Matters Archives - Page 176 of 181

Alarm as one in eight Scots teachers in temporary jobs, according to new figures – The Sun

3 September 2021/in Education Matters, The Sun /by sm_admin

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ONE in eight Scots teachers is now in temporary posts, new figures reveal.

Some 6,259 out of 52,672 teachers were not on full-time contracts in 2020, as the 12 per cent tally was up from eight per cent reported in 2006.

Ministers faced calls to end the “damaging overuse” of “zero-hours” supply contracts after the stats emerged in a parly written question by Tory MSP Stephen Kerr.

He said: “It’s vital that young people have permanent teachers.

“We should not be asking teachers to plug gaps in our system by taking temporary jobs, leaving them unable to plan long term or get a mortgage.

Village to lose only GP surgery after key posts go unfilled – BBC news

3 September 2021/in BBC, Health Matters /by sm_admin

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The only GP surgery in a Borders village is to close after it was agreed it was no longer viable to operate.

If follows the failure to fill some “key posts” at the Coldingham site.

Eyemouth Medical Practice – which operates the branch surgery – said the decision was “regrettable” but would make its overall operations more sustainable.

NHS Borders said it recognised the disappointment the decision would cause in the Coldingham community.

The partners in the medical practice informed the health board of their difficulties in recruiting to fill vacant posts earlier this year.

They said this had “significantly impacted” on their ability to keep operating in Coldingham.

A public consultation was held throughout July and August.

A health board meeting has now endorsed moves to withdraw a dispensing service and close the branch surgery in the village.

Glasgow and Lanarkshire worst Covid hotspots in Europe – STV news

2 September 2021/in Covid-19, Glasgow Matters, Health Matters, STV News /by sm_admin

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Glasgow and Lanarkshire are the two worse hit corona hotspots in Europe, according to the World Health Organisation.

The rate of Covid-19 cases per person in the two Scottish regions are significantly higher than elsewhere in the country, the United Kingdom and the continent.

Lanarkshire’s seven-day rate of cases per 100,000 people was more than 1111, with Glasgow’s higher than 1014.

The regions with the next worst levels of Covid-19 are Kosovo and Israel with rates of 734 and 718 respectively.

Glasgow and Lanarkshire worst Covid hotspots in Europe

Hydro-electric extractions having ‘devastating’ impact on river, says Spey Fishery Board – The Northern Scot

2 September 2021/in Environment Matters, The Northern Scot /by sm_admin

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The Spey Fishery Board states the amount of water extracted to generate hydro-electricity is having a “devastating” impact on the river.

A report published today shows 90% of the water taken from the Spey comes from the top 13% of the river.

This water is then diverted to Fort William or the Tay.

The upshot, says the report, is that the natural flow in the Spey can be reduced by up to 24% at Boat o’ Brig, near Fochabers, and by up to a massive 61% at Kingussie.

Roger Knight is the director of the Spey Fishery Board’s director, which manages wild salmon and sea trout fishing in the Spey catchment area.

He says: “In the 1940s hydro-electricity was considered to be cutting-edge technology and a crucial source of power, particularly in rural parts of the Scottish Highlands.

“That technology, though, is 80 years old and such impoundments and abstractions would not be permitted under present-day environmental standards.

A77 through South Ayrshire ‘not fit for purpose’ amid fresh calls for upgrade of network – Daily Record

2 September 2021/in Daily Record, Transport Matters /by sm_admin

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resh calls have been made to either ‘upgrade’ or ‘replace’ parts of the road network through Ayrshire.

The appeal follows the tragic deaths of a 78-year-old woman and a 57-year-old lorry driver in two separate incidents last Tuesday on the A714 and the A77.

Now the A77 Action Group is demanding that the Scottish Government bring Ayrshire’s trunk road network up to scratch.

Donald McHarrie, group coordinator, said: “Tuesday brought tragedy with two deaths, and total mayhem, to the A77 and the A714 Girvan to Newton Stewart road.

“The A77 and A714 were both blocked due to serious road traffic accidents. The A714 became blocked after the A77 traffic was diverted along it.

“The southern section of the A77 trunk road closely follows the route it did in 1776, so basically it’s an old droving track.

Thunberg: Scotland not a world leader on climate change – STV news

2 September 2021/in COP26, Environment Matters, Scottish Greens, SNP, STV News /by sm_admin

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Climate activist Greta Thunberg has said she does not believe Scotland is a world leader on climate change, as the Scottish Government claims.

The Swedish teenager said she has not yet decided whether she will travel to the global UN climate conference in Glasgow next month, but will do if it is “considered safe and democratic” – including ensuring participants from poorer countries are fully vaccinated and able to travel.

Questioned by BBC Scotland on whether Scotland is a world leader on climate change, she said: “No… I mean, there are some countries that do a bit more than certain others, but then if we look at it from a broader perspective then I think we can safely say there are no countries – at least in the global north – that are even doing close to what would be needed.”

Scotland’s climate change legislation includes a target to reach net zero by 2045, which the Scottish Government has said is “world-leading”.

The 18-year-old was also sceptical of the Scottish Government’s new powersharing deal with the Scottish Greens which will bring Green representatives into government for the first time in the UK.

Ms Thunberg told the broadcaster: “Of course there might be some politicians that are slightly less worse than others. That was very mean, but you get the point.

“It’s a hopeful sign that people want something that’s more ‘green’ – whatever ‘green’ means – but in order to solve this, we need to tackle this at a more systemic approach.”

Having returned to school after a year out leading young people in school strikes for climate change, Ms Thunberg said the conference falls in her school holidays, and if she does attend she plans to travel by train.