Tag: Scottish Government

Brexit: ‘Leave a light on for Scotland’

A flurry of activities signalling the Scottish Government’s desire to remain close to the European Union were undertaken yesterday, Friday 31 January, as Scotland was taken out of the EU ‘without its consent’.

The First Minister wrote an open letter to Europe, which will be published across the EU:

Letter from Nicola Sturgeon to Europe regarding the UK leaving the European Union.

Published: 31 Jan 2020
First Minister’s letter to Europe: 31 January 2020

Dear  European friends and neighbours

The UK is leaving the European Union this evening. Those are words I had hoped never to have to write. Not least because an overwhelming majority of people in Scotland did not vote for this. 

Scotland is a proud European nation and I profoundly regret the UK’s decision to leave. The European Union has brought together like-minded, independent nations on equal terms to work together for the mutual benefit of all our citizens.

These benefits, including being part of a single market of more than 500 million people, have been well rehearsed in economic terms. But today is not about numbers – it is about people.

Scotland is home to more than 230,000 EU citizens, who are welcome in Scotland as our friends and family. These are people who contribute to Scotland’s vibrant cultural diversity, who save lives in our health service, who teach our children and who have built homes and businesses across the country.

From the very start of the Brexit process I have been clear that Scotland remains their home and they are welcome to stay. Likewise, many thousands of Scots have made their home in countries across Europe and I am grateful for the warm welcome they continue to receive.

Scotland may lie on the edge of Europe, but we have always been – and want to remain – at its heart. Scots have benefitted hugely from being able to live, work and travel in the rest of the European Union.  The links between the people of Scotland and nations across the European Union run deep. 

I believe that Scotland has the right to choose its own future and that the best option for Scotland is to be an independent country, in the EU. In the meantime we will stand shoulder to shoulder with the rest of Europe around our shared values and interests.

The UK’s exit from the EU may be marked with celebrations by some in other parts of the UK, but I am writing to you today – a very symbolic day – to send a strong message of solidarity, and of hope, to our European friends and neighbours. Scotland very much hopes to resume our membership of the European Union in the future, as an equal member.

It would mean a great deal for the people of Scotland to know that our European friends stand in solidarity with us at this time.

Please leave a light on for Scotland.

Nicola Sturgeon
First Minister of Scotland

Cabinet Secretary for Constitutional Relations Michael Russell, who is delivering a statement on Brexit in the Scottish Parliament today, will attended a European Movement event in Edinburgh.

He urged Europe to #LeaveALightOn for Scotland, until the country can determine its own future.

Cabinet Secretary for Culture, Tourism and the External Affairs Fiona Hyslop chaired a meeting of European consular corps in Edinburgh and went on to attend a meeting at the French Institute in Edinburgh to discuss future collaborations and common interests.

Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport Jeane Freeman issued a letter of thanks and reassurance to EU nationals working in the health and social care services.

Deputy First Minister John Swinney visited Dundee University to meet with EU students.

Two Scottish Government buildings in Edinburgh, St Andrew’s House and Victoria Quay, were lit in the blue and yellow colours of the European flag and the European flag was flown at St Andrew’s House and Victoria Quay, as well as at Scotland House in Brussels.

Mr Russell said: “For the majority of Scotland, this is not a day of celebration, it is a day for the sad and sombre acknowledgement that Scotland is being forced to leave the European Union against its will.

“Therefore it is fitting to mark the occasion, and to reassert our desire to stand shoulder to shoulder with our European friends around our many shared values and interests in the future.

“We believe Scotland has the right to choose its own future and that the best option for this country is to be independent, within the European Union.

“Until that day comes, we ask that Europe leave a light on for Scotland.”

As the UK prepared to leave the European Union, Health Secretary Jeane Freeman wrote to all EU nationals working in Scotland’s health and social care services to thank them for the work they do and to stress that they are welcome in Scotland.

The Scottish Government has produced a package of support to help EU citizens stay in Scotland, including £250,000 to fund community based support across Scotland and a national support and advice service for all citizens in Scotland affected by the UK Government’s EU Settlement Scheme.

Ms Freeman said: “I know many EU citizens living and working in Scotland are feeling increasingly uncertain now that Brexit is upon us and many will share the sadness I feel that Scotland is being taken out of the EU against our wishes.

“I am fortunate that almost every day I get to see the hard work and dedication of our NHS and care staff; staff born and raised in Scotland, staff from elsewhere in the UK and staff from around the world. Our EU staff play a vital role in all of that and I am truly grateful for the work that you do.

“While the uncertainty around the UK’s future relationship with the EU will go on for some time, I want to reassure you that protecting your rights continues to be a top priority for me and for the Scottish Government.

“My message to everyone from the EU who lives and works here is Scotland is your home, you are our family, and we’d be privileged if you would stay here with us.”

External Affairs Secretary Fiona Hyslop has launched a document, explaining how Scotland will continue to work with the EU over the next five years, despite Brexit.

She will chair a diplomatic meeting of Scotland’s Consular Corps in Edinburgh and explain how Scotland will contribute to the EU’s priorities.

Ms Hyslop said: “Scotland is being taken out of the EU against its democratic will – but the Scottish Government is determined that our nation remains at the heart of Europe.

“Brexit will unfortunately change how Scotland engages, but it will not change the EU’s importance to Scotland, nor our commitment to it. We will continue to collaborate across a wide range of issues, reflecting our shared values and goals.

“The Scottish Government believes the best option for Scotland is to become an independent country within the European Union. Whatever our constitutional future, Scotland will remain an outward facing, constructive nation, working closely with our European partners.”

The document sets out four shared priorities for the European Union and for Scotland:

• to embody progressive, democratic values on the world stage

• to rise to the global challenges of climate change

• to actively promote the wellbeing of all society

• to create smart economies through use of new technology

See the full document below:

The European Union’s Strategic Agenda for 2020-24: Scotland’s Perspective

https://twitter.com/i/status/1223380437231226880

2500 have their say in Big Climate Conversation

A public engagement programme on how to end Scotland’s contribution to climate change has shown widespread support for home energy efficiency improvements, increased use of public transport and transitioning to a more circular economy.

More than 2,500 people from across Scotland engaged in the Big Climate Conversation, with different audience types reflecting differing views on food, land use and energy.

The Big Climate Conversation findings will directly inform the update to the Scottish Government’s current Climate Change Plan and the development of a new Public Engagement Strategy for climate change.

Climate Change Secretary Roseanna Cunningham said: “The reduction in emissions we need to achieve to end Scotland’s contribution to climate change within a generation will require action by everybody and must be a truly national endeavour.

“We must also ensure our transformation to net-zero takes place in a just and fair way – no one should be left behind. That’s why the Scottish Government undertook The Big Climate Conversation last year.

“This report shows the breadth and value of the discussions that took place and I look forward to these continuing as Scotland progresses further to a net-zero society during the important years ahead.

“We will soon announce plans for Scotland’s Citizens Assembly on Climate Change which will build on the important insights gained through the Big Climate Conversation. In the meantime, I would like to thank everyone who took part.”

Executive Director of the Raploch Community Partnership Janette Mitchell said: “As a local community regeneration charity, we were delighted to launch the community-led Big Climate Conversation. It was a wonderful focus for our wider Empowering Communities work. 

“By holding our climate conversations, our service users and stakeholders helped us design our employability, training, volunteering and digital services with a new emphasis on tackling the global climate emergency.”

The Big Climate Conversation report is available on the Scottish Government website.

Scotland in crisis

The amount given in crisis grants to those most in need has increased by more than a third, latest figures show. The Scottish Welfare Fund paid out a total of £3.2 million in crisis grants between July and September 2019 – 34% more than the same period the previous year.

The Scottish Welfare Fund is distributed by local authorities and provides Crisis Grants and Community Care Grants.

Crisis Grants help families on low incomes with unexpected expenses arising out of an emergency or a disaster. Community Care Grants help those on low incomes live independently in the community or to help people maintain their home in the face of exceptional pressure.

The most common reason families said they applied for emergency funding was because their benefits or other income had been spent – up 33% on the previous year.

Estimates suggest the UK Government’s social security spending in Scotland is set to reduce by £3.7 billion per year by 2021. In addition, the benefit freeze and benefit cap are now in their fourth year.

Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “This is the latest evidence that the UK Government’s swingeing benefit cuts are hitting the poorest in Scotland hardest.

“The large increase in people applying for emergency funding shows how much those on low incomes are struggling just to make ends meet.

“The Scottish Government will not stand by and let people who are already in need continue to face a reliance on food banks and the stress of debt and rent arrears.

“That’s why we are continuing to spend over £100 million each year to mitigate the worst effects of the UK Government welfare cuts – part of the £1.4 billion we spent last year to support low income households.

“This is money we should be able to invest elsewhere to help pull people out of poverty but we instead we need to use it to protect the most vulnerable in our communities.

“We are introducing the Scottish Child Payment to tackle child poverty head on which will start for eligible families with a child under six by Christmas. But there is no doubt that without the cuts inflicted on families by the UK Government this could go so much further.”

Losing Out: tens of thousands lose disability benefits

More than half of new claims in Scotland for the UK Government’s disability payment are refused, with tens of thousands of disabled people completely losing their benefits.

Since the UK Government replaced Disability Living Allowance (DLA) with Personal Independence Payment (PIP) in 2013, 167,000 new claims in Scotland have been unsuccessful, equal to 54% of all applications.

The analysis, produced by the Scottish Government, shows that the share of new claimants awarded PIP has decreased since the benefit was introduced, from 74% in 2013/14 to 56% in 2018/19, an 18 percentage point reduction.

In addition, 39,000 people in Scotland have lost their disability benefits completely (costing them between £1,200 and £7,740 per year) after losing their DLA entitlement when they were reassessed and refused PIP.

Since PIP was introduced, 30,000 people have had to undergo a stressful appeals process, with 21,000 of those having to go to court in order to receive their correct PIP entitlement.

Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: “For disabled people, the stress and anxiety of the application process and face to face assessment process are already hallmarks of the UK Government’s welfare reforms.

“Now this latest analysis shows that those most in need in our society are less likely to get help or have to fight through the courts to get what they are entitled to.

“While tens of thousands of disabled people are facing greater hardship because they have completely lost their benefits.

“We will do things differently as we start delivery of disability benefits over the next 18 months.

“Social security is an investment in the people of Scotland and we want people to receive all the support they are entitled to.

“That is why we are building a new social security system from scratch – with fairness, respect and dignity at its heart.”

Scottish Government Welfare_Reform _Report

Scottish Government social security reforms – Disability Assistance

Wealth rising, but inequality remains high

New statistics released by the Chief Statistician show rising household wealth in recent years, while wealth inequality remained high.

According to the latest data, households in Scotland had just over one trillion pounds in personal wealth in 2016-2018. Recent wealth growth since 2010-2012 was caused mainly by rising pension wealth.

Wealth inequality was more severe than income inequality: the 2% of households with the highest incomes had 9% of all income, while the wealthiest 2% of households had 15% of all wealth. After a previous decline, wealth inequality has been largely stable since 2010-2012.

A typical household in the wealthiest 10% of households had £1.6 million in total wealth, whereas a typical household in the least wealthy 10% of households had £7,500.

The least wealthy households rarely own property or have any private pension savings. Their wealth is mainly made up of the value of their possessions such as clothing or furniture.

Households that tend to be wealthier than others are pensioner couples, married couples, home owners or households with higher formal qualifications. On the other hand, households that often have below average wealth are lone parent households, those in social rented housing, or where the head of the household is unemployed or economically inactive but not retired.

One third of households had insufficient savings to cover basic living costs for three months in the event of an emergency. Three per cent of households were in unmanageable debt. A third of households had no property wealth, and almost a fifth of households had no private pension wealth.

The released figures were produced in accordance with professional standards set out in the Code of Practice for Official Statistics.

The best of times, the worst of times?

Read the full statistical publication.

EU citizens ‘vital to Scotland’

EU citizens living and working in Scotland make an invaluable contribution to our society, culture and economy, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said yesterday.

At an event in Edinburgh to celebrate the positive impact of EU citizens the First Minister announced additional funding for the Stay in Scotland campaign. Continue reading EU citizens ‘vital to Scotland’

170,000 children eligible for ‘game-changing’ new benefit

poverty family JRF

Applications will be taken in advance for Scottish Child Payment to help with expected high demand.

An estimated 170,000 children will be eligible for the new £10 weekly Scottish Child Payment when it goes live later this year.

To help manage demand, families will be invited to apply in advance of the benefit being introduced in the autumn. Parents will be able to apply by post, phone and online.

Applications will be assessed for eligibility in the autumn with the first payments made by Christmas.

In an additional move to assist families, Best Start Grant payments, Best Start Foods and the new Scottish Child Payment will all be available through a single application – making it more straightforward for people to access the money they are entitled to.

Social Security Secretary Shirley Anne Somerville said: “The Scottish Child Payment has rightly been described as game-changing in terms of the potential to reduce child poverty.

“That is why we are doing everything we can to introduce this as early as possible, whilst ensuring we do so in a way that is safe and secure and protects implementation plans for the other social security benefits.

“When we launched the Best Start Grant payments we experienced significant demand with 14,000 applications in the week that we opened the School Age Payment. With 170,000 children from approximately 140,000 households expected to qualify for Scottish Child Payment, eligibility is on a unprecedented scale and, as this is a recurring payment, it also brings additional complexity.

“We are gearing up to process applications carefully, accurately and efficiently. We are building capacity across our processes, systems, premises and people. And with the roll-out plan, we are asking families to help us by getting their applications in early so that we can process and start making payments as quickly as possible once this new benefit has been introduced.”

Ending Homelessness Action Plan ‘transforming services’

Efforts to eradicate homelessness will be stepped up in 2020 as all measures in the £50 million Ending Homelessness Action Plan are progressed.

Work to transform services and provide access to permanent, stable accommodation is already underway. This includes creating a new legal duty on public bodies to prevent homelessness and new legislation to prevent people facing homelessness living in unsuitable temporary accommodation for any longer than seven days.

The Scottish Government’s progress report shows that 39 out of 49 measures have been progressed in the first year of the action plan, with plans to start the remaining 10 this year.

Housing Minister Kevin Stewart said: “People facing homelessness in Scotland already have some of the strongest rights in the world. We are going even further and are determined to eradicate homelessness.

“Our report today shows significant progress has been made in the first year of our transition to a rapid rehousing approach, which prioritises permanent, settled accommodation as the first response. It also shows that our £50 million action plan is working to ensure the right support is in place for those who need it.

“The Housing First Pathfinder programme has seen 173 people with multiple, complex needs, such as mental health issues or drug and alcohol addiction, being given settled accommodation with the additional support they require since it began in April 2019.

“Our action plan also includes a commitment to tackling the causes of homelessness and changing the culture across the public sector. In 2020, we will work in partnership with local government, the third sector, people with lived experience of homelessness and frontline services to ensure our system does all it can to prevent homelessness – especially for those at higher risk, such as care leavers or survivors of domestic abuse.”

CEO of homelessness charity Crisis and Chair of the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group Jon Sparkes said: “The Scottish Government has demonstrated in the first year of the action plan that it is determined to tackle and end homelessness. It is clearly following through on the commitments it made when the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group was created.

“There is no time to waste. Ending homelessness is urgent. It has a devastating impact on individuals and families, and is costly to society as a whole. It is going to take a concerted and lasting effort by the Scottish Government and many partner organisations to end it once and for all. We look forward to seeing urgent progress in the second year of the plan and beyond.”

Read the Ending Homelessness Together Action Plan Annual Report