Alex Salmond’s final submission to Wednesday’s committee inquiry has been published.
It’s quite a document, and on reading it you can understand why some people have done their damndest to make sure it never saw the light of day.
Take this, for example:
“I leave it to others the question of what is, or is not, a conspiracy but am clear in my position that the evidence supports a deliberate, prolonged, malicious and concerted effort among a range of individuals within the Scottish Government and the SNP to damage my reputation, even to the extent of having me imprisoned.
“The individuals, for the avoidance of doubt: Peter Murrell (Chief Executive), Ian McCann (Compliance Officer) and Sue Riddick (Chief Operating Officer) of the SNP, together with Liz Llloyd, the First Minister’s Chief of Staff.
There are others who, for legal reasons, I am not allowed to name.”
A panel of the public convened by the Scottish Parliament’s Covid-19 Committee has reported its findings to MSPs.
The 19-member panel, which broadly reflects the demographic make-up of Scotland, met over four Saturdays to consider the question ‘What priorities should shape the Scottish Government’s approach to COVID-19 restrictions and strategy in 2021’, hearing from experts to help inform its findings.
Key conclusions in its report include:
* The panel believes the Scottish Government should focus on stopping the spread of virus, ideally by pursuing an ‘elimination’ strategy.
* The panel believes elimination would provide the fastest way back to ‘normal’, but also recognised that this needs maximum cooperation across UK, as well as accepting travel restrictions;
* If this is not possible, the panel recommends a ‘maximum suppression’ strategy should be adopted, with a reinvigorated Test and Protect to keep case numbers low once they have dropped. The panel concluded that by tackling the direct harm of the virus head on, other harms (economic, societal, other health problems) will also reduce;
* Priority should also be given to supporting a green recovery, young people’s economic opportunities, town centres, and continuing support for businesses;
* The Scottish Government must therefore define what it is aiming to achieve and tell us what its strategy is moving forward. Key to understanding this is what it deems to be an acceptable level of infection in the population, so that it is clear what restrictions will be effective in 2021.
The panel also considered wider issues associated with the pandemic within its deliberations. It agreed:
* Previous lockdowns happened too slowly – resulting in longer lockdowns and more deaths;
* Communication and explaining strategies is key to public acceptance and understanding. This is most effective when scientists and clinicians can take centre stage;
* Globally, no one is safe until everyone is safe.
Members of the panel will give evidence to MSPs on the Covid-19 Committee about their report today (Thursday 18 February).
In the coming weeks, the report will also inform MSPs’ consideration of the possible extension of the emergency Coronavirus legislation, which is currently due to expire at the end of March.
Covid-19 Committee Convener, Donald Cameron MSP, said:“The Committee is very grateful to the members of the public and experts who gave their time to participate in deliberations.
“The steps taken to counter this virus are so drastic they would have been unimaginable a year ago. It is therefore vital we gauge the public mood as we enter into the next phase of managing the pandemic.
“The considered priorities of this broadly representative group, who have looked at the issue with fresh eyes, will help inform us as we begin to look at the likely extension of the emergency powers, and work to ensure the efforts of Government are focused in the right place.
“We are looking forward to hearing more from panel members, and testing their conclusions, at our next meeting.”
The panel was announced and first met on 16 January.
The full report and further information on the panel will be online here.
A Health and Sport Committee report into the future of social care has said those delivering and receiving care must be at the heart of social care reform with the current model described as unsustainable.
The Committee say a national conversation on the future of social care is needed and that the myriad issues facing staff must be addressed in the development of any new system. The Committee’s report says the problems faced by the care sector have been compounded by the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Committee express concern over the lack of value placed on social care and social care staff, in stark contrast to NHS staff. The report emphasises the ongoing difficulty the sector faces in attracting and retaining staff; citing a lack of training and staff development opportunities, alongside low pay as the key reasons for this.
A number of problems with the current care model are highlighted by the Committee including the continued lack of progress on health and social care integration. They also recommend the Scottish Government seek alternative models of commissioning and procurement with the current ones described as ‘counter-intuitive’.
The Committee describe the current model of crisis driven, reactive care as unsustainable and say more must be done to shift the focus to a preventative model, involving local communities in the future planning of health and social care services.
Lewis Macdonald MSP, Convener of the Health and Sport Committee, said: “Throughout this inquiry the message we have been given from those receiving care, and from paid and unpaid carers, is that they have not felt listened to and have been undervalued. That’s why it is essential that they are at the centre of much needed reform of the social care system.
“There is no doubt the current model of care is unsustainable, with some of the issues facing the sector exposed by the pandemic. We want to see a nationwide conversation held into the future of social care and we hope that the findings of our report, and the independent review, can help in shaping this future.
“We are grateful to all of those from across the care sector who provided evidence to our inquiry and gave their keen insight into how it is experienced in Scotland.
“I’d like to put on record our thanks to the tireless and passionate workforce, both paid and unpaid, who undoubtedly deserve better.”
“the pandemic has pulled families even deeper into poverty, while many more have been swept into poverty for the first time. A rising tide of child poverty now threatens to overwhelm many in our communities.”
John Dickie, Child Poverty Action Group Scotland
All political parties in Scotland should commit to at least doubling the value of the new Scottish Child Payment to stem the rising tide of child poverty, a coalition of anti-poverty groups, children’s charities and women’s organisations have urged today.
The End Child Poverty coalition in Scotland made the call in A Manifesto for Ending Child Poverty: Our Priorities for the 2021 Scottish Parliament Election, launched today, in which it set out its key asks ahead of the Holyrood elections in May.
While warmly welcoming the new £10 per week per child benefit for low income families – due to begin its roll out for under 6s next month – the manifesto warns that it will not go far enough in helping to meet Scotland’s child poverty reduction targets. By increasing the payment to £20 per week, the coalition say, at least another 20,000 children could be lifted out of poverty.
As well as doubling the Scottish Child Payment, the coalition are also calling for all parties to commit to:
• Bolstering other support for low income families, including by increasing the value of School Clothing Grants and Best Start Grants;
• Ensuring crisis support is adequate and accessible, including by investing in the Scottish Welfare Fund;
• Guaranteeing holistic whole family support to all families needing help;
• Supporting migrant children and caregivers, including increasing financial support to families with No Recourse to Public Funds;
• Setting out a child poverty-focused labour market policy, including action to tackle the gender pay gap.
Launching the manifesto, John Dickie (Director, CPAG in Scotland) said: “Even before Covid-19, almost one in four children in Scotland were growing up in the grip of poverty.
“Now, the pandemic has pulled families even deeper into poverty, while many more have been swept into poverty for the first time. A rising tide of child poverty now threatens to overwhelm many in our communities.
“That’s why we have set out this range of measures that would help to stem that tide, by putting much-needed cash into the pockets of families who are struggling to stay afloat. We urge all political parties to commit to the action we’ve set out, and to use the next Scottish Parliament to loosen the grip of poverty on the lives of Scotland’s children.”
Anna Ritchie Allan (Executive Director, Close the Gap), said: ““The existing inequalities women face in the labour market means they’ve been hardest hit by COVID-19 job disruption.
“The pandemic has starkly illuminated the link between women’s in-work poverty and child poverty. Women who were already struggling are now under enormous financial pressure as they and their families are pushed into further and deeper poverty.
“The End Child Poverty Coalition manifesto calls on Scotland’s political parties to commit to bold action to reduce child poverty. Close the Gap welcomes the focus on substantive action to address women’s inequality in the labour market including tackling women’s low pay and boosting the provision of funded childcare.
“Ensuring economic recovery policymaking prioritises measures to build a labour market that works for women is a necessary step in tackling the growing child poverty crisis.”
The manifesto – along with a summary version – can be found here.
A citizens’ panel met online for the first time on Saturday to discuss how Scotland is and should continue to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. The panel will meet for the next four weekends before reporting its conclusions to the Scottish Parliament’s Covid-19 Committee.
Participants in the 20-member panel, who have been chosen to broadly reflect the demographics of Scotland, and includes residents from all eight Parliamentary regions, will be asked to respond to the question ‘What priorities should shape the Scottish Government’s approach to COVID-19 restrictions and strategy in 2021?’.
To help in forming a response to this question, a range of experts will give presentations on issues including public health, medical and behavioural science, epidemiology and virology, and the social, legal and economic aspects of the pandemic.
It is expected that the panel’s findings will help the Committee scrutinise the Scottish Government’s strategic approach to the pandemic, including what priorities should inform any future restrictions in 2021.
The Committee will also reflect on the panel’s findings to inform its recommendations for how Covid scrutiny should continue after the election.
Speaking ahead of the first meeting, the Covid-19 Committee Convener, Donald Cameron MSP, said: “In spite of the hope provided by vaccines, we find ourselves at a worrying juncture in this pandemic. Unfortunately, there is a going to be a need for restrictions for months to come, and the way we respond in 2021 is likely to shape our economy and society for many years to come.
“Therefore, it is critical that we have public support for Government plans to respond to Covid-19, and that we ensure areas important to the public are prioritised. While the Covid-19 Committee is able to provide robust scrutiny and recommendations, it will be immensely helpful to this work to have the informed opinion of a representative group of citizens.
“We are very grateful to the panel members and experts assisting them for giving up their time, and look forward to receiving the final report next month.”
The Citizens’ Panel will meet online on Saturdays 16, 23, 30 January and 6 February. A report will be produced thereafter.
A project which aims to boost women’s involvement in politics have their work recognised this week in the Scottish Parliament.
Deputy Presiding Officer Linda Fabiani MSP led a debate in Parliament on Thursday welcoming the publication of the 2019-20 Young Women Lead Report.
The report investigates the obstacles facing BAME women transitioning from school to the workplace. A subject chosen due to a lack of Scotland-specific data on the issue. It looks at employment opportunities for women from ethnic minorities considering recruitment, retention and development policies and practices.
The Young Women Lead Committee is a leadership programme for young women aged 30 and under who live in Scotland and is delivered in partnership with the Scottish Parliament and YWCA Scotland – The Young Women’s Movement.
Deputy Presiding Officer Linda Fabiani MSP said: “I am delighted to lead the debate today which will give us all an opportunity to better understand the barriers faced by young BAME women across the country.
“Throughout the last year, I have been continually impressed by the young women involved in this project. They have put together a vital piece of work despite the immense challenges presented by a global pandemic.
“The recommendations of this timely report should be taken on board to help create a fairer and better Scotland for all.”
The Young Women Lead programme was launched in 2017 and was created from a need to address the lack of representation of young women in politics. In 2019-20 the programme was revised with the intention to increase young BAME women’s political participation and to hear their voices and experiences.
The programme was created from a need to address the underrepresentation of young women in politics. Working with the Scottish Parliament, The Young Women’s Movement (YWCA Scotland) has designed the programme for 30 participants from a range of diverse communities to come together in the Parliament to run their own committee inquiry, focusing on a topic of their choice.
City Council Leader Adam McVey is urging members of the public to stay at home and not attend a planned demonstration at the Scottish Parliament today.
“This simply isn’t safe. To attend a protest like this now would be incredibly selfish and those doing so would be putting our families and communities at greater risk when numbers of transmissions are already far too high in Edinburgh.
“This attempt to create a crowd is utterly disrespectful to our businesses and residents who are sacrificing so much to try and keep all of us safe.
“Anyone thinking of breaking the rules by travelling to Edinburgh to attend this event should not do so – they are not welcome.”
A new Bill which would allow children to take public bodies to court for breaches of their rights by incorporating the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into Scots law should be extended to include private sector and voluntary organisations who deliver public services, according to MSPs.
The Scottish Parliament’s Equalities and Human Rights Committee said it supports the general principles of the proposed legislation, but called for the definition of public authorities to be widened to ensure organisations such as private schools and private housing, residential care and childcare providers are not excluded from the legal obligations in the UNCRC.
The United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (Incorporation) (Scotland) Bill legally obliges public authorities – including Scottish Ministers – to respect children and young people’s rights, placing them under a duty not to act incompatibly with the UN Convention.
In its stage 1 report, the Committee recommended that the Scottish Government consults the main stakeholders to investigate how the definition of a so-called “hybrid public authority” could be tightened to avoid similar issues arising as those experienced with the Human Rights Act 1998, where courts have defined the term narrowly and exempted private or voluntary bodies which carry out public functions.
Under the Bill, children and representatives acting on their behalf will be able to challenge public authorities in court for infringing their rights, and the new legislation will allow the courts to strike down legislation that is incompatible with any UNCRC requirements.
However, submissions to the Committee raised concerns about the accessibility of the existing courts and tribunals service to children, and the report called on Scotland’s top judge to reflect on this evidence and to provide an update on progress being made towards developing a “child-friendly” court system in preparation for the new legislation.
MSPs also urged the Scottish Government to amend the Bill so that courts and tribunals “must”, rather than “may”, take into account the whole of the text of the UNCRC and the first two optional protocols when determining a case, and to require courts and tribunals to ask for the child’s views on what would constitute an “effective remedy” in their case.
The Committee’s report further recommended that the Scottish Government amends the commencement provision at stage 2 to ensure the Bill comes into effect six months after Royal Assent.
The Bill also imposes a requirement on Scottish Ministers to make a Children’s Rights Scheme to set out how they will comply with the duties in the UN Convention, but MSPs want the scheme strengthened to include measures to support children with protected characteristics and vulnerable groups, access to advocacy, legal aid, human rights education and a child-friendly complaints mechanism.
Committee Convener, Ruth Maguire MSP, said: “This is a landmark piece of legislation which has the potential to put children’s rights at the heart of public authority decision-making.
However, we believe – as the evidence to the Committee has shown – that there are areas where the Bill can be improved.
“The Committee’s report calls on the Scottish Government to explore how the definition of a public authority can be amended at stage 2 to include those private sector organisations which provide public services, in accordance with the spirit and intention of the Bill.
“We also make recommendations aimed at improving access to justice for children and young people and ensuring judicial remedies for infringements of children’s rights are effective in practice.
“It is vital that children have their rights protected, respected and fulfilled as a matter of urgency, which is why we have urged the Scottish Government to amend the commencement provision to ensure this legislation come into effect six months after the Bill receives Royal Assent.”
A “child-friendly” version of the report, which has been published alongside the stage 1 report, can be accessed via the Committee’s Bill webpage.
The Scottish Parliament’s Justice Committee has indicated it will support the general principles of the Hate Crime Bill on condition it is amended in line with recommendations the Committee is unanimously making. The committee’s recommendations build on, but go further than, the commitments already made by the Cabinet Secretary for Justice to make changes to the Bill.
The Justice Committee has concluded that further changes should be made to the Bill to ensure that those making comments which others find offensive are not criminalised, while still robustly tackling those perpetrating hate crimes.
The Committee has unanimously concluded as follows:
For behaviour to be considered “abusive” under the Bill, prosecutors must be required to show that a ‘reasonable person’ would consider the behaviour to be abusive, setting a higher bar for prosecution;
The Bill’s provisions safeguarding free speech must be deepened and strengthened;
The ‘reasonableness’ defence available to a person charged with a stirring-up offence must be clarified.
The Committee also agreed that while there should not be an absolute defence against prosecution for acts in private homes, people should be allowed to express their own, perhaps offensive, views within their own home or other private space without fear of investigation or prosecution.
It has therefore called on the Scottish Government to find a way to amend the Bill that better reflects its view around ‘stirring up’ offences having a public element to them.
The Committee welcomed the appointment of Baroness Helena Kennedy QC to chair a working group on misogynistic harassment, and has called on the working group to report within a year to avoid further significant delay. However, any legislative change that is recommended by this group should be subject to the fullest possible parliamentary scrutiny.
Speaking as the report was published, Committee Convener, Adam Tomkins MSP, said:“Balancing freedom of expression and legislating to ensure hateful actions can be prosecuted is a difficult task.
“The Committee is grateful for the wealth and variety of evidence we heard, and hope we have reflected, in our report. We also welcome the Cabinet Secretary taking the unusual step of accepting that his Bill required amendment before we began our scrutiny.
“We believe that, if amended in line with our unanimous recommendations, this Bill should be fit to protect the communities it affords extra protections to, without encroaching on the ability of citizens to have robust debates, hold views others find unpalatable, and express themselves freely.
“It is a testament to the open-mindedness of all Members to have found such consensus on what has undoubtedly been a contentious piece of legislation.”
The Committee’s call for views received an unprecedented response, with almost 2,000 submissions. A release about this and the Bill timetable is set out in this release.
The Committee heard oral evidence from almost 40 stakeholder organisations.
The Give Them Time Campaign has welcomed yesterday’s start of a parliamentary process which will automatically provide an additional year of nursery funding for all children legally deferring their Primary One start.
At present only January and February born children are entitled to this whereas mid-August* (*those who turn five after the school commencement date in any year) to 31st Dec born children – who share the same legal right to defer – do not have this automatic entitlement and it’s at the discretion of their local authority to grant it or not.
Since 2018 the Campaign has been lobbying the Scottish Government to provide an automatic entitlement to a further year of nursery funding for ALL children legally deferring their school start.
Our supporters are mainly parents, early years’ and primary teachers and its research has demonstrated wide variations across council areas as to whether parents were likely to secure this funding for their child or not and the process for being considered for it. While more councils than ever have funded 100% of requests this year, the infographics below highlight the ongoing postcode lottery.
However, this is now set to change as today the Minister for Children and Young People, Maree Todd, started the parliamentary process at Holyrood to change the law to enable all children whose parents choose to take up their legal right to defer them to have automatic access to a further year of funded nursery from 2023.
Campaigners have warmly welcomed this move but they are disappointed a full national rollout will not be effective immediately. Details of a pilot scheme have not been finalised yet but campaigners are keen to see this run in as many council areas as possible and particularly in areas which have had poorer approval rates in recent years as can be seen on the Evidence page of the campaign website.
Campaign spokesperson Diane Delaney said: “Our research has evidenced that the postcode lottery of allocation of discretionary deferral funding is causing confusion, stress, distress and ultimately forcing some parents to send their child to school despite feeling concerned about their wellbeing and ability to cope.
“We are elated that the legislation will be brought in to fund all deferrals, however, we need immediate and full implementation in every local authority at the same time.
“There will be dire consequences for children and families having to wait until 2023 to guarantee full access to funding. Parents’ worries are exacerbated as a result of the multiple impacts of Covid-19 and the huge loss of nursery time for these children earlier this year.
“We welcome the offer of the Scottish Government to continue to work with parents as they move forward in progressing the implementation of this legislation. The Scottish Government has committed to embed children’s rights into Scottish Law, therefore in advance of this we require the new legislation to be implemented fairly and as soon as possible to help all parents, but especially those parents who cannot afford to defer their child if their council refuses funding.
“We want to live in a country where we can be proud that the needs of our children come first and to do this, any legislation impacting on children must not be determined by where they live or their parents income.”
Parents described some of their experiences in a survey conducted by the campaign in Oct 2020. Here are some of their comments:
QUESTION 4: What is your experience of the nursery staff’s understanding of the legal right to defer any child who has not reached the age of five by the school commencement date in Scotland?
“Nursery staff knew about it but said as he had no multi agency specialist support input I would not get funding.”
“They knew but seem to try to put you off the idea, make comments like “they’ll be fine” etc”
“I was told it was unusual for a November born to differ and had to contact the council myself.”
“The nursery staff were as much in the dark as parents.”
QUESTION 5: What is your experience of the information provided by your local authority on deferral rights? Please give as much detail as possible.
“Awful. Varying degrees of knowledge. People telling us we “weren’t allowed” etc.”
“My experience all the way through the deferral process was that I was having to ‘fight’ the system to enable my son to be deferred. It seems to be quite a hostile system where the parent’s view is secondary to that of the nursery even though my son was only at nursery for two days per week.”
“I think it is incredibly upsetting as a parent that you have to justify why you feel your child would benefit from an extra year in nursery. For many parent it is an agonising decision that they second guess all the time. You also feel a bit like you are betraying your child as in order to do what you feel will be best for them you have to list all the ‘negative’ aspects of their development and personality. It’s a very upsetting experience.”
“I felt that I was much more ‘in the know’ than nursery staff, and was ‘keeping them In the loop’ with regards to The Give Them Time Campaign and other movements aiming to uphold these rights. The 1 member of teaching staff in the nursery probably knew the child’s fundamental right to defer their school start, but they were not at all forthcoming with information, and I would never have been told this right, had I not already known it myself. There are many parents/ guardians who simply don’t know this right, and I feel that nurseries should make it their job to inform.”
QUESTION 6: What is your experience of the process of applying to your local authority for a further year of nursery funding for your child’s deferral year? Please give as much detail as possible.
“I found it very stressful. I had to attend meetings, research and write letters, get my local MSP involved. Just trying to do the right thing.”
“The process itself was one horrendously stressful and awfully frustrating bureaucratic experience!!!”
“Stressful as told from everyone that funding would not be approved. It wasn’t initially but on appeal all deferrals were funded due to covid. Very poor support for parental input-my opinion was completely disregarded and I didn’t feel listened to at all.”
“Very little support and guidance. Very much appears as if it’s bingo and based on how assessor are feeling in the day rather than robust criteria. Forcing people to appeal, which adds additional stress and pressure to an already convoluted process to then overturn the majority of appeals is inexcusable. Do the job right the first time and you will save everyone a huge amount of time, energy and resources.”
