Swinney says sorry to Gypsy Travellers for ‘trauma' of the ‘tinker experiment'
Scotland's First Minister has apologised to Gypsy Travellers for the 'unfair and unjust policies' that caused them 'trauma' in what was known as the 'tinker experiment'.
John Swinney made clear that the treatment of members of this community in previous years had been 'unacceptable'.
His comments came as a new report, published by the Scottish Government, stated that 'the context within which the TE (tinker experiment) occurred is best understood as cultural genocide'.
Between 1940 and 1980, the so-called experiment – supported by councils and the UK government – attempted to strip away the nomadic lifestyle of Gypsy Travellers, providing rudimentary and often cramped huts for people to live in.
When families became too big to be housed in the huts, children would sometimes be taken away.
The Scottish Government has been carrying out research into the impact of what happened – with report, by the Third Generation Project at St Andrews University, revealing 'discriminatory' policies had been carried out in 27 of Scotland's current 32 local authorities.
The Church of Scotland also issued 'a heartfelt and genuine apology for these historic wrongs'.
Mr Swinney, in a statement to Holyrood, said he hoped his apology could be the 'beginning of a new conversation' with efforts to improve the lives of Gypsy Traveller community in Scotland.
The First Minister told MSPs 'without ambiguity' that 'what happened to Gypsy Traveller communities in Scotland was unacceptable'.
He added: 'It is clear to the Government that stark prejudice and lack of cultural awareness led to a series of unfair and unjust policies.
'These policies resulted in children being removed from families, and families were forced to live in substandard accommodation and degrading conditions.
'The trauma that this has caused to individuals, families and groups, including those who regard themselves as 'victims of tinker experiments', is significant and lasting'.
With Gypsy Travellers in Holyrood's public gallery, Mr Swinney continued: 'As First Minister of Scotland, I want to say this directly to Gypsy Traveller communities: the 'tinker experiments' should not have happened.
'These policies were wrong. And we recognise how much it is still hurting so many.
'And more than anything else I want to say this – on behalf of Scotland, we are sorry.'
Mr Swinney added that although Scotland had 'come a long way since the 'Tinker experiments', there was 'still much to do' in tackling the prejudice the community continued to face.
And while Holyrood ministers published a new Gypsy Traveller action plan last year, the First Minister said the experiences shared as part of the government's work 'underline the urgent need for systemic change, greater accountability, and a shift in attitudes at every level'.
He declared: 'We must do better.'
Stressing the need for 'meaningful action' he highlighted the importance of 'challenging stereotypes, confronting everyday discrimination, and committing to long-term efforts that promote understanding, respect, and equity for Gypsy Travellers'.
He stated: 'Our hope is that we now have a foundation for continuing to build trust and fostering renewed relationships with all those who have been impacted by historical policies.'
His comments came as the report described the tinker experiments as being the 'recurring societal and institutional dehumanisation of Gypsy Travellers in Scotland'.
This was 'often carried out under the stereotype of Gypsy Travellers as a people that collectively practised a backwards or undeveloped way of life', it added.
The research highlighted the role of the UK national government 'and specifically the Scottish Office as a primary actor in the construction and enforcement of such policies'.
But it said that others – including local councils, churches and charities – were involved in 'constructing the environment' that allowed this to happen.
Gypsy Travellers in Scotland were housed in accommodation including Nissen-type huts, repurposed military buildings and disused properties, the report added – with these 'known by government agents to be substandard' with such properties 'frequently without' electricity and running water.
The report also highlighted the 'forced transfer of children', with some youngsters being removed from their families and placed in temporary care, while others were permanently taken away, being adopted either in the UK or overseas.
Afterwards, the Reverend Tommy MacNeil, convener of the Faith Action Programme Leadership Team of the Church of Scotland and Dr Mike Cantlay, convener of its Social Care Council said: 'On behalf of the Church of Scotland, we offer a heartfelt and genuine apology for these historic wrongs, highlighted in the report and carried out in the name of the Church.'
They added: 'We wish to say we stand in solidarity with those who suffered, and deeply regret the harm that came to them as a result of actions by the Church in the past.'
Their statement acknowleged that the Church of Scotland 'tolerated discrimination and the use of derogatory language by its employees and members'
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Scotsman
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Union seeks more public money for Alexander Dennis
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The Herald Scotland
3 hours ago
- The Herald Scotland
Plans for new nuclear reactors in Scotland brought forward
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Additionally, the company said, three further planned refuelling outages will bring in an extra 800 workers 'who come to the site spending money in hotels, restaurants, take-aways and with taxi firms while they stay here' each time. The 2030 decommissioning will happen in stages with the removal of spent fuel from the reactors taking about four years and will be carried out by EDF, which, at its other decommissioning facility at Hunterston B in Ayrshire, now at the defueled stage, employs around 250 moving forward to 'nuclear restoration services'. At this point it will take around 15 years to remove all the buildings from site, with the exception of the reactor building. It will be left in situ, in a state called 'safestore', for around 70 years, until the final clearance of square-mile site. The firm said it does not have 'visibility of figures that would allow us to make an assessment of whether renewables projects in the area will create those long-term employment opportunities on a like-for-like basis'. However, Mr Forrest said: 'There will be a range of retraining opportunities as the station moves beyond generation and we will use the experience from other defueling sites to support staff. 'For example, at Hunterston B people have been trained to take on project management roles, which the station needs more of now. People have also been supported to gain additional qualifications in HGV driving or electrical skills which are needed on site during defueling but can also be used to build a career outside of the nuclear industry. 'Now Hunterston B is getting ready to transfer to nuclear restoration services there are further opportunities for retraining to take on jobs the station will need during decommissioning like health physicists and waste technicians. We expect to see the same kinds of opportunities at Torness when it reaches this stage.' The new Sizewell C site in Suffolk. (Image: EDF) The latest Economic Impact of the Civil Nuclear Industry report, compiled by Oxford Economics and commissioned by the Nuclear Industry Association, shows the sector generated an extra £350m for the Scottish economy in gross value added (GVA) in 2024, up from £1.1bn in 2021, a 32 per cent rise, and much it from south of the Border. It reported: 'Scottish workers are playing a vital role in building the new nuclear power station at Hinkley Point C in Somerset and 170 Scottish firms have contracts to work on the new power station with over £280m spent with Scottish firms to date.' Tom Greatrex, chief executive of the NIA, said: 'Scotland is benefiting from the jobs and growth coming with new nuclear plants being built in England, but with no new nuclear of its own, Scotland will lose out on billions in investment and thousands of well-paid, skilled jobs. 'Scots have always been a significant part of the nuclear industry – with renowned engineers and physicists coming through the Scottish education system, but despite the integral role nuclear plays in keeping electricity in Scotland green, without future plants young Scots will lose out on those opportunities at home.' READ MORE: It said: 'We are promoting and exploring the potential of Scotland's renewable energy resource and its ability to meet our local and national heat, transport and electricity needs, while also contributing to meeting our ambitious emission reduction targets. 'By 2030 we aim to generate the equivalent of 50% of Scotland's overall energy consumption from renewable sources, and by 2050 we aim to have decarbonised our energy system almost completely.' It said it is backing the development of the hydrogen sector and carbon capture and storage, promoting the development of on and offshore wind, marine energy, geothermal energy, hydropower and hydrogen. A UK Government spokesperson said: 'Investing in nuclear power represents energy security and a gateway to thousands of skilled jobs. 'It would bring millions of pounds in wages and economic growth to communities all over Scotland. The Scottish Government continues to block any movement on this safe, green energy that would turbocharge the Scottish economy. As long as they maintain that position jobs and investment that could be coming to Scotland will head elsewhere." Gillian Martin, Scottish energy secretary, told The Herald: 'The Scottish Government is focussed on supporting growth and creating jobs by capitalising on Scotland's immense renewable energy capacity rather than expensive new nuclear energy which takes decades to build, creates toxic waste which is difficult and costly to dispose of. 'However, we recognise the significant value that Torness and its workforce has contributed to Scotland's economy and local community. 'Decommissioning Scotland's nuclear sites will take decades and will require the retention of a highly skilled workforce. Meanwhile, the significant growth in renewables, storage hydrogen, carbon capture and decommissioning are key opportunities for our future energy workforce in Scotland – with independent scenarios from Ernst and Young, showing that with the right support, Scotland's low carbon and renewable energy sector could support nearly 80,000 jobs by 2050.'
