburgh climbed by 13 per cent to the highest point since records began in 2014/15.

The number of people in Scotland approaching the service at risk of homelessness because of termination of tenancy or mortgage due to rent arrears or default on payments soared by a staggering 53 per cent in a single year.

This sharp increase is likely the result of emergency protections introduced during the pandemic ending. Labour have called these figures a “stark warning” and urged the SNP government not to repeat its mistakes when measures introduced to manage the cost of living crisis come to an end.  

Commenting, Scottish Labour Lothians MSP Sarah Boyack  said: “This damning report lays bare how badly tenants and homeowners were abandoned after the pandemic.  

“In Edinburgh, the council is struggling to cope with rising demand, with the need for high quality, affordable housing being more pressing than ever.

“People arriving from Ukraine are also in desperate need for accommodation.

“What will happen when the current rent freeze and evictions ban draw to an end?

“No-one should lose their home because of this cost of living crisis – we need a real long-term plan to prevent homelessness, protect tenants, and help homeowners, before a second wave of homelessness hits.”

Table 4a: Number of open PREVENT1 approaches as at 31 March, in Edinburgh: 2015 to 2022

20152,555
20162,875
20173,210
20183,515
20193,880
20204,725
20216,520
20227,370
Change
2021 to 2022
%		13%

Table 6a: Reason for PREVENT1 approach: 2014-15 to 2021-22

2020-212021-22Change
20-21 to 21-22
%
All Approaches37,41240,0627%
Homelessness type reasons:

Termination of tenancy / mortgage due to rent arrears / default on payments		36155453%


Source: https://www.gov.scot/publications/housing-options-prevent1-statistics-in-scotland-2021-to-2022/documents/

National Planning Framework 4: New houses in Edinburgh cut by 4,500

The Scottish Government’s decision to reduce by 4,500 homes the number of houses to be developed in Edinburgh has been questioned by Sarah Boyack, Scottish Labour MSP for Lothian following the Ministerial Statement on National Planning Framework 4.

Ms. Boyack asked the Planning Minister, Tom Arthur, to explain why the number of houses to be developed in Edinburgh has been reduced by 4,500 homes at a time when the city is facing a long-standing deepening crisis.

The MSP for Lothian raised also issues around the capacity of GPs to cope with rising demand and asked about whether new GP and local health services will be included in planning application for the new housing being proposed across the Lothian given the challenges the region is already facing in terms of GP capacity in areas where significant new development is being planned.

The National Planning Framework (NPF) is a long-term plan for Scotland that sets out where development and infrastructure is needed.

Scotland’s fourth National Planning Framework (NPF4) will guide national and regional spatial development and set out priorities and national planning policies up until 2045.

Commenting, Sarah Boyack MSP said:  “A housing crisis affecting those on low or modest incomes, students and families looking for long term housing is unfolding not only in Edinburgh but across Scotland. The available properties are unaffordable or inaccessible for many and affordable, high-quality properties are almost non-existent.

“Reducing the number of new housing developments in Edinburgh will be catastrophic for people, the city and our local economy. 

“The SNP claim they want to build a new Scotland – but they are going into reverse.

“In Musselburgh, people are struggling to access vital GP services – with rising local population and housing developments, this is rapidly becoming a pattern we see across Scotland.

“Planning applications should be considering issues around GPs’ capacity – we can’t gamble with people’s lives.

“The Minister dodged my question, offering nothing more than empty rhetoric.”

  • The revised draft NPF4 is available here
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Sarah Boyack calls on UK Government to deliver cost of living support

Scottish Labour MSP, Sarah Boyack, has called on the Tory UK Government to get on with delivering their cost of living support package as who do not have a domestic electricity contract are still waiting for details of the support they will receive, despite payments already being made to residents with a domestic energy contract.

People without domestic electricity contracts are still waiting for confirmation that they will receive the £400 Energy Bill Support and how this will be paid to them

In a policy paper, the UK Government confirmed that the support will be provided to those who do not have a direct relationship with an electricity supplier – however, there is still no clarity about the process.

Sarah Boyack, Scottish Labour MSP for Lothian, said: “While there is revolving door for Prime Ministers and Ministers, the Tories are failing to deliver for local residents here in Edinburgh.

“Local residents who do not have a direct relationship with their energy supplier are still waiting for the clarification on how and when they will receive the £400 Energy Bill Support, as the winter weather starts to come in. 

“The cost of living emergency is already starting to bite as more and more families are having to make the choice between heating and eating.

“I have written to the Secretary of State for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy to announce details as soon as possible which will provide certainty to families.”