A £55 million emergency sports funding package to tackle lost ticket revenue during the pandemic has been announced today by Sports Minister Joe FitzPatrick.
The funding will comprise grants and low-interest loans, including £30 million for Scottish Football at all levels of the game.
Scottish Rugby will benefit from £20 million, alongside funding for basketball, netball, motor sport, horse racing and ice hockey, including support for ice rinks that support Scotland’s world-class curling programmes as well as recreational and professional skating.
The package comes in addition to sportscotland’s £1.5 million COVID Recovery Support Fund. In partnership with the Scottish Government, the agency also loosened the criteria for its £32 million planned annual investment for the sports sector during the pandemic, allowing sports organisations to protect 1,600 jobs.
Mr FitzPatrick said: “I am pleased to announce this substantial funding package, which will help to ensure those sports which have been worst affected by the loss of ticket revenue during the pandemic are able to bridge the gap in revenue until spectators are able to return safely to sports events in larger numbers.
“While restrictions on supporters at events have been vital in stopping the spread of the virus and saving lives, there can be no doubt that they have created real hardships for many sports clubs.
“These clubs are at the heart of our communities and, without urgent financial support, the survival of some could be in question. I’m delighted that we are able to provide significantly more support than the Barnett consequential funding received from the UK Government Sports Winter Survival package.
“I recognise that for football in particular, governing bodies, clubs and, of course, supporters themselves are desperate to see fans back as soon as possible. Sport brings great enjoyment to the many people who watch and play, and we don’t want supporters to be delayed in returning to stadiums for any longer than is absolutely necessary.”
sportscotland Chief Executive Stewart Harris said: “This announcement is very welcome as the funding will help protect the immediate future of many clubs over the coming months.
“We will continue to work with a range of Scottish Governing Bodies of Sport and the Scottish Government to prioritise this funding to ensure the survival of the sports at the heart of our communities.
“With the roll out of the vaccine this week there is real hope that we are beginning to see our way out of this pandemic, and we need to make certain that sport is in a good place and is a prominent part of the overall recovery plan.”
Charities working with children and families on low incomes will receive a share of £3.3 million to help meet the needs of those affected by poverty at Christmas and in the new year.
The money forms part of the £100 million winter support package announced by the First Minister last month – of which £22 million is to specifically support low income families. The £3.3 million committed will support those most in need of help, including lone parents, families with a disabled child or young person, kinship carers, care leavers and families with a loved one in prison.
Nine charities will receive funding to support their work, or to distribute to grass-roots organisations. The money will go to help with essential items such as food, warm clothing and nappies, heating, bedding and furniture and white goods, and to support a scheme giving gifts to disadvantaged children who might otherwise go without a present on Christmas Day.
The charities benefiting are the STV Appeal, Cash for Kids, Aberlour, Barnardo’s, Action for Children, Family Fund, Families Outside, Who Cares? Scotland and One Parent Families Scotland.
Communities Secretary Aileen Campbell said: “The Winter Plan for Social Protection, announced by the First Minister on 30 November 2020, already includes a one-off £100 per child payment for those in receipt of Free School Meals who are on low incomes, to be paid by Christmas.
“Whilst this is an important boost to family incomes we also want to help families with children of pre-school age.
“This funding will strengthen the help available to families across Scotland – supporting people during the festive period and throughout the winter months.
“We have taken unprecedented action to support people affected by the impact of COVID, with over £500 million committed for social protection since the onset of the pandemic. This latest investment is part of wider support available to people including increased funding for the Scottish Welfare Fund, Discretionary Housing Payments, and through wider third sector and councils action.”
Margaret Ford, Chair of STV and STV Children’s Appeal, said: “Amidst the seasonal festivities, it’s sometimes easy to lose sight of the fact that winter is one of the most difficult times of the year for so many families across Scotland, and the economic impact of Covid-19 will be an additional issue this year.
“We work closely with dozens of charities and projects across the country to help the most vulnerable in society, and this new support package will go some way in doing that. We’re pleased to be helping to distribute these funds, so that essential food, clothing, shelter and heating can be provided to those who need it most in this particularly challenging period between now and the spring.”
The charities to be supported by this funding include:
More than £1.8 billion of extra funding has been allocated to tackling the impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) in Scotland.
It covers areas including health, transport and business support, accounting for all but £330 million of the latest consequentials generated by UK Government spending. The remainder will be used to meet further urgent demands relating to both COVID-19 and Brexit up to the end of March 2021.
The funding is detailed in a letter from Finance Secretary Kate Forbes to the Scottish Parliament’s Finance and Constitution Committee.
Ms Forbes said: “From the outset, I have ensured that the money we receive is distributed as quickly as possible to where it is needed most. Our decisions have provided vital additional resources to our NHS, schools and other public services, they have kept our transport system running and provided much needed financial support for businesses impacted by the pandemic.
“To provide full transparency, I detailed earlier allocations in the summer and autumn budget revisions. This latest round will deliver measures such as the COVID-19 vaccination programme, local business support packages and free school meals over the holidays.
“The UK Treasury has indicated that this funding covers the period up to March 2021, so I have allocated £330 million as a contingency to ensure we are in a position to provide further support to health and businesses, including for issues arising from Brexit, as it is required over the coming months.
“Our limited borrowing powers mean we do not have flexibility to increase spending to meet demand and therefore must manage our expenditure – much of which is demand led so cannot be accurately calculated in advance – within the consequentials provided.”
The latest allocations include:
around £600 million for health and social care, wider public health initiatives and welfare support. This includes the COVID-19 vaccination programme, test and trace and the £500 bonus for health and social care workers.
support for business and the wider economy totalling £570 million, including funding for the strategic framework, local business support packages, the newly self-employed hardship fund and local authority discretionary business funding
an estimated £139 million of previously announced funding for government, bringing the overall support package to councils to more than £1 billion
around £500 million to support transport services and cover pandemic-related income shortfalls within organisations such as Police Scotland, the Scottish Funding Council and the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service
The latest COVID-19 consequentials bring the total received by the Scottish Government to £8.2 billion.
A further update on COVID-19 spending will be provided through the Spring Budget Revision in the New Year.
A copy of Ms Forbes’ letter to the Finance and Constitution Committee Convener Bruce Crawford is below:
Dear Bruce,
I am writing to update the Finance and Constitution Committee on usage and allocations to date of consequential funding received during 2020-21 as a result of the Covid-19 outbreak.
We have drawn down and allocated this funding over the course of the year in response to what has been an exceptional and dynamic set of circumstances. I have updated Parliament on several occasions and, although a further update will be provided through the Spring Budget Revision in the New Year, I thought it would be helpful to provide further information in advance of that.
Around £6 billion of consequentials were allocated in the unprecedented Summer Budget Revision and as part of the Autumn Budget Revisions. Since then, consequentials provided have been increased to £8.2 billion.
I can confirm that thus far, further allocations have been provided as follows:
Around £600 million has been provided to health and social care, wider public health initiatives and welfare support. This funding supports the public health response to Covid including: vaccinations and test and trace; the £500 non-consolidated payment for health and social care staff; and the Winter Plan for Social Protection, which helps people pay for food, heating, warm clothing and shelter as well as free school meals over the school holidays and the self-isolation support grant.
Support for business and the wider economy of £570 million, including grants via the Strategic Framework, funding for local support packages, the newly self-employed hardship fund, digital support, Local Authority Discretionary Business Funding and remaining allocations from the £97 million support for culture and heritage.
Previously announced support for Local Government, relating to the estimated £90 million Lost Income Scheme as well as £49 million of additional funding confirmed to councils in September. Added to additional funding already committed, this brings the value of the overall support package to councils to more than £1 billion.
Around £500 million of funding to support continued provision of transport and funding for income shortfalls within our partner bodies including Police Scotland, the Scottish Funding Council, Registers of Scotland and the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service in order to ensure that they can continue to deliver vital services, as well as mitigating shortfalls in devolved tax as a direct result of Covid-19.
Due to the nature of the Covid-19 outbreak, the potential asks for further demand led spend with regards strategic framework support for business in Scotland and additional demands on health, and the requirement that the funding provided to date will cover all costs until the end of March 2021, I have allocated £330 million of funding in order to support these asks. This is consistent with the terms of the funding guarantee provided by HM Treasury to the devolved administrations, which specified the funding was to cover the period until March 2021. This contingency is also required in order to support any additional funding requirements as a result of the end of the EU transition period.
The Scottish Government’s limited borrowing powers means we do not have flexibility to increase spending and therefore must manage demand-led expenditure risks within the consequentials provided.
The figures above remain a snapshot of a dynamic funding position. I will formally advise of final allocations as part of Spring Budget Revision, the last formal opportunity in the financial year to transfer budgets.
KATE FORBES
https://twitter.com/i/status/1337006754421501952
Businesses across Scotland will benefit from a new £185 million package of targeted coronavirus support.
The announcement follows discussions with business groups and sees a wide range of sectors benefiting, from taxi drivers and arts venues to travel agents and hospitality.
In addition, there will be additional one-off payments to hospitality businesses in January to help them deal with the traditional post-Christmas dip in demand. These will be of £2,000 or £3,000, depending on rateable value.
The package was announced by Finance Secretary Kate Forbes, who also said she had written to the Treasury calling for Scotland to receive its share of rates relief reimbursed by supermarkets “to ensure this is spent on those areas hardest hit as part of Scotland’s recovery from COVID-19”.
Ms Forbes said: “Today I am pleased to confirm an allocation of £185 million for new and additional business support in the new year. We have listened to businesses and this assistance will be provided on a sector-by-sector basis, targeted at those who need it most.
“We are developing grant schemes for hospitality, for the events sector, live music and cultural venues, for the arts, indoor football centres and for the food and drink sector, including £1.8 million for brewers.
“We will give £1.5 million to travelling show people ineligible for other support, while a new £19 million fund, plus a one-off grant, will help taxi drivers.
“I can also announce that further support of £60 million will be provided to the tourism sector, details of which will be developed in consultation with the industry.
“I am listening to the needs of business and we will continue to review and refine our COVID-19 support offer within the available resources.”
Specific support detailed in Wednesday’s announcement includes:
£15 million for the wedding sector and its supply chain, including photographers
one-off grants totalling £15 million for mobile close contact services, such as hairdressers
a £19 million fund and one-off grants for taxi drivers
£5 million for travel agents
almost £6 million for coach companies and tour operators
£1.5 million for visitor attractions.
More detail on the package will be announced in the coming days and businesses can expect to apply for all the new grant schemes in January.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney has written to Council Leader Adam McVey to explain Tuesday’s controversial decision to keep Edinburgh in Level 3 of coronavirus restrictions.
The letter comes after Council Leaders reacted with ‘anger and dismay‘ to the news that the Capital would not be moving to Level 2, contrary to what had been anticipated and it follows a meeting between Mr Swinney and Cllr McVey on Tueday evening.
Fiirst Minister Nicola Sturgeon and National Clinical Director Jason Leitch also explained the rationale behind the decision during questions following yesterday’s daily media briefing.
In his letter, Mr Swinney says: ‘A move to Level 2 in Edinburgh would mean opening up significantly more services in our second biggest city in the two weeks before Christmas. So we wanted to have as much confidence as possible that the situation is as stable as possible before we make that move.
‘In that context, the recent rise in cases, while relatively slight, was a cause for concern when seen against the backdrop of a much slower reduction in cases and test positivity for Edinburgh over the last two weeks than for Scotland as a whole.
‘By the same token, while Scotland as a whole has seen declining test positivity, the test positivity for Edinburgh is rising. So, weighing the data in the wider context, we decided it was prudent to keep Edinburgh in Level 3 this week, monitor the position closely, and to review the level again next week.
Council Leader Adam McVey and Depute Leader Cammy Day had been pressing the case for Edinburgh’s restrictions to be eased, in recognition of the city’s relatively low COVID case numbers and the care taken by residents and businesses keeping to the rules.
Responding to the First Minister’s announcement on Tuesday, Council Leader Adam McVey said: I’m extremely disappointed. Our numbers are stable and have now been consistently within the rates of level two for some time.
“We know what a dire situation local businesses continue to face and the latest news will be yet another blow in the lead-up to the Christmas period – which should be their busiest time of the year. I’ve been strongly pressing for Edinburgh’s case to move to a lower level of restrictions when safe to do so. The data suggest that time should have been now.
“It’s thanks to everyone following the guidance that our numbers have fallen and it’s why the Capital’s expectation was rightly that we would be moving to level two. I’ve asked to meet the Government as a matter of urgency to ensure they give a full explanation to the people of Edinburgh of the public health advice that they have based their decision on. I’ll also be pressing the case for additional financial support for our businesses who will need additional help following this decision.
“Despite this situation we need to continue to do everything we can over the coming week to continue to make progress – that means following the guidance, maintaining social distancing and washing hands and using sanitiser regularly.”
Depute Leader Cammy Day said: “This is an outrage and slap in the face for the many businesses, individuals and families who have so carefully stuck to restrictions over the winter so far, suffering significant losses and missing out on seeing one another over the festive period.
“It’s down to them that our cases per 100,000 are lower than many areas around the country, including some already in level two, so we completely understand those who are questioning today’s decision to retain the current restrictions in Edinburgh.
“We will continue to do everything in our power to ensure this is recognised by the Scottish Government, and will be calling for them to reconsider and reverse their decision.”
Councillors will debate an Emergency Motion by the ‘Capital Coalition’ at today’s Full Council meeting, calling on Council to agree to continue to lobby the Scottish Government and “insist the government follow scientific evidence and advice” that indicate that Edinburgh has been consistently in Level 2.
It’s expected that Edinburgh will move to Level 2 when restrictions are reviewed next week.
Universities will stagger the return of undergraduate students to campuses over at least six weeks, within a package of measures to minimise the transmission of coronavirus (COVID-19).
With only very limited exceptions, undergraduates should initially plan to restart their studies at home and only return to campuses and term-time accommodation when notified to do so by their universities.
When students return to term-time accommodation, they will be offered lateral flow COVID-19 testing, similar to that offered ahead of Christmas. All students are being asked to restrict their social interaction for a fortnight before they return to university and for the same period after they get there. College students – who largely do not move away from home to go to education – should return as planned, in line with the protection level for the area their college is in at that time.
Other student measures for Term 2 include:
any student who has remained in university and other accommodation during the holiday, can continue to do so, whilst observing the relevant levels restrictions
universities and other student accommodation providers should plan for how best to manage shared accommodation in ways that reduce the risk of transmission of the virus between students and between households, drawing on lessons learned from the autumn term
universities and providers should offer additional support for any students who may have to self-isolate upon their return
Further and Higher Education Minister Richard Lochhead said: “The Scottish Government, our colleges and our universities have a shared priority to ensure transmission of the coronavirus is minimised for the safety of all in our community.
“We also wish to see students have a positive educational experience in the coming spring term, including a blend of digital and in-person provision.
“The spread of the virus is, however, uncertain and prevalence is stubbornly high in some areas. So we are proposing these arrangements for the forthcoming term to ensure a safe return to college and university for students, staff and wider communities, building on the positive work done by colleges and universities based on the experience of the first term.”
Scottish Government guidance on colleges and universities will be made available to reflect these arrangements including key dates and how this will be kept under review.
A leading charity has raised concerns over an apparent Scottish Government u-turn which sees unpaid carers now no longer included in the “first-wave” of COVID-19 vaccinations.
The concern has been raised by Kindred, an advocacy organisation supporting parents of children with complex needs, which has warned of the impact on these children if their parents contract the virus and are unable to provide care.
The charity had made the vaccine call in a letter to Health Cabinet Secretary, Jeane Freeman MSP, on 11th November on the back of a report it published highlighting the “devastating” impact of the pandemic lockdown on families of children with exceptional health needs.
On 4th December, it all became clear in a “Vaccine stakeholder note” from the Scottish Government Directorate for Mental Health and Social Care that “carers and their families are not included in the prioritisation list.”
Director of the charity, Sophie Pilgrim, has written to the Cabinet Secretary on the back of this apparent u-turn on her earlier commitment (letter available on request), noting:
“At this time of national crisis, it seems we are prepared to ignore the plight of our most vulnerable children. These children, with shorter lives, have lost out on therapy, education and social opportunities. Their parents, on whom they are totally dependent, are exhausted to the point of burnout.
“In Scotland, we pride ourselves in aspiring to be the ‘best country in the world for children to grow up’. We should dare to be different and stand up for our children who are most in need. I urge you to include unpaid carers amongst the first to receive the vaccine.”
The repeated call comes on the back of a survey undertaken of the parents of children with complex health needs.1
The results show that:
93 percent of these families experienced an impact on their ability to meet their children’s medical and care needs due to the pandemic; 63 percent said that the impact of the pandemic on their ability to provide care was ‘big’ or ‘severe’.
Two out of every three parents who took part in the survey said sleep deprivation was one of the main factors that impacted their ability to care for their children. It was the norm for these parents to get an average of five hours of broken sleep per night. Kindred has called for an urgent need to investigate the provision of overnight respite care across Scotland.
Over a third of parents received no respite care before the pandemic and this dropped to 60 per cent after the start of the pandemic. This highlights the importance of schools in supporting parents and giving them a break from caring. Almost all the children attended special school with access to therapy, and the expertise of Additional Support for Learning staff. There is no doubt that schools are preventing crisis and family breakdown where a child has high care needs.
Sophie Pilgrim, Director of Kindred, commented: “This apparent u-turn by the Scottish Government is deeply devastating news for the families of children with complex needs and life limiting conditions.
“At this time of national crisis, it seems we are prepared to ignore the plight of our most vulnerable children. These children, with shorter lives, have lost out on therapy, education and social opportunities. Their parents, on whom they are totally dependent, are exhausted to the point of burnout and simply cannot afford to get sick.
“In Scotland, we pride ourselves in aspiring to be the ‘best country in the world for children to grow up’. We should dare to be different and stand up for our children who are most in need.”
Alex Davey, from East Lothian, is fulltime carer to her six-year-old son, Benjamin, who has complex medical needs including tube-feeding, epilepsy and overnight ventilation.
“My key concern as Benjamin’s mother is that my husband and myself contract Covid-19, rendering us incapable of meeting his complex care needs, potentially for a long period of time.
“Early access to the vaccine is therefore imperative to ensure that families like ours can be sure that they can continue to care for their child.
“One can therefore only imagine our joy when we heard that unpaid carers would be among the first wave to receive the vaccine. We cheered, we celebrated, we called each other up and cried tears of pure relief. We were no longer overlooked.
“In fact, we are not just overlooked, we were cruelly misled and our hopes were built up, only to be dashed.
“We cannot understand why the Scottish Government has reneged on its commitment and we would urge it to do the honourable thing and honour the original commitment made.”
Plans for the 2021 exam diet have been updated in light of continuing disruption to young people’s education caused by coronavirus (COVID-19).
Higher and Advanced Higher exams will not go ahead and will be replaced with awards based on teacher judgement of evidence of pupils’ attainment. The assessment model will be based on the approach already agreed for National 5 awards, details of which are being set out today.
Data shows that since the return to school in August, there have been varied instances of COVID-related disruption to learning, with a higher proportion of pupils from more deprived areas having to spend time out of school.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney said: “In October, I said Highers and Advanced Highers would go ahead if it was safe and fair to do so. Since then, many pupils have suffered disruption because of COVID, as they were obliged to self-isolate or even saw their school closed. The level of disruption has, however, not been the same across the board – pupils in deprived areas have been hit hardest.
“While we hope that public health will improve in the coming months with the roll-out of the vaccine, we cannot guarantee that there will be no further disruption to pupils’ learning.
“Holding exams would run the risk of translating the unequal impact of COVID into unfair results for our poorest pupils, leading to their futures being blighted through no fault of their own. That is simply not fair.
“There will be no Higher or Advanced Higher exams in 2021. Instead we will adopt a new model that is based on the one developed for National 5 qualifications and make awards on teacher judgement of evidence of learner attainment. This approach is more flexible and takes account of the reality of the disruption so many pupils have already had to their learning.”
Mr Swinney also announced there will be an exceptional one-off payment to teachers and lecturers who are critical to assessing and marking National 5, Higher and Advanced Higher courses this year.
This is to recognise their additional workload of assessing national qualifications in this unique academic year in the absence of exams. The Scottish Government will work with partners and employers on the specifics of this payment.
The National Qualifications 2021 group, led by the SQA and involving local authority directors of educations, the EIS, and others, have been working to develop the model for assessing National 5 qualifications.
It involves teachers and lecturers working with the SQA to understand the standards required for national qualifications and how to apply this when grading pieces of evidence such as course work. No algorithm will be used, nor will learners’ awards be based on school past performance.
Results for learners will be awarded on 10 August.
The Deputy First Minister’s statement to Parliament on 8 December is here
Scotland’s youth work sector could miss out on more than £1 million of annual European funding due to Brexit.
That’s the amount of support currently received every year by the sector from the Erasmus+ international exchange programme, Scotland’s participation in which is now in jeopardy with less than a month to go until the end of the transition period.
The Scottish Government has sought repeated assurance that the UK Government will prioritise continued association to the programme, and, if the UK Government fails in its negotiations to secure access, that any replacement scheme will provide funding on a par with the amounts historically secured under Erasmus+ and that all those who currently benefit from the programme will be supported.
Further and Higher Education Minister Richard Lochhead has highlighted the urgency of a decision between Devolved Administration counterparts and Michelle Donelan, UK Minister of State for Universities.
Mr Lochhead said: “Scotland’s vibrant youth work sector supports children and young people’s well-being and helps close the attainment gap. Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic we have seen the sector rise to the challenge of providing services remotely, supporting some of our most vulnerable young people.
“If, as we expect, EU funding for youth work projects and youth exchanges are no longer available to the Scottish sector, the contribution of youth work to enhancing young people’s capacity for social and cultural connectedness and for understanding and accepting difference could be clearly impacted.
“I was fortunate enough to see the benefits of Erasmus+ first hand earlier this year, when I visited the Royston Youth Action project in the north of Glasgow.
“The impact of participating in international exchanges with young people from Estonia, Finland and Austria had been life-changing for them. Some of the young people had never had a passport, let alone the opportunity to travel abroad before. The Erasmus exchange experience has resulted in a lasting partnership between the participants which endures to this day.
“Research shows those in Scotland with fewer opportunities participating in Erasmus+ report a significantly higher effect when compared with young people who face fewer barriers. And those who study or train abroad are twice as likely to find employment quickly. Losing out to Erasmus+ would be a significant blow to many, and not just financially.”
One of Scotland’s major recipients of Erasmus+ support has been YouthLink Scotland, the national agency for youth work.
YouthLink CEO Tim Frew said: “It is disappointing to see no money for youth work has been allocated to the UK Spending Review, in terms of any potential domestic alternative to the Erasmus+ programme. We hope this is not a signal from the UK Government that these opportunities for some of our most disadvantaged young people are to end.
“Erasmus+ has provided significant transformative and life-changing opportunities for young people, many of whom are furthest away from mainstream opportunities. Whether it’s employability programmes, work on gender-based violence or environmental sustainability, the opportunity to visit, work with and learn from our European counterparts cannot be underestimated.
“We would like to see the Prime Minister make a commitment to the continuation of Erasmus+, a programme that already involves non-EU members, including Iceland and Norway. If youth work participation in either Erasmus+ or any domestic alternative, is no longer open to us, these opportunities will be lost for young people for generations to come.”
The Erasmus+ programme facilitates the mobility of individuals across Europe, be that for learning, teaching, or working, by financing individual exchanges from higher education, adult education, vocational education and training, youth work, schools and sport.
Scotland attracts proportionally more Erasmus+ participants from across Europe – and sends more in the other direction – than any other country in the UK.
Between 2014 and 2018 Scottish institutions and organisations secured more than 90 million euros in Erasmus+ funding with more than 80 youth work projects benefitting from around £4.4 million. With the sector estimated to deliver at least £7 in value for every £1 it costs in public cash, its value to the economy has been estimated to be worth nearly £34 million since 2014.
Recently the European Commission confirmed a 60% increase to the programme’s budget, which is now sitting at over 23 billion euros.
Scottish Government funding for youth work is being increased more than 30% this year to recognise the vital role the sector will play in making up any ground lost in learning during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
A newly created £3 million Youth Work Education Recovery Fund – administered by YouthLink Scotland – is being targeted at those communities and young people who need the most support, bringing Government spending in the youth work sector this year to at least £12.5 million.
Recent findings show three-quarters of Scottish students who take part in Erasmus+ receive a first- or upper second-class degree, compared with 60% of those who did not study or train abroad.
Students who did an Erasmus placement are 50% less likely to experience long-term unemployment, and participants in vocational education and training have a higher employment rate (81% vs 68%) three years after the end of their stay abroad.
Commissioned by YouthLink Scotland, Hall Aitken (2016) estimated the social return on investment in youth work contributes between £656 million and £2 billion to the Scottish economy every year and shows a return of £7 for every £1 of public cash.
A £10 million fund which offers interest-free loans to tenants who are struggling with rent arrears opens for applications today.
The Tenant Hardship Loan Fund is designed to help people who have had their finances or employment impacted by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and do not have other means of housing support.
The new fund is part of a range of support and interventions in response to the pandemic. By giving tenants access to loans to cover a maximum of nine months worth of rent arrears and long repayment terms, it provides another option for people who have lost out financially due to the pandemic, but who can’t claim support from other means, such as welfare benefits.
Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “There is no single solution to the difficulties being experienced as a result of the impacts of the pandemic in Scotland, and the Tenant Hardship Loan Fund is a part of a broader effort to support those who are affected.
“We want people to access the most appropriate form of financial support. For the majority of tenants facing financial difficulties and arrears the best means of support is regular non-repayable support, for example through Universal Credit and Discretionary Housing Payments.
“However, for those who may fall through the gap and are unable to claim such support, or who might be thinking of borrowing, this new Fund will be a helping hand to manage any rent issues that have arisen in the last few months as a result of the impact of COVID-19.”
Applications for the Tenant Hardship Loan Fund can be completed online.
New measures to increase the maximum available penalties for the worst cases of animal cruelty have come in to force.
Taking effect from 30 November, the Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Act 2020 increases the maximum penalty for the most serious animal welfare and wildlife crimes to five years imprisonment and unlimited fines.
These tougher penalties will be available to courts when convicting those who are involved in animal fighting, causing unnecessary suffering to animals or committing a wide range of serious crimes against wildlife.
In addition, the new ‘Finn’s Law’ will prevent those who attack or injure service animals in the course of their duties from claiming they did so in self-defence. The law is named after a police dog called Finn who was injured whilst pursuing a suspect with his handler in England in 2016 and sustained serious injuries.
Other parts of the Act will create flexible new powers to allow various Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) regimes to be developed for a wide range of less serious animal health, animal welfare and wildlife offences, outwith the court system. These will be introduced in future secondary legislation.
Changes to restrict the licensed killing of seals are due to take effect from 1 February 2021.
The Scottish Government is also preparing a report to be laid before the Scottish Parliament by 1 March 2021 on the use of acoustic deterrent devices on fish farms.
The reclassification of mountain hares as endangered animals, which will protect the species from being killed, injured or taken (except under licence for certain limited purposes) at any time of the year is expected to come into force on 1 March 2021, subject to certain permitted exceptions.
The introduction of new powers to deal more quickly with animals seized to protect their welfare will be brought forward at the earliest opportunity in 2021.
Rural Affairs Minister Mairi Gougeon said: “We take animal welfare and wildlife crime very seriously, and we are committed to ensuring Scotland’s animals have the best possible protection, including our dedicated service animals.
“The vast majority of people in Scotland treat animals and wildlife with respect and care, however the small minority who don’t will be held accountable with consequences that reflect the severity of their crime.”
Scottish Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SSPCA) Chief Superintendent Mike Flynn said: “As Scotland’s animal welfare charity, the Scottish SPCA has long campaigned for harsher sentences for animal and wildlife crime and it is fantastic to see these come in to effect. Sentencing must act as a deterrent and we are hopeful increasing sentences and fines will achieve this.
“A number of the proposals due to come in to force will be transformational. We seize thousands of animals for welfare reasons every year, so the prospect of new powers to get these animals in to a home more quickly is welcome. Currently, animals can spend months or even years in our care and we look forward to working with the Scottish Government to implement the reforms as soon as possible. The Act will enhance Scotland’s position as a global leader in animal welfare standards.”
Finn’s handler PC Dave Wardell said: “Every day in Scotland our brave police dogs and horses put themselves in harm’s way to look after us and protect society.
“To see these amazing animals receive the protection in law that they so rightly deserve is a great moment in my life. Thank you.”
