I WANTED to place on record my appreciation for the Scottish Government’s action in bringing forward the introduction of the income supplement. It is very welcome news that the Government has listened to civic Scotland and speeded up provision of this vital additional help to families.
READ MORE: Scottish Government's child poverty payment a 'gamechanger'
Many, many thousands of children are suffering from cuts in benefits and low wages right now. The Scottish Child Payment will be available to 60% of Scots families living in poverty by 2021 and up to 410,000 Scots children living in low-income households will be eligible for payments of £10 a week per child by the end of 2022.
By attempting to lift 30,000 children out of poverty at a time, when it is rising throughout the UK, the Scottish Government is demonstrating its commitment to taking action to reduce poverty amongst Scots children. That is the sort of leadership that we need at this time of uncertainty and otherwise rising inequality and social injustice.
Of course the delivery mechanism is not perfect as means testing the child payment will almost certainly ensure that many families who need help will not apply for it. It is also regrettable that the transfer of some devolved disability and carers’ benefits will be further, albeit briefly, delayed.
Even so, by the time that the income supplement is fully rolled out it could be providing anywhere upwards of £150 million a year in assistance to hard pressed families. That will come on top of the £150m already being spent by Scottish Government in mitigating the impact of the UK Government’s “welfare reforms”.
To put that in perspective, it would be the equivalent of the UK Government spending £3 billion in alleviating austerity. That is a considerable and welcome investment in tackling the scourge of poverty.
I and the new [Povery and Inequality] Commission for Scotland look forward to working alongside Scottish Government, local authorities, the NHS, the third sector and Scots businesses in taking collective action to reduce poverty and providing a future free of want and stigma for all of Scotland’s children.
Bill Scott
Edinburgh
AIR pollution from vehicles is now believed to kill more people than smoking. Across Europe it’s estimated to cause the premature deaths of 800,000 people a year.
Every week, cars here kill far more people than the entire toll of the Chernobyl disaster. Air pollution damages hearts and lungs, causes a wide range of cancers, and damages the health of unborn children. It can radically reduce intelligence, as a result of oxidative stress and neurodegeneration.
Not to mention that transport contributes 25% of greenhouse gases in Scotland.
A simple solution that gives people a sustainable and affordable option to their polluting cars is free public transport. The Scottish Socialist Party (SSP) has been campaigning for this on the streets of Scotland over the past few weeks, to pressure the complacent Scottish Government into taking action on climate change and benefitting the lives of working people at the same time.
Free public transport would save us money through reduced stress on our NHS and reduced road maintenance costs (as well as numerous other benefits), this would give us an opportunity to develop our public transport to benefit isolated communities and bring people together.
Innovative solutions like this are needed to avert climate catastrophe.
READ MORE: Climate change: Ditching market-led model will benefit working class
Tomorrow at 11am in the Grassmarket Centre, Edinburgh, the SSP will be discussing socialist solutions to climate change, free public transport is an affordable and widely beneficial example, and the SSP will continue to campaign for radical changes like it to benefit working people and the environment.
Graeme Cullen
Edinburgh
I MISSED the Jeremy Vine Show on Wednesday, but according to my sources, Nessie didn’t!
She apparently never misses an episode! As I understand it, being described as a “monster in a lake”, she is so irate.
READ MORE: This Jeremy Vine show clip about Scotland will make you VERY angry
She is planning to leave Loch Ness soon, swim down to the south of England and up the Thames to Westminster.
There in true King Kong style will grab Paul Burrell and leave him atop Big Ben’s clock whimpering: “Sorry! I’m so sorry!”
Then – Nessie watchers, don’t worry – mission accomplished.
Nessie will then return to Loch Ness to resume her tourist duties!
Remember you heard it here first in The National!
Robin MacLean
Loch Ness
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