£500,000 funding is to be shared amongst four charities to support projects affected by the extreme drought in South Sudan, Kenya and Ethiopia.
Christian Aid, Mercy Corps, SCIAF and Tearfund will each receive £125,000 from the Scottish Government’s Humanitarian Emergency Fund. The support is targeted at projects that will alleviate the most urgent concerns relating to the food crisis including:
distributing food packages
enhancing access to water supplies
training hygiene promoters
providing cash transfers to households
East Africa is facing one of its most severe episodes of drought in decades, with the driest conditions seen in 40 years. The fifth consecutive rainy season is lower than expected and the forecast for the March-May 2023 season indicates below-average precipitation, further exacerbating the situation.
International Development Minister Neil Gray said: “The drought affecting countries in East Africa is one of the worst in decades and the situation is becoming ever more desperate.
“This funding will support four essential projects in South Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya, ensuring people suffering from the drought receive necessary food supplies and enhanced access to clean water – a vital measure in preventing water borne diseases.
“The Scottish Government is committed to fulfilling its role as a responsible and compassionate global citizen and this aid from our Humanitarian Emergency Fund will provide essential help to those in desperate need.”
Christian Aid will target funding at communities in South Sudan to provide emergency food access and sanitation to over 4,000 people in Kodok, Upper Nile State. 681 households will receive cash transfers to meet their immediate food needs, in addition to sanitation facilities and hygiene promotion.
Mercy Corps will support vulnerable communities in north-eastern Kenya. 420 households will be supported with cash transfers for three months as part of a longer-term focused intervention.
The SCIAF project in Ethiopia will provide food supplies and access to safe water in Dasenech Woreda, South Omo Zone. 315 households will receive cash transfers for four months while the rehabilitation of shallow wells and water points, and the provision of water purification materials, will improve access to safe water for 7,000 households.
Tearfund’s proposed project in Ethiopia will deliver emergency food assistance in Moyale District, Oromia Region. Three packages of food supplies will be provided to 334 households over a three-month period. In addition, supplementary blended food will be distributed to 70 individuals.
The Humanitarian Emergency Fund Panel is made up of eight leading humanitarian aid organisations in Scotland who advise and access the fund: Mercy Corps; Oxfam; British Red Cross; Islamic Relief; SCIAF; Christian Aid; Tearfund; and Save the Children.
Almost £600,000 funding to help prevent childhood obesity
Children up to the age of five and their families are being given the tools to develop healthy habits through six projects aimed at preventing childhood obesity and reducing health inequalities.
Almost £600,000 is going to programmes such as JumpStart Tots – run by NHS Ayrshire & Arran – which has already seen a number of young children and families in the area benefit from this healthy weight programme.
The funding is part of the Scottish Government’s commitment to ensure all children have the best start in life and the projects support the ambition to halve childhood obesity in Scotland by 2030.
This builds on the range of actions being taken as a result of the 2018 Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery Plan to ensure everyone eats well and has a healthy weight.
Public Health Minister Maree Todd said: “On World Obesity Day we reiterate the importance of improving health and reducing health inequalities across Scotland.
“We want Scotland to be the best place in the world for a child to grow up and we know good nutrition and physical activity is crucial for children’s health and development.
“These projects are crucial to our bold ambition to halve childhood obesity in Scotland by 2030. They tackle inequalities working with families and communities to encourage healthy eating and offering support for those experiencing food insecurity.
“We will continue to support local partners to develop these ambitious and effective plans to help prevent and reduce childhood obesity, alongside policies such as our Diet and Healthy Weight Delivery Plan and Best Start Foods payment, which are central to our commitment to ensure everyone in Scotland has access to healthy, nutritious food.”
Consultant Dietitian in Public Health Nutrition for NHS Ayrshire& Arran, Dr Ruth Campbell said: “The continued early years funding from Scottish Government has enabled NHS Ayrshire & Arran to extend the Jumpstart Tots programme to more families across Ayrshire.
“Jumpstart Tots is an interactive healthy lifestyle programme which offers families with children aged between two and five, a minimum of eight one hour sessions that are planned to suit each individual family’s needs.
“Local parents feedback has been that the Jumpstart Tots programme has helped them make changes that their whole family has been able to benefit from as a result of finding out more about the food they eat.”
Projects receiving funding are:
NHS Ayrshire & Arran: JumpStart Tots – £53,769
NHS Lanarkshire: ‘Little n Lively’ programme in partnership with Healthy Valleys – £150,000
Teachers across Scotland have been offered the largest pay package in over twenty years, with most teachers seeing their salaries rise by £5,200 in April if the new pay offer is accepted.The EIS is to ballot its members on the latest pay offer to teachers, with a recommendation that the offer should be accepted.
The 28-month deal – the sixth offered to unions – has a cumulative value of 14.6% and would mean an overall increase of more than £6,100 for the 70% of classroom teachers who are at the top of their main grade pay scale.
It would amount to a cumulative rise of 33% for most teachers since January 2018 and would bring the starting salary for a fully qualified teacher – already the highest in the UK – to £38,650 after probation by January 2024.
The revised offer, agreed by the Scottish Government and COSLA, is:
1 April 2022 to 31 March 2023 – a 7% uplift for all grades up to a ceiling of £80,000, where a cap of £5,600 (pro-rata) will apply
1 April 2023 to 31 December 2023 – a 5% uplift for all grades up to a ceiling of £80,000, where a cap of £4,000 (pro-rata) will apply
1 January 2024 to 31 July 2024 – a 2% uplift for all grades up to a ceiling of £80,000, where a cap of £1,600 (pro-rata) will apply
Cumulatively, these amount to an uplift of 12.4% by April 2023 and 14.6% from 1 January 2024.
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Teachers make an invaluable contribution to the lives of our children and young people. This historic offer, if accepted by unions, would see teacher pay increase by 33% from January 2018 to January 2024.
“We have looked for compromise and we have arrived at a deal that is fair, affordable, and sustainable for everyone involved. The Scottish Government is supporting this deal with total funding of over £320 million across this year and next.
“This reflects our commitment to reach a fair agreement and avoid further disruption to children and young people’s education.
“I hope that teaching unions will now give their members the opportunity to consider this new offer and to suspend the planned industrial action next week. This would minimise any further disruption to learning, particularly in the run up to the SQA exam diet.”
COSLA’s Resources Spokesperson Councillor Katie Hagmann said: “We have reached a position today whereby we sincerely hope our Trade Union partners can take this revised offer to their membership for a vote.
“Scotland’s Council Leaders fully value all of their workforce and recognise the invaluable contribution teachers make to the lives of our children and young people.”
The EIS is to ballot its members on a revised pay offer to teachers that was presented yesterday by local authority employers, with a recommendation that the offer should be accepted.
The EIS is also suspending all planned industrial action while it ballots its members on the new offer.
A special meeting of the EIS Salaries Committee, comprised of teachers from across Scotland, has this evening unanimously agreed to ballot members on the new offer. The Committee also overwhelmingly agreed to recommend that members vote to accept the new pay offer.
Subsequent to the decision of the Salaries Committee, a special meeting of the EIS Executive Committee agreed to suspend all planned industrial action while members are consulted on the offer. The online ballot will open today (Friday) and run until 1000hrs on Friday 10th March.
Commenting, EIS General Secretary Andrea Bradley said, “The view of our negotiators is that this deal represents the best that can be achieved in the current political and financial climate without a much more prolonged campaign of industrial action.
“It is through the determination and collective action of teachers and associated professionals across Scotland, led by EIS members, that we have improved this pay offer from an initial 2% for the current year to 7% for the current financial year, with additional increases of 5% and then 2% within the following financial year.
“This will result in the majority of teachers seeing a 12.3% increase on their current rate of pay by April of this year and by 14% by January 2024.”
Ms Bradley added, “This has been a long dispute which has been challenging for all concerned. Teachers have taken strike action as a last resort, and that strike action has delivered an improved pay offer that the EIS can credibly put to its members with a recommendation to accept.
“It is now for our members to decide whether to accept this offer, and it is our recommendation that they should do so.”
John Swinney thanked for “support, wisdom and friendship”
Deputy First Minister John Swinney has announced he is leaving the Scottish Government after nearly 16 years.
He will stand down as Deputy First Minister once a new First Minister is appointed later this month and return to the backbenches. He is the longest serving Deputy First Minister on record, having held the post for almost nine years, and also served as Education Secretary and two tenures as Finance Secretary, latterly in an interim role.
In a letter to First Minister Nicola Sturgeon, Mr Swinney says it has been an “honour to serve Scotland” and that he has always sought “to transform the life chances of everyone.”
In her reply, the First Minister pays tribute to Mr Swinney’s “deep care and attention to the wellbeing of our nation” and says she could not have wished for a better “partner in government”.
Mr Swinney’s letter to the First Minister
It has been the privilege of my life to serve in the Scottish Government since 2007 as a Cabinet Secretary with responsibility first for Finance and the Economy, then Education and Skills and finally Covid Recovery. It has been my honour to serve Scotland as your Deputy First Minister since 2014.
These have been demanding commitments to fulfil over nearly 16 years and I have decided that, when the First Minister is appointed later in March, I will stand down from government.
When I joined the Scottish National Party at the age of 15 in 1979, our political prospects were poor and I could scarcely have imagined that over so many years I would have the opportunity to serve Scotland in government in the way I have.
In all that I have undertaken in government, I have tried to listen carefully to different views and be open to the ideas and thoughts of people in Scotland. I have sought always to transform the life chances of everyone who lives here. I have acted to make Scotland a fairer, more prosperous and more confident country that I believe would be assured with Independence.
In all of that work, I have deeply valued the advice and professionalism offered to me by so many outstanding civil servants with whom I have had the privilege to work. They are a credit to their service. I have been touched constantly by the kindness of people in Scotland and their understanding of the many challenges with which we have to wrestle in Government. I am grateful to my ministerial and parliamentary colleagues for their collaboration and support. And I am indebted to you for your leadership, constancy, friendship and loyalty.
I will continue to faithfully represent my constituents in Perthshire North and look forward to sitting with you on the back benches of the Scottish Parliament to continue our contribution to Scotland’s cause.
Thank you for the opportunity you have given me to serve my country.
The First Minister’s reply
Thank you for your letter.
Your contribution to our nation, almost 16 years in government is considerable, indeed unique. Therefore, while I – perhaps more than most – completely understand your decision, I still felt a real sense of sadness when you told me of it.
As Finance and Economy Secretary in our newly formed Scottish Government in 2007, you steered us successfully through budget after budget, laying the foundations for a long list of policy successes.
You were also the architect of a new partnership with local government, and helped negotiate a a new financial settlement with the UK Government, the Fiscal Framework, rebuffing in the process attempts to strip Scotland of funding.
As Education Secretary, you piloted reforms that are now delivering progress in our mission to close the attainment gap. You presided over an increase in teacher numbers and opened university education to record numbers of young people from the poorest backgrounds.
Perhaps most significantly for the long-term, you delivered the biggest expansion in early learning and childcare in our country’s history – a transformation that will change the lives of future generations of children for the better. I know you are as proud of this policy as I am – and rightly so.
Your role in Scotland’s recovery from Covid also merits special mention. From the darkest days of the first lockdown, you led our work on the ‘four-harms’ approach that guided exit from public health restrictions. From a more personal perspective, your friendship and wise counsel during the pandemic, which was by far the most challenging period of my tenure as First Minister, was invaluable and helped me through some really tough days.
You returned for a second, interim tenure as Finance Secretary just as UK Government mismanagement was causing calamity in the nation’s finances and economy. However, in the face of spiraling inflation, you focussed firmly on protecting the most vulnerable, tackling child poverty, addressing climate change and building sustainable public services.
Bringing to bear all your experience of government – and the deep care and attention to the wellbeing of our nation that I know you feel – you helped protect thousands from the full impact of the cost of living crisis. Securing funding for the expansion of the game-changing Scottish Child Payment was the most important of many initiatives.
There is so much more that I could highlight. Over almost 16 years in government, more than eight years as Deputy First Minister – indeed, the longest serving Deputy First Minister so far – you have made countless contributions to the good of our people and our country.
In short, I could not have wished for a better partner in government than you, and there is no doubt that our Scottish Government would have achieved much less had you not been in it.
Please accept my thanks for your support, wisdom and, above all, friendship as together with Ministers past and present, we sought to make Scotland a better place. As I said when I announced my own departure from office, serving as First Minister has been the privilege of my life – having done so with you by my side as Deputy First Minister has been an honour.
As for the future, I know you will continue to serve Scotland well and that you will be, as you always have been, a source of good advice and wise counsel to our party, government and movement. I look forward to this new phase – for both of us – as we move to the backbenches and make way for the new generation who will now lead Scotland forward.
Record number in work, training or further studies
A record high number of young people were in work, training or further study after leaving school last year.
The latest Attainment and Initial Leaver Destinations statistics show 95.7% of those finishing school in the last academic year (2021-22) were progressing their studies or careers within three months of the end of the school year, up from 95.5% the year before. The proportion who were unemployed fell to 3.9% – the lowest since 2009-10.
The gap between school leavers from the most and least deprived areas progressing after school narrowed to a record low of 4.4 percentage points. This gap has reduced by two-thirds compared to 2009-10.
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “This highlights the achievements of Scotland’s learners – making the transition from school can be a daunting time, so it’s great to see a record number of young people progressing in their studies or careers after leaving school.
“These statistics also demonstrate the effectiveness of our approach to learning through Curriculum for Excellence, which is clearly helping to prepare young people for their futures during a crucial stage of their lives.
“Closing the deprivation gap remains a top priority for us and these statistics show we are continuing to make progress, with the gap between school leavers from the most and least deprived areas in work, training or further study down to a record low.”
Sharon McIntyre, Head of CIAG Operations at Skills Development Scotland (SDS), said: “This is the highest positive destination rate since consistent records began in 2009-10 and it is very encouraging to see that the results continue to move in such a positive direction.
“The progress is testament to the hard work, determination and commitment of Scotland’s young people and of the SDS careers advisers working in partnership with teachers to support pupils throughout their time at school and beyond.”
Fresh investment could be unlocked in communities across the city by embracing new way of working.
Supporters urge interested groups to come forward.
Communities in Edinburgh are being urged to embrace a new way in which people can unite to unlock investment and build a better future.
Regeneration experts and the Scottish Government are keen to see the expansion of Community Improvement Districts to deliver on residents’ ambitions for the region.
The model builds on the well-established Business Improvement District model, credited with levering millions of pounds worth of investment in towns and cities nationally.
But, rather than just involving businesses, the Community Improvement District brings in any interested organisation or group to decide on the area’s priorities and take action.
That’s made financially possible by monies raised through a levy paid by business owners in the area, which is levered to attract greater investment.
It’s a way of making communities better places in which to live, work and visit which supporters believe could not only help the continued recovery from the coronavirus pandemic, but also the local response to the climate emergency and cost of living crisis.
The Community Improvement District drive is being spearheaded by Scotland’s Improvement Districts (SIDs), an arm of Scotland’s Towns Partnership (STP).
It is supported by Tom Arthur MSP, Scotland’s Community Wealth Minister. He said: “I support this drive to create more Business and Community Improvement Districts to build on significant successes so far.
“With greater community involvement they can attract more investment through greater collaboration with local people, supporting business growth and protecting jobs.
“This will help us deliver the entrepreneurship ambitions set out in the Town Centre Action Plan and the National Strategy for Economic Transformation by creating enterprising communities. We all have a role to play in ensuring our towns enable more people to benefit directly from the wealth generated by local communities.”
To create a Community Improvement District, a group would need to take ownership of the drive locally and secure majority support to collect a legally-binding levy payment through a ballot of businesses who would be levy-payers.
Help and advice is available from SIDs’ expert team on the legal and practical steps which should be followed at every stage of the process.
Phil Prentice, SIDs’ national programme director, said: “The Community Improvement District model holds huge potential in achieving positive change for places across Edinburgh.
“It’s a way of embracing the uniqueness of communities and encouraging true collaboration to help achieve residents’ ambitions. It gives them the means by which to decide how they invest in the area’s future.
“This really is an exciting development which our team is keen to discuss with any potentially interested community group.”
The Community Improvement District model has been piloted in Possilpark, Glasgow, where businesses and local groups have joined forces with social landlord ng homes and others to create Remaking Saracen.
It has set out ambitions to regenerate the area by securing investment to improve the district’s look, boost business and tackle anti-social behaviour.
Work so far has included not only a series of community events and shop local initiatives, but shopfront improvement and street cleaning. It is hoped this will be the foundation of achieving greater ambitions for the area’s future.
To find out more about how to set up an improvement district, go to:
£155 million in payments since introduction in February 2021
There were 184,000 children and young people getting £25 per week in Scottish Child Payment by the end of 2022, latest statistics show.
The figure includes 78,000 who have received it since the payment was extended to include children aged between six and 16 in November.
Social Security Scotland had provided decisions to just over half the people who applied on the extension of the payment by the end of 2022.
Decisions for the majority of people who applied or added additional children to their award between 14 November and 31 December 2022 have now been issued and this will be reported on in the next round of statistics.
Scottish Child Payment was announced in the summer of 2019, with the first payments being made in February 2021.
Since then it has risen from £10 per week per child to £25 per week per child – a 150% increase in value.
It means that the amount paid out to children totals £155 million until the end of last year.
Ahead of extending Scottish Child Payment to under-16s, local authorities also made more than 1.1 million Bridging Payments across 2021 and 2022 to the families of school age children worth a total of £169.3 million.
Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison said: ““These figures demonstrate our commitment to tackling child poverty and the significant financial support we have made available to meet that aim.
“This is just a snapshot of all the work being done since Scottish Child Payment was extended and increased until the end of 2022.
“We’ve since processed tens of thousands more applications.
“This represents remarkable progress in the delivery of the most ambitious child poverty reduction measure in the UK.
“That increased payment of £1,300 per child per year is now benefitting families across Scotland.
“We want to make sure that everyone gets the help available to them. Parents or carers who are on universal credit, tax credits or other benefits and who have children under 16 should check through Social Security Scotland if they are eligible.”
The First Minister has encouraged drinks producers to register for Scotland’s deposit return scheme, which will go live on 16 August 2023.
Drinks producers are asked to register with the scheme administrator, Circularity Scotland, in order to participate in the recycling scheme and to help ensure that they meet their regulatory requirements.
The scheme is expected to cut littering by a third, reducing the amount spent by local authorities on litter clean up, and will increase recycling rates of single-use drinks containers from the current rate of approximately 50% towards 90%.
The First Minister has also written today to the UK Prime Minister, reiterating that the UK Government must exclude the deposit return scheme regulations from the Internal Market Act. The Scottish Government first requested an exclusion in July 2021.
The First Minister said: “Scotland’s deposit return scheme will be a major part of our efforts to reduce litter, cut emissions and build a greener, more circular economy. Good progress is being made by industry ahead of the scheme’s introduction on 16 August, and I am aware of the significant private investment that has already been made by many businesses to be ready for the scheme, and the many jobs that are being created to operate it.
“I would strongly encourage drinks producers to register with the scheme administrator, Circularity Scotland. This is a vital step to ensuring everyone who needs to be is compliant with the regulations and is the best way to make sure that their products can be sold without issue in Scotland.
“I also want to reassure drinks producers with concerns about the impact of the scheme. SEPA has made clear that they will take a proportionate approach to compliance. They will work with businesses to help them get ready – advice and guidance, not fines, will be the first step for any business that is clearly taking action but struggling to meet their obligations.
“The Scottish Government will continue to listen to the concerns of small producers and will consider if there is any further action we can take to support them ahead of the scheme going live.”
The EIS recently announced an escalation of its action to include targeted strike action in schools within the constituencies of the First Minister, Deputy First Minster, Cabinet Secretary for Education, and COSLA Resources Spokesperson, Councillor Katie Hagmann.
As the Scottish Green Party is a party of the Scottish Government, part of its Education Spokesperson’s (Ross Greer) regional constituency has also been targeted – the part of Clydebank and Milngavie constituency that lies within the East Dunbartonshire Council area.
There will be two days of national strike action for all members on Tuesday 28th February and Wednesday 1 March and a further 20 days of rolling strike action between 13 March and 21 April 2023.
National Strike Days
Date
Local Associations
Tuesday 28th February
All Local Associations
Wednesday 1st March
All Local Associations
Targeted Strikes
Date
Constituencies
7th – 9th March
Glasgow Southside, Dunfermline, Perthshire North, the part of Clydebank and Milngavie constituency that lies within the East Dunbartonshire Council area and Mid Galloway & Wigtown West
THE SHOW WILL GO ON AS MUCH-LOVED THEATRE WINS REPRIEVE
Councillor Finlay McFarlane, the SNP representative for the city centre, has led the charge to find money to secure the future of the 117 year old Kings Theatre in Tollcross.
The councillor, who credits the theatre as giving him his first professional work after graduating Drama School, rallied council colleagues to offer financial support for the Edinburgh institution securing a pledge from all five political Parties in the recent budget to part-fund the and called on UK and Scottish Governments to meet the remainder.
The Kings restoration project was thrown into jeopardy when the UK Government rejected a City of Edinburgh Council bid for Levelling Up funds but Cllr McFarlane was delighted that, having called on Culture Minister Neil Gray to rescue the plans, the Scottish Government has announced £3.85 million to fully plug the hole and save the theatre from shutting its doors for good.
Cllr McFarlane said: “I am over the moon to see the cultural, economic and historic importance of the true people’s theatre recognised and supported by the Scottish Government.
“Since the outcome of the levelling up bid was known, I have been working with colleagues to explore options to find the remaining money needed. Closing the doors on The Kings Theatre for good was simply not an option. This shows the SNP’s commitment to culture in the capital city of Scotland”.
