Money to be split between three partner organisations
A further £1 million will be provided to organisations to help support people in Ukraine. The Scottish Government funding will enable the organisations to provide generators, heaters and blankets to families and essential facilities such as hospitals and shelters.
It will also support home repairs for households and communities in Ukraine which will help prevent homelessness.
The funding will be allocated between the British Red Cross, Christian Aid and Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF).
International Development Minister and Minister with special responsibility for Refugees from Ukraine Neil Gray updated Parliament during a debate marking one year of the war in Ukraine.
Mr Gray said:“The Scottish Government has repeatedly condemned Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine and stand in solidarity with the people of Ukraine.
“The organisations we have allocated this further funding to today are key in providing much needed humanitarian aid and support to the people of Ukraine. Over the last year, we have provided financial aid to help provide basic humanitarian assistance, including in health, water and sanitation, and shelter for those fleeing Ukraine, as well as medical supplies and funding to support the clear-up operation in Ukraine.
“It will also ensure that the most vulnerable people across Ukraine are living in warm and safe accommodation and that essential facilities will be able to continue working to protect the people they serve. it will also enable families to begin to restore their homes and livelihoods following a challenging winter – helping them to repair damage and improve the food and water supply.
“I’m proud that Scotland has been able to play its part in supporting Ukraine and I want to reiterate our continued support for Ukraine and those who have been displaced.”
Since February 2022, the Scottish Government has provided £4 million in financial aid to help provide basic humanitarian assistance which was allocated as below:
Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) appeal
£2,000,000
UNICEF
£1,000,000
British Red Cross
£500,000
Scottish Catholic International Aid Fund (SCIAF)
£500,000
The Scottish Government has also sent five consignments of medical supplies to Poland for onward transport to Ukraine, totalling 156 pallets worth almost £3 million.
The Scottish Government has provided £300,000 to Dumfries based international NGO, The HALO Trust, to support their work in clearing unexploded ordnance in areas around Kyiv that were liberated from Russian control.
The further £1 million funding will be allocated as below:
First Minister says “Scotland is your home for as long as you need it to be”
Ahead of the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on Friday 24 February, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has issued an open letter to Ukrainians in Scotland and across the world.
The letter reads:
It is with great sadness that the world will mark the first anniversary of Russia’s latest illegal and unprovoked invasion of Ukraine on Friday.
On this day, we will all pause to reflect on the many impacts of the war on the people of Ukraine. In particular, we will mourn those who have lost their lives.
Every day in Ukraine, lives are disrupted and in danger. There are almost daily reports of atrocities, including Russia’s barbaric missile attacks against civilians.
Our hearts go out to all Ukrainians, including those who have settled here in Scotland and in other countries. I know how much you fear for the safety of loved ones back home, and yearn to return to your own country and way of life.
All of us wish a speedy victory for Ukraine and a resolution which restores peace and ensures Ukrainian sovereignty, democracy, independence and territorial integrity. We also hope that those displaced by the war can return and be reunited with their families, friends, communities and country.
I hope all of you, amidst your anxiety and suffering, have been heartened by the scale of the international humanitarian response since the invasion.
Scotland has so far welcomed more than 23,000 Ukrainians into our communities, the majority of which arrived through our super sponsor scheme. The national response is unprecedented and we have worked closely with partners, local authorities and community groups to offer our Ukrainian friends a ‘Warm Scottish Welcome’.
It is vital that we continue to support displaced people from Ukraine for as long as they need help. While I hope those of you who want to return to Ukraine can do so safely when you can, my message to those seeking sanctuary remains clear: Scotland is your home for as long as you need it to be.
Organisations supporting victims and survivors of crime in Scotland will receive a £500,000 boost from a fund that takes money from offenders.
Seven organisations – including Victim Support Scotland and Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland – will share grant funding to provide practical help directly to victims.
This includes paying for emergency housing costs, meeting food, utility and clothing expenses, and helping with costs to repair or replace damaged property or goods and for mental health services such as counselling.
It is the third tranche of payments from the Victim Surcharge Fund – which comes from the additional penalties imposed on offenders who receive a court fine – since its introduction in 2019.
To date, the Fund has helped more than 1,200 people affected by crime, with around £917,000 awarded – a clear sign of how the Scottish Government continues to prioritise victims.
Justice Secretary Keith Brown said: “It is absolutely right that criminals should pay towards helping victims of crime as they recover from their experience.
“Over the past five years we have invested £93 million through our justice budget to put victims’ rights and needs at the centre of the criminal justice system, demonstrating our commitment to putting victims first.
“This latest funding we are awarding from the Victim Surcharge Fund will help people impacted by crime to access support when they need it most while enabling organisations such as Victim Support Scotland and Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland to provide even more help to victims and their families.”
Kate Wallace, CEO of Victim Support Scotland (VSS) said: “Confirmation of this funding means that VSS can continue this vital and life-changing support to people affected by crime and who have no other means of financial support.
“The cost-of-living crisis has meant that more people affected by crime are struggling to make ends meet. Funding from the Victim Surcharge Fund allows VSS to provide essential items such as food vouchers, property repairs, alarms and funeral costs, thereby meeting the needs of vulnerable victims immediately following a crime.
“Since April 2020, VSS Emergency Assistance Fund has provided £903,000 worth of goods to 3,143 people and their families, funded in part through the Victim Surcharge Fund. We accept applications directly from people affected by crime and have received referrals from over 200 support organisations.
The following organisations are set to benefit from the Victim Surcharge Fund in 202:3
Victim Support Scotland (VSS) – £440,000
Edinburgh Women’s Aid – £25,559
Survivors of Human Trafficking in Scotland (SOHTIS) – £7,700
Central Advocacy Partners – £5,000
Women’s Rape and Sexual Abuse Centre Dundee & Angus – £10,000
Help with heating costs is on its way to around 400,000 people on low incomes through a new Scottish Government benefit, with the first payments processed this week.
More than £20m will be paid out over the course of February and March in Winter Heating Payments.
Winter Heating Payment replaces the Department for Work and Pensions’ (DWP) Cold Weather Payment. Unlike the DWP benefit it replaces, Winter Heating Payment is not paid only to people when there is a sustained period of cold weather in a specific location, but is a reliable annual £50 payment.
Those eligible for Winter Heating Payment will receive it automatically, with no need to apply. It is paid through Social Security Scotland and people will get a letter to let them know they are eligible.
Minister for Social Security Scotland Ben Macpherson said: “Our new Winter Heating Payment is the thirteenth Scottish Government benefit. This year it will provide 400,000 people most in need with a reliable, automatic £50 payment to help towards their heating costs.
“The Payment will reach significantly more people than the benefit it has replaced. On average only 185,000 people received the equivalent Cold Weather Payments from the UK Government over the last seven years – whereas we will pay everyone eligible every year.
“The Scottish Government is investing around £20 million per year compared with an average of £8.3 million annually paid out through Cold Weather Payment. We will also uprate the next Winter Heating Payment by 10.1%, to £55.05.”
Further support for councils, culture sector and island ferries
An additional £223 million will be provided to local authorities to support pay awards to staff as part of the 2023-24 Scottish Budget.
Deputy First Minister John Swinney said an improving financial position enabled him to address some pressing asks. The extra money for local authorities comprises a new £100 million for non-teaching staff and the £123 million announced last week for 2023-24 to support a new pay offer for teachers which would see salaries rise by 11.5% from April.
It comes on top of the additional £570 million already included in the local government settlement and takes the total settlement to nearly £13.5 billion.
Opening the Budget Bill Stage 3 debate in the Scottish Parliament, Mr Swinney also announced a £6.6 million increase to Creative Scotland’s budget and promised to fund the revenue cost increases incurred by local authorities managing the inter-islands ferry network.
He said additional funding confirmed by the UK Government in Supplementary Estimate figures this morning had enabled him to go further in 2023-24 – but stressed that the financial position remained exceptionally challenging and would require continued prioritisation throughout the coming year.
Mr Swinney said: “I am very aware of the challenges faced as we manage our way through this cost crisis and this Budget is designed to do as much as we possibly can to assist at this most difficult moment.
“None of this is easy – this is by far the hardest Scottish Budget process that I have led – with the effects of raging inflation being felt against the impact of more than a decade of austerity and Barnett funding down 5% in real terms since 2021-22.
“I hope this additional funding will enable a swift agreement in the Scottish Joint Council pay negotiations so that relevant staff receive a pay increase as early as possible in 2023-24.
“The Budget strengthens our social contract with every citizen of Scotland who will continue to enjoy many benefits not available throughout the UK. Delivering support for people most in need, in these difficult times, is the foundation of this Budget.
“The Budget that has been set out to Parliament enables us to invest in our public services, to ensure a strong boost to local authority funding and to ensure that we help those who need it the most.”
SARAH BOYACK ON SCOTTISH GOVT’S DECISION TO REVERSE CULTURE CUTS
The Deputy First Minister, John Swinney, announced an uplift of £6.6 million for Creative Scotland in his Scottish Budget statement on Tuesday.
John Swinney acknowledged “the calls form Claire Adamson MSP, Convener of the Parliament’s Culture and Constitution Committee to continue to sustain our investment in culture and the arts.”
In his statement, Scotland’s Deputy First Minister said: “We had asked Creative Scotland to sustain investment next year by utilising £6.6 million from their accumulative Lottery reserves in place of a further year of additional grant funding to compensate for generally lower National Lottery income.
“I am now in a position now to require that and I will provide an uplift of £6.6 million for Creative Scotland for 2023-24 to ensure their reserve funding can supplement rather than replace grant funding.”
The decision comes following calls from trade unions, artists, cultural organisations and campaigners to reverse the cuts.
Last week, the Scottish Trades Union Congress wrote to John Swinney and Culture Secretary Angus Robertson on behalf of the Musicians’ Union, the Scottish Artists Union, BECTU, Equity, the Writers’ Guild, Scottish Society of Playwrights and the Society of Authors, warning that cutting arts funding is “the wrong choice at the wrong time.”
Commenting, Scottish Labour’s Culture spokesperson, Sarah Boyack MSP said: “I welcome Scottish Government’s U-turn and the decision to reverse the culture cuts.
“The proposals to cut Creative Scotland’s funding should have never been put forward – they simply didn’t make sense and if implemented, would have added to the huge pressure the culture sector is facing because of the cost of living crisis and rising costs.
“Culture workers have been living with uncertainty, precarious and under-paid work for years – the current crisis has only made things worse for them.
“There is so much more that the Scottish Government should be doing now to support the sector. In my own city for example the King’s Theatre needs support now. ”
David Watt, Chief Executive, Arts & Business Scotland, said: “We warmly welcome yesterday’s announcement by the Scottish Government to reverse the proposed £6.6m reduction in Creative Scotland’s funding for 2023/24.
“Arts & Business Scotland serves as the bridge between Scotland’s cultural and business sectors, fostering innovation and cross-sector collaboration and delivering major cultural, social and economic benefits both here and internationally. The success of our nation’s cultural profile relies on this and the creative and cultural sector has an essential role to play in facilitating a thriving and innovative economy.
“Scotland’s creative and cultural sector continues to reel from the aftermath of the pandemic, from rising energy costs and from increasing inflation; so opportunities to maintain ongoing financial support are very much a step in the right direction for both the sector and for the many businesses across Scotland that collaborate with them.
“Indeed we believe the coming together of the arts, culture and business communities can bring innovation and fresh thinking to the economy. Whilst we welcome this renewed confidence in the sector, we now need to look towards a sustainable, longer term future that embrace Scotland’s creative and cultural landscape as a catalyst for social and economic, as well as cultural, change.”
Circularity Scotland has today (21st February 2023) announced £22 million of cashflow support measures to help Scotland’s brewers, distillers, importers and drinks manufacturers prepare for the introduction of Scotland’s deposit return scheme.
The package includes:
Up front charges removed for lower sales volumes
Improved payment terms for lower sales volumes
Simple labelling option for niche products, alleviating administrative burden
The support package is particularly designed to help SMEs, who have previously voiced concerns about the impact of the scheme on their business’ cashflow.
To address these concerns, Circularity Scotland is removing the day one and month one charges for all producers, up to a threshold of three million units per year. It is also providing two month credit terms on deposits and fees up to the same volume threshold to reduce the working capital impact on all producers.
The three million unit threshold has been established to ensure that the thousands of smaller scale producers selling in Scotland benefit more proportionately from the cashflow support. This will particularly help companies like craft brewers, wine importers and craft spirit producers. The two month credit terms will be made available to all producers, regardless of their size, ensuring all producers within the scheme are treated equally.
Circularity Scotland has also confirmed that it will be offering the option to use self-adhesive barcode labels for producers placing less than 25,000 units per year of a specific product on to the Scottish market. This will provide a simple and straightforward administrative solution for independent producers and importers for whom the cost of changing packaging to introduce new barcodes could be prohibitive.
David Harris, Chief Executive of Circularity Scotland said: “Circularity Scotland was established by industry to meet their obligations under the deposit return scheme as efficiently and cost-effectively as possible.
“This announcement is further evidence of how we are continuing to innovate and identify additional ways to mitigate the pressure on businesses. We know that smaller producers in particular have been concerned about the cashflow impacts of the scheme, and these measures will address those concerns.
“Circularity Scotland has successfully secured over £100m of third-party funding to establish the infrastructure of the deposit return scheme, with only minimal up-front funding from the very largest producers. This funding approach allows producers both large and small to benefit on equal terms from this investment in world-class infrastructure and leading-edge technology and only pay their share of the costs once the scheme is in operation.
We have already announced reductions in producer fees of up to 40%, while also being able to offer the highest return handling fees of comparable schemes anywhere in the world. These additional support measures further demonstrate our confidence in being able to deliver ongoing operational efficiencies once the scheme has gone live. We are committed to ensuring that the deposit return scheme works for Scotland, is cost effective for business and helps protect our environment for generations to come.”
Circular Economy Minister Lorna Slater said: “This is a big and welcome change that responds directly to many of the concerns that have been raised, particularly those from smaller producers like craft brewers.
“It addresses initial cash flow challenges, and provides a pragmatic and simple solution to the issues raised around barcodes for smaller product lines. This is a package that gives businesses the clarity and confidence they need to be part of Scotland’s deposit return scheme.
“Over the last few months I have been meeting industry regularly to listen to their feedback and this industry-led solution has been designed in direct response to its concerns. I remain committed to a pragmatic approach to implementation between now and the 16 August.
“By working together we can lead the UK in delivering a deposit return scheme which will increase Scotland’s recycling rates from around 50% to 90%, cut emissions, tackle littering and address public concerns about the impact of plastic and other waste.”
Businesses looking for more information on these measures or how they can register for the scheme should contact Circularity Scotland’s customer support team at www.circularityscotland.com or on 0141 401 0899.
Campaigners have welcomed the news that small businesses will be supported to launch Scotland’s deposit return scheme on time this year in August 2023.
Kim Pratt, circular economy campaigner at Friends of the Earth Scotland, said: “The announcement today demonstrates commitment from Circularity Scotland and the businesses they represent to start the scheme on time in August 2023, and we’re pleased to see that support is being given to smaller businesses to address their concerns.
“This announcement should end calls for further delays. To undo the building momentum for the scheme would be counterproductive for producers and retailers planning for an August introduction, as well as risking further environmental pollution from discarded drinks containers.
“It is fundamental to the long-term success of the scheme that the costs of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme come from industry. Part of the purpose of a scheme like this is to make sure the responsibility for cleaning up is held by the companies that are producing the waste, rather than from the public purse, as is currently the case.”
Report identifies 31 ways to reduce gender gap and boost economy
The Scottish Government will carefully consider proposals to support more women into entrepreneurship, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon has said following publication of a wide-ranging independent review.
Pathways: A New Approach for Women in Entrepreneurship was commissioned by the Scottish Government to identify ways to unlock untapped potential, close the gender gap and boost Scotland’s economy.
The review – led by Ana Stewart, an entrepreneur and investor, and co-authored with Mark Logan, chief entrepreneur to the Scottish Government – makes 31 recommendations. The steps include:
providing start-up training and support in a range of pop-up locations to help more women, and other primary care givers, access services
integrating entrepreneurial education into schools and further education
clarifying existing access pathways into entrepreneurship
improving access to start-up and growth finance
tracking and measuring progress towards full representation in entrepreneurship
Commenting on the report, First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said: “I welcome Ana Stewart and Mark Logan’s work in delivering a powerful review of the barriers facing women in entrepreneurship in Scotland and presenting a compelling set of recommendations aimed at removing them.
“The review’s findings are challenging but underline the need to tackle the root-causes, as well as the immediate barriers, of this inequality.
“Fully realising the entrepreneurial potential of women in Scotland will not only promote greater equality in our society, it will also deliver significant benefits for the economy.
“The Scottish Government will respond quickly to the review as a whole, and its recommendations.”
Review chair Ana Stewart said: “This review has, through a combination of extensive stakeholder engagement and robust data analysis, revealed that women face many significant barriers to entrepreneurship.
“Only one in five businesses in Scotland are female-led, while start-ups founded by women received only 2% of overall investment capital in the last five years. By taking a root cause and effect approach, our recommendations focus on dramatically increasing female participation rates to drive a vibrant and fairer entrepreneurial economy.”
The First Minister welcomed the publication of the review on a visit to Roslin Innovation Centre, where she met Ishani Malhotra, Chief Executive of Carcinotech, and Dr Kate Cameron, who founded Cytochroma.
As a coalition of organisations that support vulnerable children and young people, many of whom have mental health problems, we share the concerns of many over a proposed £38 million cut to mental health spending in today’s final vote on the Scottish Budget (Tuesday 21st February).
It should be noted that we were already experiencing a mental health emergency in Scotland, even before Covid-19 and the cost-of-living crisis took hold. These have worsened an already devastating situation for many children and young people, resulting in a perfect storm of challenges.
It therefore beggars belief that, in the face of a mental health tsunami, the Scottish Government is set to cut the mental health budget. Combined with this, an already tight budget will have to stretch even further to keep pace with soaring inflation.
With the resultant personal cost to those concerned and their families, as well as to the economy overall, we need to invest more, not less, in our mental health services. The situation we are currently in could potentially lead to a lost generation of vulnerable children and young people who are missing out on the support they vitally need.
To address this, we must ensure our mental health services are protected and would urge the Scottish Government to reconsider these cuts and commit to increasing investment, ensuring that our children and young people receive the high-quality care they need when they need it.
Extra funding to help offset UK Government benefit cap
The Scottish Government is providing £8.6 million in direct support for people affected by the UK benefit cap as part of its work to tackle child poverty.
An estimated 4,000 families with around 14,000 children are now able to apply for extra financial support through their local council’s Discretionary Housing Payments scheme.
Social Justice Secretary Shona Robison said: “We are increasing funding to help bridge the gap between what people need in benefits from the UK Government and what they actually receive. Eligible households could be £2,500 better off on average per year as a result.
“We will spend up to £84 million in 2023-24 on Discretionary Housing Payments to mitigate not only the UK Government’s bedroom tax and the on-going freeze to Local Housing Allowance rates, but now also the benefit cap which is pushing families into hardship.
“Our child poverty targets are ambitious and that is why we are choosing to invest significantly more in social security than the funding we receive from Westminster and helping to mitigate the damaging impact of UK Government welfare cuts.”
John Dickie, Chair of the Child Poverty Action Group, said: “Mitigating the UK benefit cap is absolutely the right thing to do. Support for struggling families shouldn’t have an arbitrary limit that pushes children into deeper poverty.
“It’s now vital that everyone affected by the benefit cap applies to their local authority for a Discretionary Housing Payment to replace as far as possible the cash support removed by the cap. The Scottish Government has done the right thing, now the UK Government must act to scrap the cap altogether.”
Laura Millar, Strategic Manager at charity Fife Gingerbread, which helps lone parents and families in need, said: “Last year Fife Gingerbread supported the ‘Scrap the Cap’ campaign calling on Westminster to end the benefit cap and the financial hardship this causes.
“Therefore, the Scottish Government’s commitment to empower local authorities to mitigate the impacts of the benefit cap using Discretionary Housing Payments is a positive step.
“Although the number of households affected across Scotland may be relatively small this is an important measure. The greatest risk is that households may be unaware of their entitlement, and every year millions of pounds of benefits go unclaimed. Therefore, we must all raise awareness of this announcement to ensure those most in need of support receive it.”
Funding for benefit cap mitigation by Scottish local authorities through Discretionary Housing Payments is as follows:
2022-23
£2.6 million
2023-24
£6 million
Total
£8.6 million
The benefit cap is a UK Government policy which limits the total amount of benefit that most working age people can receive, even if their full entitlement would be higher.
Minister with special responsibility for Refugees from Ukraine marks a year of the war against Ukraine
As the first anniversary of Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine approaches, Minister with special responsibility for Refugees from Ukraine Neil Gray has offered his condolences to those who have lost loved ones and has signalled continued support for Ukraine.
He has also taken a look back at the past year and the role that Scotland has played to support displaced people from Ukraine.
Speaking ahead of the anniversary, Mr Gray said: “The Scottish Government has repeatedly condemned Russia’s illegal war against Ukraine. We are shocked and appalled at the violence and humanitarian crisis it has caused.
“Our heartfelt condolences go to all Ukrainians who have lost their loved ones. We hope for a Ukrainian victory, which is the best outcome for Ukraine as well as for longer-term peace and stability in Europe.
“The people of Ukraine have shown incredible strength over this past year. The support of the international community has been incredibly heartening to see, especially as we have witnessed the largest refugee crisis and forced movement of people across Europe since the Second World War.
“Since the invasion began in February last year, more than 23,000 Ukrainians with a Scottish sponsor have arrived in the UK, representing more than 20% of all UK arrivals.
“More than three-quarters of these arrivals have come through the Super Sponsor Scheme, which has provided a fast and secure route to sanctuary, without which many people would otherwise have been unable to travel.
“I’m proud that Scotland has been able to play its part in supporting Ukraine, from people sending donations for humanitarian aid, to families opening their homes to displaced people from Ukraine who have arrived in the country. I’m also grateful for the swift and sustained response from partners in local authorities and in third sector groups who have played a significant role in ensuring that a warm welcome has been provided to displaced people in their time of need.
“To the people from Ukraine who are living here, the Scottish Government wants you to know that Scotland is your home for as long as you are here and we will continue to stand with you.”
