Latest news with #Devolution
IOL News
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- IOL News
Cape Town's music legends reunite for a Luxurama-style spectacle at Wittebome Civic Centre
Join Cape Town's music legends for one-night-only as they reunite for a Luxurama-style extravaganza at Wittebome Civic Centre. Cape Town's music scene is set to relive its golden era as some of the city's most iconic performers reunite for a one-night-only celebration of timeless hits, talent and nostalgia. On Friday, June 28, Wittebome Civic Centre in Wynberg will come alive with a Luxurama-style musical extravaganza featuring legends who have shaped the city's vibrant music scene. Leading the star-studded line-up is the beloved Giempie Vardien, joined by the incomparable Leslie Kleinsmith, Waseef Piekaan, Supernova, Devolution, De Ja Vu, and Nuraan Boltman take the stage once again. Together, they promise a dazzling variety show filled with unforgettable showmanship and a tribute to the heart and soul of Cape Town's music legacy. This is more than a performance, it's a homecoming for the artists and their fans, a chance to relive a rich era of local musical brilliance.
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Scottish Government news, interviews and updates
The Scottish Government is a devolved government. It oversees important day-to-day matters such as health, justice, and education for the people of Scotland. The current First Minister of Scotland and leader of the Scottish National Party (SNP) is John Swinney. Read on for all the latest Scottish Government news, interviews and updates. As reported by The Herald, here is a selection of the latest Scottish Government news stories. Secure accommodation units at risk amid capacity concern Sarwar and Swinney accused of 'inaction on child poverty' Council workers warn of 'avoidable' strikes in pay talk row Scotland has two governments: The UK and The Scottish Government. The UK government retains control over 'reserved' matters, and The Scottish Government handles 'devolved' responsibilities. The people of Scotland voted for Devolution in 1997. The UK Parliament then passed the Scotland Act 1998 which established the Scottish Parliament. Holyrood officially opened in 1999. (Image: Jeff J Mitchell) The Scottish Government is responsible for managing its own expenditure and is accountable to the Scottish Parliament. Agriculture, forestry and fisheries Education and training Environment Health, care and social services Housing and land use planning Law and order Local government Sports, arts and tourism Parts of social security Some forms of taxation Many aspects of transport Domestic students in Scotland do not pay tuition fees, while students coming from the rest of the UK are charged a fee. Universities receive funding from the Scottish Government for each student, with the amounts varying according to the nature of each individual's studies. In Scotland, students apply to the Student Awards Agency Scotland (SAAS), which covers their tuition fee, whether they study in Scotland or elsewhere in the UK. Prescriptions are free in Scotland. Wales led the way in eliminating prescription fees in 2007, paving the way for Northern Ireland's 2010 decision. File photo of a prescription being collected from the Craigton Pharmacy in Glasgow (Image: Andrew Milligan/PA Wire) The Scottish Government abolished charges in April 2011. The Winter Fuel Payment benefit was previously available to almost everyone in the UK who was of state pension age to help cover their heating costs. It is now limited to those on Pension Credit or means-tested benefits who will get the Winter Fuel Payment - £200 or £300 for people aged over 80. A recent petition started by pensioner Carole Webb has called on the government to rethink changes to the payments and has been signed by more than 150,000 people. Scotland's justice system operates largely independently with its own courts, police, and legal profession. The criminal justice system of Scotland is devolved to the Scottish Parliament. While some legislative powers remain with the UK Government, for example, criminal law relating to firearms, and drug policy reform, Scotland's justice system is largely devolved with its own courts, tribunals, judiciary, prosecution service, police service, prisons, fire and rescue service, and other justice agencies, as well as its own legal profession. Scotland's ferry system is controlled by the Scottish Government to maintain and develop its services. This is done through a multi-layered group involving an agency and three state-controlled companies. Ferguson Marine was taken into public ownership by the Scottish Government in 2019 (Image: George Munro)Transport Scotland is the Scottish Government agency that oversees ferry policy, funding, and contracts. Since 2007, the government has invested more than £2.2 billion in the Clyde and Hebrides Ferry Service and the Northern Isles Ferry Service. This includes new routes, new vessels, upgraded harbour infrastructure, as well as the roll out of significantly reduced fares through the Road Equivalent Tariff scheme. And from June 23, people aged 19 to 21 who live on Scottish islands are eligible for concessionary ferry vouchers for travel between their home island and the Scottish mainland. Yes, the government calls for an election once every four to five years. The next election is expected to be held next May.
Western Telegraph
25-04-2025
- Politics
- Western Telegraph
Immigration no ‘quick-fix' for aging population, says Bowie
Shadow Scottish secretary Andrew Bowie described high immigration north of the border as a 'pyramid scheme response' to an aging population, as working-age migrants become old themselves 'and perpetuate the same crisis again and again'. National Records of Scotland figures forecast that the country's population aged 75 or older will grow by 341,300 between mid-2022 and mid-2047, but the number of children aged 15 or younger is expected to fall by 79,900. More Stories The SNP's Pete Wishart claimed that the Westminster Government had used 'social engineering' to lower Scotland's birth rate by keeping the two-child cap on benefits in place. The cap means that families can claim benefits such as Universal Credit for up to two children, and there is usually no uplift for additional children. MPs ran out of time to vote on the Devolution (Immigration) (Scotland) Bill, which Stephen Gethins proposed to remove 'immigration, including asylum' from the list of reserved matters which lie under Westminster's control. Mr Bowie told the Commons: 'Proposed immigration as a quick-fix for declining population I'm afraid is wrong-headed and indeed short-sighted. High immigration to solve low birth rates and an aging population is a pyramid scheme response. 'Working-age immigrants initially slow the growth of the age dependency ratio, however, will in turn age and perpetuate the same crisis again and again, and whilst nations across the developed world are faced with the myriad of issues an aging population presents, the Scottish National Party should be more focused on support for working families, improving the economic outlook and prosperity, rather than proposing unfettered immigration.' The Conservative shadow minister said the SNP should strive for Scotland to become the 'lowest tax' part of the UK 'and see what that has when it comes to attracting people north of the border'. Mr Bowie said he was 'sure there is' an SNP elected politician who had proposed 'unfettered immigration', when Dave Doogan, the party's MP for Angus and Perthshire Glens, challenged him to 'identify' one. Mr Wishart had earlier said: 'The simple fact is that Scotland needs more working age people to refresh our population and if we do not get that we are going to be in serious, serious trouble. Scottish Secretary Ian Murray arrives in Downing Street, London, for a Cabinet meeting (Stefan Rousseau/PA) 'Now this is happening all around the world. But what this Government is doing with this Brexit is getting in the way and making the issue worse. 'And you know something else that they're doing, they are, with their falling birth rate, they are actually trying to suppress our birth rate by the social engineering use of the benefits system to deny benefits to working class parties who are seeking to have large families. 'It is the very point at where we should be doing everything to encourage more children. They are actively trying to suppress it through social engineering using the benefits system.' He added: 'This Government is making our situation and condition ten times worse by the inept, clumsy, callous and heinous attempt to socially engineer the benefits system to suppress our birth rate, at the very time when we need more children. We need larger families.' The MP for Perth and Kinross-shire praised former prime minister Sir Tony Blair's government, which he said 'opened up Eastern Europe through accession which helped our issues in Scotland'. Mr Gethins, the SNP MP for Arbroath and Broughty Ferry, described his private member's Bill as 'a way of offsetting some of the damage that's been done by a hostile environment, by Brexit'. He said he was 'very open to this being amended', if the Bill is able to progress. Scottish Secretary Ian Murray told the House: 'Migration has to come down. That's the Prime Minister and this Government's view, because it's too high. 'And the reason it has to come down, and this goes right to the heart of some of the big issues in Scotland and the moment, this Scottish Government don't want to talk about it and this SNP Government don't want to talk about – nearly one in six young people in Scotland are neither in education, employment or training. 'We have shipyards in Scotland that build the very best ships in the world employing Filipino and South African welders, and those South African and Filipino welders look from the top of those ships into some of the poorest communities in Scotland and the United Kingdom where there's a huge number of young people not in education, employment or training, and we need to do something about that.' Mr Murray urged a focus on 'workforce planning and skills', and said a consequence of devolving asylum policy to legislators in Edinburgh could be to have 'checks in both directions' with different rules either side of the Scottish border. The debate ended without a vote and was adjourned until July 11.
The National
25-04-2025
- Business
- The National
Labour 'block' vote on giving Scotland immigration powers
Introducing his Devolution (Immigration) (Scotland) Bill, Stephen Gethins told the Commons that migration had 'driven our policies and our economic growth for centuries'. But the SNP accused Labour of running down the clock to prevent the bill from being put to a vote. At the end of a lengthy debate, Gethins proposed it be resumed on July 11. According to business insights and conditions survey results published by the Scottish Government, an estimated 22.6% of businesses were experiencing a shortage of workers in February this year. Firms in the health and social work sector were thought to be the worst hit, with 42.9% of businesses reporting shortages. Gethins (below) told MPs: 'For how long do we have to put up with damaging Westminster policies? (Image: NQ) 'This bill today is a way of offsetting some of the damage that's been done by a hostile environment, by Brexit – which I'm astonished daily that the Scottish Labour Party continue to endorse – and let me talk about the Scottish care system, the current UK immigration system. 'All of us will benefit from the care system at some point – all of us. And we'll all have loved ones to have benefited, so I think their voice is a particularly pertinent one. 'The current UK immigration system is failing the social care sector in Scotland. 'The recent rule changes, particularly the ban on dependents which has had a big impact on other sectors as well, and the incompatible increase in the minimum salary threshold, exacerbate existing recruitment challenges and pose significant risks to the sustainability in delivery of the care services.' READ MORE: No border checks needed for bespoke Scottish immigration visa, says SNP MP Social care workers are not normally allowed to bring their dependants, for example, their partners and children, into the UK using their health and social care visa, after changes made last year. Migrants arriving on a skilled worker visa should be able to meet a £38,700 salary threshold – up from £26,200 – to qualify. Josh Fenton-Glynn, the Labour MP for Calder Valley in West Yorkshire, intervened in Gethins' speech and said: 'The problem with care is not that we're not getting cheap labour from elsewhere, it's that we're not paying care workers enough.' (Image: PA) Gethins, the Arbroath and Broughty Ferry MP, had earlier said: 'Migration has driven our policies and our economic growth for centuries. 'Yet we lean in, or Labour leans in, to this Reform agenda – it's very disappointing that they're not in their place – that is so poisonous to our political rhetoric, when we talk about migration and refugees – two entirely separate issues.' The private member's bill would remove immigration from schedule 5 of the Scotland Act 1998, which lists 'reserved matters' still under the control of legislators in Westminster. 'His bill is a simple, one-line bill that says to devolve the entire immigration system to Scotland,' Scottish Secretary Ian Murray told the Commons. Gethins replied that 'this is not ideal' and said he was 'very open to this being amended'. Pete Wishart, SNP MP for Perth and Kinross-shire, intervened to say that private members' bills are 'practically rewritten and drafted in committee'. Speaking afterwards, Gethins said: "The Labour Party has broken its promise to voters, and is actively damaging Scotland's economy and public services, by blocking a Scottish visa and the devolution of migration powers while imposing a hard Brexit on Scotland." He added that the "ball is now firmly back in the Labour Party's court", saying: "There is widespread support for a Scottish visa, and the devolution of migration powers, across vital Scottish industries and public services including the NHS and social care, hospitality and tourism, agriculture, construction, and higher education. The Labour Party must explain why it is arrogantly dismissing Scotland's needs out of hand."
STV News
25-04-2025
- Business
- STV News
Businesses ‘crying out' for Scottish visas to boost workforce, says SNP MP
Businesses are 'crying out' for Scottish visas, an SNP MP has said, as he claimed a managed migration scheme could boost Scotland's economic growth. Stephen Gethins argued the UK's current 'one-size fits all' approach to immigration is not working, ahead of the second reading of his Devolution (Immigration) (Scotland) Bill on Friday. The MP for Arbroath and Broughty Ferry said his private member's Bill proposes to devolve more powers over immigration to Holyrood, to increase Scotland's workforce in the hospitality, tourism and care sectors. Speaking to the PA news agency, he said: 'Having a one-size fits all approach to migration is not something that makes for good policy. 'Currently, we are making policy that is taking into account the South East of England, and not taking into account, for example, parts of Scotland that are crying out for a greater workforce. 'And migration has always driven economic growth.' He added: 'We're not talking about uncontrolled migration, we're talking about areas that are good for business, and that's why so many businesses and industry bodies are calling for this very measure. 'As part of that, we need to have a more sensible debate and discussion on migration. 'Too often, on issues like Brexit, migration, cultural issues, the Labour Party and other parties are leaning into a Reform agenda, and we need to reject that.' Gethins continued: 'This is about managed migration, but instead of doing the Boris Johnson approach of just throwing open the doors and having no benefit for Scotland, let's see where it can benefit specific sectors.' The specific details of what a Scottish visa would entail could be decided in collaboration with other political parties, Gethins said. He added: 'It could be something that is targeted at specific sectors, it could be a decentralised migration system like you have in places like Australia and Canada, where different provinces and Canada, for example, have different needs. 'It's something that could be held, for example, you already have a Scottish taxation system, so the infrastructure is set up. 'And obviously this is something that has been acknowledged by Brexiteers and even by the Labour Government coming in, that there is a particular need.' He continued: 'It's something that business in Scotland have been crying out for, as well as important sectors like the care sector and the NHS, who were so badly hit by Brexit and have been so badly hit by the hostile environment.' Get all the latest news from around the country Follow STV News Scan the QR code on your mobile device for all the latest news from around the country
