Malcolm in the Scotish Parliament: working for Edinburgh North & Leith
Training for older workersAn initiative that aims to bring older workers back into learning will continue to benefit from Executive funding until 2008. The Expereince Counts initiative provide tailored learning programmes for over 50's. Through the programme, Sector Skills Councils collaborate with employers and learning institutions to provide "bite size" or taster courses dependent on employer and worker needs.
Teacher Numbers UpMore than 700 extra teachers have been recruited to work in Scottish classrooms in the last year. The Scottish Executive is well on the way to meeting its target of 53,000 teachers overall and reductions in class sizes in maths and English to 20 in 2007
Parliament Update Parliament voted decisively in favour of trams for Edinburgh and Leith and the new SNP Government accepted that decision. New powers have been given to the Scottish Government to decide whether Ship to Ship Oil Transfer propsals are guaranteeing sufficient protection to the environment. This is good news for the Forth, but the motion passed by the Scottish Parliament also called on the Westminster Government to make legislative changes.
New powers have been given to the Scottish Government to decide whether Ship to Ship Oil Transfer propsals are guaranteeing sufficient protection to the environment. This is good news for the Forth, but the motion passed by the Scottish Parliament also called on the Westminster Government to make legislative changes.
On housing, I put the case
for increased resources for affordable housing in Edinburgh and Leith.
On Seafield, I called on Scottish Water and the Council to take immediate action now that resources are in place.
Just the ticket for Scotland's Youth A concessionary travel scheme for young people was introduced in January. It will give all 16-18 year olds living in Scotland a third off single bus fares across the country, a free rail card entitling them to a third off rail travel within Scotland, and, for those who are resident on islands, two free return journeys to the mainland each year. Ministers have also decided that full-time volunteers up to the age of 25 are actively contributing to their community will also be involved in the scheme.
Environment campaign launched A major new communications campaign to get people thinking about their legacy for future generations has just been launched. The Executive's "It's Our Future" campaign will encouage more people, especially parents and children, to think about the steps we can all take to live within our environmental means.
Children are at the forefront of the campaign for a good reason - they will live with the consequences of our actions. But they are also showing leadership. Scotaland has a higher proportion of eco-schools than any other country. It is important that each person looks at their behaviour when at work, at home and at leisure to see where we can reduce our impact on the planet. The campaign will be backed by a dedicated web site www.infoscotland.com/ourfuture which provides a range of practical steps that we can all take for a more sustainable Scotland, as well as highlighting projects up and down the country which are helping the environmnent. Violence Against Women A new national £6 million Violence Against Women Fund has been announced, running from April 2006 to March 2008. The fund is designed to support projects delivering services across Scotland and developing ways in which groups and organisations can work together to provide better responses to violence against women. The projects to receive funding include, extending the Working with Men project in Edinburgh which works with abusive men to address their behaviour and an extended support service to ethnic minority women experiencing domestice abuse run by Shakti Women's Aid in Edinburgh.
Web link: www.shaktiedinburgh.co.uk