News story: Submarines to support economic and community growth

The MOD is investing hundreds of millions of pounds in developing HM Naval Base Clyde as the Royal Navy Submarine Centre of Specialisation.

This will see all UK attack submarines based in Argyll and Bute by 2020, and the eventual arrival of the Dreadnought class of ballistic submarines.

The development is expected to increase the number of personnel at HMNB Clyde to an eventual population of 8,200, with many choosing to live in the area.

The Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed today will see the signatories work together in delivering infrastructure and opportunities for Royal Navy families and local people to live, work and prosper together.

Witnessing the signing was Secretary of State for Scotland David Mundell, who said:

The UK’s entire submarine fleet will be based at Faslane by 2020. This will reinforce Scotland’s vital role in protecting our country, and guarantee skilled, secure jobs on the Clyde for years to come.

We must ensure this investment in the base is also a catalyst for growth and regeneration in the wider community. Today’s agreement will deliver new housing and improved infrastructure, ensuring people in Argyll and Bute benefit directly from hosting the base.

Minister for Defence Veterans, Reserves and Personnel Mark Lancaster, said:

This agreement ensures the investment we are making to upgrade HMNB Clyde, as part of the £1.7bn we are spending to improve military bases in Scotland, will not only help provide our people and their families with more stability and a better environment to work in, but will also help transform the local area, providing skilled jobs and better infrastructure.

Councillor Dick Walsh, Leader of Argyll and Bute Council and Chair of the Argyll and Bute Community Planning Partnership, said:

This agreement is about making the development of HMNB Clyde work for Navy personnel, their families and the communities in Argyll they will be joining. It’s about delivering opportunities for new residents and local people to build happy, prosperous lives together. Helensburgh and its surrounding areas offer great benefits as a place to live, work and visit, and we very much look forward to welcoming new Navy friends and neighbours.

Work will focus on key themes which are set out in a Strategic Delivery and Development Framework (SDDF) and include education, economy, community facilities, communication, transportation and housing.

Naval Base Commander, Commodore Mark Gayfer, said:

The Royal Navy is keen to ensure that the local community better understands what it brings to Argyll and Bute.

There are tremendous opportunities for mutual benefit, such as our redevelopment of the Drumfork Club in Helensburgh, building new sports facilities and the UK Government £5m of support for the Council’s waterfront redevelopment.

Through its redevelopment HMNB Clyde will grow its staff numbers from 6,800 today to an eventual population of 8,200. The construction phases are expected to support a further 1,000 contractor jobs.

Work on delivering benefits for new Navy families and Argyll communities is already in progress, for example:

Economy and regeneration: On 18 January 17, Argyll and Bute Council and HMNB Clyde held the first joint economic forum in Helensburgh. Local businesses were invited to hear about the tremendous opportunities available from the expansion of the Naval Base. Following the event the Council is collating findings and developing a plan of action to take forward.
Housing and Accommodation: The MOD and Council are working with private and social housing sectors to develop options for choice in the housing market.
Education and training. Argyll and Bute Council has created the role of Service Pupil Adviser to provide advice and support for the large numbers of Armed Forces children in the Helensburgh and Lomond area. This temporary post is funded by the MOD Education Support Fund.

Community Facilities:

The MOD owned Drumfork Club, situated in Churchill Estate in Helensburgh, is currently being renovated and due to be re-opened mid-2018. The refreshed facility will be open to the entire community and feature an area for registered childcare provision and five multi-purpose function rooms which can be used for organised and semi-organised activities by local community groups and organisations.
Although many of the Royal Navy facilities in the area have been put in place for use by service personnel, base workers, and their families, the facilities are also made available on a regular basis to local community groups and organisations.
Communications and engagement. The MOD and Argyll and Bute Council have produced an Armed Forces and Veterans’ brochure which will provide information on Argyll and Bute and the various organisations and services available to support the Armed Forces community and their families.

Angela Rayner responds to Social Mobility Commission report

Angela
Rayner MP, Labour’s Shadow Education Secretary, commenting on the Social
Mobility Commission’s report out today, said:

“The
Social Mobility Commission is only the latest expert body to explicitly call
for the Government to abandon their plans to increase selection in our schools.
It does nothing to help most children do better in life. The Government should
finally start listening to all the evidence against new grammars and
concentrate instead on helping all of our children to reach their full
potential, not just the few.

“Funding cuts will make the attainment gap between advantaged and
disadvantaged children even wider at a time when inequality is steadily
worsening. With the Budget next week, the Chancellor has the chance to put the
needs of all our children first and give education the money it needs.”

News story: Invitation to tender for research from the Low Pay Commission 2017

The Low Pay Commission is commissioning new research to understand the effects of the NLW. The closing date is 13 March 2017.

The introduction of the National Living Wage is a major change for the labour market – likely to represent a sharp increase in the nominal, real and relative value of the UK’s pay floor. Coverage is set to triple by 2020.

In some sectors more than half of workers could be paid at the minimum – all at a time of major change in the economy, and the welfare system. It is, in effect, a natural experiment.

Such a significant change in the minimum wage is likely to have a wide set of effects and there are many approaches that could be used to analyse such effects.

The Low Pay Commission has launched its latest invitation to tender for research. Please see the links below to the projects on the central procurement provider, UKSBS Contracts Finder. The deadline is 13 March 2017. These are open tender calls for research and cover 3 areas.

We are commissioning research:

on the impact of the National Minimum Wage and the new National Living Wage on employment and hours (UK SBS BLOJEU-CR17029LPC).

One project will be commissioned with a total budget up to £60,000. Link to Contracts Finder.
into the impact of the minimum wage regime on the labour market outcomes of young workers (UK SBS BLOJEU-CR17030LPC).

One project will be commissioned with a total budget up to £60,000. Link to Contracts Finder.
open call for Other Research on the Impact of the National Living Wage (UK SBS BLOJEU-CR17028LPC).

Up to four projects will be commissioned, with a total budget of £100,000. Link to Contracts Finder.

Please circulate to colleagues who may be interested.

Please also note that the LPC will be holding a research workshop on the afternoon of Thursday 6 April. Details will follow shortly.

News story: Low Pay Commission visits programme 2017

The Low Pay Commission’s purpose is to provide advice to the Government on the rates of the National Living Wage and the other National Minimum Wages, as well as other related issues.

We want to hear first hand evidence from employers, workers and anyone else with a view on the minimum wage and its effects.

We are visiting Leeds, Glasgown and East Renfrewshire, Belfast, Newport and Gwent, and Melton and East Northamptonshire.

See the table below for dates, and click the link below to arrange a meeting with us. You can also give us a call on 020 7215 8772.

We are particularly interested in the effects of the National Living Wage, the minimum wage for workers aged 25 and over, which was introduced at £7.20 in April 2016 and will rise to £7.50 on 1 April 2017.

All the other minimum wage rates will increase on 1 April as well (see table below for rates) and we would like to hear views on these too.

The LPC organises an annual programme of visits to gather evidence in support of our recommendations to government. The visits are attended by members of our Commission and Secretariat.

We can host meetings in the locations we visit, but it is also extremely useful for us to visit businesses and workers at their place of work to see the effects of the minimum wage ‘on the ground’. So, we would be delighted if you would like to host us and show us around your business.

Please note that the date of the visit to Belfast has been changed since the programme was originally sent to our stakeholders.

Date	Location
26-27 April	Leeds
31 May-1 June	Glasgow and East Renfrewshire
7-8 June	Belfast
5-6 July	Newport and Gwent
9-10 August	Melton and East Northamptonshire

National Minimum Wage rates

Minimum Wage rate	Current rate (hourly)	Rate from 1 April 2017
National Living Wage	£7.20	£7.50
21-24 Year Old Rate	£6.95	£7.05
18-20 Year Old Rate	£5.55	£5.60
16-17 Year Old Rate	£4.00	£4.05
Apprentice Rate	£3.40	£3.50
Accommodation offset	£6.00	£6.40

SNP urged to act after businesses hit by licensing change

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SNP urged to act after businesses hit by licensing change

27 Feb 2017

Jamie Greene

The Scottish Conservatives are demanding the SNP to start providing the necessary support to the businesses across Scotland who have been negatively affected by the Air Weapons and Licensing Act (AWLA).

The act was implemented last year despite the Scottish Conservatives voting against it.

It has recently emerged that as a result of the SNP’s legislation many businesses face an uncertain future, particularly in the private car hire industry, many of whom have voiced concern.

Wedding car operators are just one of the industries sucker-punched by the AWLA provisions.

Many of them are being forced to pay the large cash sums in order to pay for the licenses that are needed to meet the additional costs.

The unfair regulations saw West of Scotland MSP Jamie Greene echo the worries of the affected businesses to Nicola Sturgeon during last week’s First Minister’s Questions.

Mr Greene asked the First Minister: “What action is being done to mitigate the impact that their Weapons and Licensing Act is having on industries?”

Ms Sturgeon replied: “With any piece of legislation it’s vital that we strike the right balance between the legislation doing what it is intended to do without putting unnecessary burdens on business or anyone else.”

Mr Greene’s question was not the first time he had brought the issue to the SNP’s attention, and he is now demanding that the SNP provides the support needed for the businesses hit.

Scottish Conservative West MSP Jamie Greene said:

“The SNP simply has to start providing solutions and answers for these many businesses affected.

“Despite numerous attempts to reach out to the SNP I have yet to receive any real clarity on the matter.

“During First Minister’s Questions I brought to light the story of one of my constituents, Mr Brian Jay of Saltcoats.

“Mr Jay owns and runs ‘Jay’s Luxury Wedding Cars’ and as a result of this act risks having to shut the private hire part of his business.

“The SNP needs to find a way to address the issues business face as a result of the Air Weapons and Licensing Act, and provide some clarity for the likes of Mr Jay and many other businesses across Scotland.

“The uncertainty is already damaging confidence in the industry.

“It’s vital that the SNP outline what assessments they will be undertaking on individual operators and set out a clear time frame for doing so.”