Latest news with #Scotland-specific
The National
2 days ago
- Politics
- The National
Most people in the UK support sanctions against Israel, new poll finds
The new polling, commissioned by human rights organisation Global Justice Now and carried out by Yonder Consulting, found that 62% of people in the UK would support sanctions being imposed on Israel as a means to exert pressure on it to stop its brutal attacks on Gaza. Just 11% of respondents said they would oppose sanctions. The polling also found that 65% support banning all arms sales to Israel until it ends its assault on Gaza (with 11% in opposition), while 60% would support suspending the existing trade deal between the UK and Israel (with 13% in opposition). READ MORE: POLL: How would you vote in the Hamilton by-election? The poll, which surveyed 2109 UK adults between May 28 and 29, also showed that support for sanctions against Israel is higher in Scotland than the UK as a whole. It found that 66% of people in Scotland support sanctions on Israel (9% oppose), while 66% support a ban on arms sales to Israel (10% oppose), and 61% support a trade deal suspension (12% oppose). The Scotland-specific results are based on the 177 people in Scotland who were surveyed out of the 2109 total. While the UK Government said last month that it was suspending negotiations on a new free trade deal with Israel, its existing trade agreement with Israel is still in place. Despite branding the Israeli government's actions as "egregious", the UK Government sent its trade envoy to Israel just days after the suspension to "promote trade" between the two countries. It was also revealed that the Labour Government licensed exports of more military equipment to Israel in the final three months of 2024 than the Tories did for all of 2020-2023. READ MORE: 'Brave and powerful' documentary on Gaza protests to have Scottish premiere The National also reported how a group of Labour MPs visited Israel on a lobbying trip reportedly just last week, organised by the party's most prominent pro-Israeli group, Labour Friends of Israel. Global Justice Now called on the UK Government to impose sanctions, arguing that it has "a duty to prevent genocide". Tim Bierley, a campaigner with Global Justice Now, said: 'As Israel erases Gaza before our eyes, today's polling makes clear that across all regions, age and income groups, the British public wants our government to take far stronger action against Israel's genocidal attacks. 'Just as the UK has placed comprehensive sanctions on Russia over its invasion of Ukraine, it must urgently exert meaningful pressure on Israel. 'Despite issuing stronger rebukes in recent weeks, the government continues to license key exports for arms used to massacre Palestinians and offer Israel privileged trade terms, as if war crimes should have no effect on business-as-usual. 'Under international law, the UK has a duty to prevent genocide – and any MPs who ignore public sentiment would do well to remember their duty to represent the voice of ordinary people.' The Foreign Office has been contacted for comment.
The Herald Scotland
28-05-2025
- General
- The Herald Scotland
One in six UK pupils miss school because of lack of money
The campaign groups calls for the UK government to abolish the two child limit and benefit cap to help tackle the problems, and says that all UK nations should follow Scotland by introduced free public transport for young people. A spokesperson for CPAG Scotland said that although Scottish Government policies are 'making a difference', too many young people are still affected by the cost of the school day. The new report – Priced out of school: how lack of money prevent young people from attending school – has been produced following a survey of 'nationally representative' survey of 1,701 students aged between eleven and eighteen. It highlights issues in areas such as school uniform, food, transport, and school trips as potential drivers of lower attendance. Researchers identified a significant divide when it comes to missing school over transport costs. Around a third of those who missed school for money-related reasons in England and Wales cited transport costs as a factor, but this figure fell to thirteen percent in Scotland. Almost half of those who had missed school due to money problems said that this was down to not having 'the correct uniform or kit.' Problems with branded uniform are highlighted as a particular issue, although recent Scottish Government guidance states that schools in this country 'should not include items such as blazers or other branded outerwear as a compulsory part of their uniform policy.' However, Scottish pupils are still affected by the cost of school uniform. In one of the examples provided in the report, a member of office staff in a Scottish secondary school says: 'We sometimes receive calls to the school to say a certain pupil can't come in today because they maybe only have one uniform and that's in the washing and it's not dry so they'll be off today.' READ MORE A Scottish example is also cited in the section on the cost of school trips, with a secondary student explaining that they are trying to save up to be able to attend a history trip that is 'not going to be less than' £550. Previous Scotland-specific research has highlighted the cost of school trips as a clear barrier for some families. The report's main recommendation is for the UK government to abolish both the two-child limit and the benefit cap. It also includes calls for an expansion in free school meals, increased assistance with the cost of uniform, and for all young people in the UK to have access to free public transport, as is currently the case in Scotland alone. Commenting on the research, Kate Anstey, head of education at Child Poverty Action Group, said: 'Children in poverty aren't getting the real deal at school because they don't have money to participate – or even get to the school gates. 'From not being able to afford meals or uniform to poor mental health, lack of money at home means young people are missing school – effectively priced out of the system. 'Government must do more to support living standards for families so kids aren't locked out of learning – including scrapping the two-child limit and expanding eligibility for free school meals.' John Dickie, Director of Child Poverty Action Group in Scotland, told The Herald: 'It's clear from this survey that across the UK, including in Scotland, the costs of school are impacting on attendance with inevitable damage to children's education and wellbeing. 'Action by school communities, councils, and the Scottish government to tackle the costs of the school day are making a difference, with for example free bus travel meaning transport is much less of a barrier than in the rest of the UK. 'But too many young people are still saying that the costs of school trips, uniform and meals have affected their attendance at school. 'It can't be right that families financial circumstances are such a barrier to participation, and we need to see action at every level to both boost family incomes and reduce the costs they face at school.' A Scottish Government spokesperson said: 'Every child should be able to attend school feeling comfortable, confident, and ready to learn, and we will continue to work with CPAG and other partners to make sure that is the case. The most recent official statistics for 2023-24 showed some welcome improvement in attendance and persistent absence levels, and we are working with Education Scotland and local authorities to identify ways to make further improvements. 'We have increased the School Clothing Grant funding to £14.2 million in 2025-26 to help families that need support with the costs associated with school uniforms, while £8 million has been allocated to local authorities this financial year to support the removal of core curriculum charges. 'Over 230,000 pupils are already receiving free school meals, saving families who take up the offer around £450 per child per year. Work to expand availability to P6-7 pupils in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment is underway with COSLA and local authorities, which we estimate will benefit an additional 25,000 pupils. S1-S3 pupils in receipt of the Scottish Child Payment in eight local authority areas will also be eligible for free school meals from August. More generally, the Scottish Child Payment will support the families of over 330,000 children in 2025-26 and will keep 40,000 children out of relative poverty this year, according to estimates. 'Nearly half of schools already provide breakfast at the start of the school day and we are providing £3 million to expand access to breakfast clubs, supporting children to get a healthy, nutritious start to their day and helping parents with early drop-off to support employment opportunities.'
STV News
02-05-2025
- Business
- STV News
Scottish Government asks UK firm to take over failed deposit return scheme
The Scottish Government has asked a UK firm to take over its failed deposit return scheme. Ministers have laid an order before Holyrood, asking for approval for UK Deposit Management Organisation Limited to be designated as the administrator for a deposit return scheme (DRS) in Scotland. Figures from Coca-Cola Europacific Partners, Co-op, Heineken, Lidl GB, Radnor Hills and Tesco sit as directors of the company. The scheme would see shoppers charged a deposit when buying drinks in cans and bottles, which would be repaid to them when empty containers were returned. A Scotland-specific scheme was scrapped after the UK Government declined a request for full exclusion from the Internal Market Act, which meant Scotland could not include glass in the scheme. The Scottish Government is facing a £160m lawsuit over the failed scheme after a judge ruled a waste management firm's case could proceed. Lord Clark ruled in January that Biffa Waste Services Limited's case against the Scottish Ministers could go ahead as the firm seeks damages. The business decided to go to Scotland's highest court, the Court of Session in Edinburgh, because it believes the SNP government is responsible for it incurring a £150m loss. Biffa is seeking compensation for the cash it invested in the collapsed scheme and the subsequent loss of profit. The firm believes the Scottish Government misrepresented the scheme when it assured Biffa it would go ahead. The company is said to have relied on personal assurances from Green Party co-leader Lorna Slater as a reason to invest £55m in vehicles and equipment to prepare for the DRS, before she scrapped it in June 2023. The UK Deposit Management Organisation Limited is set to run the scheme across England, Scotland and Northern Ireland due to be launched October 2027. There will be three legally distinct deposit return schemes in the UK: one in England and Northern Ireland; one in Wales; and one in Scotland, the UK Government said. Scotland's acting net zero secretary Gillian Martin said: 'Establishing a deposit return scheme in Scotland has been a long-running and consistent commitment of the Scottish Government. 'A deposit return scheme will reduce the litter on our streets, increase the recycling of drinks containers and support our net zero ambitions. 'Scottish Ministers have decided that UK Deposit Management Organisation Limited should be designated as the scheme administrator for Scotland, and have laid before the Scottish Parliament the draft Deposit and Return Scheme for Scotland (Designation of Scheme Administrator) Order 2025, which requires approval by the Parliament before taking effect. 'This decision marks an important milestone as we progress towards launching the scheme in October 2027. 'We will continue to engage constructively with UK DMO Ltd, industry and the other nations across the UK to support the delivery of a successful deposit return scheme.' 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
Yahoo
18-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Scottish state workers handed biggest pay rise across public sector
Public sector workers in Scotland have been awarded bigger pay rises than anywhere else in the UK, driving up Holyrood's wage bill after the SNP Government hired thousands of new staff. Pay for state employees in Scotland has risen by 5pc above inflation since 2019, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), compared to an increase of 0pc for public sector workers across the rest of the UK. Combined with the ballooning public sector headcount, the think tank said that 'higher pay poses an increasing financial challenge for the Scottish Government'. Analysis by the IFS found that public sector pay rates across a large number of roles were higher in Scotland than in the rest of the UK. For example, a newly qualified teacher in Scotland can expect to earn £33,594 per year, which is almost £2,000 more than the £31,650 on offer in most of England. A similar pay gap exists for newly qualified nurses, who can earn £31,892 in Scotland as opposed to £29,970 in most of England. Higher rates of pay have left the Scottish Government nursing a public sector bill of £27bn a year after its employee headcount grew by 56,000 since 2017, equivalent to an 11pc increase. The state now employs 22pc of Scotland's total workforce - 590,000 people - compared to the 17pc on the public payroll in England. The IFS said such levels of spending 'present a fiscal challenge for the Scottish Government', particularly if it wants to join Labour in increasing public sector pay. It comes amid fears that poor productivity in the public sector is holding back the UK economy. Jonathan Cribb at the IFS said it is not clear that Holyrood's public sector spending binge has been productive. He said: 'Scotland has not only increased the number of public sector workers more quickly than other parts of the UK, it has also increased their pay more quickly. 'While these are reasonable priorities for Scotland, it adds to the Scottish Government's fiscal challenges, given that funding from the UK government will not reflect these Scotland-specific decisions. 'It's not obvious from the available data that higher public sector pay growth has delivered benefits in terms of improved staff retention.' Conservative MSP and shadow cabinet secretary for finance and local government Craig Hoy said the wage bill is 'frankly unaffordable'. He said: 'Under the SNP Scotland has more public sector workers than the rest of the UK, and their higher rates of pay are bleeding taxpayers dry. Yet, as the IFS points out, there's no evidence that this has delivered any real benefit or resulted in any increase in productivity. 'This is typical of the SNP's complete disregard for taxpayers' cash and their abject failure to deliver value for money. Hard-working Scots are paying more in tax, but there's been no attempt by the SNP to rein in spending, to tackle waste on an industrial scale, or to improve public services.' Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
Telegraph
18-02-2025
- Business
- Telegraph
Scottish state workers handed biggest pay rise across public sector
Public sector workers in Scotland have been awarded bigger pay rises than anywhere else in the UK, driving up Holyrood's wage bill after the SNP Government hired thousands of new staff. Pay for state employees in Scotland has risen by 5pc above inflation since 2019, according to the Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS), compared to an increase of 0pc for public sector workers across the rest of the UK. Combined with the ballooning public sector headcount, the think tank said that 'higher pay poses an increasing financial challenge for the Scottish Government'. Analysis by the IFS found that public sector pay rates across a large number of roles were higher in Scotland than in the rest of the UK. For example, a newly qualified teacher in Scotland can expect to earn £33,594 per year, which is almost £2,000 more than the £31,650 on offer in most of England. A similar pay gap exists for newly qualified nurses, who can earn £31,892 in Scotland as opposed to £29,970 in most of England. Higher rates of pay have left the Scottish Government nursing a public sector bill of £27bn a year after its employee headcount grew by 56,000 since 2017, equivalent to an 11pc increase. The state now employs 22pc of Scotland's total workforce – 590,000 people – compared to the 17pc on the public payroll in England. The IFS said such levels of spending 'present a fiscal challenge for the Scottish Government', particularly if it wants to join Labour in increasing public sector pay. It comes amid fears that poor productivity in the public sector is holding back the UK economy. Jonathan Cribb, at the IFS, said it is not clear that Holyrood's public sector spending binge has been productive. He said: 'Scotland has not only increased the number of public sector workers more quickly than other parts of the UK, it has also increased their pay more quickly. 'While these are reasonable priorities for Scotland, it adds to the Scottish Government's fiscal challenges, given that funding from the UK Government will not reflect these Scotland-specific decisions. 'It's not obvious from the available data that higher public sector pay growth has delivered benefits in terms of improved staff retention.' Craig Hoy, a Conservative MSP and shadow secretary for finance and local government, said the wage bill is 'frankly unaffordable'. He said: 'Under the SNP Scotland has more public sector workers than the rest of the UK, and their higher rates of pay are bleeding taxpayers dry. Yet, as the IFS points out, there's no evidence that this has delivered any real benefit or resulted in any increase in productivity. 'This is typical of the SNP's complete disregard for taxpayers' cash and their abject failure to deliver value for money. Hard-working Scots are paying more in tax, but there's been no attempt by the SNP to rein in spending, to tackle waste on an industrial scale, or to improve public services.'
