Tag: Shirley Ann Somerville

UK Government urged to abandon ‘immoral’ disability benefit cuts

Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville has written to UK Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall, calling for an urgent change to the UK Government’s “immoral and reckless” social security reforms.

Ms Somerville welcomed the suggestion by Prime Minister Keir Starmer that cuts to winter fuel payment could be eased, but said this was not enough.

In the letter the Social Justice Secretary said: ‘I was pleased to hear the Prime Minister announce plans to ease the Winter Fuel Payment cuts in Parliament last week.

‘I am also aware of various media reports suggesting that a change in the UK Government’s two-child limit may be announced shortly. I welcome these developments and recognise that it is a step in the right direction to delivering a more robust Social Security system.

‘However, deep concerns remain around the UK government’s damaging social security reforms, including those announced in the ‘Pathways to Work’ Green Paper.

‘Given the speculation on the reversal or partial reversal of policies on Winter Fuel Payment and Two Child Cap, I call on you to urgently scrap these immoral proposals on disabled benefits.

‘These plans will only push more into poverty. It is therefore reckless and totally unacceptable for the UK Government to press ahead, not least due to the expected severity of the impact they will have on all our efforts to end child poverty – completely undermining the work of the UK Child Poverty Taskforce.’ 

Families across Scotland receive free books during Book Week Scotland


Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP, yesterday (Thursday 17 November) joined P2 and P3 pupils at Liberton Primary School in Edinburgh with their families as they received their Read, Write, Count bags.

Every P2 and P3 pupil in Scotland is gifted a Read, Write, Count bag containing books and activities that are theirs to keep. P1 pupils are also part of the annual gifting, receiving their Bookbug P1 Family Bag.

Scottish Book Trust is delighted to be working in partnership with Scottish Government and Education Scotland to devise and deliver the Read, Write, Count bags. Over quarter of a million books will be gifted through 129,600 Read, Write, Count bags this year, including 1600 Gaelic-language bags. The bags are gifted to pupils during Book Week Scotland each year.

For many children across Scotland, the books they receive through the Bookbug and Read, Write, Count gifting programme are the only books they have at home. Access to books can have a life-changing impact on children, with research showing it can boost attainment across the curriculum, as well as improving wellbeing, empathy and future opportunities. By the time children in Scotland reach their eighth birthday, they will have received six bags of books from Scottish Book Trust.

Book Week Scotland, this year running 14–20 November, is run by Scottish Book Trust – the national charity changing lives through reading and writing. Book Week Scotland was initiated by the Scottish Government and is supported by funding from Creative Scotland and SLIC, and is this year also supported by Scotland’s Year of Stories 2022.

Marc Lambert, CEO of Scottish Book Trust, said: ‘Gifting books to children through the Bookbug and Read, Write, Count programmes is one of the highlights of Book Week Scotland each year.

“For many children in Scotland, the only books they have at home are the ones they are given by Scottish Book Trust. Our Bookbug and Read, Write, Count bags reach children from birth up to Primary 3, and we know they can make a big impact to children’s lives.’

‘We’re grateful to the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills for joining us at Liberton Primary School as the pupils and their families were gifted the bags.’

Education Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: ‘Read, Write, Count is a vital programme for children across Scotland. We know the benefit of providing children with an opportunity to discover a passion for reading and to bond with their families over books and other book items provided within these bags.

‘I would like to thank Scottish Book Trust for their continued work on the Read, Write, Count programme and to Liberton Primary School for inviting me to enjoy this wonderful day with everyone.’