Around 23,000 people will be given new online skills and training to help improve their chances of securing a job or to reduce isolation.
The £26 million Connecting Scotland programme, which helps those on lower incomes and groups like the elderly, will offer online training skills as well as providing people with devices like iPads and Chromebooks, and unlimited data for two years.
This builds upon previous funding aimed at helping more people access the internet, include those who were at high risk from COVID-19, care home residents, disadvantaged families with children and young people leaving care. This latest funding also provides an existing group of 36,000 recipients with another year of unlimited data.
Organisations can apply for phase 3 funding until 5 July.
Finance and Economy Secretary Kate Forbes said: “We are committed to seizing Scotland’s economic potential, creating secure, sustainable and satisfying jobs and supporting businesses recover from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
“With technology playing an increasingly important role in our society, ensuring people can get online and have the right skills and training is even more important to Scotland’s recovery from the pandemic.
“The Scottish Government committed to helping more people get online within our first 100 days plan and that is why we are providing an additional £26 million to help a further 23,000 households experiencing difficulties with online access.
“This investment will help thousands of people get online, making sure they are not further disadvantaged by providing the necessary hardware, data, and skills they need to get connected and get the skills they need to enter the workforce.”
One recipient of the Connecting Scotland Programme was Cath MacInnes from Inverness, a single mother of four children under 12, who received a Chromebook during an earlier round of funding.
Ms MacInnes said: “It has been a huge benefit to our online schooling and lockdown. The device enabled my children to independently work on their google classrooms, which in turn increased their confidence and helped improve their school work.
“There was also a positive effect on their wellbeing in general by being able to connect digitally with friends and family during lockdown.”
Since launching in May 2020 the programme has delivered to over 36,000 households including:
Families with children: 17,289
Isolating and high vulnerability group: 8,061
Young care leavers: 4,120
Older and disabled people: 4,899
Other vulnerabilities: 1,695
Connecting Scotland is delivered in partnership with the Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations (SCVO) and local authorities in collaboration with a broad range of local, public and third sector organisations.
Individuals can be nominated to receive a device by local public or third sector organisations.
There will be two application routes, one aimed at boosting employability and a fast-track process targeting those isolated as a result of the pandemic, particularly single parents, older or disabled people.
Thousands of hours contributed to national programme
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf has thanked volunteers who have now contributed more than 25,000 hours to help deliver the national vaccination programme.
Scotland’s NHS Boards have been supported to deliver the programme by the National Volunteer Coordination (NVC) Hub which deploys people to help at vaccination centres.
The NVC hub is operated by the British Red Cross with the support of a network of national and local voluntary sector organisations who identify and deploy suitable volunteers. It provides a central point of contact for NHS Boards and local authorities which they can use in addition to local volunteers to ensure the right resources are in place.
Among the activities the volunteers have helped with are meeting and greeting the members of the public and providing re-assurance, advice and practical assistance for those that want it.
In addition to helping at vaccination clinics, volunteers have also been involved in supporting the community testing programme, including a team of 90 volunteers delivering testing kits to around 4,000 Glasgow households.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “It is fitting that during National Volunteers’ Week we acknowledge the huge contribution made by volunteers to our vaccination roll-out. I want to thank each and every one of them for giving up their time and helping to ensure the successful roll-out of the largest vaccination programme the country has ever seen.
“The hub being coordinated by the British Red Cross helps ensure we have people in the right place at the right time to make everything run as smoothly as possible.
“It is down to the enormous efforts of our vaccination teams around the country that more than two million people in Scotland have now received both doses. I am grateful to them and all those who have taken up their offer of a vaccine.
“The vaccination programme is one of the main ways – along with restrictions and testing – that we are working to beat this virus and so it is crucial that everyone attends for their appointments when they are offered. This is equally important for those receiving appointments for their second dose as these offer longer lasting protection against COVID-19.”
British Red Cross Community Reserve Volunteer David Hardacre said: “I had never volunteered before and signed up through the Scotland Cares site. I have really enjoyed my time as a volunteer.
“It can be challenging at times hearing how difficult some folk are finding all this with Covid but it surprising what a chat and a friendly smile can do to lift their spirits. I have helped with a few things, including the vaccination clinics, which is great. You really feel part of the team, the NHS staff are so helpful and calm. I will continue to help so long as there is a need for me.”
British Red Cross Director, Scotland Marie Hayes said: “The response from the voluntary sector throughout the pandemic has been outstanding. Thousands of individuals, many of whom have never volunteered before, have turned out to support the NHS and local authorities and, importantly, their communities as we collectively act to beat the Covid virus.
“The tasks undertaken have been vary varied, some of these include; shopping and prescription collections, a friendly voice on the phone, marshalling at vaccination clinics, test kit distribution and collection etc. It has been quite remarkable to see so many come forward to help in whatever way they can.
“The endeavours of the volunteers over the past months has without doubt helped reach those most in need during this pandemic and I have no doubt these act of human kindness, great or small, will continue until we finally see an end to the current situation.”
Key national agencies Education Scotland (ES) and the SQA will be reformed as part of ambitious plans for Scotland’s education recovery, Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has announced.
The Education Secretary said the role, remit and purpose of both organisations will be considered, as well as their functions and governance arrangements.
Ms Somerville announced the reforms as she outlined wide-ranging plans for education recovery in the first 100 days of government and beyond.
These include:
investing over £1 billion to close the poverty related attainment gap
recruiting 3,500 additional teachers and classroom assistants
ensuring every schoolchild has access to the technology they need to support their education
making free school lunches available to all P4 children before extending to all primary school children, all year round
expanding free early learning and childcare and developing the provision of wraparound care and after-school clubs
increasing the school clothing grant and the Best Start Food grant
providing interim support – including a £100 payment near the start of the summer holidays – for eligible children before the formal expansion of the Scottish Child Payment next year
offering a £20 million Summer Programme to help restore the wellbeing of children and young people, particularly those worst hit by COVID-19
removing charges for core curriculum activities and music and arts education
working with colleges and universities to ensure they remain sustainable and at the forefront of global education and research.
Laying out the Scottish Government’s visions and ambitions for education, the Education Secretary said the priority was to continue to deliver excellence and equity, despite the pandemic, with the health and wellbeing of pupils at the forefront of the plans.
This next phase of recovery activity builds on almost £400 million of investment committed in this area to date.
Ms Somerville said: “I hope this programme outlines our determination to deliver improvements with pace and urgency. I am open to considering what further reform is necessary, with the clear purpose of doing all we can to improve outcomes for children. This includes reducing variability in the outcomes children and young people achieve across the country.
“I want to look at options for reform which ensure that schools get the best possible support and challenge to enable them to improve further and to do the very best for the children in their care; to enable them to focus relentlessly on providing the highest quality of learning and teaching for our children, and to ensure that those working in education outwith schools are fully focused on doing everything they can to provide the highest quality of support.
“I want to signal my intention to start this process by considering how to reform the SQA and Education Scotland. This will be a key priority for me.”
Ms Somerville said the reform plans would be informed by the findings of the OECD review into Curriculum for Excellence, which is due to be published on 21 June.
The EIS has welcomed the review. EIS General Secretary Larry Flanagan said, “We have for some time been arguing for reform of the SQA and, in particular, the need for a stronger governance model which would see the qualifications authority more accountable to the Education system and the profession, rather than to the Scottish Government or an opaque, Government appointed, Board.
“Our members have often found the SQA to be too remote from classroom practice and a significant generator of additional workload for teachers. Reform of the qualifications body should be matched by changes to the senior phase, which focus on creating time for deeper learning, breadth of study and parity between ‘academic’ and vocational’ qualifications.”
Mr Flanagan added, “With regard to Education Scotland the key issue is to create more independence for this body and move it closer to its role of supporting schools and teachers rather than being under the direction of the Scottish Government.
“Education Scotland should be free to challenge Government rather than being an extension of the civil service. There also needs to be a significant review of the usefulness of the current inspection process in what is meant to be an empowered education system.”
As the national vaccination programme continues to progress through younger age groups on the priority list, members of the Armed Forces have again been asked to help accelerate the roll-out.
The Scottish Government is working closely with NHS Boards to ensure the number of appointments can be increased in line with national guidance to help combat new variants and provide protection to as many people as possible.
This includes military support and NHS Lothian and NHS Lanarkshire have requested this to enable them to boost their capacity to administer second doses alongside the delivery of first doses to younger cohorts.
Military personnel will therefore assist with vaccinations from Monday 7 June in these areas for up to five weeks.
Health Secretary Humza Yousaf said: “We are incredibly grateful to everyone who has been involved in the vaccine rollout in Scotland, including the military, which has ensured more than 2 million people have received both doses.
“We remain on track to offer the vaccine to all adults by the end of July, but the emergence of the new variant shows that we cannot be complacent. That is why, as we have done previously, we have requested military support to complement our existing resources and to ensure we can get even more vaccinations into arms as quickly as possible.
“The vaccination programme is one of the main ways – along with restrictions and testing – that we are working to beat this virus and so it is crucial that everyone attends for their appointments when they are offered. That includes going for second doses as they are vital in providing greater and longer lasting protection against the virus.”
The Armed Forces have been working to support the rollout of the coronavirus vaccine programme with new deployments planned in Scotland and North West England.
Working together with local health boards and the NHS, personnel are part of Operation Rescript, the Armed Forces Covid-19 response. They are providing ongoing assistance to administer vaccines, provide logistics and planning support, as well as carrying out surge testing in response to variants of concern.
Defence Secretary Ben Wallace, said: The Armed Forces continue to show their incredible versatility and flexibility, deploying wherever and whenever they are needed in support of this national vaccination effort.
I am delighted to see that across all corners of the UK, military personnel are working side by side with their NHS counterparts to help get the British public vaccinated as quickly as possible.
Health and Social Care Secretary, Matt Hancock said: “We have vaccinated over three quarters of UK adults with a first dose and half of adults with a second dose. That is a huge effort across the healthcare system and beyond – and I am incredibly grateful for the amazing role our armed forces have played in this.
“We know how effective the vaccine is, thousands of lives have been saved and thousands of hospitalisations prevented. These are not just numbers, these are our family, friends and loved ones who have all been protected. Each vaccine brings us one step closer to putting this pandemic behind us. So when you get the call, get the jab.”
Commander Standing Joint Command, General Tyrone Urch said: “I am incredibly proud of our servicemen and women who have deployed in support of the Department for Health and Social Care, NHS and Health Boards across the United Kingdom to help deliver the vaccination programme efficiently and at pace.
“We are delighted to be able to support and complement the incredible work done by health professionals and volunteers across the country and we will continue to deliver anything requested of us.”
As part of the UK Government’s response to variants of concern, 400 trained vaccinators from across the Armed Forces are available to be deploy when and wherever required. 4,300 service personnel also remain at high readiness and can be called upon to support with Covid-19 tasks across the UK.
This comes in addition to support the Armed Forces have provided around the world, including delivering vaccines to Ascension Island, Falklands, Gibraltar and Tristan da Cunha, and delivering other essential COVID supplies to India and Nepal.
63 members of the Armed Forces will deploy to Lanarkshire and Lothian from Monday 7 June for up to five weeks.
42 service personnel will provide support to NHS Lothian. This will be made up of 36 vaccinators, 4 registered health professionals and 2 command and control managers. They will be split into 4 vaccine support teams who can deploy across Lothian as required.
21 service personnel will also work alongside NHS Lanarkshire and will consist of 18 vaccinators, 2 registered health professionals and one command and control manager. They will form two vaccine support teams and will deploy across Lanarkshire as required.
Lothian MSP, Miles Briggs, said: “This support from the armed forces gives NHS Lothian a boost in the vaccination race against Covid-19, just when they need it.
“The armed forces played an important role in getting vaccination centres up and running and the extra support they are offering now is extremely welcome.
“The professionalism from NHS Lothian staff in the vaccination programme has been outstanding and if the momentum is kept up they’ll be on top of the second doses soon.”
More than 90,000 primary school pupils will be entitled to new free school meal support in term time.
The Scottish Government and local authority partners have reached agreement to introduce universal free school lunches for primary 4 and 5 children and targeted support during school holidays for all eligible primary and secondary children and young people.
The £28 million commitment will deliver free school lunches during term time for P4 children by August 2021 and to P5 children by January 2022
A further £21.75 million will provide targeted free school meal support during school holidays in 2021-22. This will start in July for around 145,000 primary and secondary children and young people from low income households.
Councils will determine what approach in school holidays meets local needs and circumstances, which may include the provision of direct payments, vouchers or food parcels.
Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “Free school meals are a vital support to thousands of children and young people across the country – ensuring that children have access to a free, healthy and nutritious meal every day they are in school and are ready to engage in learning.
“The provision of £49.75 million in new funding to local authorities demonstrates our support for the health and wellbeing of children and young people and our commitment to reduce the impact of poverty on thousands of families across the country.”
Councillor Stephen McCabe of COSLA said: “Councils across Scotland have long been committed to delivering healthy free school meals – to eligible children and young people.
“We are pleased that, in partnership with Scottish Government, this commitment can be further expanded upon by providing free school meals to all Primary 4s in August 2021 and Primary 5s in the later part of the academic year.
“Local authorities will continue to work hard to ensure that children and young people have access to healthy and nourishing meals so that they are fully able to learn, play, and engage with their peers and communities.”
£20 million fund for local authorities to establish model sites
Local authorities can now apply to a new fund which will help to provide more and better accommodation for Gypsy/Traveller communities.
This funding will help to build experience and skills in Gypsy/Traveller site development by focusing on demonstration projects which establish examples of model sites.
Improving accommodation and sites is a key part of Scotland’s first long-term national housing strategy, as well as part of the Scottish Government and COSLA’s joint Gypsy/Traveller Action Plan.
Equalities Minister Christina McKelvie said: “It is vital that we improve the accommodation and sites for the Gypsy/Traveller community. This £20 million funding will be focused initially on the development of demonstration projects to establish model sites, and builds on £2 million funding provided in 2020-21 for immediate improvements to all sites.
“We are working in partnership with members of the Gypsy/Traveller community and local authorities to develop a design guide for sites. It will set the standard for new accommodation and ensure our Housing 2040 principles, such as accessibility and energy efficiency, are factored in to planning.”
Councillor Kelly Parry, COSLA’s Community Wellbeing Spokesperson, said: “The creation of a new funding programme over the next five years for Gypsy/Traveller accommodation is a fantastic step forward for our communities. This money will help to build homes that are fit for the future and is going to show what is possible in the design of modern sites.
“Combined with local investment from councils, the fund will make a meaningful difference to the quality of accommodation that is available and the initial projects will blaze the trail for more developments over time.”
The first update to the UK government’s traffic light list for international travel took place yesterday, with Portugal moved to the amber list to safeguard public health against variants of concern and protect our vaccine rollout.
Seven countries – including Sri Lanka and Egypt – have also been added to the red list. All changes to the lists will come into effect at 4am on Tuesday 8 June.
The decision to move Portugal (including Madeira and the Azores) to the amber list follows increased concern in the spread of variants of coronavirus, including a mutation of the Delta variant, and the risk that is posed of bringing these back to the UK if people are not required to quarantine.
The situation in Portugal has required swift action to protect the gains made with the vaccine rollout – there has been an almost doubling in the COVID-19 test positivity rate in Portugal since the first review for traffic light allocations, far exceeding the ONS estimated national positivity rate in the UK. More significantly, according to data published on GISAID, 68 cases of the Delta variant of concern have been identified in Portugal, including cases of the Delta variant with an additional, potentially detrimental, mutation.
Public Health England is investigating this variant and mutation, to better understand whether it could be more transmissible and less effectively tackled by vaccines, potentially putting our progress with the roadmap at risk.
The government’s priority is to protect public health, and it has therefore decided to act quickly to make this change. All classification changes have been decided by ministers, informed by the latest data and analysis by the Joint Biosecurity Centre (JBC) and wider public health factors, to help people understand the risks to public health here from travellers returning from different destinations.
Transport Secretary Grant Shapps said: The public has always known travel will be different this year and we must continue to take a cautious approach to reopening international travel in a way that protects public health and the vaccine rollout.
“While we are making great progress in the UK with the vaccine rollout, we continue to say that the public should not travel to destinations outside the green list.”
The full list of additional countries added to the ‘red list’ includes Afghanistan, Bahrain, Costa Rica, Egypt, Sri Lanka, Sudan, and Trinidad and Tobago. For countries going on the red list today, COVID-19 prevalence is assessed to be high and there is evidence to suggest community transmission of variants of concern.
While the number of ‘green list’ destinations remains low, the government is urging the public not to travel to amber classified destinations to play their role in protecting public health. This is due to the prevalence of variants of concern and general rates of coronavirus being greater in amber destinations, meaning the risk to public health is also greater.
UK Health Security Agency chief executive Dr Jenny Harries said: “Increases in case rates in the UK serve as a reminder that this pandemic is not over yet and we need to take a cautious approach.
“Everyone should observe the travel guidance, continue to follow hands, face, space and fresh air, and have both doses of the COVID-19 vaccine when offered.
“Testing will help to break chains of transmission and allow us to see which variants are circulating so make sure you get tested when you return to the UK in line with the guidance.”
There are no additions to the green list at this time. People should not travel to amber or red countries other than for essential reasons.
Scotland’s Transport Secretary Michael Matheson said: “Portugal is a popular destination for Scottish holiday makers and this change will clearly cause disruption to people’s travel plans.
“However we have been forthright from the outset that the traffic light system is designed to protect the safety of the people of Scotland and the continued progress we are making as we come out of lockdown.
“Using the stringent methodology of the Joint Biosecurity Centre it is clear the risk this new variant poses is now too great to allow unrestricted travel to Portugal, an approach that has been agreed by all four nations.
“International travel for holidaying purposes remains risky and subject to sudden change. We have said before people should think very carefully about travelling – and this latest development serves to underpin that advice – especially so given the prevalence and unpredictable nature of variants of concern.”
The UK government has always stated that international travel will be different this year, both in terms of passenger experience and with regards to what countries the public could visit to protect the hard-fought gains of the vaccine programme rollout. However, passengers should be aware that while COVID-19 travel restrictions are in place, queue waiting times may be longer than usual.
The UK government is also announcing that as part of a limited trial, from 8 June, direct flights will be permitted to England from countries on the ‘red list’ that were previously subject to flight bans, so long as they arrive at dedicated terminals at Heathrow and Birmingham airports.
The requirement for these direct flights to arrive at dedicated facilities will help keep more red list passengers separate from others, helping to ensure they are processed as safely and efficiently as possible and then travel straight to their managed quarantine hotel and reduce queues at the border.
As international travel reopens safely, the government will maintain 100% health checks at the border. Our top priority is protecting the health of the public and our enhanced borders regime, including mandatory hotel quarantine for arrivals from red list countries, is helping minimise the risk of new variants being imported into the UK.
However, many ‘green list’ countries will continue to place restrictions on travellers from the UK, including quarantine measures, so passengers are strongly encouraged to check all entry requirements and FCDO travel advice before they book any foreign travel.
If travelling abroad, you need to take steps to keep safe and prepare in case things change while you are there. Check and subscribe to FCDO travel advice updates to understand the latest entry requirements and COVID-19 rules.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson has met with the First Ministers of Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland and the Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland to discuss the United Kingdom’s Covid recovery.
They were joined at yesterday’s meeting by the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster (CDL). The Secretaries of State for Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland joined virtually, along with other ministers and officials from the devolved administrations.
Ministers agreed that the meeting provided an important opportunity for dialogue between the UK Government and devolved administrations.
The Prime Minister reflected that, while there are divergent views on the question of the United Kingdom’s constitutional future and the UK Government and devolved administrations will not always agree, these differences should not prevent us from working together to ensure a strong recovery for all parts of the country.
The Chancellor set out the direct UK-wide support provided by HM Treasury in response to COVID-19, which was worth around £352 billion across 2020-21 and 2021-22, and how the sacrifices of the British people coupled with our comprehensive support package and on-going vaccine rollout have laid the foundations for recovery.
Looking forward, he said as we gradually lift restrictions to ensure we maintain control of the virus, there are reasons for cautious optimism with data showing our Plan for Jobs is working.
The Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster said that collaboration between the UK Government and devolved administrations on Covid recovery would allow us to emerge from the pandemic stronger. Ministers acknowledged the benefits of mutual aid and burden sharing on healthcare and agreed that there was a clear value in sharing data and best practice.
Summing up, the PM emphasised the importance of establishing a structured and regular forum for ongoing engagement between the UK Government and the devolved administrations to deliver tangible outcomes in the interests of people throughout the UK and of completing the Intergovernmental Relations Review.
Following yesterday’s four-nations summit on Covid recovery First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the meeting must prove to have been more than just a talking shop.
The First Minister said: “We are of course willing to work together on recovery from the pandemic, but the UK Government needs to listen and act on key Scottish Government concerns.
“Because of the powers that rest in Westminster the decisions the UK Government takes have a major impact on the kind of fair recovery we are trying to build in Scotland.
“I sought assurances that there would be no return to the cruel and damaging austerity of the past and that furlough and the £20 uplift in Universal Credit will be extended. The proof of the worth of this meeting depends on whether the UK Government takes these issues seriously and responds accordingly.
“This meeting also took place at a time when the UK Government is undermining devolution through the Internal Market Act and diverting funding away from the Scottish Parliament. This has to stop and instead the UK Government needs to start treating the Scottish Government and other devolved governments as equal partners.”
Attendees:
UK Government
Prime Minister (Chair) – Rt Hon Boris Johnson MP
Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster – Rt Hon Michael Gove MP
Chancellor of the Exchequer – Rt Hon Rishi Sunak MP
Secretary of State for Northern Ireland – Rt Hon Brandon Lewis CBE MP
Secretary of State for Scotland – Rt Hon Alister Jack MP
Secretary of State for Wales – Rt Hon Simon Hart MP
Scottish Government
First Minister of Scotland – Rt Hon Nicola Sturgeon MSP
Deputy First Minister – John Swinney MSP
Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy – Kate Forbes MSP
Welsh Government
First Minister of Wales – Rt Hon Mark Drakeford MS
Minister for the Economy, Vaughan Gething MS
Northern Ireland Executive
First Minister of Northern Ireland – Rt Hon Arlene Foster MLA
Deputy First Minister of Northern Ireland – Michelle O’Neill MLA
A major TV, radio and digital campaign to encourage people across Scotland to come together to tackle the climate emergency has been launched ahead of COP26 in Glasgow later this year.
The Let’s do Net Zero campaign highlights the benefits a net zero society will bring for our economy, health and environment.
It also aims to raise greater awareness of the twin crises of climate change and biodiversity loss, and the transformation that is required across all corners of our economy and society in order to end Scotland’s contribution to climate change.
The domestic campaign will provide information and resources to help support the choices and decisions we can all take to help reduce emissions whilst improving our health and wellbeing. It will also showcase the achievements of communities, businesses and organisations who have already taken action to reduce emissions and introduce more environmentally sustainable practices.
The international campaign will demonstrate the action that Scotland is taking to protect the planet, inviting global collaboration ahead of COP26.
Figures show that at least three quarters of the Scottish public agree that action on climate change must be taken now, while under a quarter consider themselves knowledgeable about the consequences of failing to act.
Scotland is already committed to reaching net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045 and record capital investment of £1.9 billion will be spent on low-carbon projects in 2021/22 to tackle climate change and create good green jobs.
Launching the campaign, Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero, Energy and Transport Michael Matheson said: “Scotland was one of the first countries in the world to declare a climate emergency and we are wholly committed to ending our contribution to climate change, definitively, by 2045.
“We can be proud that we have already halved our greenhouse gas emissions since 1990, but the second half of the journey to becoming a net-zero nation will be far more challenging, and require everyone to play their part.
“Climate change is the greatest threat facing the world’s population. It’s not a distant, far away problem: we’re already seeing the impact here in Scotland.
“The journey to net-zero will transform every aspect of our lives: how we live, how we work, how we travel. It presents huge potential for us to seize the opportunities that becoming a net-zero society presents – growing our economy, improving our health and wellbeing whilst protecting and enhancing Scotland’s iconic natural environment.
“2021 is a vital year for climate action and COP26 in Glasgow puts Scotland centre stage. We’ll demonstrate the climate action Scotland is taking, the ways in which we put people and wellbeing at the heart of all we do, and how our Scottish values underpin our place in the world.
“The time for action is now. It is the people living on this planet, at this moment, who can secure the future of our climate for the next generations.
“This campaign highlights the need for urgent, collective action. If we all play our part in the just transition to net-zero, Scotland can show the rest of the world how it’s done – and ensure our people, businesses and communities are at the forefront of our new green economy.”
A statement from the Scottish Football Association:
Now that the window for Scotland Supporters Club members to purchase UEFA EURO 2020 tickets has closed, all supporters are asked not to travel to London for our EURO 2020 Group D match against England on Friday, 18 June unless they have a ticket for the match.
Trafalgar Square, the traditional gathering point for Scotland supporters, is being used as a socially-distanced, ticketed Fan Zone for key workers, while pubs and bars in London are expected to limit the number of football fans allowed in due to the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.
With Covid restrictions still in place prohibiting large gatherings, Scotland supporters are asked to help limit the spread of the virus by remaining in Scotland. Please stay safe and enjoy the match locally.
