XL Bully dog owners are reminded to apply for an exemption certificate before the 31 July deadline so they can continue to keep & legally own their dogs.
Otherwise, you’ll be committing a criminal offence.
Apply: https://ow.ly/kiIE50Syx8h
Postal applications deadline is 15 July.
A package of measures to help ensure refugees and people seeking asylum are supported to make their new communities their home has been unveiled.
The New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy: Delivery Plan 2024-2026 – developed by the Scottish Government, Scottish Refugee Council and COSLA – includes commitments to work with employers to help them recruit refugees, to identify ways to improve English language provision and to ensure services are co-ordinated effectively.
The plan also aims to ensure people understand their rights, responsibilities and entitlements, and to help New Scots and communities to integrate.
Equalities Minister Kaukab Stewart said: “Scotland has a proud history of welcoming those fleeing war and persecution, and we are dedicated to helping them integrate into communities from the day they arrive.
“It is vital that we support refugees and people seeking asylum to understand their rights and access employment and services to help them to rebuild their lives in Scotland.
“This plan, which was informed by engagement with those with experience of seeking refuge and settling in Scotland, as well as those with expertise in supporting them, lays out the steps we will take to support refugees and people seeking asylum to integrate across different parts of society.
“It also recognises the role communities and employers can actively play in supporting people.”
Chief Executive of Scottish Refugee Council Sabir Zazai said: “Global conflicts and humanitarian crises are forcing record numbers of people to flee their homes in search of safety.
“The commitments set out in this plan will help those seeking protection in Scotland to rebuild their lives here in a meaningful and sustainable way. We welcome the plan and thank everyone whose views and expertise helped shape it.”
COSLA Community Wellbeing Spokesperson Cllr Maureen Chalmers said: “Scotland’s local authorities remain fully committed to welcoming and supporting people who are fleeing war and persecution to find safety and integrate in their new communities.
“The New Scots Delivery Plan sets out actions which local authorities will be working towards to help to improve New Scots’ experiences of living in our communities and accessing local services and, importantly, seeks to ensure that they are able to access their rights. Working in partnership with New Scots themselves, and with our partners, including Scottish Government and Scottish Refugee Council, will be key to the successful delivery of this plan.”
UNESCO Chair for Refugee Integration through Education, Languages, Arts at the University of Glasgow and the New Scots Core Group Chair Professor Alison Phipps said: “To develop the New Scots Refugee Integration Strategy Delivery Plan, New Scots and communities across Scotland have reflected deeply on what it means to live together, with and despite differences.
“This plan offers an exciting commitment to action across Scotland and to embedding the rights of all who seek refuge.”
Views are being sought on options to help reduce trauma for bereaved families of child homicide victims caused by the publicity arising from such cases.
Justice Secretary Angela Constance has published the consultation after hearing from bereaved families about the impact of ongoing news and social media coverage about their loved ones.
The consultation seeks views on a range of potential options, including whether the law should be changed to grant anonymity to child homicide victims. This would prevent the deceased children – and therefore their families – from being publicly identified.
Responses to the consultation, along with engagement with families, victims’ organisations, media representatives and justice partners, will inform next steps.
The Justice Secretary said: “It is hard to imagine a more profound agony than that of losing a child. When that child is a victim of homicide, the heartbreak can be compounded by associated public and media attention. While such cases are rare, I have heard first-hand from families about just how devastating that sustained scrutiny can be.
“This consultation seeks views on how we can protect bereaved families from this additional trauma, while respecting the important principles of open justice and freedom of expression.
“We know from the views gathered so far, and from research into anonymity in other jurisdictions, that these are highly complex issues. This consultation provides an opportunity for a wide range of views on this sensitive and emotive matter.”
The consultation on media reporting of child homicide victims will run for 12 weeks until 1 October 2024.
Individuals could spend more time under community supervision as part of their prison sentence, a consultation has proposed.
Views are being sought on changing the point of release under licence conditions for people serving a custodial sentence of four years or more, which would provide a more managed return to the community and be a proportionate way to reduce the pressure on the prison estate.
The proposals, if implemented, would not apply to those who are serving an extended sentence for violent or sexual offences.
Currently most people serving long-term sentences, unless previously recommended for parole at an earlier stage – are released under community supervision six months before the end of their sentence. Consultation proposals suggest this could be done for a third of their sentence.
This would return the position to that prior to 1 February 2016 for most long-term prisoners.
Under the proposals, those released would be subject to licence conditions, supervision, and ultimately recall to custody. The individuals would be subject to individualised risk assessment ahead of release, with licence conditions reflecting the conclusions of that assessment and being set on the recommendations of the Parole Board.
Victims would continue to have the right to receive certain information about a prisoner in their case, including their release dates, and to make representations under the Victim Notification Scheme.
Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: “Supervision is a commonly used element of custodial sentences – as part of efforts to prepare individuals nearing their return to the community to settle and ultimately to not re-offend.
“Our proposals would bring forward the point at which long-term prisoners are released so individuals spend more time under licence conditions in the community before the end of their sentence.
“Individuals would continue to serve their sentence but do so in the community under strict supervision, which can improve reintegration back into society and reduce the risk of re-offending.
“We are considering these measures to find a better balance between the time spent in custody and time supervised in the community, particularly following the recent increase in the prison population when Scotland already has one of the highest in Western Europe.
“Public safety will be paramount. Release under licence conditions means strict community supervision and specific support in place informed by robust individual risk assessments of prisoners. These measures would be introduced through legislation, requiring debate and the approval of Parliament. I invite people to share their views.”
Responses to this consultation are invited by 19 August 2024. It can be found here: [Long-term prisoner release process: consultation – Scottish Government consultations – Citizen Space]
Position Paper
[Prison population: position paper – gov.scot (www.gov.scot)]
First Minister John Swinney welcomed Sir Keir Starmer to Bute House yesterday for one of his first engagements after being appointed as the new UK Prime Minister.
Following an introductory telephone call on Friday, the two leaders met in Edinburgh to emphasise their joint commitment to working collaboratively on areas of shared interest.
They discussed a range of issues and areas where both the governments can work together, including advancing the Scottish Government’s core priorities of eradicating child poverty, growing the economy, prioritising net zero, and ensuring the delivery of effective public services.
Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes and the new Secretary of State for Scotland Ian Murray joined the First Minister and Prime Minister for talks.
First Minister John Swinney said: “I was pleased to welcome Sir Keir to Bute House so soon after his appointment as UK Prime Minister.
“We continued our conversation about areas of shared interest. I believe there is an opportunity for collaborative working that can make a difference to people’s lives and I hope to work with Sir Keir’s new Government to deliver progress for the benefit of people in Scotland.
“Following our talks, I am confident we have established the foundation for a productive relationship between our two governments based on renewed respect for the devolution settlement.
“On a personal note, having been First Minister for two months and a minister for many years, I am very aware of the demands of office. I again offered Sir Keir and his family my congratulations on his appointment and my best wishes for what will be a demanding start to his term in office.”
The UK’s position on the Middle East will be one of the ongoing issues Keir Starmer will have to address and a vocal protest by pro-Palestinian campaigners gathered outside Bute House calling for an end to arms supplies to Israel and an end to the slaughter of innocent children and families in Gaza.
First Minister John Swinney will welcome new Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer to Scotland today.
Speaking ahead of the meeting, the First Minister said: “I was really pleased to have the opportunity to speak to the Prime Minister on his first day in office and to congratulate him and wish him, and his family well.
“I look forward to welcoming the Prime Minister to Scotland where I hope to have constructive discussions with him on our shared priorities for the people of Scotland. This includes eradicating child poverty, growing the economy, prioritising net zero, and ensuring effective public services.
“I welcome the Prime Minister’s commitment to forge a positive relationship between our governments and for our part, the Scottish Government is committed to working constructively with the UK Government to build a better Scotland.”
WHATEVER your political allegiances. the relationship between the two governments is crucial to the people of Scotland. I’d like to think it will be more constructive than it has been in the recent past – Ed.
A multi-disciplinary team established to consider how the recommendations in the Cass Review might apply to NHS services in Scotland has submitted its findings to the Scottish Parliament.
A senior clinical team, commissioned by the Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, considered all 32 recommendations of the Cass Review into Gender Identity Services for Children and Young People in NHS England.
The team assessed to what extent they were applicable in the Scottish context, and whether they could be implemented in Scotland’s health service.
Recommendations of the multi-disciplinary team included:
The conclusions of the report will now be considered by the Scottish Government – both in relation to how current services should be delivered to ensure service continuity, as well as on how these services should be commissioned in the future to ensure sustainable person-centred care.
Deputy Chief Medical Officer Professor Graham Ellis said: “The Cass Review was established to make recommendations on how to improve NHS England gender identity services for children and young people. Through this review we have aimed to set out which recommendations could apply to Scotland, and how they might be implemented.
“At the heart of this question are children and young people in distress, and our ambition must remain focused on meeting their needs with holistic, person-centred care as close to home as practical.
“The Cass Review identified the need to ensure that gender identity services for young people are more closely aligned with other areas of clinical practice, and that responsibility for the full range of services required should extend beyond specialist services. This will be essential as we seek to always provide the best possible care.
“In responding to the Cass Review, the multi-disciplinary team looked at the recommendations from a clinical perspective, always remembering that we have a responsibility to make sure that all children and young people grow up safe, respected and supported.”
Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “The Scottish Government welcomes the multi-disciplinary team’s report, which has carefully considered the Cass Review’s recommendations and how they apply to Scotland.
“The conclusions of the report will now be considered and used to improve gender identity healthcare for children and young people. The Scottish Government will update Parliament after summer recess.
“We remain absolutely committed, not just to ensuring ongoing support is available, but to reforming and improving gender identity healthcare across Scotland.”
Cass Review – Implications for Scotland – letter from Chief Medical Officer Professor Sir Gregor Smith to Convener of the Health, Social Care & Sport Committee.
This is the response from The Royal College of Emergency Medicine (RCEM) Scotland as the latest Emergency Department performance data reveals that one in every nine people waited eight hours or more to be seen in A&E last month.
Data released yesterday – Tuesday 2 July 2024, by Public Health Scotland shows in Scottish A&Es in May – one in three patients waited four hours or more, one in nine waited eight hours or more, and one in 21 waited 12 hours or more.
The data also shows long waits have increased significantly since the 2010s.
Since May 2017, for example, the numbers waiting four hours or more has increased by nearly five times, eight hours or more by 21 times, and 12 hours or more by 89 times. Despite attendance only increasing by 0.5% in the same period.
The figures come just weeks after RCEM revealed the shocking reality of A&E overcrowding in the country with figures showing half of Emergency Departments were having to treat people in corridors.
A situation for which the First Minister John Swinney had to offer an ‘unreserved apology’ during First Minister’s Questions on 20 June.
Dr John-Paul Loughrey, RCEM Vice President for Scotland said: “It is right that the First Minister has apologised to people who have been forced to withstand treatment in corridors.
“It is unbearable for the people experiencing this loss of dignity at an already difficult time, and for the medical practitioners caring for them in impossible conditions.
“The data clearly shows that extended A&E waiting times due to overcrowding is not a new issue. It is sadly what A&E staff have come to expect.
“We once again call on the Scottish Government to take action to prevent overcrowding in Emergency Departments and the subsequent need to treat people in corridors by increasing the number of hospital beds and improving social care options so people can leave hospital when they are ready.
“I, personally, am growing weary of the inaction to rectify these longstanding issues and the resulting harms.”
“The government is duty-bound to provide the people of Scotland with safe and dignified emergency care, and now is the time to do so.”
In April 2023 the Scottish Government committed to fairer funding by 2026. Despite the urgent need within the voluntary and charity sector – one year on there has been little progress.
SCVO’s SHEGHLEY OGILVIE sets out #SCVOPolicy on #FairFunding and what actions are needed:
Last month, after a discussion a few weeks ago with the Clerks of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee, SCVO received the very welcome news that the Committee would focus their Pre-budget scrutiny on voluntary sector funding.
The Committee want, “to examine how the Scottish Government’s approach to fair and efficient funding can contribute to the continued effectiveness of the third sector”, having heard about the funding challenges facing the sector.
SCVO encourage organisations across the sector to respond to the Committee, share experiences of good and bad practice, and support SCVO’s Fair Funding calls.
The inquiry is very much needed.
For almost a decade, the Scottish Government has recognised the need for multi-year funding, committing to longer-term funding for the voluntary sector across multiple government strategies.
In April 2023 the Scottish Government’s policy prospectus New leadership – A fresh start, the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP committed to achieving fairer funding by 2026:
“Working with my Cabinet colleagues, I commit that by 2026 I will have… Progressed Fairer Funding arrangements, including exploring options to implement multi-year funding deals, enabling the third sector to secure the resilience and capacity it needs to support the transformation and delivery of person-centred services for Scotland’s people and support our thriving social enterprise economy”.
A commitment welcomed by SCVO and organisations across the sector. Similar commitments followed in the Programme for Government (PfG) and the Scottish Budget.
Despite this renewed focus – and the urgent need within the sector- one year on from the policy prospectus, there has been little progress.
Our sector faces unprecedented challenges. Years of underfunding and poor funding practices, and crises such as the pandemic, and the cost-of-living crisis have put the sector under increasing pressure, exacerbating financial and operational challenges – 76% of organisations now experience financial challenges, while the number of organisations reporting that rising costs are having a negative impact on their ability to deliver services continues to grow.
To support voluntary organisations, our staff and volunteers, and the people and communities our sector works with, the Scottish Government must both take action and develop timelines and goals to monitor progress towards fairer funding.
SCVO defines Fair Funding as a long-term, flexible, sustainable, and accessible approach to funding.
To make meaningful progress towards Fair Funding the Scottish Government should:
To be meaningful and support a sustainable sector, multi-year funding must also recognise and incorporate other essential Fair Funding elements including:
As local councils fund far more voluntary organisations than Scottish government- between a quarter and a third of voluntary organisations receive funding from local authorities- mulit-year funding should also be provided to local authorities, to allow them to enter into multi-year agreements with voluntary organisations.
Our sector is an employer, a partner, and a vital social and economic actor central to delivering the Scottish Government’s aspirations.
To recognise and support the many contributions of voluntary organisations, their staff, and their volunteers across Scotland urgent progress is needed or the goal of achieving fairer funding by 2026 becomes increasingly unlikely.
As part of the Committee’s Pre-budget scrutiny inquiry the Committee will hold two workshops in Dundee on Wednesday the 21st of August for voluntary organisations who receive funding from statutory funders (such as Scottish Government, health boards, local authorities).
To register your interest contact: PACT@parliament.scot
Find out more about SCVO’s Fair Funding work here:
https://scvo.scot/policy/fair-funding-procurement/fair-funding
Find SCVO’s engagement with the Scottish Budget process here:
A Holyrood Committee is seeking views on substantial amendments the Scottish Government is proposing to make to the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill.
The Health, Social Care and Sport Committee backed the Bill at Stage 1 (by a majority) but made clear they would seek to carry out detailed further scrutiny of the proposals at Stage 2. This followed the conclusion of a consensus agreement between COSLA and the Scottish Government on shared legal accountability for governance of the proposed National Care Service, which the Scottish Government had indicated would require the Bill to be substantially amended.
Maree Todd, Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport, has now provided the Committee with draft Scottish Government amendments to the Bill and the Committee is keen to find out views on these proposed amendments, ahead of formal Stage 2 proceedings.
One of the key proposed changes to the Bill which the Committee is seeking views on is the creation of a National Care Service Board which would be responsible for national oversight and improvement of social care and social work services.
The Committee is also seeking views on a newly proposed ‘National Care Service strategy’ and substantial reform of integration authorities via amendment of the Public Bodies (Joint Working) (Scotland) Act 2014.
In a letter to the Committee, the Minister outlines four areas where she says, ‘further work is needed to confirm which legislative approach would best deliver the intended changes.’ These include direct funding, the inclusion of children’s services, the inclusion of justice social work and Anne’s Law, and the Committee is asking for views on each of these areas.
Clare Haughey MSP, Convener of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, said: “When a majority of our Committee backed the general principles of this Bill, we made clear we would need to carry out detailed further scrutiny at Stage 2.
“Now the Government has provided a package of proposed draft amendments, we are determined to make sure stakeholder organisations and the public are given an opportunity to comment on these proposed changes.
“Since this Bill was first introduced as a ‘framework Bill’, many of the original proposals have changed. These amendments represent some quite fundamental changes, including the introduction of a National Care Service Board and far-reaching reforms to integration authorities through amendment of the 2014 Public Bodies Act.
“That’s why it’s essential our Committee takes the time to scrutinise these proposals effectively. After we have considered the views received, we intend to take further oral evidence before formal Stage 2 proceedings.
“The evidence we gather will be vital to aid our Committee’s scrutiny of these proposals, and to inform individual Members as they prepare their own Stage 2 amendments to the Bill. We look forward to hearing your views.”
The call for views is open until Friday 30 August 2024.
