emergency across Scotland. Labour says it will table the motion at Holyrood amid concern about the number of people in temporary accommodation or sleeping rough. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/live/bbcone The Reporting Scotland team, once again, operating as the Labour Party press office to suggest an SNP-crisis by ignoring the facts. 1 Core Homelessness lowest in Scotland ‘Core homelessness’ – a concept which captures the most severe and immediate forms of homelessness – is estimated to have stood at 14,250 households on a given night in Scotland in 2019, having been relatively stable over the preceding seven years. Rates of core homelessness are substantially lower in Scotland (0.57% of households) than in England (0.94%) and … Continue reading Homelessness and rough sleeping far more common in Labour Wales and Conned England but BBC Scotland platform Labour

From SEPA today: In 2024 98% of Scotland’s bathing waters will again meet, or exceed, the Sufficient classification – with 84% achieving the higher standards of Excellent or Good. A full list of results is at the foot of this email. This long-term positive trend for Scottish bathing water quality has been demonstrated in sampling and analysis carried out by Scotland’s environment regulator over the summer.  The Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) work with regulated operators and stakeholders across the country and have driven millions of pounds of investment to bring about changes needed to make our bathing waters a … Continue reading 98% of Scotland’s bathing waters safe to swim in

From BBC Devon but ignored by BBC Scotland in may 2023: A nuclear submarine has left Devonport dockyard after a seven and a half year refit. The 492ft (150m)-long HMS Vanguard arrived for maintenance in December 2015 for a three and a half year refit and an unscheduled refuelling with a new nuclear core. Luke Pollard, Plymouth Sutton and Devonport MP and shadow armed forces minister, said: “It is good to see HMS Vanguard finally at sea again and I want to thank all the skilled workers at Devonport for their efforts. “What we do in Plymouth is unique and world-class, … Continue reading Clyde-based submarine repairs in Devon take 9 times as long and cost 200 times more than for the ferry Scotland’s media hoped would never sail again

Thanks to Dorothy for alerting me to this. In the Guardian yesterday: A day-old girl died after “systemic” failings at a troubled maternity unit and would probably have survived had her mother been moved 12 miles to a specialist centre, a coroner has concluded. There was a series of mistakes in the care of Nelly Webb and missed opportunities to save her after her premature birth at the Royal Glamorgan hospital in south Wales, an inquest in Pontypridd heard. Nelly was born with respiratory distress syndrome and weighed 1.13kg (2lb 8oz), but a south Wales assistant coroner, Sarah-Jane Richards, said she … Continue reading Hospital actually proven to have caused baby death but Welsh Government not mentioned and opposition leader fails to groom the mother

…number of care homes. That’s the warning from the head of the Parklands Group which runs 11 facilities here. https://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/live/bbcone Headlining on BBC Scotland today another story to fuel the opposition attacks on the Scottish Government plans for care. We then heard from the Head of the Parklands Group that closures were due to rising costs making businesses unsustainable. As always, apparently no research done by the many little researchers working at Pacific Quay. Fact 1: Around 200 care homes have closed in Scotland since 2012 and the number of available spaces has contracted by an estimated 2,000. So, on … Continue reading Care homes are closing because there is less demand or because the profits don’t satisfy greedy owners

Operating in more southerly, temperate, calmer waters and in the affluent Seattle area, Washington State Ferries have only 14 of their 21 ferries in service and performance is so bad the State Government is warning: ‘customers to consider early-morning or late-night sailings, or getting to the ferry by walking, biking or using transit.’ Today, they have announced: “Ferry travelers should also prepare for possible last-minute schedule changes,” the WSDOT wrote in its press release. “Sailings may be delayed or canceled with short notice due to WSF’s current lack of relief crewing or an unexpected mechanical issue within the system’s aging … Continue reading Angry Canadian islanders in awe at Scotland’s 99% ferry service as Government just blames company for aging fleet

In the Herald today, the above letter ends with the breakdown of the Corran ferry, owned and run by Highland Council being blamed on CalMac. How could that happen? Well, in Corran ferry: The five-minute crossing that opens up the world on 18 May 2023, BBC Scotland, only in 12th of 13 paragraphs, tell readers: Mary Ann accuses Highland Council of lacking emergency planning and says businesses, including those involved in tourism, are suffering because of the longer journey times and reputational damage to the area. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-65632882 Wait, say any of the readers getting to the end: ‘What’s this got … Continue reading Thanks to BBC reporting, an islander blames CalMac for a failed local council ferry

Today, the National has: Royal Navy nuclear submarine saved moments before sinking. With the depth gauge failing, the UK’s nuclear deterrent started sinking towards its crush depth, which would have led to chaos and an emergency mission to recover the sub and 140 members of crew. https://www.thenational.scot/news/23934349.royal-navy-nuclear-submarine-saved-moments-sinking/ but for BBC Scotland, it was only: Nuclear-armed submarine suffered malfunction. A Royal Navy nuclear submarine suffered a “concerning” malfunction while diving, the BBC has been told. The incident on board the unnamed Vanguard class submarine, which carries the UK’s trident nuclear missiles, happened more than a year ago while it was preparing … Continue reading Submarine Shambles! ‘Saved moments before sinking’ or just ‘suffered malfunction?’

From ITV, on 11 October 2023, but only spotted now after a month of careful concealment by the BBC: Kaye Adams‘s dispute with HMRC over a potential £124k tax bill is being heard in court for the third time, four years after the legal battle first began. The Loose Women panellist, 60, won a previous court case in 2019, which was then reheard in 2021, with an upper tribunal also siding with the TV star. However, following an appeal from HMRC a Court of Appeal judge ordered that the case be reheard once again, for the third time. HMRC claims that Kaye … Continue reading BBC hiding Kaye Adam’s loose standards on paying £124 000 tax put Matheson’s £11 000 roaming charges into perspective

From BBC Scotland today under the headline: Our children are being failed by the condition of their school: Parents have told of their despair at the state of their children’s special school – and their 20-year battle for a replacement building. St Clement’s in Dingwall provides education for three to 18-year-olds, with pupils receiving additional needs support for physical disabilities and neurological conditions. Part of the school is more than 100 years old, and has corridors and doorways not fit for wheelchairs. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cekp217kmg7o The report also has 5 mentions of the Scottish Government and one of the Education Secretary but … Continue reading Highland Independents have ‘failed children’ after 27 years in control while SNP Government reduces poor condition schools by 77% in only 16 after Labour’s neglect is ended