The Liberal Democrats recently distributed a letter signed by Dr Clare Gerada setting out her view on the challenges facing the NHS. Clare absolutely stands by those comments however the letter did contain incorrect details regarding Clare’s time at the Royal … read more
19 May 2017
New report reveals Scotland bottom of the class on key STEM subjects
A new report from Scottish Labour has revealed the scale of the problems in science, technology, mathematics and engineering (STEM) subjects in Scotland. The report can be read here.
Labour’s report reveals:
· STEM teachers have been cut at a rate of one every four days under the SNP.
· Laboratory assistants are down by 43 per cent since 2010. Almost one-in-five schools say they don’t have any extra laboratory support.
· Access to science clubs is the lowest in the UK.
· More than 20 per cent of students never or hardly ever spend time in labs doing practical experiments.
· Scottish pupils have the least enthusiasm for STEM in the UK
Scottish Labour leader Kezia Dugdale revealed the findings of the report ahead of a visit to the Glasgow Science Centre today.
Kezia Dugdale will say:
“We need to give our young people the skills they need today to compete for the jobs of tomorrow.
“The pace of technological advancements will radically change our jobs market.
“We need to be placed to take advantage of these changes.
“STEM subjects are Scotland’s pathway to a high wage economy through the high skilled jobs of the future. But under the SNP, the focus on STEM has stalled. We trail the other parts of the UK in so many areas.
“We need to use this opportunity to change course and invest in education. Waiting much longer will set our country back years.”
The Conservative Party manifesto launched an all-out attack on pensioner incomes, with three major new burdens placed on older people:
Labour will stand up for older people by maintaining the triple-lock on state pensions, protect winter fuel payments and free bus passes and spend an additional £8 billion over the Parliament on addressing the Tories’ social care crisis, while also laying the foundations for a new National Care Service.
Commenting on the pensioner penalties being promised by the Conservatives, Jeremy Corbyn, Leader of the Labour Party, said:
“Theresa May’s nasty party has launched a shameful attack on older people – introducing a compassion tax to force those in need of social care to pay for it with their family home. Labour is standing up for pensioners and guaranteeing the triple-lock on state pensions, as well as giving social care the funding it needs.
“It is clear the Conservatives are offering more of the same, tax giveaways for their billionaire friends and nothing for ordinary people. Labour is standing up for the many, not the few.”
Debbie Abrahams, Shadow Work and Pensions Secretary said:
“The Conservative Party is completely abandoning older people by scrapping the pensions ‘triple lock’, removing the Winter Fuel Allowance from 10 million pensioners, making 34 million people work longer and forcing those who need care to pay for pay for it with their family home.
“This is the direct result of seven years of Tory economic failure. Labour completely oppose this shocking attack on a whole generation.
“We will deliver a secure and dignified retirement for the many, not just the few wealthy enough to manage under these Tory attacks.”
Ends
Notes to editors
According to the Resolution Foundation, the Conservative manifesto commitment to means test the Winter Fuel Payment will remove entitlement from 10 million pensioners: http://www.resolutionfoundation.org/media/blog/death-taxes-the-conservative-manifesto-and-the-changing-politics-of-intergenerational-fairness/
The last 12 months has seen record levels of employment in Wales, with nearly 40,000 jobs supported by the Welsh Government and highest ever levels of inward investment; with nearly 100 new projects brought to Wales, worth at least £660 million to the economy.
With record levels of investment in the NHS, the past 12 months has seen the delivery of the £80m New Treatment Fund, an extra £55 million for social services and successful new campaigns to encourage doctors and nurses to train and work in Wales.
On education, the First Minister spoke of Wales’ generous student finance support package and major investments to reduce infant class sizes, raise school standards and support Wales’ most disadvantaged pupils.
Speaking from his office in Cardiff Bay, the First Minister said:
read more“The past 12 months have been an exceptional period in British – and Welsh – politics. Yet, throughout this time, we have remained focused on delivering on the promises we made to the people of Wales.
“We will continue to work hard to deliver on our promises, and to fight for you and your communities. Together, we will build on the achievements of the past 12 months and continue to Take Wales Forward.”
Just Eat’s acquisition of Hungryhouse has been referred for an in-depth merger investigation.
Earlier this month, the Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) said that it would refer the deal for an in-depth investigation because of concerns that the merger could lead to worse terms for restaurants using either company. However, Just Eat was first given the chance to offer ways of addressing these concerns.
Just Eat has not offered these and so the merger will now be referred for an in-depth, known as phase 2, investigation by an independent group of CMA panel members. The deadline for the final decision is 2 November 2017.
Both companies provide online takeaway ordering services. These give restaurants the opportunity to reach a wide pool of people, as well as offer customers the convenience of choosing from a large range of takeaway providers in one place.
Following its initial investigation into the merger, the CMA has found that the companies are close competitors because of the similarity of their service and their broad geographical coverage.
Further information about the investigation will be published on the case page.