Fairer Scotland
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Unsuitable Accommodation Order extended
5th May 2020 by kirstyjenkins
A Programme for Government commitment to ensure everyone experiencing homelessness has access to suitable quality accommodation has been brought forward in response to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak. The Unsuitable Accommodation Order, which currently prohibits local councils from placing pregnant women or families with children into bed and breakfasts (B&Bs) or hotels for more than seven...
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Thousands of children eligible for new benefit
9th April 2020 by Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP
Social Security Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville gives an update on a new game-changing Scottish child payment, in light of the coronavirus pandemic. Every one of us is being affected by the coronavirus (Covid-19) outbreak gripping the world, which is leaving our people, our communities and our economy facing major challenges. Last week I updated Parliament on...
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Ending homelessness together and protecting vulnerable people
13th March 2020 by Kevin Stewart MSP
Earlier this week I was joined by Public Health Minister Joe FitzPatrick at a meeting of the Homelessness Prevention and Strategy Group, which is tasked with taking forward the Scottish Government’s Ending Homelessness Together Action Plan. Our main focus at the meeting was Covid-19 and how it will impact those who are experiencing, or at...
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The women who inspire me
9th March 2020 by Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP
To mark International Women’s Day, Cabinet Secretary for Social Security Shirley-Anne Somerville blogs about some of the women who inspire her, past and present. International Women’s Day is about celebrating women’s achievements and the impact women have on society – which so often goes unrecognised. I think of women like Jocelyn Bell Burnell, the astrophysicist...
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Why we are providing period products and removing the stigma
14th February 2020 by Aileen Campbell
The Scottish Government has taken world-leading action to ensure that, for the first time, people have access to free sanitary products. It is our mission too to remove any stigma associated with periods, which are experienced by half of the population. Our action is backed up with £15 million of investment and it has ensured...
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Investing in Scotland’s social security system
13th February 2020 by Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP
We are creating the infrastructure for a new public service for Scotland. Our new social security system, is an important investment in the people of Scotland now and for generations to come. Yesterday I outlined how we are taking this new programme further. We have met and surpassed our commitments to date, having already established...
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Progress made on tackling homelessness
14th January 2020 by fairer-scotland
CEO of Crisis and Chair of the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group Jon Sparkes welcomes progress made since the launch of the Ending Homelessness Together Action Plan. The Scottish Government asked some big questions of the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Action Group (HARSAG) reflecting a serious commitment to addressing homelessness in Scotland. The ambition...
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There is room for everyone in Scotland
5th January 2020 by Aileen Campbell
Throughout last year, I had the pleasure of meeting many of Scotland’s faith communities and have enjoyed learning more about their traditions and hearing about their experiences. There exists a remarkably strong working relationship between the faith communities in Scotland and this is invaluable. As I look back on last year, there have been so...
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Gender Recognition Act consultation
17th December 2019 by Shirley-Anne Somerville MSP
In a statement to the Scottish Parliament in June, I announced that the Scottish Government would consult on a draft Bill to reform the process by which trans people obtain legal recognition of their lived gender through a Gender Recognition Certificate – a right they have had for 15 years. We first consulted on these...
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Challenging racism in Scotland – Guest blog from Danny Boyle, BEMIS Scotland
18th October 2019 by admin
“Tackling racism and building connected communities is not a side issue. This is one of the most important things in society. We need the science of data – but we need the science of stories too” BEMIS Scotland held a thematic conference on prejudice motivated by racial and religious hatred earlier this week. Our intention...
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