Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON Look at the massive generosity of the SNP Government’s grant subsidies per person , above, for those living the Western Isles, Orkney and Shetland – around £4 to £6 000 per person more than the rest of us get but are they grateful, are they heck? Western Isles is Labour , Orkney and Shetland are Lib Dumbs. Of course, thanks to the ‘Scottish’ media, they don’t know. Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer … Continue reading SNP Government gives islanders around £5 000 each more than the rest of us in grant subsidies but are they grateful? Do they even know?

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON From Wildlife Crime in Scotland 2024, published yesterday: Recorded wildlife crime offences fell for fourth year in a row to just over half the level from the peak in 2020/2021. Source: https://www.gov.scot/publications/wildlife-crime-in-scotland-2024/ All things being equal, the rate last year might have been expected to be around 1 860 in England & Wales but was, in fact 4 819, pushing 3 times higher. Source: https://www.wcl.org.uk/docs/2025/WCL_Wildlife_Crime_2025_Executive_summary.pdf This is remarkable given Scotland’s large wild areas, rivers and coastal waters, popular with … Continue reading Wildlife crime plummets to half the level only four years ago in Scotland and to just over one third of that in England & Wales, per head, with 25% more police officers

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON Many thanks to Dottie for alerting me to this and for finding the references. In the Guardian today: Kinship carers in England to be given financial support in government pilot – Charities hail ‘groundbreaking’ scheme for grandparents and others who take full parental responsibility for a child. ‘Ground-breaking’ eh? Nothing like it before or anywhere else in the UK then? BBC Scotland must be drafting something for Anas Sarwar to say about it? But wait, since 2009, seventeen … Continue reading 17 years late, England pilots kinship care financial support but still does not match Scotland’s more equitable system

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON From the Safer Communities and Justice Statistics Monthly Data Report: February 2026, published yesterday: Fall in emergency hospital admissions due to assault since 2015-16. In 2024-25, there were 1,554 emergency hospital admissions due to assault, including 376 due to assault with a sharp object. These were, respectively, 36% and 33% lower than in 2015-16. https://www.gov.scot/publications/safer-communities-and-justice-statistics-monthly-data-report-february-2026/pages/statistics-on-community-safety/ What might explain this? First, Murder by stabbing in Scotland has fallen in a steady trend to half of the level 6 years ago – From Knife crime … Continue reading 33% fall in emergency hospital admissions due to assault with a knife since 2015-16

Please Support Talking-up Scotland at:https://www.crowdfunder.co.uk/p/support-talking-up-scotlandClick on the above.Or direct bank transfer at Sort Code 08-91-04 Account – 12266421 Name – JOHN ROBERTSON From the Safer Communities and Justice Statistics Monthly Data Report: February 2026, published yesterday: Most adults feel safe walking alone after dark. The SCJS found that three-quarters (75%) of adults said that they felt very or fairly safe walking alone in their neighbourhood after dark in 2023-24. This is an increase from 66% in 2008-09 but has been stable since 2016-17. https://www.gov.scot/publications/safer-communities-and-justice-statistics-monthly-data-report-february-2026/pages/statistics-on-community-safety/ What might explain this improvement, contrasting with the front page reports of murder and stabbing and raping so … Continue reading Increased number of Scots feel safe walking alone after dark!