Tag: scotland

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The A9 funding – regardless, deaths plummet, dualed sections no more safe and Scotland’s roads are safest in UK but BBC Scotland try to deceive you with out-of-date statistics

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By Professor John Robertson OBA From BBC Scotland all day today: A group of MSPs say they are concerned not enough money will be available to complete a £3bn project to dual the A9 between Inverness and Perth by 2035. In a new report, a Holyrood committee said wrangles over funding had already “significantly” contributed to the original 2025 target being missed. Convener and Scottish Conservative MSP Jackson Carlaw said there was “no conspiracy to frustrate” the road but there been a lack of scrutiny and focus. and Single carriageway sections are being dualled to improve journey times and safety. In 2022, … Continue reading The A9 funding – regardless, deaths plummet, dualed sections no more safe and Scotland’s roads are safest in UK but BBC Scotland try to deceive you with out-of-date statistics

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Channel 4 News vaguely locates an organised crime plague entirely from England, in Glasgow and links it to Scottish Government responsibility

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Thanks to Dottie for alerting me to this. Channel 4 News tonight had a special on County Lines gangs. From Police Scotland in 2019: The charity Crime-stoppers is today 14th January 2019 launching a campaign to highlight the pain and suffering that criminals from English cities are inflicting on vulnerable people in Scotland’s rural and coastal towns. The campaign aims to raise awareness of County Lines, which is when criminals from major cities such as Liverpool, Manchester, London and Birmingham are expanding their drug networks to other areas, bringing with it serious criminal behaviour such as violence, exploitation and abuse. The … Continue reading Channel 4 News vaguely locates an organised crime plague entirely from England, in Glasgow and links it to Scottish Government responsibility

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Herald mentions ‘County Lines’ drug gangs for first time in nearly 6 years, avoids saying ‘from England’ and leaves direction of flow unclear

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The Herald yesterday, to everyone here’s surprise, has the above image and Pair jailed in ‘County Lines’ drug operation in Aberdeen – Two men have been jailed after being caught with £10,000 worth of drugs in Aberdeen. Jahvid Frith, 28, and Tyrone Sealey were arrested in February 2023 when police recovered cocaine, heroin and cannabis from a flat in Marischal Court, as well as £2,000 in cash, multiple mobile phones and other items used to co-ordinate drug supply. This is their first time since, in January 2019: Whatever happened to Tony Diver? You’d have thought this narrative with 11 year-old drug … Continue reading Herald mentions ‘County Lines’ drug gangs for first time in nearly 6 years, avoids saying ‘from England’ and leaves direction of flow unclear

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Scotland’s police officers ‘undervalued’ yet paid on average 15%, £6 000 pa more than in rest of UK for less crime with far more staff

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BBC Scotland is today reporting: Police officers in Scotland will withdraw goodwill in protest at a pay offer they said shows “contempt” for their work. Police officers feel totally undervalued by the service, and that has been apparent from the surveys that have taken place in the last six months from both Police Scotland and the SPF The BBC Scotland report does not, of course, compare average or starting salaries across the UK. From indeed, the Scottish average is £40 926 and the English average is £34 807 making the average Scottish police officer £6 000, 15%, better off.1, 2 … Continue reading Scotland’s police officers ‘undervalued’ yet paid on average 15%, £6 000 pa more than in rest of UK for less crime with far more staff

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Another ‘Union Jack’ chosen by Labour to serve you on the Scottish Affairs committee

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By stewartb Speaking of Tories …. With the membership of the Scottish Affairs Committee in the House of Commons now announced (albeit one vacant place still to be formally allocated), it’s worth a moment getting to know better one member, namely Jack Rankin MP. For contest, recall the remit of this Committee: ‘The Scottish Affairs Committee scrutinises the expenditure, administration and policies of the Scotland Office, and its associated bodies. ‘The Committee also examines the wider UK Government, to assess policies and legislation that lead to direct impacts on Scotland.’ Given this, it’s relevant firstly to note that Mr Rankin is … Continue reading Another ‘Union Jack’ chosen by Labour to serve you on the Scottish Affairs committee

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Labour deceit – England may be but Scotland is not, ‘one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world’

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By Professor John Robertson OBA In the Guardian today: Budget cuts mean farmers in England ‘must do more with less’ UK [sic] ‘among most nature-depleted countries in the world’ warns environment secretary’. Farmers and conservationists will have to “learn to do more with less” ahead of expected deep budget cuts to the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), the environment secretary has said. Steve Reed said that Labour would continue to prioritise the restoration of the nature in England, but acknowledged that the chancellor’s budget would be “difficult”. Typically conflating the UK and England, the claim, for Scotland, is wrong. … Continue reading Labour deceit – England may be but Scotland is not, ‘one of the most nature-depleted countries in the world’

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Scottish Tory leader conflicted by ‘perfect happiness’ over no free prescriptions but ‘palpable anger’ at winter fuel allowance cut

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By Anonymous “Scots would be perfectly happy to see the end of universal free prescriptions from the NHS” says Tory leader (ITO) in Scotland. Meanwhile the same Tory leader (ITO) in Scotland was not “happy”, as in he was opposed to, Labour UK cutting the “Universal” Winter Fuel allowance for Pensioners, in fact neither were most of the people who lived in Scotland “happy” either. In fact Russell Findlay said “there was “palpable” anger at Labour across the UK” on this decision. Also he said that “Elderly folk who have slogged hard all their days feel absolutely betrayed.” Of course he condemned the Labour PM for “not carrying out … Continue reading Scottish Tory leader conflicted by ‘perfect happiness’ over no free prescriptions but ‘palpable anger’ at winter fuel allowance cut

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Steady fall in cardiac death rate over last 10 years

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By Professor John Robertson OBA From Public Health Scotland, today, the above graph, and: The rate of hospital discharges of patients with a heart attack has decreased by 20% in the past 10 years. In 2023/24, 94% of people survived 30 days or more following their first heart attack, which is largely unchanged over the past decade. The rate at which new cases of coronary heart disease occur (the incidence) has fallen by 12% over the last 10 years. https://www.publichealthscotland.scot/publications/scottish-cardiac-audit-programme-scap/scottish-cardiac-audit-programme-report-20232024/ Support Scots Independent, Scotland’s oldest pro-independence newspaper and host of the OBA (Oliver Brown Award) at: https://scotsindependent.scot/FWShop/shop/ The Oliver Brown Award for advancing the cause of Scotland’s … Continue reading Steady fall in cardiac death rate over last 10 years

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Good news – major fall in annual trends for suspected drug deaths, A&E and hospital admissions

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By Professor John Robertson OBA From Public Health Scotland today: Drug-related data can vary seasonally, so me comparing the same quarter, in this case June-August, gives a more accurate measure of trends. First, on drug deaths: In the latest period (3 June to 25 August 2024), the total number of suspected drug deaths was 225, averaging 19 per week. The total number of deaths was 10% lower than the previous quarter (249), 13% lower than the same period in 2022 (258) and 25% lower than in 2023 (301). A suspected drug death is a death where controlled drugs are suspected of being … Continue reading Good news – major fall in annual trends for suspected drug deaths, A&E and hospital admissions

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New Tasmania ferry stupidly bought from Finland nearly 18 000 miles away, and trapped by ice, must winter in the Sunshine on Leith

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(c) Visit Scotland There are around 10 major shipbuilders in Australia, including Incat which builds large catamaran ferries, yet the Tasmanian government has made things devilishly complicated by ordering 2 new ferries from Finland which, even after a wee break in Leith, will arrive two years before the new berths are completed and have to be leased to some other island – Iceland? According to ABC, today: A newly built Spirit of Tasmania ferry will be temporarily stored at a shipyard in Scotland while the Tasmanian government explores options to lease or charter the ship until a home berth can … Continue reading New Tasmania ferry stupidly bought from Finland nearly 18 000 miles away, and trapped by ice, must winter in the Sunshine on Leith