MSP Forbes “did not use WhatsApp” for Covid decisions
Former finance secretary Kate Forbes has said she did not use WhatsApp when it came to making decisions about Covid-19
The Skye and Lochalsh’s MSP comments come amid a request by the UK Covid-19 inquiry for the Scottish Goverment to submit 14,000 WhatsApp messages to the investigation.
The Scottish Government had been asked to disclose private messages containing discussions on key decision-making through
a legal notice under the Inquiries Act 2005. Under the notice individuals are instructed to hand over evidence, with those who refuse facing jail or a fine.
Kate Forbes was appointed as the Scottish Government’s Cabinet Secretary for Finance and the Economy a month before the first UK lockdown in March 2020. She held the role until March 2023.
In a statement sent to Radio Skye, a spokesperson for Ms Forbes said “Kate has fully participated with the Scottish Covid Inquiry, and has already made an extensive initial submission.
“Kate has retained and submitted all relevant correspondence about decisions made during the Covid-19 pandemic.
“She did not use WhatsApp messages to make decisions about Covid-19.”
At First Ministers Question, the leader of the opposition, Conservative MSP Douglas Ross claimed that the Scottish National Party brought in an auto delete policy, not just after being told not to do so by the UK Covid inquiry, but after Nicola Sturgeon had set up a separate Scottish inquiry.
First Minister Humza Yousaf told the parliament that the Scottish Goverment were in the processing of sending all 14,000 WhatsApp messages to the inquiry, and defended his predecessor Nicola Sturgeon who has said has been transparent throughout her tenure as leader.
On Monday, Tuesday Nicola Sturgeon said Ms Sturgeon said she did not “manage the Covid response by WhatsApp” that she has got nothing to hide”
Portree to host Skye and Lochalsh local democracy event
People across Skye and Lochalsh are being invited to have their voices heard at a local democracy event on the island
Democracy Matters 2 event which will take place at the Portree Community Centre on Tuesday 14th November from 12pm to 2pm.
The session will be hosted by Skye and Lochalsh Council of Voluntary Organisations and Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC) and is part of national Local Governance Review which is looking across all of Scotland’s public services to consider how power and resources should be shared between national and local government.
The discussion will be facilitated by the Scottish Community Development Centre (SCDC). A light lunch will be served at 12.00noon and the discussion will take place between 12.30pm and 2.30pm.
Scottish Goverment pledges £250,000 to support people in Gaza
The Scottish Goverment has pledged a further £250,000 to towards aid relief efforts to support displace people in Gaza.
An estimated 1.4 million people have been displaced in Gaza by conflict and military evacuation orders.
The funds will be used to help people in Gaza access food, water, shelter and medical supplies through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency’s Flash Appeal (UNRWA)
The support will be distributed through the United Nations Relief and Works Agency’s Flash Appeal (UNRWA)
More than 1,400 Israelis were killed by Hamas on October 7th, since then more than 8,805 Palestinians have been killed according to the Gaza Ministry of Health.
Police highlight risk of daily scams
The Highlands and Islands Police are asking people to keep vigilant for frauds and daily scams by issuing advice on what to look for.
Police Scotland says it receives reports of Frauds/Scams daily, with phone scams proving an easy way for criminal to con people out of their money.
The police have asked the public to be aware of banks scams where a scammer may ask for you pin number of tell you to give your bank card to a courier – this something your bank would never do.
Scammers may also pretend to be a member of the HMRC and claim that there is an issue with your tax refund or an unpaid tax bill – they may leave you a message and ask you call and also ask you to reveal personal financial information – which the real HMRC would not ask of you.
The Police say no to any request if you are unsure and contact the real service in question later.
Five-a-side tournament for girls
Skye & Lochalsh Female Football Club are hosting a girls only indoor football tournament in Portree this month
There will be two competitions within the tournament – one for 10 to 13 years and – and another for 14 to 18 year olds – both will be contested in five-a-side format.
The tournament will be held at the Fingal Centre in Portree on Saturday 18th November.
Anyone who would like to get involved can email slffc@hotmail.com
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Skye care home resident left to starve – Covid 19 inquiry to hear grave claims
Care home residents on Skye may have been left to starve while families may have been pressured into signing do not resuscitate notices on behalf of their loved ones during the Covid-19 pandemic
Those are the grave claims expected to heard during the Scottish Covid-19 public inquiry, according a lawyer representing bereaved Skye families.
Eleven people who were residents of the then privately-owned Home Farm nursing home in Portree, died after testing positive for Covid-19 during the pandemic
Speaking on behalf of the Skye group during the second day of the Scottish Covid-19 inquiry, Shelagh McCall KC also
said there was a lack of or no cross-contaminating measure in place to prevent staff spreading the virus to residents. Staff were witnessed attending work while displaying symptoms.”
She went on to reveal: “Once there was a Covid-19 outbreak in a care home, bereaved relatives were faced by a total lack of transparency of what was happening.
“Some learned of an outbreak from Facebook rather than from care management or staff.”
She said that inquiry would later hear that were deficiencies in infection control, basic cleaning and hygiene.
Adding that in one home, the alcohol-based cleaning products were lock in a cupboard, to which staff were not permitted access by management, instead they cleaned using air fresher.
Home Farm nursing home was managed by private operators HC-One during the period in question before being purchased by NHS Highland in the autumn 2020.
Winter deaths hit 30-year hit
Winter deaths registered in Scotland have reached the highest number in more than 30 years according to data from the National Records of Scotland.
24,427 deaths were registered in Scotland between December 2022 and March 2023, representing the highest number of winter deaths in over thirty years, 1989/90.
The cause of death with the largest seasonal increase was dementia and Alzheimer’s disease accounting for 640 additional deaths. There were 310 additional deaths as a result of COVID-19 during this this time
One-off payment to support those moving from care system
Plans for a new one-off payment of £2,00 to support young people transitioning from the care system into adulthood have been announced today by First Minister Humza Yousaf
The proposal which will be co-designed with care experienced people will aim to support people from the care system to move into more independent living
First Minister Humza Yousaf said that the one-off payment would provide much-needed support to Care experienced people – who over one and a half times more likely to experience financial difficulties and have more than double the chance of experiencing homelessness, mainly before age 30.
Skye councillor submits caravan park planning app
Skye and Raasay Highland Councillor Ruraidh Stewart has submitted a planning application to change the use of croft land in Balmacara to a caravan site for holiday.
The site if approved will accommodate seven caravans and would comprise new road access, parking, drainage and water connections on land north east of Willowbank, the Square at Balmacara
In post published via social media, the Lochalsh Community Council today stated that it wished to encouraging anyone with comments or concerns to submit them via the Highland Council website
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Citizens Advice concerned over missed lifeline payments
Citizens Advice Scotland (CAS) is voicing fears that vulnerable people could miss out on a lifeline payment amid the cost-of-living crisis.
Between the 31st of October and 19th November, the UK Government will make Cost of Living Payments of up to £300 for people in receipt of benefits like Universal Credit, Job Seekers Allowance, Employment Support Allowance and Pension Credit.
An estimated 834,276 are claiming these relevant benefits however CAS is concerned some people will miss out, with people seeking support from Citizens Advice Bureaux (CABs) having missed previous payments.
People will only be eligible for the payments if the claimed a qualifying benefit between 18 August and the 17 September.
Analysis from Citizens Advice Scotland suggests around 12,000 people start on Universal Credit in Scotland alone each month. Those who started in October or after the 17 September cut off would miss out on the Cost of Living payment.
CABs have seen pensioners, disabled people, and people in work miss out on the payments. In one case a disabled woman was refused her cost-of-living payment and told she was not eligible despite being in receipt of Employment Support Allowance.
Speaking to Radio Skye, Skye and Lochalsh CAB manager Morag Hannah, said: “We are a wee bit concerned that some people may miss out.
“People will only be eligible for the payments so as long as you are in receipt of one of these – Universal Credit, Job Seekers Allowance, Employment Support Allowance and Pension Credit – and you’ve made the claim before the cut-off date of the 17th September this year, certainly you should qualify for a cost of living payment for up to £300.
She added: “We want to encourage people who are in receipt of these to be aware, check their bank accounts, and make sure they have that payment there. And if they haven’t to report missing payments to the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP), and you can do that any date from the 20th November onwards.
“The DWP say that all claimants should have received all payments by the 19th November.”
Boost of £50 million for Scottish Ambulance Service
The Scottish Ambulance Service has receives a £50 million boost as part of the Scottish Goverment and COSLA joint winter plan.
The funding will go toward work already underway to recruit a further 317 frontline staff to help increase capacity to emergency response.
It will also see 18 additional clinicians working in the call centre hub which can offer patients alternative treatment routes in cases which are not time-critical, reducing the number of hospital admissions.
Scottish health secretary Micheal Matheson said that the additional funding of up to £12 million to expand the Hospital at Home service will allow people, especially elderly patients, patients with respiratory conditions and children, to receive treatments in the comfort of their own home and will crucially help reduce pressure on accident and emergency departments this winter
Paul Kelly is the health and social care spokesperson for the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, he said that through the join joint plan, local government was doing everything it can to to maximise capacity across health, social care, and social work, and ensure people get safe and timely access to services during peak winter pressures.
Scottish Covid-19 evidence sessions underway
The main evidence sessions of the Scottish Covid-19 inquiry has begun today
The Scottish COVID-19 Inquiry is investigating the devolved strategic response to the coronavirus pandemic in Scotland between 1 January 2020 and 31 December 2022.
The first phase of hearings centre on the health and social care impacts of the pandemic, including how the virus was dealt with in care homes.
Eleven people who were residents of Home Farm nursing home died after testing positive for Coronavirus during the pandemic
A group made up of bereaved relatives, former care home staff, and members of the community response team from Skye will give evidence as part of the inquiry on Wednesday, while the Care Inspectorate will also provide an opening statement.
Highland Council encourages National Park nominations
Communities wishing to put forward their local area for National Park status are being encouraged to contact the Highland Council to secure their nomination.
Councillor Ken Gowans, who chairs the Highland Council’s Economy and Infrastructure Committee
is encouraging nominating groups to discuss their National Park bids with relevant Council officials and elected members.
Councillor Gowans said that all National Park nominations seeking Council support should be submitted to
the Council’s Environment Team by email to andrew.puls@highland.gov.uk by 31 January 2024.
The Skye and Raasay council ward is one of 10 areas to have submitted early expressions of interest in becoming a National Park through a representation made by local councillors.
Councillor Calum Munro told Radio Skye that the councillor had submitted an expressions of interest to found out more about the process including all the pros and cons of National Park Status so that local people could have an informed discussion on the matter.
Nominations for a new Park will be driven entirely by local communities and organisations, and all areas of Scotland are eligible to submit proposals.
A committment made through the Bute House agreement means at least one new National Park will be designed by 2026
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