Scottish Government – Page 162 – The NEN

‘Adding insult to injury’: COSLA fury over Scottish Govt interference

At a meeting in Edinburgh yesterday (Friday 27th January) Scotland’s Council Leaders expressed their extreme disappointment that the Cabinet had decided to make interventions in relation to minimum learning hours and pupil teacher ratio.

Council Leaders were clear that given the Scottish Budget for next year, there is a crisis in Local Government funding like never before and the reaction from Scottish Government so far does not reflect the crisis councils, and our communities are facing.

Council Leaders reiterated the limited options facing Local Government as a result of the Budget, now made worse by Scottish Government’s intentions around teacher numbers and the hours children spend in school.

Commenting in a joint statement COSLA Spokespeople Katie Hagmann (Resources) and Tony Buchanan (Children and Young People) said: “This is an unnecessary and unwanted attack and intervention on our democratic mandate as elected politicians in our own right. We are seeing potentially unworkable proposals foisted on us without any prior discussion or consultation with Local Government – proposals we will be seeking legal advice on.

“We believe the teacher census information, which can only ever be a single snapshot in time, does not present the whole picture. It does not reflect that the attainment gap is moving in a positive direction or that we have recruited between August- December 620 teachers permanently and a further 400+ on either a temporary or fixed term basis.

“We have already written to Scottish Government with robust evidence of the investment that councils have been making in teaching and pupil support staff. We’ve also highlighted the impact that the proposals will have across other council services, with cuts and job losses having to once again be taken from already hard pressed everyday essential service like roads, libraries, and waste.

“It is very disappointing that it has come to this, but we have been honest and upfront with Scottish Government throughout the Budget process. Our budget lobbying and in particular ‘Education SOS’ (attached) made clear the potential impacts on education services prior to the budget announcement, given the pressure of £1bn that exists for Local Government.

“This move will not stop councils from being forced to make reductions in the support we provide to children and young people. Local authorities will have to consider cutting pupil support staff, libraries, youth work and other vital services that support the attainment, health and wellbeing of children and young people.”

Scotland’s Women’s Health Champion

Professor Anna Glasier OBE has been appointed as the first Women’s Health Champion for Scotland.

She will work with partners in the NHS and across the public and third sectors to drive forward actions in the Women’s Health Plan. Priorities include specialist menopause services, menstrual health with a focus on endometriosis and polycystic ovarian syndrome, and heart health.

Prof Glasier has had a long and distinguished career in women’s reproductive health, demonstrating a passion for improving women’s health outcomes across Scotland and beyond.

Her appointment coincides with the publication of the first Women’s Health Plan report which details the progress made so far on raising awareness around women’s health, improving access to health care and reducing inequalities in health outcomes for women and girls.

Minister for Public Health, Maree Todd said: “I am very pleased to welcome Prof Glasier to the role of Women’s Health Champion.

“Her appointment is an important step forward in our work to reduce the unacceptable health inequalities that women continue to face. She has a wealth of knowledge and a passion for women’s health and will bring huge value to the role.”

Prof Glasier said: “I am honoured to have been invited to champion women’s health in Scotland.

“Scotland has a long tradition of being courageous in its approach to women’s health and the ambitious Women’s Health Plan is no exception, recognising as it does the inequalities which affect women in many areas of health. I am eagerly looking forward to starting in the role and supporting progress with the medium and longer term actions set out in the plan.”

Women’s Health Plan : A Report on Progress – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)

Independent Advocacy Service celebrates one year anniversary

A free independent advocacy service to support disabled people to access Scottish Government benefits has marked its first year in operation.

The Scottish Government is investing more than £20 million to deliver this service over the course of four years. This independent service is available to people with a disability who may need extra support. This could include people with a sensory disability, mental health condition or learning disability. The service is also available to parents or carers who need support to access benefits for a child.

The service, which was introduced in January 2022, enables disabled people to be more involved in the processes and decisions which affect them and advocates will provide the most appropriate form of support to each individual based on their circumstances.

Minister for Social Security Ben Macpherson said: “I am delighted that, in its first year, the Independent Advocacy Service has supported over 550 people applying for Scottish Government social security benefits.

“The service is a key part of our human rights approach to social security and how the values of dignity, fairness and respect in our social security system work in practice.

“The service helping disabled people to access the financial support they are entitled to, and is delivering on our commitment to make our system as inclusive as possible.

“With the Scottish Government’s commitment to invest more than £20 million in it, the advocacy service will be able to assist even more disabled people access the help they are entitled to over the coming years.”

CEO of VoiceAbility, Jonathan Senker said: “Over our first year of delivering the Independent Advocacy Service, people tell me that it enabled them to apply for social security benefits when before they felt daunted by the process. They say that advocates supported them to express themselves openly, when previously they felt obliged to ‘put on a brave face’ or underplay their needs.

“It’s vital that people can access the benefits to which they are entitled. I am proud of VoiceAbility’s skilled team of advocates, who are ready and available to support disabled people across Scotland. I encourage anyone who thinks an advocate could help them to access benefits to contact us. We’re here on the phone, online and in-person to make sure you’re heard when it matters.”

The independent service was introduced in January 2022, ahead of a pilot for Adult Disability Payment – which replaces Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in Scotland. Adult Disability Payment was introduced across Scotland in August 2022.

Did you know you can get free, independent support to access Social Security Scotland benefits if you’re disabled? If you’re based in or near Edinburgh, come and chat to Alex at one of our drop-ins:

Alternating Mondays, 1-3pm: Edinburgh Food Project, Pilton food bank at St Margaret Mary, Boswall Pkwy, EH5 2JQ – from 16 January

Every Wednesday, 10am-2pm: The Salvation Army, 36 Wardieburn Drive, EH5 1BZ

Every 1st and 3rd Thursday of the month, 1-3pm: Edinburgh Food Project, Broughton food bank at Broughton St Mary’s Parish Church, Bellevue Crescent, EH3 6NE

Every 2nd and 4th Thursday of the month, 9.30am-1pm: Citizens Advice Bureaux at 23 Dalmeny Street, EH6 8PG – from 12 January

Every 1st and 3rd Friday of the month, 11am-1pm: Craigmillar Library at 101 Niddrie Mains Road, EH16 4DS

‘There is more to care than caring’

Scottish Government campaign aims to help fill vacant posts

A marketing campaign to support the recruitment of more adult social care workers has launched To help address the high level of vacancies in the sector.

The campaign – titled ‘there is more to care than caring’ – will raise awareness of the career opportunities available in adult social care and encourage people to apply. Activity includes radio, outdoor and digital advertising, highlighting the important work done by adult social care workers.

It is part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to attract more people to work in adult social care, retain existing staff and raise its status as a profession. This builds on a pay uplift for all adult social care staff which guarantees them a minimum of at least £10.90 an hour from this April.

Social Care Minister Kevin Stewart visited Leuchie House in North Berwick yesterday to see the work it does to support people affected by stroke, multiple sclerosis and neurological conditions.

Mr Stewart said: “Working in adult social care can be challenging but offers the opportunity to have a hugely positive impact on people’s lives on a daily basis.

“We are increasing pay, improving terms and conditions in the sector, and developing clear career pathways for the workforce, ahead of the introduction of the National Care Service. This will lead to more rewarding roles for the existing adult social care workforce, and for new entrants to the profession.

“This campaign highlights that while relevant experience can help, it is core interpersonal skills such as communication, compassion, empathy and respect that are most highly valued. If these are skills you possess then adult social care could be the career for you.”

ASC-Website-Guide-4-1 Download

Institute for Fiscal Studies: Scottish Government faces major medium- and long-term budget challenges

New analysis by IFS researchers shows the stark funding challenges facing the Scottish Government, and the public services it is responsible for, over the next five years and beyond.

In the next two financial years, the budget for day-to-day non-benefit spending looks very tight:

After taking account of in-year funding top-ups this financial year, which under current plans will not be available in 2023–24, funding will fall by 1.6% in real terms in 2023–24 compared with this year. Even after adjusting for major one-off costs this year, such as council tax rebates, the reduction will still be 0.8%.
Official projections imply that funding will fall by a further 1.6% in real terms in 2024–25, and then grow only modestly over the next three years. This means that funding is set to be almost 2% lower in 2027–28 than in 2022–23.

Such cuts would imply difficult trade-offs for the Scottish Government. Increasing spending on health to meet rising costs and demand, and boosting spending on net zero policies could require cuts of around 13% to other public service spending between 2023 and 2027.

These are among the key findings of two pre-released chapters from the inaugural IFS Scottish Budget Report, focusing on the Scottish Government’s funding outlook and devolved income tax revenue performance. Other key findings include:

Medium-term outlook

The baseline projections above rely on Scottish Fiscal Commission (SFC) forecasts of a significant improvement in income tax revenues. This largely reflects faster expected growth in Scotland’s underlying income tax base relative to the rest of the UK, rather than the effects of tax rises announced in the Scottish Budget last month. If this faster growth doesn’t materialise, then the Scottish Government’s choices would be harder still, with funding for non-benefits spending in 2027–28 still 5% below 2022–23 levels.
The faster growth in Scotland’s tax base forecast for the next few years follows a period during which the tax base has grown more slowly than in the rest of the UK. Because of this, SFC forecasts imply that even by 2026–27, almost one-third of the yield from Scotland’s higher income tax rates will be offset by slower tax base growth since the devolution of income tax in 2016–17. This would still be a substantial improvement from this financial year though, for which the SFC estimates that revenues from Scotland’s income tax policy changes since devolution will be more than fully offset by slower underlying growth in the tax base.

Long-term outlook

While the Barnett formula used by the UK government to allocate funding is often thought to benefit Scotland, in the long term it is likely to lead to relatively smaller increases in funding for Scotland than for England. The speed of this ‘Barnett squeeze’ depends on the rate of growth in spending in England (both real-terms growth and that which merely offsets inflation), and the rate of population growth in Scotland relative to England.
Using long-term projections for inflation and GDP growth from the Office for Budget Responsibility, assuming public spending is held constant as a share of GDP, and taking into account population projections from the Office for National Statistics, we project Scottish Government funding per person would increase by an average of 1.2% per year in real terms over the 30 years between 2027–28 and 2057–58. This compares to an average of 1.4% in England over the same period. Under this scenario, spending per person in Scotland would fall from 124% of English levels in 2027–28, to 121% in 2032–33, and to 115% in 2057–58.
Faster real-terms spending growth in England to meet the rising costs of health and social care (which are expected to grow faster than GDP) would result in bigger absolute increases in funding for the Scottish Government, making it easier for it to meet these costs in Scotland. However, it would increase the Barnett squeeze on funding levels relative to England – making it harder for the Scottish Government to maintain enhanced levels of service provision over and above those in England.

Bee Boileau, a research economist at the IFS and an author of the report said: “Additional funding from the UK government and a forecast boost to devolved tax revenues mean the outlook for funding has improved a little since last May’s Resource Spending Review.

“But the picture is far from rosy. Official projections imply that funding for non-benefit spending is set to fall over the next two years and then grow only slowly over the following three years. Indeed, it would still be close to 2% below 2022–23 levels in 2027–28. And that assumes a significant improvement in the performance of Scotland’s devolved income tax revenues – without that, this funding would be close to 5% lower than this year in 2027–28.

If either of these scenarios were borne out, the Scottish Government would likely need to make significant cuts to a range of public services. Further big increases in devolved tax rates would be one way to avoid such cuts.

“The Scottish Government will instead be hoping for additional funding from the UK government – which may not be in vain as the UK government would also need to make cuts to many services if it sticks to the plans for spending it has pencilled in.’

David Phillips, an associate director at the IFS, and another author of the report said: ‘The Scottish Government’s long-term funding outlook beyond 2027–28 will also be determined, to a large extent, by UK government spending decisions via the Barnett formula.

“This formula is often seen to benefit the Scottish Government, by providing it with a much higher level of funding per person than is available for comparable services in England.

But this is a misunderstanding of the nature of the formula and its purpose. Because it provides the Scottish Government with a population-based share of funding changes planned for England, and Scotland starts with a higher-than-population share of funding, it delivers a smaller percentage increase in funding for Scotland than England.

This so-called Barnett squeeze will make it more difficult for the Scottish Government to meet rising costs and the demands on public services associated with an ageing population, and to maintain enhanced service provision relative to England, such as free personal care and free university education, in the longer term.”

The-overall-funding-outlook-The-Institute-for-Fiscal-Studies Download

Help with council tax bills

Minister urges people to check eligibility for support

People struggling to pay their council tax during the cost of living crisis are being encouraged to check if they are eligible for money off their bill.

The Council Tax Reduction (CTR) scheme is unique to Scotland and helps people on low incomes save an average of £750 a year on their council tax bill. Those eligible can also save up to 35% on their water and waste charges.

The latest figures published by the Scottish Government show 455,220 recipients received CTR in November 2022, meaning around one-in-five households were benefitting from the scheme.

Public Finance Minister Tom Arthur visited Citizens Advice and Rights Fife yesterday to meet staff advising people on dealing with the cost of living crisis. He said: “We know that this cost of living crisis is hammering people on lower incomes and those already living in poverty. It is vital that people know where to go to get advice and support.

“The Council Tax Reduction scheme will celebrate its tenth anniversary in April and Scottish households have saved more than £3 billion on their council tax since it was introduced. The support it provides has never been more important and I urge people to check whether they are eligible.

“Information can be obtained from your local Citizens Advice Bureau – like the excellent facility I visited in Glenrothes today – local councils and the Money Talk Team service promoted by the Scottish Government, as well as online.”

Chief Executive Officer of Citizens Advice and Rights Fife, David Redpath, said: “We are experiencing unprecedented demand for advice on how to maximise incomes to the cost of living crisis.

“Council Tax Reduction plays a key role in making budgets stretch further and we encourage people to check if they are eligible for a reduction, discount or even an exemption from paying council tax.

“Citizens Advice and Rights Fife is here to help people find ways to ease the cost of living whether that is council tax or any other daily living costs.”

Quarterly Housing Statistics published

New housebuilding

There were 21,825 all-sector new build homes completed in Scotland in the year to end June 2022, according to quarterly statistics on housebuilding and affordable housing supply published today by Scotland’s Chief Statistician.

This is an increase of 9% (1,806 homes) on the 20,019 completions in the previous year. Increases were seen across private-led new build completions (4% or 615 homes), local authority new build completions (27% or 540 homes), and housing association new build completions (21% or 651 homes).

Meanwhile the number of new build homes started across all sectors decreased by 13% (2,765 homes), with 19,060 starts in the year to end June 2022, down from 21,825 starts in the previous year. Private-led new build starts decreased by 15% (2,611 homes) and local authority new build starts dropped by 12% (234 homes), whilst housing association new build approvals increased by 3% (80 homes).

Separate figures published as part of the UK House Price Index show a total of 12,013 private new build sales transactions in Scotland in the year to end August 2022, up 4% (508 transactions) on the 11,505 transactions recorded in the year to end August 2021.

Latest social sector new housebuilding figures for the year to end September 2022 show an increase of 17% (982 homes) to 6,704 completions, with local authority completions rising by 40% (799 homes) to 2,792 and housing association completions up by 5% (183 homes) to 3,912.

However social sector starts fell by 16% (797 homes) to 4,161, with local authority starts increasing slightly by 1% (11 homes) to 1,910 and housing association approvals decreasing by 26% (808 homes) to 2,251.

Affordable Housing Supply Programme

Separate quarterly statistics on the Affordable Housing Supply programme show there were a total of 2,565 affordable homes completed in the latest quarter July to September 2022. This brings the total number of affordable homes completed in the 12 months to end September 2022 to 9,449, an increase of 2% (219 homes) on the 9,230 homes completed in the previous year. There were increases in the number of completions for social rent by 17% (1,127 homes), however affordable rent completions decreased by 28% (387 homes), and affordable home ownership completions fell by 42% (521 homes).

Meanwhile there were 1,028 affordable homes approved in the latest quarter July to September 2022, which brings the total number of affordable homes approved in the 12 months to end June 2022 to 7,160, a decrease of 16% (1,414 homes) on the 8,574 homes approved in the previous year. There were decreases in the number of approvals for social rent (by 13%, or 813 homes), affordable rent (by 18%, or 195 homes), and affordable home ownership (by 37%, or 406 homes).

There were 2,172 affordable homes started in the latest quarter July to September 2022, which brings the total number of affordable homes started in the 12 months to end September 2022 to 8,256, a decrease of 19% (1,877 homes) on the 10,133 started in the previous year. There were decreases in the number of starts for social rent (by 11%, or 804 homes), affordable rent (by 37%, or 548 homes), and affordable home ownership (by 42%, or 525 homes).

Quarterly affordable housing supply statistics are used to inform progress against Scottish Government affordable housing delivery targets, in which the ambition is to deliver 110,000 affordable homes by 2032, of which at least 70% will be for social rent and 10% will be in remote, rural and island communities.

There have been a total of 4,927 completions so far against the 110,000 target, across the period 23 March 2022 to 30 September 2022, consisting of 4,188 (85%) homes for social rent, 418 (8%) for affordable rent, and 321 (7%) for affordable home ownership

Figures on the remote, rural and island communities element of the target are planned to be reported on as part of future annual affordable housing supply out-turn reports, although we are considering whether it is feasible for these figures to be reported on a quarterly basis in addition to this.

Latest annual figures on long term empty and second homes

The 42,865 long-term empty properties as at September 2022 is a decrease of 2% (901 properties) from the 43,766 properties in 2021. Across the same time period the number of second homes has increased by 2% (397 homes) from 23,890 to 24,287.

Housing Statistics for Scotland Quarterly Update.

Hunting with Dogs Bill passed

Tighter laws to protect Scotland’s wildlife

New legislation to prevent the chasing and killing of wild mammals for sport has been passed by the Scottish Parliament.

The Scottish Government’s Hunting with Dogs Bill will close loopholes in existing laws that have allowed the practice of illegal hunting to continue. A new two dog limit for all use of dogs in the course of hunting will be introduced, as well as a ban on the practice of trail hunting.

The Bill also establishes a new licencing scheme to allow the use of more than two dogs in certain limited circumstances. This is to provide farmers and land managers access to appropriate and humane control measures, where necessary.

Environment Minister Mairi McAllan said: “This Bill represents a significant step forward in protecting Scotland’s wildlife from the cruel and senseless practice of illegal hunting,

“I am pleased that the Parliament has agreed on a new law which will close the door on the illegal chasing and killing of mammals once and for all.

“I’d like to thank everyone who responded to our public consultations and interested groups for their valuable input throughout this process.

“I believe that this new legislation has struck the right balance between ensuring Scotland pursues the highest possible animal welfare standards, while recognising the need for farmers, land managers and environmental organisations to undertake legitimate wildlife management.”

The vote was passed by 90 for and 30 against, with no abstentions.

The new legislation was introduced last year, two decades after a failed attempt by the Scottish Parliament to ban hunting with the Protection of Wild Mammals (Scotland) Act, back in 2002.

The new Bill will bring into force a number of measures which significantly curtail mounted hunting activity, including reducing the number of dogs which can be used to hunt a wild mammal to just two, instead of a full pack, and reducing the number of dogs which can be used below ground to just one.

The Bill also includes a preemptive ban on trail hunting. Trail hunting is a sport which was created after hunting was banned in England and Wales following the passing of the Hunting Act in 2004. Its inclusion in the Bill means trail hunting can not be established north of the border.

The League Against Cruel Sports Scotland, has welcomed the new legislation. Director Robbie Marsland said: “As of today, Scotland has the most robust law anywhere in the UK to prevent the cruelty of chasing and killing wild mammals for sport – and this is something to celebrate.

“Despite a persistent campaign from those resolute to keep hunting alive in the Scottish countryside, the Scottish Government has been determined to end the sport of hunting, a sentiment which has today been supported by the Parliament.

“The passing of the Hunting with Dogs (Scotland) Bill now provides an opportunity to right the wrongs of the last two decades and close the loopholes which allowed hunters to continue with hunting as though the law didn’t exist.

“The inclusion of a ban on trail hunting is a significant victory for Scotland, meaning hunts will not be able to use this so-called sport as a smokescreen for traditional hunting.”

The new Bill also includes a licensing system which will allow for a full pack of hounds to be used in certain circumstances. The detail of the scheme has yet to be developed but animal welfare campaigners have concerns this has the potential to be exploited.

Robbie Marsland added: “After twenty years of flawed legislation it is critical that this Bill is not simply a way of creating new loopholes for hunters to exploit, and the League is yet to be convinced the licensing scheme won’t do this.

“Despite the best of intentions to ban hunting, the determination and deep rooted defiance among those who wish to chase and kill foxes should not be underestimated. The League will work closely with Nature Scot and other stakeholders to ensure the licensing system is robust, effective and fit for purpose.”

Commenting from Holyrood, Scottish Countryside Alliance Director Jake Swindells said: “Whilst it is frustrating that so much time and resource has been wasted on this Bill, the licensing scheme is, at least, an explicit acceptance by the Scottish Government that the use of packs of dogs in wildlife management is effective and necessary.”

The Hunting with Dogs Bill is expected to receive royal assent in the next few weeks and come into force in the autumn.

Bin the Spin: Scottish Government talk of ‘positive discussions’ on teacher pay largely a PR exercise, says EIS

Scotland’s teacher unions have expressed their collective anger and disappointment with the continuing lack of progress in pay negotiations with the Scottish Government and COSLA.

An SNCT negotiating meeting that was held last Friday, which was again labelled as “positive and constructive” by the Scottish Government and COSLA, once again failed to result in any progress whatsoever toward a new pay offer to Scotland’s teachers.

While trade unions remain committed to a fair pay agreement, negotiated through the SNCT, teachers’ representatives are increasingly questioning whether the Scottish Government and COSLA truly share this commitment. No further negotiation meetings of the SNCT are currently scheduled.

Commenting, Des Morris – EIS Salaries Convener and Chair of the Teachers’ Side of the SNCT – said, “It is becoming increasingly clear that both the Scottish Government and COSLA have little or no interest in finding the modest additional funding that could bring a new offer to the table to potentially end this pay dispute.

“Five months since their sub-inflationary 5% pay offer was overwhelmingly rejected by teachers, and more than two months since a rehashed version of the same offer was again rejected, the Scottish Government and COSLA brought absolutely nothing new to the table in last week’s meeting – just a stubborn stance that Scotland’s teachers should accept 5% which represents yet another substantial real-terms pay cut that only further erodes the value of teachers’ pay.

“The reality is that the union side wants to negotiate, and has offered a wide range of suggestions towards the potential ‘compromise’ that the First Minister and her Cabinet Secretary have said is needed to reach agreement.

“We have had absolutely no proposals from the Scottish Government and COSLA, however – merely the same old tired lines, and a repeated and unreasonable insistence that all of the ‘compromise’ must come from Scotland’s teachers.”

Mr Morris added, “It is disingenuous and unacceptable for the Scottish Government and COSLA to continue to misrepresent negotiations as positive and constructive.

“The cold, hard truth is that, despite all their public claims of ‘working tirelessly’ and ‘turning over every stone’ to reach agreement, their entrenched position and refusal to offer any compromise at all leaves teachers, children and young people, and their parents facing the prospect of continuing and escalating strike action in Scotland’s schools.

“The ongoing and planned strike action is entirely avoidable. The Scottish Government and COSLA need to come forward with a genuinely improved offer that unions can put to our members.”

SSTA to Take Two Further Days of Strike Action

The SSTA National Executive has, following another failed SNCT negotiating meeting, authorised two days of strike action on Tuesday 28 February and Wednesday 1 March.

The SSTA will be joining members of sister unions in national strike action in a coordinated campaign of industrial action.

Seamus Searson, SSTA General Secretary said: “The SSTA has taken a measured approach to industrial action due to the impact it would have on the pupils preparing for exams.

“The deliberate inaction of the Scottish Government and COSLA just shows the lack of respect and level of contempt, not only for teachers, but for the pupils they teach, forcing teachers to take more strike action. The Scottish Government and its accomplice COSLA are failing education, having deliberately refused to put any new money on the table since August last year”.

“The Scottish Government and COSLA were adamant during the pandemic that schools needed to be kept open and education needed to be continued regardless of the risks and dangers that teachers were placed in. These are the same people who have allowed this pay dispute to continue, see schools closed and pupils’ education disrupted. How can these people sit on their hands and seek compromise when they have refused to make any movement in five months?”

“How many more times are teachers to hear the same old rhetoric ‘we value teachers, and we are putting together a new offer’ only for another week to pass without a penny being put on the table. The SSTA has no option but to step up its industrial action”.

Catherine Nicol, SSTA President said. “Teacher unions are standing together and, with the support of the public and parents, we will succeed. However, we urge parents and members of the public to help by demanding action from the First Minister and Councils and get teachers back to school teaching”.

“Teachers have been propping up the education system for years by working many more hours a week than they are paid for and this goodwill is running out due to the arrogance of the employers and government who appear to want to break teachers resolve. I can assure them teachers are standing firm to get a fair pay settlement. Teachers need to say ‘No to Free Overtime’ and demand a salary that will retain and recruit teachers for the future”.

Fourth meeting to discuss pressure on healthcare services

Scottish Government campaign aims to help fill vacant posts

Minister urges people to check eligibility for support

Tighter laws to protect Scotland’s wildlife

SSTA to Take Two Further Days of Strike Action