Latest news with #ScottishConservative
South Wales Guardian
4 hours ago
- Politics
- South Wales Guardian
Scottish Government ending use of WhatsApp after Covid inquiry criticism
The Government had previously agreed to end its use of WhatsApp and other non-official messaging applications by spring this year. Opposition MSPs have said the new policy is a 'clear admission' from the Government that the pandemic deletions were wrong. The policy comes into force on Friday though some teams will continue to phase out the app by the end of the year. As part of the UK Covid-19 Inquiry, it emerged ministers and top civil servants deleted WhatsApp messages which had been requested by the inquiry team. The Conservatives attacked former first minister Nicola Sturgeon in particular for deleting messages, though she said they did not relate to Government business. Her successor, Humza Yousaf, ordered a review of mobile messaging which was carried out by Emma Martins – the former Channel Islands data protection commissioner. Deputy First Minister Kate Forbes said the policy will apply to all Scottish Government employees, including contractors, senior civil servants, special advisers and ministers. Ms Forbes said: 'We are setting out a clear approach to ending Government use of mobile messaging apps, and this will support wider work to deliver on our commitment to openness and transparency. 'The use of mobile messaging apps increased during the pandemic as staff worked remotely in unprecedented and difficult circumstances. Having reflected on our working practices, we are now implementing changes to the use of such apps. 'This follows on from actions to implement other recommendations from Ms Martins's externally-led review including updating our hybrid working policy. 'I want to reassure the public that it is a priority of this Government to maintain secure and searchable data, ensuring compliance with all records management rules. 'We will continue to act to ensure our data policies are robust, especially considering technological advances.' Scottish Conservative MSP Craig Hoy said: 'This is as close as we'll get to an apology from the SNP for the shameful, industrial-scale deletion of Covid WhatsApp messages which was orchestrated by John Swinney and Nicola Sturgeon. 'This change in policy is all well and good but the horse has already bolted for bereaved families who were denied the answers they deserved over the decisions taken by SNP ministers during the pandemic. 'Secrecy and evasion are hardwired into this SNP Government, so the Scottish people will not be duped into thinking one overdue concession marks a change in culture.'
Scottish Sun
6 hours ago
- Business
- Scottish Sun
Council staff in major Scots city could soon be doing FOUR-DAY week
She said the proposed change to working arrangements could offer a new way to help staff morale WORK IN PROGRESS Council staff in major Scots city could soon be doing FOUR-DAY week Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) WORKERS in one of Scotland's cities could soon be working just four days a week. The proposals could soon be trialled by a council meaning thousands of staff could be the first in the country to work the revamped hours. Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 1 The City of Edinburgh Council is exploring a proposal to offer staff a four-day week Credit: The Times Councillors in the capital passed a motion lodged by the Scottish Greens' Claire Miller. She said the proposed change to working arrangements could offer a new way to help staff morale. Cllr Miller claimed that "productivity remains the same or in some cases can actually improve" with a four-day working week. She also told a City of Edinburgh Council meeting it would also assist in filling empty roles and aid poor health, as reported by BBC Scotland. Officers will now prepare a report for the local authority's finance and resources committee. The document will include information on the health of staff, productivity, recruitment and retention. Council officers will also inspect the evidence from four-day week pilots or reduced workday practices elsewhere. Ms Miller said: "The four-day week is a policy where our services remain as they are and there are no changes as far as the residents are concerned in terms of the opening hours provided to them. "Studies into a four-day week show productivity remains the same or in some cases can actually improve, and a great proportion of the working week is given back to people for their own responsibilities for rest and for leisure. "A four-day week is that rare unicorn policy, one where we can help our budgets but we would also be providing genuine benefits for our workers and through them to our residents." Scottish Conservative councillor Christopher Cowdy said that the report must be "balanced and grounded". New sinister threat issued in ongoing Scotland gang war He added that the council should be wary in interpreting limited trials and that locals should also be consulted. A number of local authorities in the UK have shown interest in trialling a four-day working week. South Cambridgeshire District Council was the first to trial it.
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Swinney: Exclusions could push pupils into criminality
READ MORE Mr Findlay told MSPs the guidance was overly bureaucratic and would tie the hands of teachers trying to deal with serious disruption and violence in classrooms. 'It is exactly what you might expect from this ineffective Government,' he said. 'Forty-nine pages of tedious, hand-wringing nonsense, complicated and confusing.' The Conservative leader mocked some of the suggested interventions, including giving violent pupils laminated cards to reflect on their behaviour and letting disruptive pupils leave class two minutes early. He said: 'That sounds like a reward rather than a punishment.' Challenging the First Minister directly, Mr Findlay asked: 'Will John Swinney end the barrage of guidance and please empower teachers to take a stricter approach?' But Mr Swinney accused Mr Findlay of misrepresenting the document and ignoring expert advice. 'I do not think for a moment that Mr Findlay's presentation of the guidance is in any way, shape or form representative of what is actually there,' he said. He told Parliament the guidance aimed to help schools de-escalate situations and keep young people engaged in education. 'If young people are unable to participate in their education, they are unlikely to go on to good outcomes in our society, and we will simply repeat the difficulties that we have seen for many years of young people who do not go on to positive destinations,' he said. Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay during First Minister's Questions (Image: Jane Barlow/PA) Mr Findlay argued that the SNP's 'soft-touch' approach was failing teachers and putting safety at risk. 'He virtually stopped exclusions, which is causing discipline to collapse. He turned teachers into social workers. He sent a dangerous message to disruptive pupils that they can get away with it,' he said. 'We need a tougher approach not laminated cards and inclusive chats. If pupils are violent or serially disruptive, we should exclude them.' Mr Swinney pushed back, citing the most recent data. 'Mr Findlay said that I had stopped exclusions in Scottish education, but I have just told Parliament that there were 11,676 exclusions in 2022–23,' he said. 'That statement is false.' The First Minister said exclusions could lead pupils to criminality. 'If a young person is excluded from school, they are not in the safe environment of school,' he said. 'They are therefore likely to be out on the streets and potentially able to become involved in some of the criminal activity that Mr Findlay has put to me, in the past fortnight at First Minister's Questions, as being a risk to which young people are exposed. 'I simply point out to Parliament the inherent contradiction in what has been put to me. Two weeks ago, Mr Findlay said that we must make sure that young people are not exposed to criminal activity and, today, he is demanding that we exclude more young people from schools and put them at risk of being exposed to that criminal activity.' Mr Swinney said the new guidance reflected input from education professionals and violence reduction experts, and reaffirmed that exclusion remained part of a school's toolkit, but only when other options had been exhausted. 'The guidance is crystal clear that exclusions are part of the approach that can be taken, but I am making it clear today that exclusions can have negative consequences for young people,' he said. READ MORE Mr Findlay was unconvinced. 'People in the real world know how to sort out the problem,' he said. 'We believe in exclusions for violence because they protect staff and pupils and because they work.' He accused Mr Swinney of creating a classroom culture that discouraged discipline and accountability. 'He fundamentally changed the classroom culture, and that is now harming children and their education,' he said. The First Minister insisted his approach was rooted in both evidence and compassion. 'What we are getting from Russell Findlay today is a demonisation of young people and a failure to address the mechanisms and interventions required to solve a difficult issue in our society,' he said. 'It is simplistic nonsense, and Parliament should ignore it.'
The Herald Scotland
a day ago
- Politics
- The Herald Scotland
Holyrood had no choice but to follow law on trans toilet ban
In response, the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) advised public bodies to review policies relating to single-sex spaces. That prompted parliament to redesignate several existing toilets and changing rooms as gender-neutral, and restrict single-sex facilities to sex. READ MORE Scottish Green co-convenor Patrick Harvie raised the matter during questions to the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Bureau (SPCB), the cross-party group responsible for the running of Holyrood. He accused the SPCB of promoting an 'exclusionary and segregating' policy and said the decision made the body's stated intention 'that everyone should feel welcome and included at Holyrood' appear 'nonsense'. Mr Harvie cited letters from the Equality Network and Scottish Trans, which warned that the change would make trans people feel significantly less welcome at the Parliament. 'They go on to say we cannot understand why this decision has been described as one that will bring confidence, privacy and dignity to everyone. It will not do so for trans people. It will exclude us and segregate us in the heart of Scotland's democracy,' he said. He added that concerns raised by staff in the Scottish Greens' parliamentary group — including the negative impact on trans and gender non-conforming people and the 'violation of privacy and dignity' — had not been addressed. Patrick Harvie raised the ban in SPCB questions (Image: PA) Scottish Conservative MSP Jackson Carlaw, speaking on behalf of the SPCB, said the ruling had 'immediate legal effect' and that the corporate body had a legal obligation to act without delay. "The corporate body is an executive body with legal responsibilities and the personal liability of the members who sit on it. Our job, even though we are politicians, is not to debate the politics of an issue, but to ensure that we are implementing the law as the law is communicated to us." He added: 'It is our responsibility to fulfil the legal obligations as an employer, service provider, workplace provider, and as an organisation subject to the public sector equality duty." Pressed by Mr Harvie, he said the interim position was taken on legal advice and that a broader consultation — including with trade unions and equality organisations — had now been approved. 'We announced the interim stance. We agreed to conduct a consultation, and together with officials the corporate body has been considering its approach,' he said. Labour MSP Mercedes Villalba told the chamber that Parliament staff unions had not been consulted and described assurances to the contrary as 'categorically untrue'. She called for 'meaningful consultation' going forward. READ MORE Tory MSP Pam Gosal welcomed the SPCB's actions, pointing to warnings from the campaign group Sex Matters that legal challenges could follow if public bodies fail to comply with the court's interpretation. 'Sex Matters have warned that they will come after organisations refusing to follow the ruling — that will once again leave the taxpayers footing the bill,' she said. 'Therefore, will the Parliament commit to implementing the interim update issued by the EHRC on the protection of single-sex spaces?' Mr Carlaw reiterated that the SPCB had acted 'on the advice that we receive' and would continue to prioritise inclusion through its upcoming Inclusive Parliament Review.
Scotsman
a day ago
- Politics
- Scotsman
Swinney: Excluding disruptive pupils risks pushing them into organised crime
The First Minister defending guidance saying the measure should be a 'last resort' Sign up to our Politics newsletter Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... Excluding disruptive pupils from school risks pushing them into the hands of organised crime, John Swinney has warned. The First Minister said such measures had 'consequences' as he defended new guidance saying it should only be a 'last resort'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad But Scottish Conservative leader Russell Findlay said a stricter approach is necessary to restore discipline in schools. John Swinney during First Minister's Questions at the Scottish Parliament | PA He accused Mr Swinney of 'virtually' stopping exclusions, causing discipline to collapse and turning teachers into social workers. 'We believe in exclusions for violence because they protect staff and pupils, and because they work,' he said. Mr Findlay ridiculed new guidance for schools on how to deal with violent and aggressive behaviour from pupils as 'tedious, hand-wringing nonsense'. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Teaching unions and opposition parties have been urging the Scottish Government to do more to tackle violence and poor behaviour in schools. In March, a survey by the NASUWT union found 83 per cent of teachers believed pupil violence and aggression had increased in the last year. Speaking during First Minister's Questions in Holyrood, Mr Swinney said it was 'palpably false' to claim he had stopped exclusions. He said there were 11,676 exclusions in Scottish schools in 2022/23, the last year for which figures are available. 'The guidance is crystal clear that exclusions are part of the approach that can be taken, but I'm making it clear today that exclusions can have negative consequences for young people,' he said. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Mr Swinney said excluded pupils are no longer in the safe environment of school, adding: 'They are therefore likely to be out on the streets, and therefore potentially able to become involved in some of the criminal activity that Mr Findlay himself has put to me within the last fortnight at First Minister's Questions as being a risk to which young people are exposed.' Mr Findlay said there are different types of exclusion 'rather than just putting children on to the streets'. He criticised the new guidance for suggesting teachers have 'a conversation to jointly problem solve with the child' and proposing they produce laminated bullet points advocating alternative behaviours. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad 'We need a tougher approach, not laminated cards and inclusive chats,' Mr Findlay said. 'If pupils are violent or serially disruptive, exclude them.' Mr Swinney said the guidance seeks to address violence and deescalate situations in schools. He accused Mr Findlay of demonising young people and peddling 'simplistic nonsense'. Speaking to journalists after FMQs, Mr Swinney said: 'I think there are consequences of exclusions, so therefore those who call for there to be more exclusions have to also address the consequences. 'And the point I was making to Russell Findlay was the consequences of his call for more exclusions could be to contradict the call he made to me a fortnight ago, which was to avoid children becoming caught up in organised crime.' Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Education Secretary Jenny Gilruth previously said the new guidance had been developed with input from headteachers, unions and child psychologists.
