Tag: Scottish Parliament

Miners’ Strike Pardon Bill passed – but no compensation

Scotland has become the first of the home nations to pardon former miners convicted of certain offences related to strike action in the 1980s.

The historic legislation passed by MSPs ensures a collective and automatic pardon for miners involved in strike action which extends to members of a miner’s household and other close family members who may also have been convicted.

The legislation was recommended by an independent review, led by John Scott QC, into the impact of policing on Scottish communities during the industrial dispute.

Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Veterans Keith Brown described the legislation as ‘ground-breaking’ and said the UK Government should now give consideration to a UK-wide public inquiry into the strike and compensating former miners.

He said: “The miners’ strike was one of the most bitter and divisive industrial disputes in living memory. This landmark moment will go some way to aid reconciliation – and to help heal wounds within Scotland’s mining communities.

“This ground-breaking legislation will restore dignity to those convicted, provide comfort to their families and, I hope, bring some closure to the sense of injustice members of mining communities may continue to feel.

“I very much sympathise with miners who lost out on redundancy payments and pension rights as a result of being sacked by the National Coal Board after being arrested or convicted for actions while participating in the strike.

“By securing this pardon, we have done what we can within our powers to restore dignity to individuals who meet the qualifying criteria and their families.

“It is now right that the UK Government recognises the passing of this historic legislation and gives further consideration to a UK-wide public inquiry and the payment of compensation to former miners. I have written to the Home Secretary this week urging her to reconsider her position given the strong support for this landmark Bill.”

Professor Jim Murdoch of the School of Law at Glasgow University who worked with Mr Scott QC on the independent review said: “As members of the independent review, our task was primarily to listen: to show that those affected by the miners’ strike had a voice more than a third of a century later.  

“At each of the meetings we held, it was clear that the pain felt by former miners and their families was still raw.  

“The response to the miners’ strike at the time left a deep scar on too many communities. Their stories showed without doubt that the criminal justice system all too often reacted in an arbitrary and disproportionate manner.

“Our task was to seek to promote a sense of reconciliation, and we are pleased that our report and its recommendation have received clear support today in the Scottish Parliament.”

Nicky Wilson, President of the National Union of Mineworkers (Scotland), said: “The NUM welcomes the passing of the Miners’ Pardon Bill. It removes the stigma of a criminal record given to miners who were striking to save their industry, jobs and communities which led to their convictions and sacking in some cases.”

Capital’s George Watson’s College team wins Euroquiz competition

Pupils from George Watson’s College in Edinburgh battled it out at the Sottish Parliament to become Euroquiz champions.

The pupils tested their European knowledge against 28 other primary schools before coming out on top in the final round.

Euroquiz quizmaster Annabelle Ewing MSP and Deputy Presiding Officer said: “I’ve been so impressed by the knowledge of these young primary pupils. After two years it’s fantastic to welcome people back into our Debating Chamber for this special event.

“Well done to all the pupils who made the final – it was a very sought after competition. George Watson’s College did extremely well to win overall and my congratulations to them.”

Over 400 schools have been involved in competing in this year’s quiz. Following a series of heats that took place earlier this year, the winning schools took part in the final  in the Scottish Parliaments’ Debating Chamber on Monday 13 June. 

Euroquiz, which was first held in 1993, sees teams of pupils working together to broaden their knowledge of European history, geography, sport, culture, languages and the European Union.

Appeal: Please help stop harrassment outside abortion facilities

The British Pregnancy Advisory Service is appealing to the public to support a Members Bill to outlaw protests outside abortion clinics.

Details below:

How-to-respond-BPAS-and-Back-off-Scotland-guideDownload

Please respond to the Scottish Government Consultation on buffer zones.

Sending a response only takes 10 minutes.

The DEADLINE to respond is 10th August 2022 Gillian Mackay MSP has launched a Private Member’s Bill for Safe Access Zones, or buffer zones, outside abortion facilities across Scotland.

WE NEED YOUR SUPPORT.

This is a really important step in the move for buffer zones. You can access the consultation here www.bufferzones.scot Y

ou can access a ‘suggested response’ guide here https://images.bpas-campaigns.org/…/How-to-respond-BPAS…

Please share widely. We need as many people as possible to submit a response. Help make buffer zones a reality.

Euroquiz: Scotland’s P6 pupils to battle it out at Holyrood

Primary 6 pupils from 29 schools all over Scotland will be welcomed to the Scottish Parliament tomorrow to test their European knowledge as Euroquiz returns.

Over 400 schools have been involved in competing in this year’s quiz. Following a series of heats that took place earlier this year, the winning schools will now compete in the final which will take place in the Scottish Parliaments’ Debating Chamber on Monday 13 June.

Euroquiz, which was first held in 1993, sees teams of pupils working together to broaden their knowledge of European history, geography, sport, culture, languages and the European Union.

Deputy Presiding Officer and Euroquiz quizmaster Annabelle Ewing MSP said: “I’m delighted to be welcoming young people back to the Parliament for this event, which helps young people to learn more about our European neighbours in a fun and engaging way.

“I’m sure the pupils from all over Scotland have been studying very hard for this final and will be determined to take home the trophy. 

“The Euroquiz heats involved more than 2,000 pupils and over 400 schools so it’s great to see the enthusiasm for this competition and I congratulate each and every one of them for reaching the final.” 

The 29 primary schools taking part in Euroquiz 2022 are: 

Aberdeen City: St. Peter’s Primary School  

Aberdeenshire: Kemnay Primary School  

Angus: Monikie Primary School  

Argyll & Bute: Rhu Primary School  

Dumfries & Galloway: Troqueer Primary School  

Dundee: Forthill Primary School  

East Ayrshire: Crosshouse Primary School  

East Dunbartonshire: Millersneuk Primary School  

East Lothian: Gullane Primary School  

East Renfrewshire: Busby Primary School  

Edinburgh: George Watson’s College  

Falkirk: St Andrew’s RC Primary School  

Fife: Dalgety Bay Primary School 

Glasgow: Corpus Christi Primary School 

Highland: Rosehall Primary School  

Inverclyde: Kilmacolm Primary School  

Midlothian: Loanhead Primary School  

Moray: Greenwards Primary School  

North Lanarkshire: St David’s Primary School  

Orkney Island: Dounby Community School  

Perth and Kinross: St Dominic’s RC Primary School  

Renfrewshire: Kilbarchan Primary School  

Scottish Borders: Melrose Primary School  

Shetland: Whiteness Primary School 

South Ayrshire: St John’s Primary School (Ayr) 

South Lanarkshire: St Leonard’s Primary School  

Stirling: Strathblane Primary School  

West Dunbartonshire: St Mary’s Primary School  

West Lothian: Saint Joseph’s Primary School  

Fortrose Academy debaters take top prize at Holyrood

Scotland’s most talented young debaters took to the floor of the Holyrood Debating Chamber this week to take part in the final of a national competition.

Aimee Ross and Orla McMichael from Fortrose Academy were declared the winners after debating the emergence of ‘cancel culture’. Jenna Padget and Jennifer Chen from the High School of Glasgow came second. 

The Donald Dewar Memorial Debating Tournament is Scotland’s largest annual schools debating tournament and is open to pupils in all Scottish secondary schools.

Organised and run by the Law Society of Scotland, the tournament is dedicated to the memory of the former First Minister Donald Dewar MSP, who died in 2000.

It is the culmination of a tournament which involved 64 teams from schools across Scotland. Along the way, pupils have debated subjects ranging from university fees to arming the police as well as if civil disobedience is acceptable in tackling environmental issues.

Appearing in the final were pupils from the following schools:

  • Dunfermline High School, (Dunfermline);
  • Hutchesons Grammar School, (Glasgow Southside);
  • High School of Glasgow (Anniesland);
  • Fortrose Academy, (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch)

Speaking after the event, Deputy Presiding Officer Liam McArthur MSP said: “I’m so pleased to once again welcome some of Scotland’s young people to the Parliament’s Debating Chamber for the culmination of this national competition. I’ve been so impressed by the quality of debate that we’ve heard.

“I send my best wishes to all the pupils who worked so hard to make the final of this competition. It was very closely fought but congratulations to Fortrose Academy for being awarded the overall prize.”

Deputy President of the Law Society of Scotland, Sheila Webster said: “It was brilliant to be back in such an impressive venue after a difficult few years. I’d like to thank the Scottish Parliament for hosting and also our chairperson, the judges and sponsors for their continued support.

“The judges had a hard time picking a winning team and the skills displayed by all teams were worthy of the Scottish Parliament. I was impressed to see the teams developing and then presenting strong arguments while under tight time pressure and without external help.” 

The winning school took home the top prize of £1000 and those coming second were awarded £250 from the Law Society of Scotland.  

Tens of thousands of Scots wait more than four months for vital eye care, campaign group tells MSPs

  • Approximately 29,000 people wait more than 16 weeks for eye care services in Scotland after initial referral1
  • The situation has worsened following dramatic falls in outpatient activity during the COVID-19 pandemic2
  • National partnership, The Eyes Have It, call on Scottish government to prioritise eye care services as part of NHS post-COVID recovery plans

Nearly 30,000 patients are waiting more than 16 weeks on NHS waiting lists for specialist ophthalmology treatment in Scotland, Members of the Scottish Parliament have been told during a reception at Holyrood.

And, according to NHS figures, these patients make up more than 50% of the entire ophthalmology waiting list.

Scottish parliamentarians from across the political spectrum who attended the event in the Scottish Parliament on 1st June learnt about the challenges patients with deteriorating eye health face in Scotland. The event was sponsored by Stuart McMillan MSP and hosted by the The Eyes Have It (TEHI) partnership with Sight Scotland.

Sight loss, the complete or partial loss of vision not correctable by usual means such as glasses, affects 200,000 people in Scotland3, more than the number affected by dementia4. Ophthalmology is now the third busiest outpatient specialty in the Scottish NHS and accounts for 10% of new outpatient appointments in Scotland2.

Cathy Yelf, CEO of the Macular Society, speaking on behalf of TEHI, which is made up of The Royal College of Ophthalmologists, the Macular Society, Fight for Sight, the Association of Optometrists and Roche Products Ltd, said: “Capacity shortages can have very serious implications for patients, with delayed follow up (both at the time of diagnosis and during ongoing care) found to be a factor in sight loss.

“The progressive nature of conditions such as wet age-related macular degeneration means that delays to treatment can result in poorer outcomes for patients with sight loss.”

Craig Spalding, CEO of Sight Scotland, one of Scotland’s oldest charities, said: “Eye conditions are estimated to cost the Scottish economy £2bn annually3, and despite the introduction, in 2006, of free primary eye exams in Scotland and strategies to identify priority areas for action to improve eye care services, Scotland continues to face challenges.

“The situation has worsened due to the Covid-19 pandemic which led to a dramatic fall in outpatient activity, but there is now an opportunity to improve efficiency, effectiveness and patient experience as the healthcare system looks towards COVID-19 recovery. Reducing waiting lists must be a key priority.”

Stuart McMillan MSP, Convenor of the Cross-Party Group in the Scottish Parliament on Visual Impairment, said: “Sight loss can have a devastating effect on a person’s quality of life and emotional well-being.

“The implementation of free primary care eye examinations by the Scottish Government in 2006 helped to reduce pressures on secondary care but the Covid-19 pandemic has created new challenges meaning there is still more to do to improve patient access and expand capacity.

“It has been a pleasure to host this event with The Eyes Have It partnership to raise awareness of this important issue”

The Eyes Have It partnership, with Sight Scotland, has drawn up a series of recommendations calling on the Scottish government to prioritise eye health within NHS service recovery.

Scottish Schools celebrate Walk to School Week

Pupils in Scotland celebrated national Walk to School Week (16-20 May) with a series of events and a special guest.  

Walk to School Week is organised by Living Streets, the UK charity for everyday walking.  Families are encouraged to walk, wheel, cycle, scoot or ‘Park and Stride’ for the week to see the big differences that come from small steps, from healthier and happier children to fewer cars outside the school gates.

Pupils at schools in Aberdeen, Edinburgh, Shetland, Stirling, Moray, Orkney, Renfrewshire, Thurso and Wick were joined by Strider, the Living Streets mascot for a series of events to celebrate Walk to School Week.

Living Streets is working with Scotland schools to deliver WOW – the walk to school challenge in over 120 schools.

WOW is a pupil-led initiative where children self-report how they get to school every day using the interactive WOW Travel Tracker. Pupils who travel actively at least once a week for a month are rewarded with a WOW badge.

Chris Thompson, Schools Manager, Living Streets Scotland said: “Walk to School Week is a fantastic excuse to celebrate the many social, health and environmental benefits that come from walking to school.

“Schools across Scotland are working really hard to get more active on the school run and reduce congestion outside the school gates. We were thrilled to take Strider along to meet some of the pupils swapping the school run for a school walk on what was Strider’s furthest visit north!”

Suzanne Carson Headteacher at Gilcomstoun School, Aberdeen City said: “It is wonderful to be part of a national campaign inspiring children to think about how they get to school while promoting their health, fitness, and mental welling which is a key focus area for our Eco Warriors and our Health and Wellbeing Ambassadors.

“As a city centre school we promote active travel – walk, scoot and if you need to come by bus or car, getting off the bus early or parking further away and striding the last part of your journey to school.

“We hope the enthusiasm for choosing greener ways to travel lasts beyond Walk to School week and that our pupils are encouraged to consider the importance of sustainable travel.”

Mrs Caroline Leask, Road Safety Lead, Sound Primary School, Shetland said: “Sound Primary School are delighted to be selected as Living Streets feature school and are thrilled to welcome Strider to launch the WOW challenge.

“Our pupils are enjoying taking part in the Walk To School challenge each day and earning their badges. The campaign has encouraged pupils to take more active journeys to and from school whilst also being ECO friendly in their travel options.”

Elaine Skinley, Road Safety Officer, Shetland Islands Council, said: “The WOW walk to school resource is great for schools as it increases active travel and encourages pupils to walk to and from school.”

MSPs to look at role of parliament and governance in Scotland

The Scottish Parliament’s Constitution, Europe, External Affairs and Culture Committee is to hold hearings to examine how devolved structures and conventions are working in the post-EU landscape.

The evidence sessions will look at:

  • Legislative consent (sometimes known as the ‘Sewel Convention’);
  • Implementation of the EU-UK Trade and Co-Operation Agreement (TCA);
  • Intergovernmental relations;
  • Retained EU law; and
  • Implementation of the Ireland/Northern Ireland Protocol

The effects of the UK leaving the EU, including UK and GB-wide arrangements put in place to replace EU systems (such as Common Frameworks and the UK Internal Market Act), as well as disagreements between the UK and Scottish Governments over issues including legislative consent, have all impacted on how the Scottish Parliament and Government work. These changes will be examined in detail by the Committee.

These hearings follow on from inquiries by the Committee into the European Union (Continuity) (Scotland) Act 2021 and the UK Internal Market Act (UKIMA), as well as the Committee’s role in the first meeting of the UK-wide Interparliamentary Forum.

The Committee previously concluded that UKIMA has created a tension in the devolution settlement, with more emphasis on open trade than regulatory autonomy, when compared to the EU Single Market.

It also identified a risk that the emphasis on managing regulatory divergence at an inter-governmental level may lead to less transparency and Ministerial accountability, and a tension in the balance of relations between the Executive and the Legislature.

Speaking ahead of today’s first roundtable looking at the issue of legislative consent, Committee Convener, Clare Adamson MSP, said: “Leaving the EU has meant a significant change in the UK’s constitutional arrangements. Of course, this has implications for Scotland and its Parliament.

“Though many of these changes are very technical, they can have important implications. We have already put on record our concerns around a number of potential risks including less regulatory autonomy for devolved Parliaments, reduced democratic oversight, and a less consultative policy making process.

“As MSPs, we now want to examine what other changes mean for devolution.”

So far, the following roundtables are scheduled for the following dates:

Thursday 19 May: Legislative Consent after Brexit

Thursday 26 May: Implementation of the Trade and Co-Operation Agreement

Thursday 9 June: Intergovernmental relations

BVA President praises Scottish vets for sterling efforts to keep animals healthy in difficult times

British Veterinary Association (BVA) President Justine Shotton last night (Tuesday 17 May) celebrated the work of veterinary teams across Scotland to make animal health and welfare a top priority despite contending with multiple pressures in recent times.

In her speech to around 70 guests at BVA’s Annual Scottish Dinner at the Scottish Parliament, Dr Shotton said that Scottish vets had worked incredibly hard to keep animals healthy, protect public health and keep the food chain moving against a backdrop of Covid, Brexit and a recent surge in pet ownership. 

However, she cautioned that this has been an incredibly challenging time, saying: “But we also need to acknowledge that this has come at a significant – and ultimately unsustainable – cost to the profession’s capacity and wellbeing. 

“If we are going to cope with ongoing and new or unforeseen challenges ahead, we need action now to improve recruitment, retention and rates of return to veterinary work, to ensure that all existing vets can feel supported, safe and rewarded in their careers, and to encourage future vets from all walks of life to follow in our footsteps.”

Addressing guests including Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, MSPs, key representatives from animal health and welfare organisations and colleagues from across the veterinary profession, BVA’s President called on Scottish and UK governments, animal owners, the profession itself and vets of the future to take a range of actions to help create a “flexible, resilient and future-proofed workforce”. 

These ranged from ensuring that new vet schools such as the site proposed by the SRUC (Scotland’s Rural College) are adequately funded, to reminding animal owners to “Respect Your Vet” and the difficult decisions that they have had to make to keep colleagues and clients safe during the pandemic. 

Dr Shotton also praised the recent “Vetastic Adventures” project, where BVA teamed up with the Scottish SPCA to showcase veterinary careers in a fun and accessible way for both primary and secondary school pupils in Scotland. 

Reflecting on recent months, Dr Shotton said that the profession’s “resilience and dedication” had really shone through in how vets had responded to and mitigated against recent disease outbreaks in Scotland and across the UK, including the Avian Influenza outbreak. 

She said that with disease control sitting within the scope of the proposed new Scottish Veterinary Service it was important to make sure that systems collaborated closely with the rest of the UK and beyond, cautioning:

“I don’t have to tell any of you around the room tonight that diseases and animal welfare problems don’t respect borders.  It will therefore be critical that the new service has systems that collaborate and liaise with the rest of the UK, and beyond, on disease surveillance, data collection, and information sharing.  We’re engaging closely to ensure that veterinary expertise is at the heart of these new proposals.” 

Turning to animal welfare legislation, Dr Shotton said that BVA was really pleased by the Scottish Government’s commitment to banning the sale and use of glue traps, describing them as “inhumane devices, which subject trapped animals to prolonged pain and suffering and can often accidentally trap non-target species including cats and birds.”  She called for similar action against snares, as they can also cause significant and needless harm to animals, including pets and protected wildlife.

On pet welfare, Dr Shotton acknowledged some significant campaign wins in the past year, including BVA successfully lobbying alongside others for the UK Government to take action against the “barbaric and purely cosmetic practice” of cropping dogs’ ears. 

She said that BVA will now be turning its attention to the rise of canine fertility clinics in Scotland and the rest of the UK, saying: “We are building a picture of the scale and severity of this worrying trend, and already seeing multiple red flags in the clinics, which may be operating with no regulation or veterinary oversight. 

“The recent action taken against a clinic owner in Lanarkshire following a joint investigation exemplifies what can be achieved when we come together to clamp down on unregulated and dangerous practices.”

The BVA President ended her speech by thanking BVA Scottish Branch colleagues for all their support, and welcoming Gareth Hateley, who was formally elected as the new Branch Junior Vice President at the AGM on Tuesday afternoon.

Mairi Gougeon, Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and Islands, responded to the speech as BVA’s Guest of Honour.

Love Your Liver roadshow coming to Edinburgh next week

‘Love Your Liver’ campaign – Network Rail Doncaster

One in five adults in Scotland may be walking around with liver disease and be completely unaware because there are usually no symptoms in the early stages, warns the British Liver Trust.

The Love Your Liver mobile screening and scanning unit will be visiting six locations disease across Scotland between 15th to 20th May 2022.

Members of the public are invited to the Love Your Liver roadshow at the following locations where they can assess their risk of getting liver disease, find out what preventative measures they can take to keep their liver healthy and be offered a free liver scan.

Inverness Falcon Square, Eastgate Shopping Centre, IV2 3PP Sunday 15/5/22

Perth High Street (outside Debenhams), PH1 5UL Monday 16/5/22

‘Love Your Liver’ campaign – Network Rail Doncaster

EDINBURGH

Mound Precinct, EH2 2EL Tuesday 17/5/22

Scottish Parliament, Holyrood, EH99 1SP Wednesday 18/5/22

Glasgow Argyle Street (outside Superdrug), G2 8AG Thursday 19/5/22

Ayr Heathfield Retail Park, KA8 9BF Friday 20/5/22

Pamela Healy, Chief Executive, British Liver Trust, said, “One in three of us are at risk of liver disease and the numbers of people being diagnosed increased at an alarming rate during the pandemic.

“Liver damage develops silently with no signs or symptoms and people often don’t realise they have a problem until it is too late. Although the liver is remarkably resilient, if left until symptoms appear, the damage is often irreversible.

“The Love Your Liver roadshow is a great opportunity for people to find out their risk of liver disease and the first one hundred people to attend will receive a free non-invasive scan. Approximately 20% of the people we scan need to have further checks.”

The British Liver Trust’s Love Your Liver campaign focuses on three simple steps to Love Your Liver back to health:

  • Drink within recommended limits and have three consecutive days off alcohol every week 
  • Cut down on sugar, carbohydrates and fat, and take more exercise 
  • Know the risk factors for viral hepatitis and get tested or vaccinated if at risk.

The roadshow comprises a mobile unit where people can take a free online screening test and find out if they are at risk. Free liver health scanning will also be available using a non-invasive device.

There will be expert guidance on how to keep your liver healthy from healthcare professionals who will be on hand to provide advice on diet, exercise and healthy living.

Anyone wishing to take advantage of these free events should attend between 10am and 4pm.

If you wish to be scanned please arrive early as places are limited.

If you can’t attend the event you can still find out if you are at risk and check your liver health online by doing the online screening test at:

 https://www.britishlivertrust.org.uk/screener