Tag: Scottish Government

Covid-19: New ‘stay at home’ guidance published

ALL CONTRACT TRACING TO END

From Sunday 1 May public health advice will change to a ‘stay at home’ message replacing self-isolation for people who have symptoms or have tested positive for Covid-19.

People who have symptoms of Covid-19 and who have a fever or are too unwell to carry out normal activities will be asked to ‘stay at home’ while they are unwell or have a fever.  They will no longer be advised to take a PCR test.

The changes, part of the Test and Protect Transition Plan which was published last month, will also see all contact tracing ending.

As previously announced, testing for the general population will end on 30 April with test sites closing at that point too.  However, testing will remain available to certain groups in order to protect high risk settings, support clinical care and for surveillance purposes.

Those groups include health and social care workers, care home and hospital visitors, patients groups eligible for treatment, hospital patients, unpaid carers and people in prison.

Other adults who have symptoms of Covid-19 and other respiratory illnesses and have a high temperature or do not feel well enough to go to work or carry out normal activities, are advised to stay at home until their fever has gone or they feel well enough.

Children and young people aged 18 and under with mild symptoms such as a runny nose, sore throat, or slight cough, who are otherwise well, do not need to stay at home and can continue to attend education settings.

They should only stay at home if they are unwell and have a high temperature. They can go back to school, college or childcare, and resume normal activities when they no longer have a fever and they feel well enough to attend.

This guidance reflects the fact that children and young people generally have a higher likelihood than adults of regular instances of respiratory symptoms from non-Covid illnesses. 

The Protect Scotland app will also be closed down shortly, but users are encouraged to keep the app on their phones in case it is needed again at a future date.

NHS Scotland will also be taken out of emergency footing at the end of Saturday 30 April as Covid-19 cases continue to fall.

However, with continued demands on services across health and social care, there remains a need for caution to protect vital services.

Patients should only attend A&E if their condition is an emergency, to continue to limit the pressure on services.  Patients can contact their GP during the day, local pharmacy or call NHS24 on 111 as an alternative.

Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “Scotland’s Test and Protect programme has been one of the key interventions in our response to Covid-19, the success of which has been due, in no small part, to the remarkable staff and volunteers working in Test and Protect – my sincere thanks go to them.

“I would also like to thank the Scottish public for their commitment and willingness to engage with Test and Protect when it was required of them and helping to protect their fellow citizens.

“However, we recognise we are now in a different phase of the pandemic. The primary purpose of testing is changing from population-wide testing to reduce transmission, to a targeted response focused on reducing severe harm of the virus.

“As we are now seeing a steady reduction in new Covid cases, the NHS will no longer remain on emergency footing after Saturday 30 April. But we must continue with a measured approach to support the recovery and renewal of our NHS.

“This will require balancing capacity of the NHS and the wellbeing of the workforce to respond to increasing demands for urgent care while reducing the backlog of planned care.”

Further information on the stay at home guidance and measures you can take to limit the spread of Covid-19 can be found at https://bit.ly/39polwD and from 1 May on nhsinform.scot/covid19.

Edinburgh to welcome the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra in August

In a gesture of solidarity with the victims of the war in Ukraine, Edinburgh International Festival is partnering with the Scottish Government to welcome the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra for a historic free concert at the Usher Hall on Saturday 6 August 2022 at 2pm.

Marking the orchestra’s only performance in Scotland, this concert is part of the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra’s European and USA tour in artistic defence of its country.

Edinburgh is twinned with the city of Kyiv, and this special collaboration between the International Festival and the Scottish Government is in support of the city’s Ukrainian community and those directly affected by the war.

The special concert will see invitations extended to the Ukrainian community in Scotland and organisations leading efforts in the resettlement of Ukrainian refugees, as well as those supporting people impacted by the conflict.

Assembled by New York’s Metropolitan Opera and the Polish National Opera, the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra includes recent refugees, Ukrainian members of European orchestras and leading Ukrainian musicians and performers.

The Ukraine Ministry of Culture is granting a special exemption to military-age, male members of orchestras inside the country to participate, allowing them to put down weapons and take up their instruments in a demonstration of the power of art over adversity.

Under the leadership of Canadian-Ukrainian conductor Keri-Lynn Wilson, the orchestra’s repertoire includes Ukrainian composer Valentin Silvestrov’s Seventh Symphony; Chopin’s Piano Concerto No. 2 with Ukrainian virtuoso Anna Fedorova; and leading Ukrainian soprano Liudmyla Monastyrska performing an aria from Verdi’s Aida.

Seventy-five years after Rudolf Bing, himself a refugee, co-founded the Edinburgh International Festival, the 2022 programme reflects the organisation’s rich history of promoting unity and healing through cultural collaboration.

The 2022 Festival includes a lecture on the importance of the arts and culture from Peter Gelb, General Manager of New York’s Metropolitan Opera, presented in association with Edinburgh Jewish Cultural Centre in memory of Rudolf Bing.

The 2022 International Festival also features Refuge, a season of contemporary theatre, dance, visual art, film and conversation created to explore themes of refugeehood, migration, identity and inclusion.

Free tickets for the Ukrainian Freedom Orchestra’s concert at the Usher Hall will be available to book online from late June 2022, with further information to follow.

Fergus Linehan, Festival Director of the Edinburgh International Festival said, “The staff and board of the Festival are honoured to be given the opportunity to welcome our colleagues from Ukraine and offer them our support and solidarity at this time.”

Neil Gray, Minister for Culture and Refugees from Ukraine said: “The Scottish Government is delighted to provide the support to enable the Ukraine Freedom Orchestra of more than 70 displaced Ukrainian professional musicians to perform at the Edinburgh International Festival in August.

“The Edinburgh International Festival was first created to bring together Europeans suffering in the shadow of war, and as the festival celebrates its 75th anniversary it has never been more appropriate to underline its founding principles of peace, collaboration and solidarity.

“Scotland has responded to the present crisis by offering a warm welcome to those Ukrainians fleeing the brutal invasion of their country – and we offer the same warm welcome to these wonderful musicians. I am sure this historic free concert will be one of the highlights of this year’s cultural celebrations in Edinburgh.”

Oleksandr Tkachenko, Ukrainian Minister of Culture said: “Today, culture is showing a completely new side. It can also be the ‘soft power’ that helps heal wounds.

“Ukrainian culture is original and deserves to be at the centre of attention abroad. We thank our international colleagues for producing the tour.”

COVID: End of the Highest Risk List

List to close on 31 May

The Highest Risk List – formerly known as the Shielding List – will be formally ended on 31 May, as a result of the success of the vaccination programme and the introduction of new treatments for COVID-19.

The decision has been taken following a careful review of growing clinical evidence by a team of specialist clinicians.

It shows that, for the vast majority of those on the list, the risk of hospitalisation or death from COVID-19 has been significantly reduced and is no greater than that of the general public.

For some time now, the clinical advice has been for those on the Highest Risk List to follow the same guidance as everyone else in Scotland unless specifically advised otherwise by their own GP or clinician.

The list is not being used to identify people who are eligible for vaccine prioritisation or new treatments, and the NHS will continue to be able to contact those people when needed.

Support remains in place for those who are immunosuppressed and who may still have some reduced immunity. This group are likely to need general protection from a range of infections in addition to Covid-19.

Wellbeing support is also available for those on the List, and the Scottish Government has allocated an additional £120,000 to the British Red Cross to fund their Connecting With You service to help people reconnect with activities and friends, to rebuild their confidence in going out and to help them regain a better quality of life.

The Distance Aware Scheme is in place to provide free badges and lanyards to people who wish to show others they would welcome additional space and extra care while out in public.

The Chief Medical Officer will shortly write to everyone on the list to advise them of the change, and sign-post them to ongoing support.

Dr John Harden, Deputy National Clinical Director, said: “At the beginning of the pandemic we introduced shielding to protect the most vulnerable from a virus we knew little about. Clearly shielding did not come without impact, particularly for those who were socially isolated or feeling particularly anxious due to being labelled at ‘highest risk’.

“In March 2020, we used the information we had at that point to identify those with certain health conditions who we reasonably thought would be at higher risk of severe illness from Covid-19.

“Thankfully, we know a lot more about the virus now. Combined with our successful vaccination programme and the availability of new treatments, means the clinical evidence clearly shows that the vast majority of people who have been on the Highest Risk List no longer need to consider themselves at any significantly higher risk.

“Support is still in place for the small number of immunosuppressed people who are unable to mount a full immune response due to their condition or ongoing treatment. We will publish separate advice for this group and have put in place an identification process to be able to rapidly generate an accurate and current list of individuals to provide additional advice to, should it be needed in future.”

The Scottish Government has produced guidance for immunosuppressed people and guidance for people previously at higher risk . An  evidence review was used to support the ending of the List.

Public Health Scotland reports from January 2021 and March 2022 both highlighted the negative impact of shielding on those asked to do so.

The Distance Aware scheme was launched by Wales’ health and care think tank The Bevan Commission in August 2020. The Scottish Government invested £55,500 in developing the scheme for a Scottish audience, including procuring and distributing badges, lanyards and promoting the scheme.

The Scottish Government is asking organisations, businesses and employers to promote this to their staff, customers and members. A toolkit is available to provide further support and information.

Water Safety Scotland launches new education resources for schools

Water Safety Scotland (WSS), in partnership with Education Scotland, has officially launched its first instalment of free water safety educational resources for schools and practitioners in Scotland.

Water Safety Scotland, which is committed to reducing accidental drowning deaths in Scotland by 50 per cent by 2026, introduced the initiative to provide a consistent level of learning across Scotland’s educational institutions in a bid to equip Scottish youth with the knowledge and skills required to reduce water-based accidents.

Laura Erskine, Water Safety Scotland’s Education Subgroup Chair, said: “On average, there are 96 water-related fatalities in Scotland each year. We aim to reduce the number of deaths from accidental drowning by 50 per cent by 2026 by driving a generational change in water safety in Scotland.

“We want to encourage safe and responsible access to Scotland’s waterways, which can be a positive and enjoyable experience for young people when coupled with appropriate risk awareness and education.”

The materials aim to provide consistent and curriculum-aligned information which feeds into a full progression pathway created specifically for water safety in Scotland. Starting from children aged 3, the resource set will instruct and inform young people right up to the age of 18 and has been endorsed by a wealth of supporting partner agencies.

Gayle Gorman, Chief Executive of Education Scotland said: “Every year we hear of tragic accidents taking place in Scotland’s waters as many young people are not aware of the dangers of swimming in open waters.

“That is why we welcomed the opportunity to work with Water Safety Scotland to develop educational materials that aim to increase awareness of water safety. We hope that this information will reach as many children and young people as possible to ensure they are aware of the dangers that come with going into open water.”

Scheduled for a staggered release over the next nine months, the first set of lessons is being released on Tuesday, April 26. Specifically focusing on the Third/Fourth level within the five tiers of the Scottish curriculum, it can be accessed via Education Scotland’s National Hub or through the Water Safety Scotland website.

Intrinsically linked to WSS’ Water Safety Code, which was created to help people enjoy Scotland’s waterways as safely as possible, it follows three key pieces of advice:

•    Stop and Think, Spot the Dangers

•    Stay Together, Stay Close

•    In an Emergency, Call 999.

Education is a key part of Scotland’s Drowning Prevention Strategy, which has now entered its fifth year. An interim review was published earlier this year and was launched by the Minister for Community Safety, Ash Regan, along with the Ministerial Action Plan for Water Safety.

Community Safety Minister Ash Regan said: “I would like to thank Education Scotland, the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents and Water Safety Scotland for their excellent collaborative work in creating this fantastic resource which will help to educate children about keeping themselves and their friends safe around water.

“This is a vital part of the work being taken forward across Scotland to improve public safety, including the recent launch of the Water Safety Action Plan drawn up by the Scottish Government and a range of key partners.”

Water Safety Scotland aims to roll out the next phase of this initiative in late May and will continue this strategy during the rest of 2022.

Climate change is affecting Scotland’s lochs and reservoirs

Climate change has already caused a rapid and extensive warming of Scotland’s lochs and reservoirs with impacts expected to intensify, research has revealed for the first time.

A report published today by Scotland’s Centre of Expertise for Waters (CREW), shows that between 2015 and 2019, 97% of monitored Scottish lochs and reservoirs have increased in temperature. While most warmed by up to 1.0°C per year over this period, 9% increased by more than that – some by up to 1.3°C per year.

Researchers warn that these changes increase the risk of harmful algal blooms developing, which could restrict their use for recreation and water supply, and as a safe habitat for wildlife.

It is expected that waters in the south and east of Scotland are expected to warm the most at first, but this climate-related impact will reach all parts of the country by 2040.

The report makes a number of recommendations to address these impacts in the immediate term, as well as further research to improve our understanding of climate impacts on the complex functioning of lochs and reservoirs.

Environment Minister Mairi McAllan said: “This important research provides yet more worrying evidence of the risks of harm from climate change on Scotland’s water environment.

“It is vital that we do more to mitigate those impacts, to seek to reduce the pace of warming but also to adapt to it.  We have committed £243 million since 2015 through the Agri-Environment Climate Scheme to support land management practices which protect and enhance Scotland’s natural heritage, improve water quality, manage flood risk and mitigate and adapt to climate change.

“Scotland is renowned worldwide for the quality of our water. Research like this will be hugely valuable in informing the development of policy solutions and measures to mitigate and adapt to climate change, and also protect, restore and enhance these vital natural assets.”

Freshwater ecologist Dr Linda May of the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH), lead author of the report, said: “This research has shown, for the first time, that climate change is already warming our lochs and reservoirs in Scotland, and that this trend is likely to continue.

“It provides early warning of the potential impacts of climate change on biodiversity, water supply and recreational use, and highlights the need for mitigation measures to be put in place as quickly as possible.”

Dr Pauline Lang, project manager for CREW, said: “This pioneering research led by experts at the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology demonstrates that, without intervention, climate-driven risk is projected to further increase by 2040.  

“To prevent the modelled scenarios becoming reality, we trust the recommendations proposed will enable effective climate action for safeguarding freshwaters now and during the critical decades ahead.

“This project is a great example of how CREW can pivot towards Scotland’s water-related needs by bringing a community of researchers and stakeholders together to collaborate on addressing the most important environmental concerns of this time.”

NatureScot Freshwater and Wetlands Advice Manager Iain Sime said: “Scotland, like the rest of the world, is facing an unprecedented climate emergency. The findings of this comprehensive review are stark, demonstrating the impact that climate change is already having on our freshwater lochs and reservoirs, and their biodiversity.

“The need for urgent action is clear, and at NatureScot we are using the £65m Nature Restoration Fund to prioritise efforts that support the conservation of our lochs and ponds.”

Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) Senior Ecologist Ian Milne said: “CREW’s report, which used SEPA data from 142 lochs and reservoirs, is important in highlighting some of the climate change pressures Scotland’s environment is facing.

“The findings emphasise the significance of SEPA’s ongoing work to tackle the threats of climate change and biodiversity loss, which is being done in partnership with Scottish Government, local authorities, Scottish Water, environment and community groups, farmers, land managers and others through our River Basin Management Plans.”

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Automatic awards to make accessing family benefits simpler

Plans have been announced to automatically pay the Best Start Grant Early Learning and School Age Payments to parents and carers who already receive Scottish Child Payment when their children become eligible.

The change will be introduced later this year when Scottish Child Payment is extended to under-16s and increased to £25 per child, per week.

This builds on extensive work already done to make applying for the Scottish Government’s five family payments as straightforward as possible.

It includes the ability to apply for all children in a household on a single form. The form can be completed online, by phone or on paper. Parents and carers contributed to the design of the form to make sure the language was clear and easy to navigate.

As set out in the recent Tackling Child Poverty Delivery Plan ‘Best Start, Bright Futures’, the introduction of automatic awards will remove the need for eligible families receiving Scottish Child Payment to reapply when their child becomes eligible for the Early Learning and School Age Payments.

This will mean less paperwork for tens of thousands of families and ensure that families automatically receive the support to which they’re entitled.

On a visit to FARE Scotland in Glasgow, Minister for Social Security, Ben Macpherson said: “Tackling child poverty is a key mission for the Scottish Government and automating payments, where we already have all of the information we need to do so, will mean parents and carers automatically getting the financial support they are eligible for paid directly to them.

“Since launching Best Start Grant in December 2018, we’ve made more than 177,000 payments, totalling £55.3 million in support, families who need it most. Automating payments, where we can, will enable us to help even more families.

“We are committed to making sure that receiving our five family payments is as straightforward as possible. Automatic awards, increasing Scottish Child Payment to £20, and again to £25 by the end of the year, and uprating eight Scottish benefits by 6% are some of the ways we are using our limited social security powers and resources to help families in need.”

Jimmy Wilson, Chief Executive of FARE Scotland, said: “There are families who aren’t aware of all the benefits to which they’re entitled so anything that can be done to make the process simpler is to be welcomed.

“It’s more important than ever that people understand the help which is there for them.

“The advantages in having automatic awards could be significant. We hope this move has a positive impact on take up rates which could help to reduce and prevent child poverty and support family wellbeing.”

  • Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment and Best Start Grant School Age Payment are part of a package of Five Family Payments. This package also includes Best Start Grant Pregnancy and Baby Payment, Best Start Foods and Scottish Child Payment. By the end of 2022, the Scottish Government’s package of Five Family Payments for low-income families will be worth up to a maximum of over £10,000 by the time a family’s first child turns 6, and £9,700 for second and subsequent children
  • The Early Learning Payment opened for applications on 29 April 2019 and provides £267.65 per child to support child development, for example travel costs, changes of clothes for messy play, trips out and toys for home learning
  • The long application window, from 2-3½, captures the 2 common ages for starting nursery, depending on whether parents qualify for a free nursery place when the child is 2 or 3. There is no requirement to take up a place at nursery to qualify for a payment
  • The School Age Payment opened for applications on 3 June 2019 and provides £267.65 per child to help with the costs of preparing for school, for example educational toys or after school activities. Eligibility is based on the child’s age and relates to when a child is first old enough to start school. The application window runs from 1 June in that year until the last day in February the following year. There is no requirement to take up a place at school to qualify for a payment
  • Between launching on 10 December 2018 and 28 February 2022, more than 177,000 Best Start Grant payments had been authorised. This figure does not include Best Start Foods
  • In 2022-23 we expect 52,000 households will receive £18 million of support through Best Start Grant (Scottish Fiscal Commission report published 9 December 2021). With projected take up rates of 76% for Pregnancy and Baby first births, 77% for Pregnancy and Baby subsequent births, 82% for Early Learning Payment and 80% for School Age Payment
  • The Scottish Fiscal Commission (report published 9 December 2021) has forecast that 20,000 people will receive the Early Learning Payment and 22,000 people will receive the School Age Payment during the 2022-23 financial year
  • Eligible families, and carers can find out more and apply at mygov.scot/beststart or by calling Social Security Scotland free on 0800 182 2222

Supporting unions with just transition

Funding ro support worker engagement

Scotland’s journey to net zero will be amplified thanks to better partnership working between the Scottish Government and trade unions to deliver a just transition.

At the Scottish Trades Union Congress (STUC) in Aberdeen, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon will announce £100,000 in grant funding to support just transition capacity within the trade union movement.

The money will be used by STUC to coordinate worker engagement on just transition, amplify and share best practice and provide policy support.

Unions will continue to be fundamental in delivering a just transition to a net zero and climate resilient Scotland, helping to ensure a low carbon economy prospers in Scotland. 

This year’s event marks the 125 years since the first STUC Annual Congress, and the First Minister said the case for a strong union movement never goes away, with addressing inequalities a key priority for the Scottish Government in helping Scotland to recover from COVID-19.

The First Minister said: “We want the trade unions to continue to influence and shape our delivery of a just transition. That’s why I’m glad to be able to confirm today that we are providing the STUC with annual funding of £100,000, to cover STUC staffing costs for officials who can liaise with workers and with government.

“The unions – through the creation of the Just Transition Commission – have already been fundamental to our policy thinking about a just transition. This funding will ensure that they continue to be vital, as we get on with delivering good, green jobs and a truly just transition.

“The Scottish Government economic strategy rests on the idea that by supporting those who are in poverty, by delivering a just transition, by supporting fair work – we can help people to fulfil their potential and to contribute to our economy and our society.

“That’s a principle which I know the STUC is also committed to. It’s why they are valuable partners, and also important sources of challenge, as we work to create a fairer, greener Scotland.”

STUC General Secretary Roz Foyer said: “The trade union movement has been at the forefront of pushing for a just transition, ensuring climate justice is entwined with workers’ voices.

“Our movement, our environment and our planet cannot afford any more false dawns which fail to empower workers and their communities. We’re pleased that the Scottish Government has recognised this.

“This funding, in addition to the work ongoing within the Just Transition Commission, will ensure we hold business, government and all other stakeholders to account.

“We must secure good, green jobs, we must not leave communities abandoned and we must place fair work and workers’ voices at the heart of any just transition.”

Scotland to ban combustible cladding

Materials barred from high-risk buildings over 11 metres

Legislation to improve fire safety and boost Scotland’s Net Zero ambitions has been laid before the Scottish Parliament.

Under the legislation, developers will be banned from using combustible cladding on high-rise buildings. Since 2005, new cladding systems on high rise blocks of flats have either had to use non-combustible materials or pass a large-scale fire test.

The building standards legislation removes the option of a fire test, completely prohibiting such materials from use on domestic and other high-risk buildings, such as care homes and hospitals, above 11m.

The highest risk metal composite cladding material will be banned from any new building of any height, with replacement cladding also required to meet the new standards.

The legislation also includes improvements to energy performance standards, aiming to make buildings easier to heat while ensuring they are well ventilated and comfortable to live in.

Building Standards Minister Patrick Harvie said: “This is the third set of changes made to fire safety standards for cladding in Scotland since the tragic Grenfell Tower Fire, requiring any cladding on domestic or other high risk buildings above 11m to be strictly non-combustible.

“Taken together with our new fire alarms regulations, covering all homes in Scotland regardless of ownership, this is yet another step on the Scottish Government’s mission to minimise the risk of deaths and injuries from fire.

“The energy improvements will deliver another important step toward improved energy and emission performance of our buildings, and we’ll be going further on this in 2024 with regulations requiring new buildings to use zero-emissions heating systems.”

The Building (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2022 (legislation.gov.uk)

Changes to requirements on fire safety of cladding systems will be introduced on 1 June 2022, while improvements to energy and environmental standards will apply from 1 October 2022.

The changes have been brought in following public consultations in 2021 on the fire safety of cladding systems and on energy and environmental standards.

Supporting Technical Handbooks, which set out the full detail of changes, will be published from the start of May.

The combustible cladding ban will apply to all buildings with a storey 11m or more above the ground, and which contain:

  • a dwelling
  • a building used as a place of assembly
  • or as a place of entertainment or recreation
  • a hospital
  • a residential care building or sheltered housing complex or a shared multi-occupancy residential building.

MPs back TUC’s calls for asbestos removal from public buildings

On Thursday, MPs backed calls from the TUC for all asbestos to be removed from public and commercial buildings. 

Westminster’s Work and Pensions Select Committee published a report from its inquiry into asbestos management in which it cites TUC calls for stronger asbestos removal.  

Asbestos remains the biggest cause of work-related deaths in the UK according to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE), with 5,000 deaths recorded in 2019. And Britain has the highest rates of mesothelioma cases in the world. 

Asbestos is classed as carcinogenic, which means it can cause cancer and other serious lung conditions when fibres are inhaled.  

According to figures from the HSE asbestos is still found in around 300,000 non-domestic buildings despite a ban on the use of the substance in new buildings in 1999. 

Committee report  

The new report by MPs cites concerns that the likely dramatic increase in retrofitting of buildings in response to net zero ambitions means that more asbestos-containing material will be disturbed in the coming decades. 

The TUC says current asbestos management is not fit for purpose and has long called for new legislation requiring removal of all asbestos from public buildings. 

Today MPs have called for a 40-year deadline to remove all asbestos from public and commercial buildings. The TUC welcomes the news but says a 40-year deadline is not ambitious enough. 

The report also calls for more funding for the HSE to support this increased programme of work. 

Asbestos dangers 

There is no safe threshold of exposure to asbestos fibres – inhalation even of small quantities can lead to mesothelioma decades after exposure. 

This means that where asbestos is still present, it is not safe to assume there will be no disturbances that put working people in danger. 

The only way we will eradicate mesothelioma in Britain is with a legal duty to safely remove asbestos, and a clear timetable for its eradication. Only then can we ensure that future generations will not have to experience the same deadly epidemic from asbestos-related diseases that we suffer today. 

TUC General Secretary Frances O’Grady said: “Everyone should be safe at work. Asbestos exposure at work continues to cause thousands of deaths every year. Asbestos is still with us in workplaces and public buildings across the country. As a result, more than 22 years after the use of asbestos was banned, hundreds of thousands of workers are still put at risk of exposure every day. 

“The only way to protect today’s workers and future generations is through the safe removal of asbestos from all workplaces and public buildings.  

“Today’s report by MPs is welcome, but a 40-year deadline isn’t ambitious enough: hundreds of thousands of workers risk dangerous exposure in that time. Ministers must commit to removing all asbestos to keep future generations safe.” 

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Proposals for new Bill to tackle misogyny

Public to be consulted on laws to criminalise misogynistic conduct

Plans for future legislation are part of the Scottish Government’s official response to the independent working group on misogyny.

A new Bill to tackle misogyny is being considered by Scottish Ministers as part of these proposals.

Chaired by Baroness Kennedy QC, the group’s report recommended a number of new offences to criminalise specific forms of misogynistic conduct – including stirring up hatred against women and public sexual harassment of women.

The Scottish Government has accepted the recommendations are pivotal in challenging misogyny and will develop draft legislative provisions for public consultation.

The timing of a final Bill will be considered as part of the Scottish Government’s future legislative programme.

Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans Keith Brown said: “The independent report rightly recognises the need to address misogyny and makes a compelling case for creating new laws to tackle this unacceptable conduct.

“The Scottish Government response outlines how we intend to make progress on the blueprint for legislation contained within the report by bringing forward a Bill to the Scottish Parliament.

“With such a substantial and significant report it will take time to work through the recommendations in discussion with key partners, but we are confident the resulting legislation will help send a clear message that male attitudes which emanate from prejudice and misogyny have no place in a modern and equal Scotland.”

Support for Ukrainian workers in Scotland

Backing for Worker Support Centre

A new service is to be established to offer vital advice and urgent practical support to Ukrainian seasonal horticultural workers in Scotland.

Ukrainian workers play a key role in soft fruit and vegetable production in Scotland, but due to the invasion of Ukraine by Russia they are facing a range of concerns about their work, their homes, and their futures.

The new Worker Support Centre, run by Scottish charity JustRight Scotland, will provide key support to workers on these issues as well as immigration advice to enable them to stay and work in Scotland while returning to Ukraine is still unsafe.

The Centre will serve as a first contact for Ukrainian agricultural workers in Scotland, and will be staffed with former horticultural workers who speak Ukrainian and Russian.

Minister for Refugees from Ukraine Neil Gray said: “The new Worker Support Centre, supported by £41,000 from the Scottish Government, will provide guidance, information and, we hope, some peace of mind to those people from Ukraine working in Scotland whose lives are severely impacted by the war at home.

“Agricultural workers from Ukraine play a valued and important role in the production of soft fruit and vegetables in Scotland.

“We know that as a result of Russia’s brutal invasion of Ukraine, there are a wide range of pressing and often complex issues which are likely to be of great concern, and it is essential that they receive support to navigate these.”

Project advisor for JustRight Scotland Caroline Robinson said: “This Worker Support Centre follows models used around the world to offer temporary migrant workers advice and support in times of crisis.

“In countries from Canada to Germany temporary migrant workers are offered a similar service – this support can help prevent workers ending up in situations of human trafficking and is an important step forward for Scotland.”

Of those granted a Seasonal Worker visa in the UK in the year ending June 2021, 74% were Ukrainian nationals.

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