A consultation on replacing the UK Government’s Industrial Injuries Scheme in Scotland has been launched.
Views are sought on how the Scottish Government’s planned Employment Injury Assistance should be delivered and on the next steps for introducing this benefit.
The consultation is the first step in considering how the replacement benefit can better meet the needs of the modern workforce and be more reflective of occupational health and employment.
Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “The Industrial Injuries Scheme was introduced in 1948 and it does not account for many of the injuries and diseases common in the modern workforce.
“We know that the outdated eligibility criteria for the Industrial Injuries Scheme does not account for the injuries and illnesses that are most likely to affect people today. This is especially true for women, young people, and people from an ethnic minority group.
“We want to hear a broad range of views on the approach we should take to delivering Employment Injury Assistance, and I would encourage individuals and stakeholders to respond to our consultation.”
The consultation will run for 8 weeks and will close on 24 June 2024.
Scotland’s largest health and social care unions protested outside the Scottish Parliament on Thursday to demand the return of the ‘missing millions’ cut from the Scottish Government’s Budget for social care workers.
Information from the Scottish Trades Union Congress’ ‘Missing Millions’ campaign has shown that £38 million of ringfenced funding for maternity, paternity and sick pay for social care workers in Scotland was secretly cut from the latest Scottish Government budget.
Workers from Scotland’s three biggest social care unions, UNISON, GMB and UNITE will protest outside the Scottish Parliament to demand the return of the cash with workers accusing the Scottish Government of “betraying” social care workers.
The ‘Missing Millions’ campaign was launched last week during STUC Congress. A Freedom of Information request has shown that the £38 million cut was pulled directly from the Scottish Government’s Fair Work in Social Care terms and conditions workstream in September 2023.
Commenting, STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said: “Cutting the budget to improve the terms, pay and conditions of Scotland’s social care workers is, quite frankly, unforgiveable.
“This was a sleekit move from the Scottish Government with no transparency, no accountability and worse, no promise of restoring the funding.
“These were the front-line workers that cared for those most in need during the pandemic. Some even paid with their lives protecting the vulnerable and our communities from the virus.
“For the Scottish Government to cut the dedicated funding that would, in part, seek to implement Fair Work within the sector, with improved sick pay and conditions, is nothing short of betraying the workforce.
“We call on all those who stand alongside our social care workers to join us outside Parliament.
“We’re sending a clear message to all politicians, especially the Scottish Government, that social care workers are demanding a return of the missing millions and a quick U-turn to this ill-judged budget cut.”
Efforts to boost affordable housing supply by acquiring properties to bring into use for affordable housing and help reduce homelessness will be given an £80 million uplift over the next two years.
The funding, announced by First Minister Humza Yousaf on a visit to Hillcrest Housing Association’s Derby Street development in Dundee, will increase the Affordable Housing Supply Programme budget to nearly £600 million in 2024-2025.
Investment will help reduce the time spent in temporary accommodation, including by children, and will also accelerate discussions with COSLA in relation to the number of local authority void properties.
The First Minister, who faces a vote of confidence at Holyrood next week, said: “Housing is essential in our efforts to tackle child poverty and reduce inequality across Scotland, and it supports jobs and growth in the economy. Providing good quality, affordable housing is at the very core of what my Government is doing to make Scotland a better place.
“While there is a single person homeless in our country, it is simply not acceptable to have houses sitting empty – so I am determined that we remove the barriers, and provide the money that will enable councils to buy properties so they can become affordable homes again.
“This £80 million will build on the success of our National Acquisition Programme which I announced last year, which spent more than £60 million and delivered more than 1,000 affordable homes. This is one of a number of actions we are prioritising to help to reduce the number of households in temporary accommodation.
“We will also accelerate discussion with COSLA in relation to the number of empty council homes.”
Independence would enable Scotland to take its own decisions to address issues such as drugs and gambling, and increase cooperation with international justice partners, according to a new paper published by Justice Secretary Angela Constance.
‘Justice in an independent Scotland’, the 13th paper in the ‘Building a New Scotland’ series, sets out the Scottish Government’s intended approach for the justice system following independence, including aspects which are currently reserved to the UK Government.
It also outlines how Scotland could, through cooperation with international partners and – through European Union membership and representation on the Council of Europe, United Nations and Interpol – play a full part in addressing global issues including cross-border crime, serious organised crime and cyber-crime.
Proposals in the paper include:
restoring police and prosecutors’ access to measures like the cross-border European Arrest Warrant, which were lost following Brexit, in line with the government’s commitment to rejoin the EU as an independent country
extending the public health approach being taken to violence reduction into the currently reserved areas of drug policy reform and gambling
full incorporation of the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into Scots law to further enhance children’s rights
a framework for human rights law to protect and promote fundamental freedoms, including those in the European Convention on Human Rights (ECHR).
https://twitter.com/i/status/1783541535247651124
Ms Constance said: “Scotland’s justice system has a long and distinguished history and I am proud of the work we have done over many years to strengthen and modernise it.
“The level of recorded crime has fallen to near 50-year lows and homicides are at their lowest levels since comparable records began. We are also building a trauma-informed approach to our justice system.
“However, there is more we could do with independence. Scotland’s police and prosecutors would regain access to tools to pursue criminals across borders which were lost following Brexit, such as the Schengen Information System and the European Arrest Warrant.
“These are essential to combatting sophisticated criminal networks and helping victims get justice even where a perpetrator resides outwith Scotland.
“With the power to take our own decisions, we could also enhance and further embed our public health approach to justice issues, extending this to addiction such as drugs and gambling.
“This would enable future governments to consider measures that would better address the specific needs and circumstances of people in our communities, such as safer drug consumption facilities, raising the legal age of gambling, and strengthened firearm licensing.
“Combined with the broader economic, employment and social security powers that would come with independence – as set out throughout the Building a New Scotland series of papers – we could take a more effective approach to improving justice outcomes, reducing burdens on the justice system and further reducing the number of victims of crime.”
MSPs have backed Stage 3 of the Children (Care and Justice) Bill, enshrining in law age-appropriate care and justice for vulnerable young people across the country.
As part of wider work to embed the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) in law and to Keep the Promise, the Bill contains a series of measures to improve children’s experiences of the care and justice systems, whether victims, witnesses or children who have caused harm.
It ensures children are kept out of prison, ending the placement of under 18s in Young Offenders Institutions, with secure accommodation being the normal place of detention instead.
The Bill also provides new reforms to support victims, including providing a clearer understanding of their right to request information from the Children’s Reporter and a new single point service for victims in the hearings system.
Further measures include:
strengthened referral arrangements between courts and children’s hearings
enhancements around secure and residential care, including secure transport
improved regulation for cross-border placements, to ensure that these happen only in exceptional cases where a move is in the child’s best interests
enabling secure care to support a young person past their 18th birthday, in appropriate circumstances
Minister for Children, Young People and Keeping the Promise Natalie Don said: “Scotland is taking a big step forward in embedding UNCRC principles and Keeping the Promise by passing this Bill.
“It contains wide ranging measures to ensure age-appropriate justice is delivered, ensuring children in Scotland are kept out of prison and supporting safe, proven care-based alternatives.
“The integrated, welfare-based, Kilbrandon ethos of our children’s hearings system is something Scotland can rightly take pride in and all children – whether in need, at risk or in trouble – deserve our concern and support. This Bill will help ensure they get it. It equally provides a robust package of support for victims and their families, strengthened during Stage 2 and Stage 3 of the Bill.
“This landmark Bill is proof of the progress Scotland is making to Keep the Promise by 2030 and will be transformational for the most vulnerable children and young people in the country.”
The Promise Scotland Chief Executive Fraser McKinlay said: “The Promise Scotland is pleased that the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill has passed the final stage of parliamentary scrutiny. Effective implementation of the Bill will be critical. It must be accompanied by significant support for the workforce, along with adequate investment and resourcing.
“These important changes represent a significant step forward in Scotland’s efforts to Keep the Promise by 2030. It is clear that Scotland’s approach to care and protection must be based on early help and support alongside a more progressive, rights-based approach to youth justice that builds on the Kilbrandon principles, upholding children’s rights and increasing access to Scotland’s unique, welfare-based Children’s Hearings System.”
Children and Young People’s Centre for Justice Director Fiona Dyer said: “This is a momentous day for children in conflict with the law in Scotland.
“It marks the culmination of years of hard work and campaigning from many across the sector, including from children and young people themselves, to rightly recognise all children under 18 in the care and justice systems as children, in need of care and support.
“Nearly all children who harm have also been the victim of significant harm themselves and this Bill guarantees a compassionate, trauma-informed, and rights-respecting approach to ensure they are given the support needed to prevent future offending.”
£11 million grant funding confirmed for public sector bodies
Leisure centres, schools and university campuses will be transformed by a government fund designed to accelerate the decarbonisation of public sector properties, the Scottish Government announced yesterday.
The University of Edinburgh, Fife Council and Edinburgh Napier University are among the first seven projects to share grants for clean heating and energy efficiency improvements totalling £11 million from the £20 million Public Sector Heat Decarbonisation Fund.
The funding, to support the ambition to reach net zero by 2045, is the first time direct grant awards have been made to public sector bodies instead of loans.
A recent Scottish Government consultation on proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill asked for views on a possible requirement for all buildings owned by a Scottish public authority to move to clean heating systems by the end of 2038. There are currently around 23,000 buildings in public ownership.
Zero Carbon Buildings Minister Patrick Harvie (well, he was until this morning, anyway – Ed.) said: “Heat from our homes and buildings is responsible for around a fifth of Scotland’s overall emissions so there is no route to delivering Net Zero by 2045 without tackling this.
“Not just our homes but our schools, universities, offices, hospitals and libraries also need to improve their energy efficiency and make the move to clean heating.
“We are absolutely committed to addressing Scotland’s reliance on direct emission heating systems that produce greenhouse gas emissions when we use them, which is why we have consulted on ambitious proposals for a Heat in Buildings Bill which we intend to bring forward during the current Parliament.
“We have made clear that we want all public sector buildings to have moved to clean heat by the end of 2038. We expect the public sector to demonstrate leadership in this area and I am therefore very pleased to be able to confirm these first awards from the Fund. Further awards will be confirmed shortly.”
The funding is part of £200 million already committed to the public sector for energy efficiency and renewable heating over the next five years – part of the wider plan to spend £1.8 billion during the current parliamentary session on decarbonising Scotland’s buildings.
The University of Edinburgh will receive £2.08m to support the reduction of heat demand at its King’s Buildings campus, home to the College of Science and Engineering, including through fabric insulation and pipework insulation upgrades.
The project will also take steps towards the decarbonisation of heat supply. A heat recovery pump will recycle waste heat from one of the University’s data centres and upgrade it for use within a local district heating network.
Catherine Martin, Vice Principal Corporate Services, University of Edinburgh said: “The climate crisis is one of the greatest challenges we are facing.
“The University of Edinburgh has a clear commitment to take positive action to address our impact on the climate and ultimately reach our institutional goal of being net zero by 2040.
“We need a coordinated approach to these activities and the funding from the Scottish Government will support our efforts to generate solutions and sustainably adapt the way we operate.”
Grants have been confirmed for the following projects:
Recipient
Grant awarded
Project
University of Edinburgh
£2,079,459
King’s Buildings campus – to support the reduction of heat demand and take steps towards decarbonisation of heat
Fife Council
£2,404,911
St Andrew’s RC High School and Beacon Leisure Centre – installation of a combination of air-to-water heat pumps and water source heat pumps as the primary heat source for both, plus heat demand reductions at St Andrew’s RC High School
Scotland’s Rural College
£387,130
Barony Campus, Dumfries – retrofitting insulation including on the grade II listed Kirkmichael House
Perth & Kinross Council
£324,546
Auchtergaven Primary School, Bankfoot – upgrading the existing heating supply via the installation of two air source heat pumps and the installation of a building management system
North Lanarkshire Council
£2,345,176.00
Strathclyde Park Watersports Centre – whole building retrofit, redesign and extension as part of revelopment into Net Zero Health Hub
Edinburgh Napier University
£1,241,966.00
BE-ST A Lab – Removal of gas-based fossil fuel heating system as part of retrofit including Mechanical ventilation and heat recovery, a sustainable innovative curtain wall system, a solar PV integrated roof system and a sustainable LED ready lighting control system
Dumfries and Galloway Council
£2,500,000
Dumfries Ice Bowl – replacement of the mains gas system with a low emission water source heat pump with heat recapture technology to allow heat generated from the refrigeration system to be recovered, plus energy efficiency measures
Police are appealing for information following the serious assault of a 70-year-old man, which took place in West Granton Road.
The incident was reported to police on the evening last night (Wednesday, 24 April), having taken place around 4.10pm that afternoon.
The victim exited his black Renault Scenic and was attacked by a member of a group of six men.
Members of the public came to his assistance and he was driven to the Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh for treatment, after which police were contacted.
Detective Sergeant John Dunn said: “We are appealing for anyone who witnessed the incident, or may have been in the area on the afternoon of Wednesday, 24 April, to come forward.
“We are particularly keen to trace the man who drove the victim to the hospital, as he may be able to assist our enquiries. He is described as an Irish man, who went by the name ‘Paul’. If you are this man, or believe you know him, please get in touch.
“You can contact police on 101, quoting incident 3511 of 24 April, 2024. Alternatively, you can call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111, if you wish to remain anonymous.”
The Scottish Government’s formal co-operation agreement with the Scottish Green Party has ended, First Minister Humza Yousaf has confirmed.
Mr Yousaf met Patrick Harvie and Lorna Slater this morning and, following a meeting of the Scottish Cabinet, the First Minister informed them formally of the end of the Bute House Agreement, and their tenure as Ministers, with immediate effect.
The full text of the First Minister’s letter:
Patrick, Lorna
I am writing to confirm the decision taken by Cabinet today to bring the Bute House Agreement to an end. This decision is effective immediately.
As per the terms of the Bute House Agreement, this development also marks the end of your tenures as ministers.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for your service to the Scottish Government and for your evident commitment to improving the lives of the Scottish people. The Bute House Agreement delivered bold action on pressing social issues, including securing a better deal for tenants and action to tackle poverty and inequality. We have worked together, too, to accelerate our transition to net zero, with a focus on fair work, green jobs and more support for active travel and the launch of free bus travel for under 22s.
We can all be proud of our work together to build a greener, fairer and independent Scotland and for the role you played in working collaboratively to find solutions for the problems confronting the world today.
This spirit of co-operation and consensus-building is in keeping with the founding principles of our Scottish Parliament. Those principles will continue to guide my Government’s approach and to be innovative in the ways we serve the people of Scotland.
The cessation of the Bute House Agreement should not be a barrier to our parties continuing to work together to make progress on the policies Scotland needs to thrive; not least our shared commitment to securing independence for Scotland and to giving people the right to choose our country’s future.
Thank you once again for all you have done to deliver for the people of Scotland. I wish you well for the future.
HUMZA YOUSAF
The Greens have called the decision to end the Bute House agreement ‘an act of political cowardice’ and have accused the First Minister of weakness.
Scottish Greens co-leader Lorna Slater MSP accused the SNP of selling out future generations by walking away from the Bute House Agreement.
Confirming the end of the cooperation agreement she said: “This is an act of political cowardice by the SNP, who are selling out future generations to appease the most reactionary forces in the country.
“They have broken the bonds of trust with members of both parties who have twice chosen the co-operation agreement and climate action over chaos, culture wars and division. They have betrayed the electorate.
“And by ending the agreement in such a weak and thoroughly hopeless way, Humza Yousaf has signalled that when it comes to political cooperation, he can no longer be trusted.
“In just a few weeks’ time our own members were to have a democratic say on endorsing the co-operation agreement. We are confident they would have supported us in continuing our work for Scotland, as they have done at every turn.
“Neither they nor SNP members will have that opportunity. Instead, the most reactionary and backwards-looking forces within the First Minister’s party have forced him to do the opposite of what he himself had said was in Scotland’s best interests.
“By contrast we as co-leaders of the Scottish Greens were prepared to put our own political careers on the line with our members, to defend our achievements in government, despite enduring all that SNP backbenchers and others threw against us.
“What a pity he didn’t have the fortitude or the bravery to do the same. If they can’t stand up to members of their own party, how can anyone expect them to stand up to the UK Government at Westminster and defend the interests of Scotland?
“We want, we demand, a fairer greener Scotland. We believed the Bute House Agreement would speed up that process, only to be let down by the SNP time and time again – on council tax, on oil and gas, on 2030 and most obviously, again today.
“I appeal to those SNP members who do care about climate, trans rights, independence and our country to consider if they are in the right party for their values, or if their home should be with us as we prepare to step up our defence of the planet in opposition.
“Finally, to all those who will feel hurt and betrayed today, know this: our resolve is absolute, we will not abandon you as the SNP have, we will fight for your future with every breath we take. “
Climate campaigners have said that the end of the BHA ‘does not change the fact’ that the Scottish Government needs to get its climate plans back on track.
A Friends of the Earth Scotland spokesperson said: “The end of the Bute House Agreement does not change the fact that the First Minister must take responsibility for getting Scotland’s climate plans back on track, strengthen the desperately weak policy package offered last week and recommit to bringing down climate pollution in line with our 2030 legal targets.
“The announcement that the Scottish Government wants to scrap its critical 2030 climate target has caused huge anger and concern amongst people who, regardless of their political persuasion, clearly recognise that we need urgent action this decade.”
“The government must urgently clarify how they will deliver the vital climate legislation that will bring down pollution and improve lives through both the Circular Economy Bill and the Heat in Buildings Bill, both of which were being overseen by Green ministers.”
ALBA MSP Ash Regan commented: “48 hours ago I put a motion of no confidence in against Patrick Harvie, today the Government have agreed.
“I am glad to see the extremely unpopular politics of the Greens have been abandoned and the SNP have found a backbone.”
SNP MP Joanna Cherry has also welcomed the ‘divorce’: “If true this would be excellent news.
“The Scottish Greens have brought nothing transformative to the table on climate change that was actually viable, their science denying response to the #CassReport was disgraceful & their identity politics are toxic.
“Out with identity politics & virtue signalling, in with policies to tackle the bread & butter issues that our constituents bring up on the doorsteps.”
Scottish Labour Deputy Leader Jackie Baillie said: “The government is falling apart before our eyes.
“Humza Yousaf is too weak to hold his own government together. Three years into the Bute House Agreement the promises the SNP and Greens made have been torn to shreds.”
The Scottish Conservatives said: “The SNP-Green deal was only ever about one thing – their shared nationalist obsession.
“Humza Yousaf may have been forced to end this disastrous pact before the Greens quit but nothing will really change. He will continue to put his independence obsession above your priorities.”
Tory MSP Craig Hoy said: “The collapse of this toxic coalition is an utter humiliation for Humza Yousaf, who hailed it as ‘worth its weight in gold’ – and continued to back it to the hilt right until the end.
“It beggars belief that the Greens were invited into government in the first place.”
LATEST: At First Minister’s Questions Scottish Conservative leader Douglas Ross has announced that his party will lodge a vote of no confidence in Humza Yousaf’s government
A toolkit for people working with families with infants at risk of food insecurity is promoting cash first responses to allow them to safely, responsively and appropriately feed their babies and helping towards reducing the need for food banks.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville and Public Health Minister Jenni Minto visited Cranhill Development Trust’s Baby and Toddler group in Glasgow yesterday to see the help on offer to families with infants who may be facing financial pressure.
They met with local families attending the group to hear about the impact of cross-Government support for families in the cost of living crisis.
Social Justice Secretary @S_A_Somerville and Public Health Minister @jenni_minto visited @CranhillDT Baby and Toddler Group to hear how cash-first responses are helping ensure no baby in Scotland is left without the food they need to grow and thrive.
Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “All children have the right to the best possible health and an adequate standard of living, which includes appropriate nutrition to meet their developmental needs. These resources are aimed at ensuring that no baby in Scotland is left without the food they need to grow and thrive.
“We continue to allocate around £3 billion each year to a range of actions which help to tackle poverty and mitigate the impacts of the cost of living crisis on households.
“We will do all we can to reduce child poverty while mitigating UK Government austerity – but we could go much further if policies made at Westminster were not actively working against us.”
Climate campaigners took their anger at the Scottish Government decision to scrap its 2030 climate targets to a protest outside Bute House last night. The protest called on the First Minister and his Government ‘not to break their climate promise’.
Organisers say that scrapping these targets means a weakening of climate action, a reduction in scrutiny on Ministers and is a ‘betrayal’ of those impacted by climate breakdown.
Speakers at the rally highlighted the impact extreme weather is already having on Scottish food production, as well endangering lives in climate vulnerable countries.
Protestors are taking their message directly to the First Minister’s residence because he must take responsibility for the Scottish Government’s failure to deliver on their climate commitments.
Friends of the Earth Scotland’s Climate Campaigner Caroline Rance said: “People are rightly angry that Humza Yousaf’s Government plans to break its climate promise and slow down action in this crucial decade. Climate science is clear that we cannot allow that to happen.
“The Scottish Government’s repeated failure to act has meant not only have they missed climate targets, but they have missed tangible opportunities to improve people’s lives through providing good public transport, decent home insulation and creating good green jobs.
“The First Minister must take responsibility for this colossal climate failure because the desperately weak policy package announced last week offers no reassurance that his Ministers are serious about getting us back on track.”
Landworkers’ Alliance Scotland Policy and Campaigns Coordinator Tara Wight, who spoke at the rally, commented: “The effects of climate change are already having a devastating impact on farming in Scotland with productive fields underwater, record lamb deaths this Spring and storm Babet last year causing the most drastic loss of crop value ever recorded.
“This has a big impact on our food system, increasing the need for carbon-heavy imports and driving up the cost of food at a time when people are already struggling to make ends meet.
“Farmers and crofters urgently need support to transition their practices to improve both climate resilience and mitigation yet the Scottish Government’s policies for climate-friendly agriculture are the least ambitious in the UK, and fall far behind the EU. This lack of action on climate change and just transition is a betrayal of our farming and crofting communities.”
Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS) Coalition Manager Becky Kenton-Lake commented: “Scotland’s target to reduce emissions by 75% by 2030 was based on our fair contribution to retaining a liveable planet.
“As the First Minister himself has said, rich nations failing to deliver on climate commitments would represent “catastrophic negligence“, and the Scottish Government’s lack of sufficient climate action to date represents a major breach of trust with the people of Scotland and communities around the world who have done least to cause the crisis but whose lives and livelihoods are already being destroyed.
“The range of largely re-heated measures announced by the Scottish Government are wholly inadequate and fall very significantly short of the transformational acceleration in action needed.”
Liz Murray, Head of Scottish Campaigns at Global Justice Now said, ““We’re at the rally today to urge the First Minister and the Scottish government not to backtrack on its climate commitments.
“The First Minister has in the past spoken out about the catastrophic negligence of rich countries’ failure to act on climate change, so he should be totally ashamed of his own government’s failure to take the action needed to meet its own targets.
“And rather than pulling out all the stops to get things back on track to meet those targets, the Scottish Government is now just going to move the goalposts. This is shameful.
“Climate change knows no borders. People who have had little or nothing to do with causing the climate emergency, from communities in the global south to marginalised communities in Scotland, are suffering its serious effects.
“In a climate emergency, letting itself off the hook is the wrong thing for the Scottish Government to do, and any claims it had to global leadership on climate change now have no credibility.”
