Tag: news

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‘Controversial’ teacher job cuts put into perspective

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By Professor John Robertson OBA BBC Scotland, cramming as much industrial dispute as they can into the 4 minutes BBC Breakfast give them, return excitedly to Glasgow. Here’s what they never tell you: First: Second: From 2017 to 2023, the number of pupils in Scotland’s state schools has increased from 688 959 to 705 528, by 2.4%. In the same period, the number of teachers has increased from 51 513 to 54 033, by 4.9%. In the same period, the ratio of pupils to teachers has fallen (improved) from 13.6 to 13.2.2 This is the lowest (best) in the UK, compared with PTRs of 18 in … Continue reading ‘Controversial’ teacher job cuts put into perspective

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As BBC Scotland suggest Scottish Government is treating police with contempt as pay deal goes through usual channels, the bigger picture – lower crime levels, the complete absence of riots and the police staffing levels to be able to help other countries…..after 17 years of the SNP in charge

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By Professor John Robertson Today, BBC Reporting Scotland has an unnamed source claiming that the Scottish Government is treating police officers with ‘contempt’, because they’re taking a bit of time to settle their pay claim. In truth, the deal is just going through the usual channels and the Scottish Government is not involved at this stage. The report, of course has no context. Here’s some: First: Officers in Scotland are immediately better off than other forces, and exceed the UK average salary within just 2 years of service. https://www.ranksuccess.co.uk/officersalary.html Second: https://policepromotion.blog/2024/03/07/2024-police-officer-numbers-across-uk-and-beyond/ Significantly more officers per head of population in Scotland despite as … Continue reading As BBC Scotland suggest Scottish Government is treating police with contempt as pay deal goes through usual channels, the bigger picture – lower crime levels, the complete absence of riots and the police staffing levels to be able to help other countries…..after 17 years of the SNP in charge

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Rail fares are lower in Scotland

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The Herald is headlining: ScotRail customers face huge price hike as peak fare scheme comes to an end after an experimental, pilot, scheme, cancelled on 20 August 2024, came to an end today. The experiment was unsuccessful: A government trial which scrapped peak-time rail prices ends on Friday after almost a year. The Scottish government previously concluded the costs did not justify continuing the trial as it had not achieved its aim of persuading people to swap car journeys for rail travel. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c9vpgzv4x34o Neither the Herald nor BBC Scotland want you to know this: Fares and fares increases remain, on … Continue reading Rail fares are lower in Scotland

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Anas clearly cannot count or read – did he mean the forgotten 4.1%?

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Pau Hutcheon in the Daily Record tells us: Anas Sarwar says the ‘forgotten 60%’ of young people who do not attend university will be his priority as First Minister. He says Scots should not be defined by their school grades. Forgotten 60%? What is his source? Clearly not this: The number of young people in work, training or further study three months after the end of the school year has reached a record high of 95.9%. The Attainment and Initial Leaver Destination statistics 2022-23 also show that the gap between those from the most and least deprived areas progressing after … Continue reading Anas clearly cannot count or read – did he mean the forgotten 4.1%?

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Never mind the police records, when you ask thousands of real folk if they have experienced crime you find it has halved under the SNP and since Labour were last in charge in Scotland – keep that in mind

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By Professor John Robertson OBA From the Safer Communities and Justice Statistics Monthly Data Report: September 2024 published today: Crime has fallen by 53% since 2008-09. Results from the Scottish Crime and Justice Survey (SCJS) show that around 1 in 10 adults were victims of crime in 2021-22 (10.0%) compared to 1 in 5 in 2008-09 (20.4%). The estimated number of crimes fell by 53% over the same period, and by 18% since 2017-18.  https://www.gov.scot/publications/safer-communities-justice-statistics-monthly-data-report-september-2024/pages/3/ Everybody agrees that many folk do not report crimes to the police but: The sample used for the SCJS is designed to be representative of all … Continue reading Never mind the police records, when you ask thousands of real folk if they have experienced crime you find it has halved under the SNP and since Labour were last in charge in Scotland – keep that in mind

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Pharmacists in England look to Scotland

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By Professor John Robertson OBA The Guardian today: Pharmacy closures in England threaten plan to use them instead of GPs for some care There’s no mention of Scotland, of course. The Herald and the Glasgow Times are just repeating the the same story with no mention of Scotland. From May 2023, here’s why: Scotland scheme ‘more patient-focused’ Pharmacists in England look to Scotland, where a scheme called Pharmacy First includes a contract between the sector and the Scottish government setting out what services are expected, with payment for every consultation. These cover minor ailments and illnesses, some of which might once have … Continue reading Pharmacists in England look to Scotland

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Arran – history of remarkable transformation enabled by a ferry service delivered by a publicly-owned company subsidised by tax payers across Scotland.

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stewartb How hard is it for companies operating on Arran – how hard relative to businesses elsewhere? The ‘Auchrannie Resort’ is one of the largest, plushest hotel, spa and leisure offerings to tourists visiting Arran. It must be one of the island’s largest companies and wholly dependent on its customers wanting to – and being able to – get to the island. On the home page of its web site its states: ‘Did you know that 750,000 journeys are made to and from Arran each year?’ The company web site describes its history in the following terms: ‘Auchrannie was acquired by … Continue reading Arran – history of remarkable transformation enabled by a ferry service delivered by a publicly-owned company subsidised by tax payers across Scotland.

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Police Chiefs celebrate 6 years of disrupting County Lines gang terror and the need for a Scottish Coordinator, ‘recognising the lines from England that impact this part of the UK’

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The National County Lines Coordination Centre (NCLCC), part of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC) and funded by the Home Office marks six years of disrupting County lines drug gangs, today.  Since 2018, 5 627 lines have been closed, more than 16,500 people arrested and 8,800 individuals safeguarded. Every policing region in England and Wales has a dedicated NCLCC Co-ordinator and analytical resource to measure this threat and access to the Continuous Improvement Team to support with their force response to County Lines. In addition, there is a programme funded Co-ordinator in Scotland, recognising the lines from England that impact … Continue reading Police Chiefs celebrate 6 years of disrupting County Lines gang terror and the need for a Scottish Coordinator, ‘recognising the lines from England that impact this part of the UK’

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Scotland’s homeless surge is due to UK Home Office failures and not ‘failed and distracted SNP government’ as it falls among all but very recent immigrants

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Thanks to AR for alerting me to this. BBC Scotland’s report, Homeless people living in temporary accommodation hits record high, yesterday, on homelessness increases in Scotland, focusses on one case of a mother and child, the statistics indicating ‘the highest since Scottish government records began in 2002‘ and platforming Miles Briggs, Conservative Housing Spokesperson and Scottish Labour’s Mark Griffin, to say: Scottish Conservative housing spokesman Miles Briggs said the “scandalous figures should be a source of shame for SNP ministers”. He added: “After 17 years of this failed and distracted SNP government, it is clear that they are part of … Continue reading Scotland’s homeless surge is due to UK Home Office failures and not ‘failed and distracted SNP government’ as it falls among all but very recent immigrants

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Hospital where 4 babies were fed contaminated food and one died, had ‘entirely unsafe system’ but Health Secretary not to blame

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By Professor John Robertson OBA Thanks to Dorothy for alerting me to this: In the Guardian today: An NHS trust that gave four newborn babies contaminated feed has admitted that it was operating “an entirely unsafe system” at the time they became infected. The admission came during evidence by a senior doctor at Guy’s and St Thomas’ trust (GSTT), who led its investigation into the outbreak, during an inquest into how one of the very premature babies died. Not in the Guardian report, any mention of the then Conservative Government or the Conservative Health Secretary at the time, or of any comment by … Continue reading Hospital where 4 babies were fed contaminated food and one died, had ‘entirely unsafe system’ but Health Secretary not to blame