£900,000 for organisations working with birth parents
Parents who have had a child taken into care will receive support from community services through £900,000 of Scottish Government funding this year.
The annual investment, delivered through the Corra Foundation, will be shared in 2024-25 by 11 organisations who work closely with birth parents who see their mental health decline following the loss of their child.
Many of these parents have dealt with multiple traumatic life events, such as childhood trauma, substance misuse, mental health issues or experience of domestic abuse.
The community organisations work to help empower birth parents to take control of their lives, develop new skills and build their self-confidence.
Health Secretary Neil Gray said: “The Scottish Government is committed to keeping The Promise and keeping families together where it is safe to do so. Taking a child into care should only be done in the best interests of the wellbeing of that child. It is a hugely traumatic experience that impacts on the whole family, and doesn’t just stop.
“Sadly it is often the case that birth parents are left with little support after their child is taken into care – leaving them isolated having to deal with the situation alone, often when they are at their lowest point. However, much evidence and positive outcomes have been gathered by those working with birth parents as part of this programme.
“Feedback from birth parents involved in the programme to date has been extremely positive, with some calling it ‘life changing’. I am pleased we can continue this and show our appreciation for the Corra Foundation and all the groups they work with and the parents they support.”
Carolyn Sawers, Corra CEO said: “The funded services provide vital support to birth mums and dads. The relational, compassionate support the organisations provide means birth parents feel safe, valued and cared for.”
Scottish food businesses, producers and groups are encouraged to apply for grants of up to £5,000 to promote and champion produce from their local area.
Scotland Food & Drink Partnership’s Regional Food Fund, launches its fifth round with £100,000 available from the Scottish Government to support regional food activity across Scotland.
Since 2018, the Scottish Government has provided over £770,000 to the fund, which has supported 167 collaborative projects, varying from food and drink tourism trails, festivals, new equipment and regional marketing campaigns.
Agriculture Minister Jim Fairlie said: “Food and drink is one of our largest industry sectors, and Scotland’s largest employer with an industry value of over £15 billion. The engagement of regional markets is vital in achieving our industry strategy and growth ambitions for the next ten years.
“Scotland has a highly successful and influential food and drink sector and this fund allows us to demonstrate that through the development of creative food and drink projects.
“These grants allow opportunities to increase the promotion of local produce, the chance for businesses to engage and educate local communities about what is available and showcase some of our most exciting food and drink ventures.”
Euan Armstrong, at Visit Moray Speyside, which was supported by the fund said: “The Regional Food Fund has contributed to Taste Of Moray Speyside’s overall brand presence by assisting in the development of various events and promotional activities.
“The feedback from businesses participating in Cocktail Week and Farm To Fork Week has been overwhelmingly positive.”
Lesley Wilkinson of Forth Valley Food and Drink, another recipient, said: “The Regional Food Fund has been instrumental in bringing our vision to life.
“It enabled us to produce a series of compelling short documentary films that celebrate the rich and diverse food and drink scene of the Forth Valley.”
Head of Regional Food at Scotland Food & Drink, Fiona Richmond said: “The Regional Food Fund is now entering its fifth round, a real testament to the importance of this programme.
“In the past, the fund has helped bring to life food and drink festivals, promotion campaigns for Scottish produce, market weekends, cook schools and many more collaborative opportunities showing the quality of produce and the journey from field to fork.
“The Fund encourages collaboration within regions and the supply chain, shining a spotlight on unique food and drink stories and experiences for us all to enjoy. The desire for local produce is strong, and Scotland Food & Drink are proud to continue our support to regional food and drink initiatives.”
Eligible businesses and groups are encouraged to apply for a grant and to work collaboratively with others to continue to engage communities and achieve regional food and drink success.
The closing date for applications is 5pm on 30 August 2024.
Benefits for victims, police, prosecutors, defence lawyers and courts
A world-leading £33 million Scottish Government initiative for sharing digital evidence from crime scene to court room is being rolled out across Scotland.
Digital Evidence Sharing Capability (DESC) allows police officers, prosecutors, defence lawyers, court staff and judges to access a secure, unified system to collect, store, process and manage evidence digitally.
Benefits include fewer victims and witnesses having to attend court, cases coming to court and concluding quicker, and valuable police time being saved.
During a pilot of the programme in Dundee, around 19,500 pieces of evidence were handled through DESC, with almost 550 hours of police officers’ time freed up.
DESC handles evidence including CCTV footage, photographs, and data and other materials from computers and mobile devices. This will be expanded to include documents and recordings of police interviews.
The system means members of the public and businesses can submit digital evidence – such as material recorded on mobile phones – more easily by email when sent a link by a police officer. DESC also saves on transport costs and cuts CO2 emissions by reducing the need for physical evidence to be collected in person and stored.
DESC’s expansion across Tayside and Forth Valley marks the start of a phased national roll-out that is expected to be completed by autumn 2025.
Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: “This is a world first for Scotland – a truly transformational programme where digital evidence is managed securely from crime scene to court room, benefitting victims, police officers, prosecutors, defence lawyers, court staff and judges.
“During the successful pilot in Dundee, DESC allowed justice system partners to collect, manage and share digital evidence in a streamlined and efficient way, helping to get cases resolved more quickly. It has also freed up a significant amount of time for police officers, creating additional capacity for frontline policing.”
Assistant Chief Constable Tim Mairs said: “The national roll-out of DESC is a significant step forward in modernising the collection, management and secure storage of digital evidence.
“Until now, police officers have relied on transferring digital evidence such as mobile phone images or CCTV onto USB sticks or discs, before delivering them to the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service.
“Through DESC, officers can obtain and share digital evidence securely and efficiently, saving them time and reducing delays. This supports victims and witnesses to achieve faster justice outcomes. The national roll-out will also provide the groundwork for further modernisation of the criminal justice process including supporting the introduction of body worn video for frontline police officers.”
Andrew Laing, Deputy Head of Local Court, the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service, said: “Being able to see CCTV evidence of an assault or shoplifting taking place, or Ring doorbell footage of a person committing an act of domestic abuse as soon as the matter is reported by police has allowed prosecutors to make better and quicker decisions and faster sharing with the defence to enable the early resolution of cases.
“COPFS and criminal justice partners in Police Scotland, the Scottish Courts and Tribunals Service, the defence community and judiciary will continue to work to transform the justice system and ensure cases move through the system as efficiently as possible, with speedier outcomes and significantly less inconvenience to victims and witnesses.“
Sheriff Principal Gillian Wade KC said: “DESC facilitates easier sharing of digital evidence which can be crucial for determining the strength of a case at an early stage and allowing for more informed decisions about allegations against an accused person.
“This dovetails well with other initiatives currently being implemented such as the Summary Case Management pilots. Both have at their core the importance of early disclosure and engagement alongside multi-agency co-operation. This approach leads to fewer unnecessary hearings, fewer witness citations and a reduction in the number of outstanding trials.
“While DESC will initially be utilised for Summary cases only, it is envisaged that its capability will be expanded to include Solemn business at a later stage.”
The Scottish Government will invest £33 million in DESC over 10 years.
A fund to help victims of crime opens to applications for the fifth time today (1st August).
Organisations that support victims of crime will be able to bid for a share of more than £940,000 in the Victim Surcharge Fund to provide direct, practical help to victims.
Since its establishment in November 2019, 14 organisations have been awarded over £1.3 million from the fund which is financed by penalties imposed on offenders who receive a court fine.
The Victim Surcharge Fund annual report, which was published today, details that £477,451 was paid to nine organisations in 2023-24.
Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: “Our priority is putting the rights of the victim and their needs at the heart of the criminal justice system. It is only right that criminals should pay towards helping victims of crime recover from their experience.
“Too many people face financial hardship as a result of crime and this funding can help meet the costs of essential items including property repairs and installing alarms.
“The awards will also enhance the valuable work carried out by victim support organisations.”
The victim surcharge came into force in November 2019 and applies to those who commit an offence and are subsequently convicted and receive a court fine.
To date, the Victim Surcharge Fund has provided support to over 5,000 people with fourteen organisations sharing £1,322,437.
Victim’s organisations interested in applying to the fund can request an application form by emailing VictimSurchargefund@gov.scot and should apply by 12 September.
To date, the Victim Surcharge Fund has provided support to over 5,000 people with fourteen organisations sharing £1,322,437.
Techscaler companies to gain international experience
Companies taking part in the Scottish Government’s Techscaler programme are to be given the opportunity to develop their businesses in one of the world’s most vibrant tech economies.
Applications will open in August for a set of start-up companies to spend three weeks in Singapore to establish new connections with fellow business founders as well as potential investors and customers.
The start-ups will be provided with office space in a designated pop-up hub for the duration of the trip, which will begin in October.
First Minister John Swinney met with the Singapore High Commissioner to the UK, Ng Teck Hean, in Edinburgh to discuss the pop-up hub launching in Singapore during a meeting designed to deepen ties between the two countries and help encourage future trade and investments opportunities.
The Singapore Government has been involved in developing the start-ups’ programme, which will include attendance at Singapore Week of Innovation & Technology.
The First Minister said: “Driving innovation is vital to helping unlock each of the Scottish Government’s priorities of eradicating child poverty, boosting economic growth, achieving net zero and improving public services.Growing and nurturing our pipeline of entrepreneurs and start-up companies is in turn crucial to unleashing its potential.
“Techscaler is central to our ambitions to create one of the finest state-funded entrepreneurial systems in the world dedicated to the creation of high-growth businesses. Connecting our promising start-ups to one of the world’s most renowned venture capital environments is a hugely exciting opportunity.
“By developing our network of global connections and collaborations, including the key strategic partner in Singapore, we are not only providing valuable experience for our fledgling businesses, but deepening relationships, trade links and inward investment opportunities to capitalise on the enormous potential of our growing start-up community.”
A further cohort of Techscaler businesses has already been successful in securing a similar three-week stay in San Fransisco’s Silicon Valley this summer, following a successful pilot earlier in the year.
Shiv Kodam, Co-founder of Neuron and participant in the upcoming Silicon Valley cohort said: “As a Scottish founder, I am buzzing to be going to San Francisco, soaking up knowledge from the world’s best and forging connections with fellow founders, investors, and ecosystem leaders.
“Our start-up has global ambitions, and engaging with the best is how we’ll redefine what’s possible.”
The Singapore pop-up hub, funded by Scottish Enterprise, will run from 21st October to 8th November.
The second Silicon Valley pop-up hub, funded from within the Techscaler programme, will run from 26th August to 13th September.
Union tells councils to expect eight days of industrial action
GMB Scotland today confirmed bin strikes will begin within weeks.The union has formally served notice on councils across Scotland to expect eight days of industrial action by members in waste and recycling starting on August 14.
Bins will go unemptied from the smallest villages to the biggest cities, including Glasgow and Edinburgh, where the Fringe and International Festival starts this weekend.
The industrial action comes after pay talks with Cosla, representing Scotland’s councils, stalled. The Scottish Government joined negotiations yesterday [TUESDAY].
Keir Greenaway, GMB Scotland senior organiser in public services, said a rejected pay offer of 3.2% had failed to match the escalating cost of living or the rise offered to council workers in England and Wales.
He said: “We had constructive talks with the Scottish Government and Cosla yesterday but our members are less interested in constructive talks than fair pay.
“The process has gone on too long with too little progress.
“We are more than halfway through the year and there is no more time to waste discussing old offers with new wrapping. Enough is enough.
“Industrial action will start in two weeks unless ministers and local authorities identify the money needed to make an acceptable offer.
“These strikes will be disruptive to all the Scots who rely on our members’ work but would not be necessary if councils had shown a greater urgency and sense of realism.”
Unite announces strike in 18 council areas
Today we served notice to 18 councils that Unite members in Waste and Cleansing, and other services, will strike in 18 councils for 8 days from 14th August.
Strike action is set to begin at 5am on Wednesday 14 August and end at 4:59am on Thursday 22 August at the following 18 councils:
Aberdeen City Council
Aberdeenshire Council
Angus Council
City of Edinburgh Council
Dumfries & Galloway Council
Dundee City Council
East Ayrshire Council
East Renfrewshire Council
Falkirk Council
Fife Council
Glasgow City Council
Inverclyde Council
North Ayrshire Council
North Lanarkshire Council
Renfrewshire Council
South Ayrshire Council
The Highland Council
West Lothian Council.
In Edinburgh
In Edinburgh, all Unite and GMB members in Waste and Cleansing will strike. Unite members in Fleet Services will also strike. Unison’s reballot in Waste and Cleansing opened on 26 July, so results are awaited – this does not impact the timetable of the strike action.
On 24 July, Unison began balloting members across the country in schools, early years and family centres, to prepare for a second wave of strike action if needed. Their ballot closes on 29 August.
Unite local government committee will soon meet to discuss balloting these areas.
Talks with the Scottish Government
Yesterday, Unite officials, including your branch secretary Brian Robertson, and those from Unison and GMB, held ‘positive talks’ with Shona Robison MSP, cabinet secretary for finance and local government and COSLA. Unite warned, however, that a new ‘credible offer’ must be tabled ‘imminently’ and said it would not suspend its scheduled strike action until that occurs.
Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: “Thousands of Unite members will take strike action next month unless there is a new credible pay offer put on the table.
“Our membership has waited months for an offer which reflects their professionalism and the dedication which they put into delivering vital local services.”
Scottish council workers offered less
The current COSLA pay offer amounts to a 3.2% increase for a one-year period between 1 April 2024 and 31 March 2025.
Unite has said the pay offer ‘grossly undervalues’ Scottish council workers in contrast with the offer made to UK counterparts.
An offer of £1,290 has been made to council workers in England, Wales and Northern Ireland by the National Joint Council (NJC). This equates to a rise of 67 pence per hour or 5.2% for a council worker earning around £25,000 based on a 37-hour week.
Members should note that Unite members south of the border rejected this offer.
In contrast, the COSLA offer of 3.2% equates to £800 or a 41 pence per hour increase. The pay offer difference means that a Scottish council worker would need to earn above £40,000 to match the offer being made to council workers across the UK. This means the lowest paid council workers are being disproportionately hit by COSLA’s current pay offer.
Graham McNab, Unite industrial officer, added: “Unite stands ready to enter into meaningful negotiations at any time but our members need to see a significant shift in the coming days to avert strike action. Strike action is not yet inevitable but action from the politicians must be imminent.
“There is a window of opportunity to resolve this dispute but the politicians should be under no illusions that our members will take strike action if necessary to secure the pay offer which they deserve.”
The city council commented online: ‘Members of the trade unions GMB & Unite are planning strike action in Edinburgh from 14 – 22 August.
‘Bin collections & street cleaning services will be severely disrupted across the city during this time.’
The following services are not expected to run during the strike: – Waste & recycling collections, including all communal and kerbside bins & boxes – Street cleansing including litter bins – Recycling centres – Flytipping collections – Bulky uplift service – Public toilets.
‘This is a national dispute over pay, with strike action planned in other councils across the country unless agreement is reached. Discussions are ongoing between COSLA, trade unions and the Scottish Government with a view to agreeing a pay deal and resolving the dispute.
‘Please prepare for the strike action by visiting our website regularly for the latest updates and advice. Please tell neighbours, friends and family who may not have heard about the upcoming strike so they can prepare.’
Council Leader calls for urgent resolution to pay dispute
Cammy Day has called on the Scottish Government, COSLA and trade unions to find a solution to the national pay dispute and prevent significant disruption during Edinburgh’s busiest month.
Trade unions Unite the Union and GMB today announced plans for strike action across the waste and cleansing service in the Capital from 14–22 August.
Strike action is planned in other councils across Scotland unless agreement is reached to end the dispute.
Councillor Day said:“I’m disappointed that negotiations between Scottish Government, COSLA and the unions have so far failed to avert this action across Scotland.
“While acknowledging that talks are ongoing, including yesterday’s meeting with the Cabinet Secretary, urgent progress needs to be made if we are to prevent significant disruption during one of the most important and enjoyable periods in Edinburgh’s calendar.
“I firmly believe that all council colleagues deserve to be paid fairly for the work they do and have every right to take this action and have their voices heard. As the lowest funded council in Scotland, it’s time for the Scottish Government to properly fund our capital city and its services.
“I’m extremely concerned about the impact this will have on bin collections and street cleaning services, as well as the cleanliness of our city. But I want to assure residents that we’ll be doing all we can to minimise any impact on essential services.
“We’ve published advice on our website for residents and businesses on how to safely and responsibly store their waste – and will continue to post updates as the situation develops. I’d ask residents to please share this information with any friends, family or neighbours who may not be online.
“We’ll also be writing out to businesses to encourage them to remind their customers that they can return their litter back to their premises for disposal, and to use reusable packaging where possible. We’re also working with our transport and hospitality partners to ensure visitors are aware of the strike and its impact on the city.
I urge the Scottish Government and COSLA to stay round the table with the unions and find a way of averting, what will be, a hugely damaging dispute for Edinburgh – and for Scotland as a whole.”
Age Scotland is urging the UK government to reconsider plans to scrap the winter fuel payment for pensioners who do not receive pension credit.
Scotland’s charity for older people has said the move will push tens of thousands of low income pensioners in Scotland further into poverty, and puts some of the poorest older people at greater risk of ill-health and burgeoning debt.
The Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, announced the decision to means test the winter fuel payment – which is worth up to £300 a year for those of state pension age – on Monday. Anyone who does not receive, or claim, pension credit will no longer get the payment aimed at helping older people with fuel bills over the coldest months.
Katherine Crawford, chief executive of Age Scotland, said: “This move will effectively take money away from some of the lowest income pensioners in Scotland.
“There are currently more than 150,000 pensioners living in poverty in this country, and we know that many more are living on incomes just above the pension credit threshold. They will now miss out on a payment which could help them heat their homes and stay warm over winter.
“I would urge the UK government to look again at this decision, which affects older people who are already struggling with the high cost of living and will now face being worse off at a time they desperately need support.
“Already we are getting calls to our helpline from older people who are distressed by the announcement and worried about what lies ahead. I would call on anyone in that position to get in touch with our free helpline on 0800 12 44 222 where our advisers can carry out a full benefits’ check to ensure that you are getting everything you are entitled to.
“We know that around 123,000 pensioners in Scotland who are eligible for pension credit are not claiming it – and they are some of the people who are going to be worst affected when the payment is withdrawn. Just 140,000 pensioners do claim pension credit, which leaves many thousands losing out who really cannot afford to do so.
“The winter fuel payment is due to be devolved to the Scottish Government and our hope is that it will be restored as a universal benefit, particularly in light of the fact that Scotland does generally experience worse weather than other parts of the UK and more than half of those who receive it use it as an important part of winter budgeting.
“Keeping or reinstating the winter fuel payment will also ensure that money is going to those who need it most, when they need it most.”
The Scottish Government has also expressed ‘disappointment’ at Rachel Reeves decision.
Social Justice Secretary Shirley Ann Somerville said: “The Chancellor’s decision to means-test Winter Fuel Payment is disappointing and was made without consultation or discussion with the Scottish Government.”
CivTech Round 10 launched to drive public sector innovation
Up to £8 million of Scottish Government funding is being made available to help start-up businesses and entrepreneurs solve public sector challenges.
The latest round of the Scottish Government CivTech programme invites companies and individuals to come up with innovations and products that will improve lives and practices across a wide range of public sector areas.
Applications to submit ideas to tackle nine different challenges are now open. They range from cutting pharmaceutical waste to using technology to improve public engagement in policymaking. Additional “wildcard” challenges are anticipated to launch in the coming weeks.
Successful applicants will work with their Challenge Sponsor to develop their proposal and pitch for a place in the programme’s Accelerator phase, which offers both financial and practical support to develop the business and market the concept to the public sector.
Since it launched in 2016, around £20 million of Scottish Government funding has been invested in the CivTech programme, with 90 companies and entrepreneurs helped to grow and develop.
These include bioscience company SilviBio and Tape for Trees, which developed new seed germination technologies to help Forestry and Land Scotland increase the efficiency and survival rates of its tree seedlings.
Employment and Investment Minister Tom Arthur said: “Driving entrepreneurship and innovation is important to helping unlock each of the Scottish Government’s priorities of eradicating child poverty, boosting economic growth, achieving net zero and improving public services.
“In CivTech, we have a way to stimulate progress across each of these priorities so that, together, we can improve people’s lives and achieve our ambitions as a nation.
“This funding offers a unique opportunity not just to foster and support the innovators and entrepreneurs as part of a vibrant economy, but harness their ideas and inventions to continually test and improve our public services and our way of life.”
CivTech 5 participant Angela Prentner-Smith, Founder and CEO of This is Milk said: “CivTech was a launchpad for us. We got the amazing opportunity to develop a world-first platform directly with Government stakeholders, who trusted us to develop the product in line with user needs.
“My CivTech journey started with my 3-person band business, my five-year-old and a two-week-old baby called Neve. I showed up to the accelerator, baby in hand, through Covid lockdown and the team couldn’t have been more supportive.
“The result has been Neve Learning, the most accessible and inclusive, hybrid learning platform on the market. We’ve worked with the public sector for many years, and never found a fit for purpose procurement opportunity that genuinely provides the platform for innovation and human-centred product design.”
XL Bully owners have until midnight Wednesday 31 July to apply for an exemption certificate ahead of new laws coming into force.
From Thursday 1 August it will be illegal to own an XL Bully without an exemption certificate or having applied for an exemption certificate.
It is already illegal to sell, advertise, gift or exchange, breed or breed from XL Bully dogs, or letting such dogs stray. Owners must now also ensure their dog is muzzled and on a lead while in a public place.
The penalties available to a court upon conviction for breach of the new safeguards are up to six months imprisonment and/or a fine up to £5,000.
Exemption certificate applications must be made online by the deadline of midnight on Wednesday 31 July. Applicants must obtain third party insurance, microchip their dogs and commit to their dogs being neutered, as well as pay the £92.40 fee.
Justice Secretary Angela Constance said: “This is the last chance for XL Bully dog owners to make sure they meet the new regulations before they come into force.
“Dog attacks, although rare, can have a devastating impact on victims and consequences for owners which is why we are taking this action.
“The laws are in place to promote and support responsible ownership and public safety as effectively as possible.”
