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Scottish Sun
13-06-2025
- Politics
- Scottish Sun
Scots schools that previously offered only gender-neutral toilets to make major change
The majority of schools in Scotland offer both single-sex and gender-neutral toilets LOO RULES Scots schools that previously offered only gender-neutral toilets to make major change Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) SCHOOLS that previously offered only gender-neutral toilets are set to make a major change following a legal ruling. Around 18 schools in Scotland will reintroduce single-sex facilities in the wake of the Supreme Court ruling in April that a woman is defined by biological sex. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 Schools across Scotland will reintroduce single-sex facilities following April's Supreme Court ruling Credit: PA This then meant that guidance around toilets, changing rooms and other facilities had to be reviewed to exclude trans people where single-sex services are provided. Now, schools in Aberdeenshire, Argyll and Bute, Scottish Borders and Shetland will create separate bathrooms for boys and girls. It comes after the Scottish government said that local authorities have a statutory responsibility for the school estate, including the provision of toilets. The majority of schools in Scotland offer both single-sex and gender-neutral toilets. But data obtained by BBC Scotland News revealed that 52 schools across 11 council areas have only gender-neutral toilets. Ten of these are located in Shetland, which now plans to add separate provisions. Scottish Borders, Aberdeenshire and Argyll and Bute councils are also following suit. The rules around gender provision in school toilets have not been updated since the School Premises (General Requirements and Standards) (Scotland) Regulations 1967 came into force. Seven councils are yet to confirm whether their schools will comply with the ruling. Dumfries and Galloway Council's legal team is reviewing its position. Landmark UK Supreme Court rules 'woman' means biological female in humiliating defeat for SNP Meanwhile, City of Edinburgh Council is "considering what changes need to be made" with an update expected this summer. Five other councils - Clackmannanshire, East Ayrshire, North Ayrshire, Midlothian and Perth and Kinross - all confirmed that they had at least one school in which offered no single-sex facilities. They did not confirm whether changes would be made. South Ayrshire, Moray, Stirling and South Lanarkshire councils said none of their schools had any gender-neutral toilets.
Yahoo
13-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Couple lose legal challenge of winter fuel payment cuts
A couple have lost a bid to sue the UK and Scottish governments over the decision to cut winter fuel payments. Pensioners Peter and Flo Fanning, from Coatbridge in North Lanarkshire, took their case to the Court of Session in Edinburgh in March, alleging that both governments failed to adequately consult with those of pension age and did not release an equality impact assessment on the changes. The Court of Session ruled to refuse the petition on Friday. The couple's lawyers have said they have no doubt the Fanning's litigation had been influential in securing U-turns by both governments. Couple's bid to sue governments over winter fuel payment A big difference or missing out again? Reactions to winter fuel payment U-turn Better-off pensioners able to opt-out of Scottish fuel payment A spokesperson from the Govan Law Centre told BBC Scotland News: "While our clients have lost their case at first instance, we have no doubt that this litigation has been influential in securing the partial U-turn made by the Scottish government last November and the major policy U-turn confirmed by the UK government earlier this week. "We hope that the Scottish government will now follow suit and restore the winter fuel payment in full for people such as our clients." Earlier this week, the UK government abandoned plans to withdraw the payments from all but the poorest pensioners after the scheme drew widespread criticism. The Scottish government had already launched its own winter fuel benefit in response to the original cuts which included extra support for those less well-off, but also a universal payment which is unaffected by income. The Govan Law Centre added the legal challenge "was always one of process" and the fact the UK government has already reconsidered the cuts "vindicates" their clients. It said that an appeal would have "reasonable prospects of success" but added it is unlikely that legal aid would be provided for this. About 10 million pensioners in England and Wales lost their allowance under new measures announced by chancellor Rachel Reeves in July last year. Those on pension credit or certain other means-tested benefits retained the annual payments, worth between £100 and £300. In Scotland, the payment was devolved to Holyrood in April 2024, but the Scottish government followed the actions of their counterparts in Westminster in terminating it in August 2024, arguing £160m had been taken from its budget. A new alternative, called the Pension Age Winter Heating Payment (PAWHP), was due to be introduced the following month, but that has since been pushed back to winter 2025. It will also be means-tested, despite ministers claiming it would not be. Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville recently said the universal approach of the devolved Scottish scheme was important - but that wealthier pensioners would be made aware that they could opt out. The current plan is for all pensioner households to receive at least £100 regardless of income, while those on pension credit will receive up to £305 depending on age. Meanwhile, the devolved government in Northern Ireland also followed suit, but affected pensioners were given a one-off £100 payment from Stormont in November.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Acorn Project funding to be announced in spending review
Funding for a carbon capture project in Aberdeenshire is expected to be announced in the UK government's spending review, BBC Scotland News understands. The Acorn Project based in St Fergus would take greenhouse gas emissions and store them under the North Sea, in a process known as carbon capture and storage (CCS). There have been growing calls from business leaders for investment in the project which has been on a reserve list for funding. Chancellor Rachel Reeves will announce the budgets for all government departments over the next few years on Wednesday, which will include information on what new projects will receive investment. In the House of Commons on Tuesday, ministers were asked a number of times about funding for the project. Energy Minister Sarah Jones told MPs they didn't have long to wait to see what the spending review had to say about the project. She said: "We have always been clear that we support the Acorn Project" adding "we know what an important proposal it is. "The decision is a matter for a spending review but we are very close to having those decisions". In March, business leaders including oil tycoon Sir Ian Wood and organisations such as the Scottish Chambers of Commerce signed a letter urging the chancellor to back the project. The letter argued that the project had faced two decades of setbacks, and that it is needed to help Scottish industry decarbonise. The project missed out on support in 2021, when funding instead went to two areas in the north of England, and Acorn was placed on a reserve list for future backing. The UK government said Acorn had already received more than £40m for its development. If it is given the go-ahead, waste CO2 will be piped from central Scotland to St Fergus using redundant pipelines which previously carried natural gas south. Experts say the technology is vital for Scotland to meet its climate targets. Sites which are signed up include the refineries at Mossmoran and Grangemouth as well as a new power station at Peterhead. Climate campaigners, Friends of the Earth Scotland, have previously criticised "public subsidies" for CCS projects. The group's head of campaigns, Mary Church, said: "These projects risk yet more missed climate targets and turning the seas off Scotland into Europe's carbon dumping ground." Spending Review: When is it and what might Rachel Reeves announce? Business leaders urge backing of Acorn project Carbon capture scheme 'best placed' for UK backing
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Scotland to prioritise renewable energy over nuclear power
The Scottish government will focus on renewable energy not nuclear power, a government minister has said following confirmation of significant funding for nuclear power plants in England. Scotland has an effective ban on new nuclear facilities because the SNP has a long-standing commitment to block projects through devolved planning powers. Acting Energy Secretary Gillian Martin told BBC Scotland News they would "capitalise on renewable energy capacity" rather than "expensive new nuclear". Scottish Secretary Ian Murray said a Scottish Labour government in Holyrood would reverse the SNP's block on nuclear power stations being built. No blank cheque for Sizewell C says Starmer, as £14.2bn investment confirmed Does nuclear have a role in Scotland's energy mix? UK government planning nuclear site in Scotland - Jack Chancellor Rachel Reeves announced earlier that the UK government was investing £14.2bn in the construction of Sizewell C in Suffolk and £2.5bn in small modular reactors in the East Midlands. Scotland has one remaining active nuclear power plant - at Torness in East Lothian - which is scheduled to close by 2030. Although energy policy is largely set at Westminster, the Scottish government is able to block projects it opposes as planning powers are devolved. The Scottish government has previously rejected calls to end an effective ban on new nuclear power stations. While energy policy is largely set at Westminster, planning powers are devolved to Holyrood, meaning the Scottish government is able to block projects it opposes - including all involving nuclear power and fracking. Gillian Martin said: "The Scottish government is focussed on supporting growth and creating jobs by capitalising on Scotland's immense renewable energy capacity rather than expensive new nuclear which takes decades to build, creates toxic waste which is difficult and costly to dispose of, and does not generate power at a cost that will bring down energy bills." Speaking to BBC Radio's Good Morning Scotland programme, Scottish Secretary Ian Murray described the Scottish government's ban on nuclear power as "wrongheaded". "I think it's simplistic politics," he said. "I think if you look at what's happening today with the big investment announcement in nuclear power in England, it's tens of thousands of jobs, it's thousands of apprenticeships, it's a real boost for local economies. "But that can't be coming to Scotland because of the de facto ban on nuclear. Murray added: "I'm not talking to Scottish ministers about that because they made it quite clear their policy stays in place. But if there's a Scottish Labour government come the 2026 Scottish elections, we'll be reversing that policy and trying to encourage that investment into Scotland." Labour's Rutherglen MP Michael Shanks, who is parliamentary under-secretary of state at the department for energy security and net zero, said there was "clear" opportunity for Scotland to develop new nuclear power stations. Writing in The Scotsman, he said: "A Scottish Labour government, led by Anas Sarwar, will reverse the decades-long block on new nuclear projects in Scotland. "The decisions by the SNP have held Scotland back, delaying our clean energy future and costing the communities the jobs and investments they need." Tom Greatrex, chief executive of the Nuclear Industry Association (NIA), said the Scottish people did not have an "aversion to building nuclear power". "Over half of Scottish adults in a recent poll said they wanted nuclear power as part of a mix for the future, including over half of SNP voters," her said. Citing a new report from Oxford Economics, commissioned by NIA, he said the civil nuclear sector added £1.5bn to the Scottish economy last year, largely due to Scottish firms working on Hinkley Point C and Sizewell C in England. "In Hinkley, 170 different Scottish firms have contracts to work on that, over £280m spent with Scottish firms to date as part of the supply chain and there are hundreds of people from Scotland working on Hinkley," Mr Greatrex told BBC Scotland News. "And the same will happen in Sizewell because it's the same design from the same approval and largely the same supply chain and a lot of the same people." He said a mixture of clean energy - renewables and nuclear - would provide energy security in the future. "Torness is the single most piece of low carbon infrastructure that exists in the country but it will stop generating in the next five/six years. "We have to a serious look at how you replace that or we end up in a position where the carbon intensity of power in Scotland will go up rather than go down in the future."
Yahoo
09-06-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Nursery parents win closure review but concerns remain
Aberdeenshire Council has agreed to pause the mothballing of four rural nurseries. Parents were told in April that Ballogie, Crossroads, Glass and Sandhaven nurseries would close at the end of term. Councillors have now agreed to put those decisions on hold while it reviews its guidance around how it consults with families. Campaigners have welcomed the move, but said they had lost confidence in the local authority. At a special meeting of the full council, councillors agreed to pause all future mothballing - which means closing premises but keeping them in a condition ready for future use - while a review of guidance was carried out. During the meeting, councillors on the local authority's ruling administration decided not to allow members of the public to give their views. Campaigner and parent Lindsay Love told BBC Scotland News: ''We all came hoping to speak on behalf of our communities and we were silenced.''' She said she had mixed emotions about the decision to pause mothballing. Ms Love said: ''I'm nervous that they are actually going to move forward with integrity. I feel like they're trying to control the narrative now. "We just need to make sure that we're protecting our nurseries and our rural communities as best as we can." She added: "Whilst is it a good thing that they've decided to pause the mothballing, I don't have a huge amount of confidence in them as an institution to do the right thing.'' More stories from North East Scotland, Orkney and Shetland Listen to news from North East Scotland on BBC Sounds Council leader Gillian Owen said the council had carefully reflected on what parents had been calling for. No timescale was given for the review. Ms Owen said: ''I think we're looking at doing a review quite swiftly but we've got to wait for the Scottish government guidelines.'' She denied families had been "silenced" by not being allowed to speak at the meeting. The councillor added: "We've actually made the changes that they want. ''They must look at that as an actual celebration, not as a slight.'' When the move to mothball the nurseries was announced at the start of the Easter school holidays, it sparked a backlash from local communities. Since then, families have been campaigning to keep them open, arguing the decision was made without proper consultation. The Scottish government also wrote to Aberdeenshire Council to highlight the need to consult parents in such cases. Last week, the local authority's ruling administration said it wanted to pause the controversial plans. Aberdeenshire Council Tory leader stands down Nursery mothballing move taking 'extreme toll' Officials mothballing school branded undemocratic Aberdeenshire Council
