Tag: news

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They’re never going to tell you about this – 100% seen within the target for years, more than 80% waiting less than half the target time and numbers well above pre-pandemic levels – Scotland’s IVF programme creating and saving live

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Professor John Robertson OBA I’ve been reporting this success story, unique to Scotland, for years and BBC Scotland never reports it. From Public Health Scotland today, we can see that of the 353 patients referred for IVF treatment in Scotland, in January to March 2025, 40.2 waited only 0-13 weeks, 40.5% waited 14-26 weeks, 4% waited 27-39 weeks and 15.3% wated 40-52 weeks. None waited over the 90% in 52 weeks target.1 And from Fertility Scotland: Scotland is proud to be the only UK nation to provide up to three full IVF/ICSI cycles on the NHS for eligible couples with some of the highest pregnancy rates and lowest multiple births across … Continue reading They’re never going to tell you about this – 100% seen within the target for years, more than 80% waiting less than half the target time and numbers well above pre-pandemic levels – Scotland’s IVF programme creating and saving live

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The higher burn-up and radioactivity of UK Labour’s preferred Small Modular Reactor spent fuel make it more difficult to handle, transport, and store, safely

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stewartb ‘Imagine how a ‘fleet’ of them will go down with the Nimbys already kicking up hell about pylons…‘ (Bob Lamont comment in TuS, yesterday) Indeed – and let’s add to their concerns. The website https://small-modular-reactors.org is a rich source of information on Small Modular (Nuclear) Reactors (SMRs). It has a noteworthy section on Waste Storage Solutions. ‘Challenges’ for SMR Spent Fuel Disposal include but are not limited to: ‘Higher burn-up and radioactivity: The high burn-up and radioactivity of SMR spent fuel make it more difficult to handle, transport, and store, requiring enhanced safety measures and additional resources.’ Regarding ‘higher burn-up’ – ‘By achieving higher burnup, SMRs can … Continue reading The higher burn-up and radioactivity of UK Labour’s preferred Small Modular Reactor spent fuel make it more difficult to handle, transport, and store, safely

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Telegraph – Economics of Labour’s Small Modular [Nuclear] Reactors could prove hard to justify

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stewartb ‘Reforms to planning rules will clear a path for smaller, and easier to build nuclear reactors – known as Small Modular Reactors –to be built for the first time ever in the UK.’ Just how many SMRs will be built in the UK…. and why? What will determine the number? From Nuclear Engineering International magazine (NEI, May 15, 2025): ‘Is the UK ready to give the SMR go-ahead?’ (https://www.neimagazine.com/analysis/is-the-uk-ready-to-give-the-go-ahead/ ) ‘The UK government wants to open the door to fleets of small modular reactors across the country. To achieve that, it has to sweep away some longstanding barriers created by electricity network rules … Continue reading Telegraph – Economics of Labour’s Small Modular [Nuclear] Reactors could prove hard to justify

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Trump to ape Starmer in scrapping ‘red tape’ for new nuclear power and put all our lives at risk

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Professor John Robertson OBA From The Hill two days ago: President Trump on Friday signed executive orders that seek to quadruple the nation’s nuclear power, including by cutbacks to health and environmental considerations.  In one such executive order, Trump laments that the Nuclear Regulatory Commission’s (NRC) radiation safety standards are too stringent. https://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/5316211-trump-executive-orders-nuclear-power/ From From PM Starmer via GOV.UK on 6 February 2025: More nuclear power plants will be approved across England and Wales as the Prime Minister slashes red tape to get Britain building – as part of his Plan for Change. Reforms to planning rules will clear a … Continue reading Trump to ape Starmer in scrapping ‘red tape’ for new nuclear power and put all our lives at risk

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Suspensions 25 times higher and Permanent Exclusions 3 000 times higher in English Schools than in Scottish Schools

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By JB According to the most up to date Gov.UK education statistics for England, in the 2023/24 spring term they ‘shockingly’ had 295,559 suspensions from schools, which is actually a decrease from the 2023/24 autumn term when the figure was a ‘controversial’ 346,300 suspensions. This newest figure calculates as 35 suspensions for every 1000 students in England. There were also 3,107 students permanently excluded from schools in England. Suspensions and permanent exclusions in England, Spring term 2023/24 – Explore education statistics – GOV.UK In Scotland for the term year 2022/23 (Scottish statistics are calculated biennially) we had 11 676 suspensions, … Continue reading Suspensions 25 times higher and Permanent Exclusions 3 000 times higher in English Schools than in Scottish Schools

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Scotland in Union means Poverty in Union?

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stewartb Scotland in Union means Poverty in Union? The Child Poverty Action Group (CPAG) has this on its web site: ‘Poverty: facts and figures’. It notes: ‘Poverty risk also varies across UK nations and regions, with the highest rates in the West Midlands, inner London and North West England, and considerably lower rates in Scotland, Northern Ireland and Eastern England.’ On May 21, responding to the UK Work and Pensions Secretary’s speech that day, the Chief Executive of CPAG said: ‘The elephant in the room today was the two-child limit which is pushing child poverty to a new high on this government’s watch and leaving … Continue reading Scotland in Union means Poverty in Union?

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Baronesses Mone and Harding – the Tory PPE ‘fast and loose lane’ scandal

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Liz S BBC Scotland and BBC2 are broadcasting a two part documentary on Michelle Mone that was made by Rogan Scotland production. The first part is on Monday 26 May and the second part is on Wednesday 28 May. These programmes are being shown on two separate channels , the 1st on Channel Scotland (channel 9) and the second is being broadcast on BBC2. The programme is called “The Rise and Fall of Michelle Mone”. Looking at the online written preview of this programme on the BBC’s Media Centre it states: “This two-part documentary series tells the extraordinary story of … Continue reading Baronesses Mone and Harding – the Tory PPE ‘fast and loose lane’ scandal

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Does the public not see it as unfair that Labour are punishing the weak and vulnerable in order to protect the financial interests of many millionaires?

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Liz S I saw online today that in last night’s BBC QT that a Labour MP and Minister ,Nick Thomas-Symonds , said in response to a Q on the Labour PM’s partial and not full U-Turn on WFP: “I don’t think anyone thinks it is a good use of public money to be paying the winter fuel payment to millionaires”. Really ? Though surely then it is also correct to surmise that most ‘ordinary’ people would also think that with Labour, as a UK party, receiving substantial amounts as political financial donations from millionaires , that is then seen as something that is grossly unfair , distasteful … Continue reading Does the public not see it as unfair that Labour are punishing the weak and vulnerable in order to protect the financial interests of many millionaires?

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The blatant hypocrisy of lecturing the Scottish FM on serious assaults in Scotland while serious assaults and knife crime have tragically led to far far more young people’s deaths in England

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https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/uknews/mapped-knife-crime-is-rising-how-many-attacks-in-your-area-and-why-is-it-increasing/ar-AA1EX0cG?ocid=BingNewsSerp Liz S Today’s Daily Record: “How many more kids have to die” Teenage Knife crime epidemic“ This is now apparently something the Daily Record (Paul Hutcheon) have taken up and they say that “John Swinney has pledged to act on youth violence in response to the Daily Record’s plea“. So basically someone, checks notes, Paul Hutcheon has ambushed the FM, after FMQ’s, and asked him what he is going to do about this and obviously he has responded in a positive manner. The Daily Record now see this as a political weapon to help Sarwar next year and so it is … Continue reading The blatant hypocrisy of lecturing the Scottish FM on serious assaults in Scotland while serious assaults and knife crime have tragically led to far far more young people’s deaths in England

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In the wake of the Daily Record front page today – The Media’s Alarming Influence on Knife Crime Perception

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stewartb From a UK charity with a mission to reduce knife crime and improve community safety – https://knives4lives.co.uk ‘The Media’s Alarming Influence on Knife Crime Perception’ (November 15, 2024) – ‘The media holds significant power in shaping public perception and policy around knife crime in the UK. ‘While its role in raising awareness is vital, media outlets need to offer balanced reporting. Their reporting should be nuanced and precise. By doing so, they can help foster informed public discourse. This approach can also reduce fear and stigmatisation.’ And on what media influence could facilitate: ‘Furthermore, it supports the development of effective, long-term solutions to this pressing … Continue reading In the wake of the Daily Record front page today – The Media’s Alarming Influence on Knife Crime Perception