New protected zones come into force on 24 September
From 24 September 2024 it will be an offence to intentionally or recklessly influence, harass or prevent anyone from accessing or providing abortion services in protected zones around certain hospitals and clinics.
The Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Act 2024 comes into force and creates protected zones of 200 metres around all premises providing abortion services.
Within those zones, it will be a criminal offence to behave in ways that could influence the decisions of women and staff to access services; impede their access; or otherwise cause alarm, harassment or distress.
Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health Jenni Minto said: “I thank Gillian Mackay for all her hard work in progressing the Act and I am eternally grateful to all the women and staff who contributed to that process.
“It is unacceptable for women to face any unwanted influence, distress or alarm when accessing abortion services. In bringing the Act into force, I hope women across Scotland hear the clear message that the Scottish Government will protect their access to healthcare.
“People continue to have the right to free speech and protest in a democracy – however, no one has the right to interfere in women’s personal medical decisions. This Act makes that clear.”
Police Scotland will be responsible for enforcing Safe Access Zones. Anyone who breaks Safe Access Zone laws could be fined up to £10,000 under summary procedure or to an unlimited amount under solemn procedure. Full details of the penalties that apply for committing an offence.
Establishment of carbon budget approach to setting climate targets
Legislation to create a carbon budget approach to setting climate targets has been published.
The Climate Change (Emissions Reduction Targets) (Scotland) Bill seeks to amend the Climate Change (Scotland) Act 2009, in response to the Climate Change Committee’s (CCC) advice that Scotland’s interim emissions reduction target for 2030 was beyond what could be achieved.
Annual emissions targets are vulnerable to year-to-year fluctuations in emissions such as a particularly cold winter or unexpected events such as a global pandemic.
Based on recommendations from the CCC, the Bill therefore seeks to set a limit on the amount of greenhouse gases emitted over a five-year period, to provide a more reliable framework for emissions reduction.
Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero Gillian Martin said: “Our commitment to ending Scotland’s contribution to global emissions by 2045 at the latest, as agreed by Parliament on a cross-party basis, is unwavering.
“We are now halfway to net zero and continue to be ahead of the UK as a whole in delivering long term emissions reductions.
“However, it is crucial that our target pathway to 2045 is set at a pace and scale that is feasible and reflects the latest independent advice.
“Carbon budgets are an established model for assessment of emissions reductions used by other nations including Japan, France, and Wales.
“We will continue leading on climate action that is fair, ambitious and capable of rising to the emergency before us, and reflects our commitment to the ambition of credible emissions reduction. We are maintaining our commitment to a just transition to net zero and progressing our international work on climate change.”
‘We’re not a nice-to-have sector. We’re an essential sector‘
It all feels a bit grim (writes SCVO Chief Exec ANNA FOWLIE).
A few weeks ago, the Chancellor revealed a “black hole” in public finances across the UK and announced the end to the universal winter fuel allowance. This week the Cabinet Secretary for Finance announced significant cuts to programmes this year to enable the Scottish Government to fund public sector pay deals.
On Wednesday, John Swinney took to the lectern in the Scottish Parliament to present his first Programme for Government, having watched them being delivered from different seats across the Scottish Parliament in the previous 24 years.
I’m sure that was a novel experience for him, but I’m left with a sense of déjà vu.
There is no doubt that parts of our public sector need reform. It’s been more than 13 years since the Christie Commission said that reform must empower individuals, integrate service provision, prioritise expenditure on prevention and increase shared services. But have we seen significant shifts, or have the deckchairs just been rearranged and repainted while pointing towards little ‘pilots’ as evidence of progress?
The voluntary sector is often closest to the most vulnerable people in our society and best placed to support them, including helping them to navigate the baffling complexity of some public services.
Hundreds of organisations are rooted in communities, supporting families to help address the First Minister’s top priority of tackling child poverty. Indeed, the sector will be key to achieving all four of the First Minister’s priorities.
However, with resources increasingly being pulled into the public sector, much of the voluntary sector is resigned to getting scraps from the table.
With years of static funding, an inability to keep pace with public sector pay and constant inability to plan because of a lack of Fair Funding, it does feel like we’ve reached a crisis point.
There is no doubt Government sometimes needs to make difficult choices, but they’re avoiding the hard ones. If we are to turn the rhetoric on addressing poverty and public service reform into reality, we can’t expect current systems and structures to deliver the radical change we need, and we can’t imagine that the public sector can do it all alone.
Public sector staff deserve to be paid fairly, but the voluntary sector deserves to be treated fairly. We deserve more than warm words.
We need to channel the limited resources we have to the experts. People are the experts in their own lives – and most know what they need.
Those at the front-line know how best to support them, but we need to challenge the practice that the public sector is prioritised without truly thinking about how ‘public services’ are best delivered, and by whom.
We’re not a nice-to-have sector. We’re an essential sector.
Independent Advisers will be able to launch investigations into alleged breaches of the Ministerial Code under new powers being given to them by the First Minister.
Currently, investigations can only begin following a referral from the First Minister. Now, the Scottish Ministerial Code will be strengthened to enable independent advisers to investigate potential breaches whenever they feel it is warranted.
In a further reform, where a breach is established, advisers will be able to provide advice to the First Minister on appropriate sanctions.
The independent advisers will also be given a role in scrutinizing Ministers’ declarations of interests so they can offer advice on avoiding actual or perceived conflicts of interest.
First Minister John Swinney said: “The people of Scotland rightly expect Ministers, including myself, to be held to the highest standards.
“The 2023 Ministerial Code already set an extremely high bar in terms of standards in public life and these updates to the Scottish Ministerial Code, which are, collectively, the most significant since independent advisers were introduced in 2008, will further increase transparency and scrutiny.
“These changes, and others which will be confirmed when the new Code is published, will ensure we keep the public trust and continue to deliver for the people of Scotland.”
Culture Secretary Angus Robertson has announced a review of Creative Scotland to ensure its operations and structure are optimal to the needs of the culture sector, as part of this year’s Programme for Government.
The review, which will be the first since the public body’s establishment in 2010, will examine Creative Scotland’s remit and functions as a funding body, and how the overall impact of planned increases in levels of public funding can be maximised to support sustainability in the sector and in participation in the arts.
Full details of the review and its process will be set out to parliament in the near future, and will include seeking views from individuals and organisations from all parts of Scotland’s culture sector.
The Culture Secretary also confirmed that following a period of necessary due diligence, Creative Scotland had now received funding previously allocated to it in the 2024/25 Scottish budget, including £1.8 million for youth music, and £6.6 million that will allow its Open Fund to be re-opened.
Mr Robertson said: “Scotland’s culture is world-renowned and it remains integral to our nation and our economy. Over the past 14 years, Creative Scotland has had a significant role in supporting that role, distributing £65 million of public funding in the last year alone.
“With the sector having faced a number of new and enduring challenges since then, the time is now right for us to ensure Creative Scotland’s remit and functions remain relevant, in line with our commitments to invest at least £100 million more annually in the arts and culture by 2028-29, and to continuous improvement across all our public bodies.
“It is routine for public bodies to undergo reviews throughout their lifetime, and while that process is ongoing we are clear that we expect the organisations involved to take forward their business as usual.
“Creative Scotland is no different and they will be carrying on with their important work throughout.
“In the meantime I’m pleased to confirm release of £1.8 million to Creative Scotland for youth music, and another £6.6 million, which includes £3 million towards its Open Fund and £1 million for Screen Scotland.”
“We welcome the continued commitment to provide an additional £100m in funding for Culture and will work with the Scottish Government on the effective allocation of that funding, to the benefit of culture and creativity in Scotland.
“We also welcome today’s confirmation of £6.6m, originally committed to Creative Scotland by the Scottish Government at the start of this financial year, reinstating budget removed in the previous year.
“We continue to see unprecedented levels of demand for the Open Fund for Individuals and will process the high volume of applications we have received. With the budget now confirmed, we will work to re-open this fund.
“We are sure today’s confirmation of the release of this funding will be welcomed by the creative community of Scotland.”
A new campaign challenging people to Rethink Dementia has been launched by the Scottish Government in partnership with COSLA.
To help address the stigma around the illness, people are being encouraged to continue doing everyday activities with friends or relatives diagnosed with dementia.
Research shows that making this effort to include people in social activities can help them stay well for longer as well as alleviate symptoms such as depression, anxiety and apathy.
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Neil Gray said: “When a friend or relative is diagnosed with dementia it’s natural not to know what to do. It can be an upsetting and daunting time, but it’s important for all of us to play a supportive role in helping our friends and family.
“One of the key elements in the Rethink Dementia campaign is asking us to think differently about a dementia diagnosis. There are many practical steps we can take to help the people closest to us to lead fulfilling lives and stay well for longer.”
COSLA’s Health and Social Care Spokesperson Counsellor Paul Kelly said: “This new campaign is a clear call to us all to think differently about dementia and those with a diagnosis.
“It highlights very clearly the simple ways that we can support people with dementia to stay connected to their local communities.”
Dr Tom Russ, an NHS Consultant Old Age Psychiatrist and Researcher at The University of Edinburgh said: “Over the past 20 years I’ve engaged with hundreds of people who have been diagnosed with dementia, and often they will withdraw from social activities, which can have a negative impact on their overall wellbeing.
“For anyone with friends or relatives who have been diagnosed with dementia, it’s vital to stay in touch to help them maintain their usual social activities, or even try something new together.”
It’s time to #RethinkDementia. If a friend or relative has been diagnosed with dementia, staying in contact, including them in social activities, and doing many of the things you’ve always done, can help them stay well for longer.
Eradicating child poverty, building prosperity, improving public services and protecting the planet will be the top priorities of the Scottish Government, First Minister John Swinney has pledged.
Outlining his first Programme for Government (PfG) as First Minister, Mr Swinney set out how the Scottish Government will deliver commitments that are ‘affordable, impactful and deliverable’.
The First Minister highlighted that child poverty is his ‘first and foremost’ priority and that he will reform support for whole family services to make them ‘easy to access, well-connected and responsive to families’ needs.’
Key announcements include:
the expansion of Fairer Future Partnerships ensuring services work to help families by maximising their incomes – supporting parents back into work and improving their wellbeing
ensuring the NHS has the resources it needs, today and in the years to come, freeing up 210,000 outpatient appointments and delivering around 20,000 extra orthopaedic, ophthalmology and general surgery procedures annually in Scotland’s new National Treatment Centres
making Scotland more attractive for investment and promoting home-grown entrepreneurs and innovators
delivering faster planning decisions for renewable energy schemes, protecting the planet by speeding up the transition to net zero
The First Minister said: “This Programme for Government will ensure that the people of Scotland have every opportunity to live well, thrive, and see promise in their future.
“This year’s commitments are affordable, impactful and deliverable. Together, they reflect my optimism that out of every challenge, we gain an invaluable opportunity to adjust our course, to interrogate our priorities and to renew our partnerships.
“I have been clear about the financial limitations surrounding this Programme for Government due to UK Government spending decisions. In the face of these significant challenges, it is critical that we direct available funding towards our four priorities – eradicating child poverty, building prosperity, improving our public services and protecting the planet.”
In his statement, the First Minister added: “No child should have their opportunities, their development, their health and wellbeing, and their future curtailed by the material wealth of their family. Not ever, and certainly not, in a modern, prosperous society like Scotland.
“This is not only the moral compass of my Government, it is the greatest investment in our country’s future that we can possibly make.”
Reacting to the Programme for Government, Poverty Alliance chief executive Peter Kelly said: “It’s good that the First Minister talked about his strong commitment to ending the injustice of child poverty in our wealthy nation.
“But before today’s Programme for Government more than 100 of our members came together calling for action like boosting the Scottish Child Payment to £40 a week, affordable housing, and the delivery of stronger social security through a Minimum Income Guarantee. Many of these calls were not progressed within today’s Programme for Government.
“The First Minister was right to highlight the importance of welfare advice services that help people get the support they’re entitled to through social security. While a continued commitment to invest in the third sector is positive, the Scottish Government need to be clear as to how they will deliver long-standing promises for fair funding for the community and voluntary organisations that deliver that advice.
“He talked about affordable childcare and extra support to help people into work – but these commitments need to be matched with adequate investment. The Poverty and Inequality Commission have been clear that existing interventions are not at the scale necessary to deliver the change needed to meet our child poverty targets.
“He talked about closing the attainment gap in schools. But the latest figures show that children from poorer backgrounds are still being held back by poorer educational outcomes, so we need to hear what the Scottish Government is going to do differently.
“We welcome the fact that a Community Wealth Building Bill will be introduced into Parliament. But we need to make sure that it puts the voices of people in poverty at its heart, and starts to build new local economies that place wellbeing at their heart, and start to lessen Scotland’s unjust inequalities of wealth and power.
“We’re very disappointed that there will be no Human Rights Bill for Scotland. Poverty is a breach of people’s human rights, and we need to make sure they have the power to hold public bodies to account when their rights aren’t respected. The delay to this Bill will make it more difficult for the Scottish Government to deliver on their core mission of eradicating child poverty.
“We are a country that believes in justice and compassion. People in Scotland want our political leaders to unlock our country’s vast wealth, build better budgets that give people the means to build a better future, and to create a true wellbeing economy that supports fair work, and a just transition to the net zero future that we urgently need.”
Morgan Vine, Head of Policy and Influencing at Independent Agesaid: “In the context of tightening budgets it is vital we look for innovative ways to help the growing number of older people in poverty in Scotland.
“Now, more than ever, we need a comprehensive and coherent strategy to tackle the terrifying rate of poverty in later life. Without it, it is likely the 150,000 older people across the nation who are in financial hardship will continue to struggle to afford even a very basic quality of life.
“Poverty at any age is extremely damaging to both mental and physical wellbeing. Through our work across Scotland, we have spoken to older people affected who shared with us what the cost of living has been like. We heard from those using foodbanks, and others waiting until the cold became ‘unbearable’ before using the heating at night.
“This cannot continue. If the Scottish Government wants to make Scotland the best place in the world to grow old, it is essential they introduce a long-term strategy to address pensioner poverty. Older people on low income are facing a bleak winter, they urgently need to see action on the Scottish Government’s commitment to tackle poverty.”
Joanne Smith, NSPCC Scotland policy and public affairs officer, said: “It’s heartening to see the First Minister’s explicit focus on the early years in his Programme for Government.
“In a challenging context, we need strategic leadership and coordination to ensure that money is spent where the evidence tells us it will make the biggest difference to babies, children, families and communities.
“Eradicating child poverty and Keeping the Promise can only be delivered by making the very best support available to families in the earliest years, to prevent unnecessary suffering to children and enable them to thrive.
“Delivering the Government’s ambitious vision for children requires cultural, structural and legislative change. A critical first step must be urgent reform of the Children’s Hearing System to protect the distinct needs and rights of babies who come into the care system.
“Getting it right for our most vulnerable citizens must become Scotland’s number one investment priority.”
“We welcome the continued commitment to provide an additional £100m in funding for Culture and will work with the Scottish Government on the effective allocation of that funding, to the benefit of culture and creativity in Scotland.
“We also welcome today’s confirmation of £6.6m, originally committed to Creative Scotland by the Scottish Government at the start of this financial year, reinstating budget removed in the previous year.
“We continue to see unprecedented levels of demand for the Open Fund for Individuals and will process the high volume of applications we have received. With the budget now confirmed, we will work to re-open this fund.
“We are sure today’s confirmation of the release of this funding will be welcomed by the creative community of Scotland.”
Curbing sky rocketing A&E waiting times must be the number one priority for the Scottish government with winter just around the corner.
That is the call from The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) Scotland as A&E performance data for July represented the worst July since records began in 2011 for extended wait times in Emergency Departments.
This is double the number of people who waited this long in July last year.
The data also shows long waits have increased significantly since the 2010s.
Since July 2017, for example, the numbers of people waiting four hours or more has increased by nearly seven times (5553 to 38,379), eight hours or more by 53 times (248 to 13,146), and 12 hours or more by 279 times (20 to 5,593). This was despite attendances only increasing by 0.9% in the same period.
Delays in discharging patients is a key reason that doctors cannot admit patients into hospitals from their Emergency Departments, therefore causing long waits. In July, there were 61,165 days spent in hospital by people who were well enough to be discharged but unable to be due to a lack of social care provisions. This is equivalent to 167 years.
Dr John-Paul Loughrey, RCEM Vice President for Scotland said: “The Scottish government must take heed and put measures in place to end long wait times in our Emergency Departments.
“These staggering statistics are deeply worrying for the people of Scotland who are facing incredibly long and tiring waits despite it being summer. We have been dealing with ‘winter levels’ of pressure, which does not bode well as we start to head into the colder months. The first day of winter is just three months away, which will inevitably heap pressure on the health care system.
“Continuing to focus on diverting patients away from A&E rather than addressing the capacity problems will not avert the coming crisis. These statistics aren’t just numbers. They are people who have come to our Emergency Departments needing emergency care. They deserve better. Our health care colleagues deserve better.”
A graphical representation of the data can be found here.
The Scottish Government has accepted the findings of a multi-disciplinary team’s report on gender identity healthcare for young people.
Following the Chief Medical Officer establishing a multidisciplinary clinical team to consider, in the context of Scottish services, the recommendations of the NHS England commissioned Cass Review on gender identity services for young people; Public Health Minister Jenni Minto confirmed that the Scottish Government has accepted all the findings of the Cass Review: Implications for Scotland report, published in July, and that work is underway to implement its recommendations.
These recommendations include:
gender identity healthcare services for children and young people being provided in paediatric clinical settings
the provision of these services via a distributed network, or regional model, rather than on one site
an end to self-referral, with young people being referred to specialist services by a clinician, in common with other specialities.
In a statement to the Scottish Parliament, Ms Minto outlined work that is underway to implement the recommendations, including the publication of new National Standards for Gender identity healthcare: Adults and young people by Healthcare Improvement Scotland.
The Minister also highlighted the publication of a progress report on work to improve these services. The new standards are part of a suite of documents published today that also includes NHS Education for Scotland’s Transgender Care Knowledge and Skills Framework and an updated Gender Identity Healthcare Protocol for adult services.
Ms Minto said: “The Chief Medical Officer’s report underlines the need for development of these services with children, young people, and their families. I am determined the young people using these services, and their families, are our priority and will be at the heart of all our discussions about how this care is provided.
“There is now a breadth of work underway to take forward the recommendations of the CMO’s report which illustrates our commitment to deliver improved gender identity healthcare for young people.
“In addition, the suite of documents relating to gender identity healthcare provision published today, which were developed following extensive public consultation and targeted consultation with people with lived experience, will support clinicians and a wide range of professional bodies and help drive improvement in services.”
£500 million in savings to ease ‘enormous’ pressure on public finances
Holyrood’s Finance Secretary Shona Robison has outlined the urgent action being taken to balance the 2024-25 Scottish Budget in the face of “enormous and growing pressure on the public finances”.
Highlighting the continuing effects of Brexit, the COVID-19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine and the cost of living crisis, alongside UK Government spending decisions, Ms Robison said difficult decisions were required.
The total savings, worth up to £500 million, include:
Implementing emergency spending controls across the public sector, particularly targeting recruitment, overtime, travel and marketing
Ending the ScotRail Peak Fares pilot
Mirroring the UK Government’s policy to means test Winter Fuel Payment
Making additional savings across portfolios, including in sustainable and active travel and in health and social care
The Finance Secretary said she was also currently planning to use up to £460 million of additional ScotWind revenue to address in-year pressures in 2024-25.
Ms Robison said: “This Government has consistently warned of the significance of the financial challenge ahead.
Prolonged Westminster austerity, the economic damage of Brexit, a global pandemic, the war in Ukraine, and the cost of living crisis have all placed enormous and growing pressure on the public finances.
“In the last three years alone cumulative CPI inflation has seen prices increase by 18.9%, diminishing how far money will go for households and governments alike.
“In the face of these challenges, the Scottish Government has stepped in to support people and services where it has been needed most: on social security, health and public services. But we have done so without equivalent action from the UK Government, which has repeatedly failed to properly review the adequacy of funding settlements.
“We cannot ignore the severe financial pressures we face. We will continue to be a fiscally responsible government and balance the budget each year, as we have done every year for 17 years and as we will do again this year. But this will mean we must unfortunately take difficult decisions along the way.”
Responding to today’s statement by Scottish Government Finance Secretary Shona Robison, Poverty Alliance chief executive Peter Kelly said: “People in Scotland believe in justice and compassion. They know that we need a strong social foundation so we can look out for each other and help people build a life beyond the injustice of poverty.
“But we’re now being left with holes in the fabric of Scottish society that will likely make life even harder for people on low incomes who are already being pushed towards debt, hunger, homelessness, and destitution. That is completely unjust, irresponsible and unnecessary.
“We are a rich country, and our collective wealth has grown massively over the decades. Past generations used that wealth to plan and budget for the public good, and MSPs and Ministers must now urgently use their powers over tax and investment to build a better, fairer future for all of us – and especially those in poverty. Economic growth will not fix the holes in society, unless it comes along with increased social investment.
“We are very concerned about the effect of cuts to mental health support and adult social care. We know that people in poverty are more likely to need that support, and data shows a growing risk of poverty for disabled people.
“We are deeply disappointed that plans to expand concessionary bus travel to people in the asylum system have been scrapped, along with a return to peak fares on ScotRail. We all need the freedom to travel, but too many of us simply can’t afford the fares.
“Organisations like the STUC and IPPR Scotland have published concrete plans that show how the Scottish Government can use powers over tax to invest billions of pounds every year in our shared society.
“We can build better budgets that give people the means to build a better future, to create a true wellbeing economy that supports fair work, and a just transition to the net zero future that we urgently need.”
Reacting to the Scottish Government’s Pre-Budget Fiscal Statement, STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer:“With every cut announced by the Scottish Government today, workers and communities across Scotland will be scarred for generations to come.
“For over two years now, we’ve told the Scottish Government they had almost £3.7 billion worth of untapped revenue at their fingertips through increasing tax on the rich. They could have acted. They chose not to. We are in no doubt that brutal Tory austerity has had an undeniable impact on Scotland’s finances. But the Scottish Government must take responsibility for their own cuts. They cannot be allowed to escape scrutiny.
“Public sector workers have faced more than a decade of falling real wages, lagging far behind those in the private sector. Those workers not only have the right to demand above inflation pay rises, but, if our public services are to improve, improvements in pay are non-negotiable.
“All eyes now turn to the Chancellor but it’s a shambles that we’re awaiting some form of salvation, if any is forthcoming, from the UK Government when our government in Holyrood could have done so much more.
“The people of Scotland do not want a Scottish Government that administers cuts while annunciating the droopy mantra of ‘it wizny me’. They want politicians that choose to govern – and that means taxing the rich to invest in the services that we all rely on.”
Ms Robison also proposed that the next Scottish Budget takes place on the 4th December, subject to the agreement of FPAC and the Scottish Fiscal Commission.
