That the Parliament notes with concern the reported potential job losses and changes to staff terms and conditions at Heriot-Watt University as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic; understands that the University and Colleges Union branch is working to protect jobs, pay and conditions for all staff after being informed of the university's decision to reportedly seek £13 million in savings, with £11.6 million to be reduced from staff costs and an additional £9 million from job cuts; further understands that all staff pay has been frozen, which it considers is particularly damaging to female staff’s wages due to the gender and equal pay gap at Heriot-Watt University; is concerned at reports that between 70 and 90 jobs, around 5% of the workforce, face redundancy, and calls on the university to ensure that there are no compulsory redundancies and use any available income to close gender and equal pay gaps.
Current Status:
That the Parliament notes with concern the reported potential job losses and changes to staff terms and conditions at Heriot-Watt University as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic; understands that the University and Colleges Union branch is working to protect jobs, pay and conditions for all staff after being informed of the university's decision to reportedly seek £13 million in savings, with £11.6 million to be reduced from staff costs and an additional £9 million from job cuts; further understands that all staff pay has been frozen, which it considers is particularly damaging to female staff’s wages due to the gender and equal pay gap at Heriot-Watt University; is concerned at reports that between 70 and 90 jobs, around 5% of the workforce, face redundancy, and calls on the university to ensure that there are no compulsory redundancies and use any available income to close gender and equal pay gaps.
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That the Parliament notes the vital work that has continued throughout lockdown to keep Scotland’s utilities and other essential public infrastructure operating during the COVID-19 pandemic, including at Torness power station near Dunbar; understands that Torness, with a workforce well used to putting health and safety first, has adopted stringent measures to remain fully operational, ensuring that, during the current crisis, it has been able to deliver one of the longest continuous periods of generation since it was commissioned; believes that the dedicated key workers at Torness, and throughout Scotland’s utilities and other essential public infrastructure sectors, deserve the nation’s gratitude for everything they are doing to help keep society functioning during what it sees as this unprecedented time.
Current Status:
That the Parliament notes the vital work that has continued throughout lockdown to keep Scotland’s utilities and other essential public infrastructure operating during the COVID-19 pandemic, including at Torness power station near Dunbar; understands that Torness, with a workforce well used to putting health and safety first, has adopted stringent measures to remain fully operational, ensuring that, during the current crisis, it has been able to deliver one of the longest continuous periods of generation since it was commissioned; believes that the dedicated key workers at Torness, and throughout Scotland’s utilities and other essential public infrastructure sectors, deserve the nation’s gratitude for everything they are doing to help keep society functioning during what it sees as this unprecedented time.
Supported by: Richard Lyle, Tom Arthur, Neil Findlay, Clare Adamson
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That the Parliament commends everyone who has helped ensure that people in East Lothian, especially the most vulnerable and those who are shielding, have continued to be fed during the COVID-19 pandemic; believes that this has involved a wide range of public bodies, businesses, third sector groups and volunteers, including East Lothian Council and its area partnerships, farmers and agricultural sector workers, food producers, processers and distributors, supermarkets, convenience stores and other food retailers and takeaway outlets, and numerous charities and community groups including East Lothian Foodbank, Dunbar Basics Bank, Our Community Kitchen in Haddington, Fundamental Foods, which is run by the Pennypit Community Development Trust, East Lothian Roots and Fruits, Fresh Chicken Dinner Boxes, Heavy Sound in Tranent, Fareshare Hub at Port Seton Centre, Community Carrot in Dunbar, Home-Start East Lothian, Dirleton Good Neighbours Community Larder, and the county’s day centres, community councils, churches, rotary clubs and local resilience groups, and thanks all of the staff and volunteers who have been engaged in this huge effort to help keep food on people’s tables during the emergency.
Current Status:
That the Parliament commends everyone who has helped ensure that people in East Lothian, especially the most vulnerable and those who are shielding, have continued to be fed during the COVID-19 pandemic; believes that this has involved a wide range of public bodies, businesses, third sector groups and volunteers, including East Lothian Council and its area partnerships, farmers and agricultural sector workers, food producers, processers and distributors, supermarkets, convenience stores and other food retailers and takeaway outlets, and numerous charities and community groups including East Lothian Foodbank, Dunbar Basics Bank, Our Community Kitchen in Haddington, Fundamental Foods, which is run by the Pennypit Community Development Trust, East Lothian Roots and Fruits, Fresh Chicken Dinner Boxes, Heavy Sound in Tranent, Fareshare Hub at Port Seton Centre, Community Carrot in Dunbar, Home-Start East Lothian, Dirleton Good Neighbours Community Larder, and the county’s day centres, community councils, churches, rotary clubs and local resilience groups, and thanks all of the staff and volunteers who have been engaged in this huge effort to help keep food on people’s tables during the emergency.
Supported by: Richard Lyle, Tom Arthur, Bill Kidd, Clare Adamson, Colin Smyth
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That the Parliament acknowledges the findings of what it sees as Equate Scotland’s groundbreaking report, Women in STEM, which identifies the need for greater action to tackle discrimination faced by women across science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM); notes that the report reveals the extent of inequality faced by BME women, disabled women, LGBT women and women with caring responsibilities, which include findings that 60% of respondents had experienced sexism in the workplace or in a place of education, and that one in three women do not feel confident in reporting experiences of exclusion or discrimination to their employers, and supports the report’s call for action to improve workplace practice to tackle all and any inequalities that act as a barrier to women’s participation in STEM.
Current Status:
That the Parliament acknowledges the findings of what it sees as Equate Scotland’s groundbreaking report, Women in STEM, which identifies the need for greater action to tackle discrimination faced by women across science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM); notes that the report reveals the extent of inequality faced by BME women, disabled women, LGBT women and women with caring responsibilities, which include findings that 60% of respondents had experienced sexism in the workplace or in a place of education, and that one in three women do not feel confident in reporting experiences of exclusion or discrimination to their employers, and supports the report’s call for action to improve workplace practice to tackle all and any inequalities that act as a barrier to women’s participation in STEM.
Supported by: Monica Lennon, Jackie Baillie, Rona Mackay, Elaine Smith, Anas Sarwar, Alex Rowley, Mark McDonald, Bill Kidd, David Torrance, Clare Adamson, Sarah Boyack, Fulton MacGregor, Ruth Maguire
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That the Parliament commends everyone at the Harlawhill Day Centre in Prestonpans for their dedication in continuing to care for service users, despite having to close the facility during the COVID-19 lockdown; understands that the support and care offered by the Centre’s staff during the pandemic has included organising socially distanced VE Day street party celebrations with some of their members, delivering afternoon teas, which are funded by the Corra Foundation, and soup, sandwiches and cakes, supplying craft activities to help keep people active, giving members Easter eggs and cards, encouraging children to produce cards and pictures to pass on to members, and keeping everyone updated via social media, and thanks the staff and volunteers at Harlawhill, and all of East Lothian’s other day centres, for the care and support that they are continuing to provide to older people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Current Status:
That the Parliament commends everyone at the Harlawhill Day Centre in Prestonpans for their dedication in continuing to care for service users, despite having to close the facility during the COVID-19 lockdown; understands that the support and care offered by the Centre’s staff during the pandemic has included organising socially distanced VE Day street party celebrations with some of their members, delivering afternoon teas, which are funded by the Corra Foundation, and soup, sandwiches and cakes, supplying craft activities to help keep people active, giving members Easter eggs and cards, encouraging children to produce cards and pictures to pass on to members, and keeping everyone updated via social media, and thanks the staff and volunteers at Harlawhill, and all of East Lothian’s other day centres, for the care and support that they are continuing to provide to older people during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Supported by: Richard Lyle, David Torrance, Bill Kidd, Clare Adamson, Neil Bibby, Tom Arthur
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That the Parliament welcomes the launch of the Hibernian Community Foundation’s new project, The Famous Five A Day, which has been developed in partnership with FareShare, Cash For Kids and Tesco, and is working with Elphinstone, St Gabriel’s RC and Hermitage Park primary schools to support families with food parcels on weekends; understands that, on the project's launch weekend, 100 parcels were packed, along with exercise tips and educational materials, and delivered by volunteers from the Hibernian Community Foundation and Hibernian FC to families in East Lothian and Edinburgh; commends the Foundation, Hibernian FC and their partners for developing this latest project, which forms part of the Foundation’s wider programme of activities on health and wellbeing, enterprise and employability and lifelong learning, and further commends everyone involved for their wider role in supporting the response of local communities to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Current Status:
That the Parliament welcomes the launch of the Hibernian Community Foundation’s new project, The Famous Five A Day, which has been developed in partnership with FareShare, Cash For Kids and Tesco, and is working with Elphinstone, St Gabriel’s RC and Hermitage Park primary schools to support families with food parcels on weekends; understands that, on the project's launch weekend, 100 parcels were packed, along with exercise tips and educational materials, and delivered by volunteers from the Hibernian Community Foundation and Hibernian FC to families in East Lothian and Edinburgh; commends the Foundation, Hibernian FC and their partners for developing this latest project, which forms part of the Foundation’s wider programme of activities on health and wellbeing, enterprise and employability and lifelong learning, and further commends everyone involved for their wider role in supporting the response of local communities to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Supported by: Kenneth Gibson, Liam McArthur, Bill Kidd, Neil Findlay, David Torrance, Clare Adamson, Tom Arthur
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That the Parliament notes that it is 25 years since East Lothian Council was formed as a unitary authority, replacing the former two-tier structure of regional and district councils; believes that the unitary authority has been a huge success, bringing decision-making on key services, such as education, housing, social care and planning issues, closer to communities, allowing significant investment in schools and other community facilities, especially leisure and sport, and establishing strong partnerships with other community organisations; further believes that this has been helped by the establishment of local area partnerships that have given communities resources to determine their own priorities; considers that East Lothian Council's strong community roots have served it well over recent weeks as its staff have fulfilled a key role in co-ordinating and assisting the area's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially by supporting the most vulnerable people who are shielding or self-isolating, maintaining the hubs for the children of key workers and continuing to provide essential services under such difficult circumstances, and commends all of the staff who have worked at East Lothian Council, and the councillors who have served on it, for their contribution to its development and success over the last 25 years and for their dedication to serving and enhancing the area's communities.
Current Status:
That the Parliament notes that it is 25 years since East Lothian Council was formed as a unitary authority, replacing the former two-tier structure of regional and district councils; believes that the unitary authority has been a huge success, bringing decision-making on key services, such as education, housing, social care and planning issues, closer to communities, allowing significant investment in schools and other community facilities, especially leisure and sport, and establishing strong partnerships with other community organisations; further believes that this has been helped by the establishment of local area partnerships that have given communities resources to determine their own priorities; considers that East Lothian Council's strong community roots have served it well over recent weeks as its staff have fulfilled a key role in co-ordinating and assisting the area's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, especially by supporting the most vulnerable people who are shielding or self-isolating, maintaining the hubs for the children of key workers and continuing to provide essential services under such difficult circumstances, and commends all of the staff who have worked at East Lothian Council, and the councillors who have served on it, for their contribution to its development and success over the last 25 years and for their dedication to serving and enhancing the area's communities.
Supported by: Neil Findlay, Colin Smyth
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That the Parliament recognises and commends the outstanding response to the COVID-19 pandemic by resilience groups and volunteers across East Lothian; notes that over 1,500 volunteers have become involved in community support activity via these groups, helping to organise and carry out a wide range of tasks to inform, advise and assist residents, especially people who are shielding or self-isolating; acknowledges the important work undertaken by staff at East Lothian Council, especially its local area partnerships, community councils, community and residents' associations and groups, charities and voluntary groups and businesses to help establish, co-ordinate and support the resilience effort to ensure that the most vulnerable in the community have the support that they need during the crisis, and thanks everyone involved in this activity for their contribution to community resilience and cohesion across the county during this unprecedented time.
Current Status:
That the Parliament recognises and commends the outstanding response to the COVID-19 pandemic by resilience groups and volunteers across East Lothian; notes that over 1,500 volunteers have become involved in community support activity via these groups, helping to organise and carry out a wide range of tasks to inform, advise and assist residents, especially people who are shielding or self-isolating; acknowledges the important work undertaken by staff at East Lothian Council, especially its local area partnerships, community councils, community and residents' associations and groups, charities and voluntary groups and businesses to help establish, co-ordinate and support the resilience effort to ensure that the most vulnerable in the community have the support that they need during the crisis, and thanks everyone involved in this activity for their contribution to community resilience and cohesion across the county during this unprecedented time.
Supported by: Richard Lyle, Bill Kidd, Clare Adamson, Tom Arthur
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That the Parliament acknowledges and supports the vitally important role of local newspapers in helping communities cope during the COVID-19 pandemic; recognises the crucial work undertaken by the East Lothian Courier in very difficult circumstances over recent weeks to promote public health information and official COVID-19 guidance, highlight the activities of local resilience and community groups in support of vulnerable residents and continue covering a range of other local news stories; commends the Courier's staff and contributors for their dedication to continue reporting, printing and distributing the paper despite the severe difficulties faced during the pandemic, including the furloughing of some staff, a fall in print sales revenue due to the lockdown and a significant reduction in advertising revenues, and urges the Scottish Government to do everything possible to support local newspapers such as the East Lothian Courier during and after this crisis.
Current Status:
That the Parliament acknowledges and supports the vitally important role of local newspapers in helping communities cope during the COVID-19 pandemic; recognises the crucial work undertaken by the East Lothian Courier in very difficult circumstances over recent weeks to promote public health information and official COVID-19 guidance, highlight the activities of local resilience and community groups in support of vulnerable residents and continue covering a range of other local news stories; commends the Courier's staff and contributors for their dedication to continue reporting, printing and distributing the paper despite the severe difficulties faced during the pandemic, including the furloughing of some staff, a fall in print sales revenue due to the lockdown and a significant reduction in advertising revenues, and urges the Scottish Government to do everything possible to support local newspapers such as the East Lothian Courier during and after this crisis.
Supported by: Colin Smyth
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That the Parliament congratulates the staff, trustees and volunteers at Leuchie House in North Berwick on its latest Care Inspectorate report, which has seen the respite care facility upgraded across the board to become one of the highest scoring services of its kind in Scotland; believes that this report is further testimony to the ongoing commitment from everyone at Leuchie to providing a first-class service for people living with MS and other long-term conditions, and their families; welcomes the role that Leuchie is performing during the COVID-19 crisis as a "step down" service for the NHS, by receiving patients and helping release hospital beds for others, and thanks everyone involved with it for their valuable contribution during the COVID-19 emergency and at all other times.
Current Status:
That the Parliament congratulates the staff, trustees and volunteers at Leuchie House in North Berwick on its latest Care Inspectorate report, which has seen the respite care facility upgraded across the board to become one of the highest scoring services of its kind in Scotland; believes that this report is further testimony to the ongoing commitment from everyone at Leuchie to providing a first-class service for people living with MS and other long-term conditions, and their families; welcomes the role that Leuchie is performing during the COVID-19 crisis as a "step down" service for the NHS, by receiving patients and helping release hospital beds for others, and thanks everyone involved with it for their valuable contribution during the COVID-19 emergency and at all other times.
Supported by: Edward Mountain, Alex Neil, Jeremy Balfour, Bill Kidd, Clare Adamson, Colin Smyth
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