Organisations that want to work with veterans and their families are being urged to apply to a fund that benefits former services personnel. Veterans Minister Graeme Dey is to open the Scottish Veterans Fund (SVF) at the Armed Forces and Veterans Champions Gathering in Glasgow today. Continue reading Scottish Veterans Fund opens today
Home Office urged to remove five year rule for settled status.
Continue reading Brexit: Ben Macpherson urges Home Office to scrap five year rule
Public concerns over animal welfare highlighted
A clear majority of Scots want to see tighter controls on the use and sale of fireworks.
A YouGov survey commissioned by the Scottish government and involving a representative sample of the Scottish population, showed 71% of adults supported tighter controls on the sale of fireworks to the public, with over half backing a ban.
And out of more than 16,000 respondents to a Scottish Government consultation on the issue:
Concerns over the impact of fireworks on those with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and autism were also highlighted.
Community Safety Minister Ash Denham said: “The results of our consultation and survey demonstrate overwhelming public support for a change in how fireworks are sold and used.
“While legislation on the sale of fireworks is reserved to Westminster, I will work with stakeholders to look at the powers we have to drive forward action to reduce the damage caused by fireworks misuse.
“The consultation also highlighted the wider harm that can be caused to members of our communities, including our ex-service people and those with underlying mental health issues. The serious distress and occasional injury caused to animals around times of celebration has also been highlighted as a specific concern.
“I will update Parliament shortly on our intended action to ensure fireworks are used safely and appropriately.”
Scottish SPCA head of education and policy Gilly Mendes Ferreira said: “We’re pleased so many members of the public have voiced their opinion and cited animal welfare as one of the reasons to restrict the public sale and use of fireworks. For years we have supported tighter restrictions on public use due to the stress and anxiety that can be caused to animals.
“Over the years the Scottish SPCA has received a handful of calls relating to an animal that has been injured due to the direct misuse of fireworks. The majority of calls relate to animals that have become injured through trying to escape the noise of fireworks.
“Incidents include dogs running on to roads and being hit by oncoming traffic, birds, such as swans, flying into electricity pylons and horses being badly injured after running through barbed wire fences. We will continue to work closely with the Scottish Government to improve animal welfare surrounding the use of fireworks.”
The Scottish Government’s consultation on fireworks ran for 13 weeks and received 16,420 responses from members of the public and stakeholder organisations. The process included 29 public events around Scotland.
The Scottish Government has set out a finalised policy of NO SUPPORT for unconventional oil and gas (UOG) development – fracking – in Scotland. Continue reading Victory for environmental campaigners as Scottish Government rejects fracking
Communities Secretary calls for urgent UK Government action.
More than 46,000 children across Scotland are already benefiting from extra hours of high quality early learning and childcare almost a year before the full roll out of 1,140 funded hours of care for every eligible child. Continue reading Thousands of children benefit from early years expansion
A ground-breaking interactive show for young people which uses real-life gaming to explore cyber security.
The Big Data Show (TBDS) is a ground-breaking immersive experience for young people (S1) weaving theatre and gaming together to explore cyber security and data citizenship.
It is about cyber resilience and being a citizen in the digital age. It is about knowing who knows what about you, what you are ‘agreeing’ to when you download an app, how to live with the challenges of social media…and it’s a lot of fun.
It is also a drama about the first prosecuted cyber hack in the UK. Co-written by internationally acclaimed playwright Clare Duffy and Rupert Goodwins, one of the young hackers involved in gaining access to Prince Philip’s BT email in the 1980s, and now a technology journalist.
Kate Forbes MSP, Minister for Public Health and Digital Economy, Scottish Government said: “The Big Data Show supports the Scottish Government’s ambitions to raise the public’s awareness of cyber threat.
“Not only does it help ensure young people are clued up about the risks associated with sharing data online but it also gives them the valuable chance to learn about careers in cyber security.”
“The Big Data Show plugs very acutely and vividly right into the Scottish Government’s ambitions to raise the public’s awareness of cyber threat.”
– Daniel Sellers, Cyber Resilience Scottish Government.
The Big Data Show will open at Perth Theatre in June 2020 and move to the Royal Lyceum Theatre Edinburgh – with plans to then tour the North of England.
The performances in June and July, which are solely for schools, are supported by advance workshops in the spring and followed up with workshops in the autumn. Booking for the whole project opens in September 2019.
The Big Data Show uses live performance, bespoke mobile gaming and digital tricks delivered to audience members’ handsets, inspiring greater understanding and engagement with our future as ‘digital citizens’ in the 21st century.
The gaming technology involved has been developed and produced by Dundee-based studio Orthrus.
Having already developed and rigorously tested the control system and digital assets with a prototype version of the project and evaluated the learnings, Civic Digits Theatre Company is ready to bring the full version to schools across the UK in 2020.
“The whole premise of using a phone to talk about online security was brilliant. The pupils were hooked.” – Sarah Macdonald, Drama Teacher, Community School of Auchterarder (Phase 2 feedback)
Outcomes of The Big Data Show and its workshops include:
Pupils “became much more aware of the amount of data gathering going on in the background without them giving explicit permission and this was a shock to them.” Mrs Hollas, Drama Teacher, Perth Academy.
The Big Data Show has been shown to improve participants’ data literacy via quantitative evaluation carried out by Dr Alasdair Rutherford at Stirling University.
All participating schools will also receive CPD (continuing professional development) sessions and access to a teachers’ pack to support the cross-curricular learning promoted by this project.
“The Big Data Show took young people through a powerful process of experiential learning. The ‘shock factor’ created by the show encouraged young people to critically reflect on the data they are sharing with tech companies and the potential personal consequences.” Liz Green, YouthLink Scotland
“It is a really important topic, that’s not being explored enough in ways that pupils are willing to listen, the whole premise of it, using their own phones, they were hooked. I liked the fact that you used tech to talk about tech, very collaborative and all the surprises!”
“I’m really looking forward to seeing the whole project taking off. It’s going to be fab. I’m really passionate about this.” Drama Teacher, Perth and Kinross
The Big Data Show by Clare Duffy and Rupert Goodwins is produced by Suzy Glass for Civic Digits, with co-producers Perth Theatre at Horsecross Arts and Unlimited Theatre.
It is funded by Creative Scotland, Scottish Government and the Garfield Weston Foundation.
New legislation to strengthen animal cruelty penalties and improve powers for front-line enforcement agencies has been published.
The Animals and Wildlife (Penalties, Protections and Powers) (Scotland) Bill will increase the maximum penalties for the most serious animal welfare and wildlife offences to five years imprisonment and increase the maximum penalties for various other offences.
The Bill will implement ‘Finn’s Law’ giving extra protection to service animals, and provide a process to allow animals that have been taken into possession on welfare grounds to be sold or rehomed quickly without the need for a court order.
Rural Affairs Minister Mairi Gougeon (above) said: “We want to continue to have the highest standards of welfare for our animals and to have the most robust and proportionate penalties available.
“Through increasing the maximum penalties available for the most serious animal welfare and wildlife offences, we are ensuring that those who carry out these heinous acts will rightly face the full force of the law, as and where appropriate.
“We also want to see more protection given to service animals such as police dogs and horses, so we will be enacting what has become known as Finn’s law. I believe it is only right that animals which work to keep us safe should be given the fullest protection we can give them in return.
“Animal welfare is a subject I feel very passionately about, and call on stakeholders and parliament to support these bold steps to further improve Scotland’s high animal welfare standards.”
Kirsteen Campbell, Chief Executive of the Scottish SPCA, said: “These exciting changes have the potential to be transformational for animals across the country and the Scottish SPCA.
“The power to rehome animals without a court order would be of massive benefit to their welfare. All receive incredible care from our expert teams, but this is no substitute for a loving home.
“Prosecution is a last resort for the Society, but we have long felt the penalties for animal cruelty are too lenient and inconsistent. We hope increasing the options available to Sheriffs will lead to fewer people mistreating animals in the first place.”
Cats Protection has welcomed the new laws. The charity’s Chief Executive James Yeates said: “Every week we hear of stories where cats, and other animals, have been subjected to horrific cruelty, causing them severe suffering, and often lifelong physical injuries or psychological problems. And sadly, we hear of many cases where cats have died after suffering appalling acts of cruelty.
“Animal cruelty is an abhorrent crime and Cats Protection welcomes this bill which will increase the maximum sentence for animal cruelty from 12 months to five years.
“This increase reflects the importance that society places on protecting animals from harm and punishing those who are cruel towards them, ensuring Scotland is one of the world leaders on animal welfare issues.”
Cats Protection is the UK’s largest cat charity and during 2018, its 40 volunteer-run branches and four centres in Scotland rehomed 4,000 unwanted cats and neutered more than 14,000 cats.
Dozens of dogs were rescued after a raid on a suspected puppy farm in Moray yesterday. Two were pregnant and have since given birth, leaving the Scottish SPCA to care for 78 dogs.
Inspectors from the charity carried out the raid in an operation with police and Moray Council after concerns were raised about animals at a property.
The dogs are now being cared for by the Scottish SPCA’s dedicated animal care teams. Whilst 60 dogs were seized during the initial raid, two were pregnant at the time and Scotland’s animal welfare charity is now caring for 78.
Kirsteen Campbell, chief executive of the Scottish SPCA, said: “Sadly, many of the dogs we’ve taken are showing signs of disease and infection consistent with intensive breeding.
“Our animal care and veterinary experts have been selflessly working around the clock to provide care for these poor animals since the raid. Whilst it is an immense challenge, the main thing is these dogs are all receiving an amazing amount of love and care.”
“It costs an average of £15 per day to care for a single dog, but money is no object so long as these dogs are now in a safe place. Many of these dogs need ongoing veterinary care and we are going through a lot of food and supplies for the puppies. Any support members of the public can provide is most welcome.”
“We cannot comment further on the specific details of this case as it is a live investigation.”
Moray Council’s highly-trained and experienced Trading Standards officers acted when they spotted several similar adverts of puppies for sale on Gumtree.
The authority’s Trading Standards Manager said the multi-agency approach taken by Moray Council, the Scottish SPCA and Police Scotland was vital.
“Our officers’ remit is to deal with consumer protection, however a situation like this throws up many issues which requires the expertise of different agencies.
“I’m pleased that through collaborative working, we’ve been able to safeguard the welfare of the puppies and stop future customers from being exploited. The puppies are now in the experienced and able hands of the Scottish SPCA.”
The Scottish SPCA is in urgent need of Royal Canin puppy milk and cotton pads for toileting and cleaning puppies. Anyone who can help can purchase these through the charity’s Amazon wishlist or drop supplies in to their nearest centre or the Scottish SPCA’s headquarters.
Creative projects and activities planned for biggest ever ‘Maths Week Scotland’.
More than 100 different activities – from weather forecasting to codebreaking – are part of the biggest Maths Week Scotland ever which kicks off today.
Supported by a £70,000 small grants fund, the events are designed to spark the interests of young and old across schools, science centres, adult education centres and nurseries.
The week-long festival of all-things-numbers will be launched by Education Secretary John Swinney at a ‘Mathletics’ event held at the home of Scottish Rugby BT Murrayfield Stadium. Teams from more than 30 secondary schools across the Lothians will scrum down in a series of maths-themed challenges at the final of ‘Enterprising Maths’.
Mr Swinney will be tweeting maths challenges – produced with the help of the Scottish Mathematical Council – during the week, with the best solutions then being illustrated in videos featuring maths teacher Chris Smith and his pupils from Grange Academy in Kilmarnock.
National Museums Scotland is running events at its sites throughout the week.
Former BBC weather forecaster, meteorologist and maths advocate Heather Reid is also adding her celebrity experience to proceedings, helping pupils at Sprouston Primary School in Kelso to interpret and bring to life data collected by their own weather station throughout the week.
John Swinney said: “We started Maths Week Scotland in 2017 to give everyone the chance to engage with maths in a creative and engaging way.
“The enthusiasm, commitment and passion of teachers, learners and maths champions has helped Maths Week Scotland grow every year since. It is fantastic to see events for people of all ages and all backgrounds to come together and appreciate the maths all around us.”
Heather Reid, affectionately dubbed ‘Heather the Weather’ for her breezy forecasts on BBC Scotland, said: “This year’s action-packed Maths Week Scotland explores the importance, usefulness and beauty of maths at events in schools and learning environments across the country. Good maths skills open up a wide range of excellent job opportunities, and help us to lead more successful lives.
“Maths lies at the heart of modern-day weather forecasts and climate change science. I can’t wait to visit Kelso and discuss the maths of weather with some young forecasters.”
Katie Oldfield, Maths Week Scotland Coordinator at National Museums Scotland, said: “We all use maths in our everyday lives whether we realise it or not. Activities taking place throughout Maths Week give children and adults the chance to experience the fun and creative side of maths and improve their maths skills.
“From codebreaking and enigma machines, discovering the maths behind the creation of Edinburgh Castle or exploring the universe through maths – there really is something for everyone.”
Information on activities taking place throughout Maths Week Scotland can be found at www.mathsweek.scot.
The full reinstatement of 24/7 paediatric services at St John’s Hospital has been further delayed, Health Secretary jeane Freeman confirmed today. Continue reading “A state of chaos”: Further delay to full paediatric service at St John’s
