Scottish Politics Thread

[Fang_Farrier]

Neither England or NI seem to have had the same issues with supply, given that all four nations received a proportional share, where are our vaccines? Did we not receive the correct proportional amount? Or is it being sat on and not distributed?

Can't comment on the national picture but it's being issued out of pharmacy as fast as it is arriving up here.
Whether Highland is getting it's proportional share or not I don't know but anecdotally some of the island boards are doing well but that's to be expected with their small sizes.

 

[AfghanAndy]

Devi Sridhar: Independent Scotland could have handled coronavirus better

ONE of the country's most prominent public health experts has said an independent Scotland would have handled the coronavirus pandemic better.

www.heraldscotland.com

Never mind nasty viruses, with such impressive displays of licking Nicola Sturgeon's boots as this, professor Sridhar had better watch out she doesn't go down with Cherry Blossom poisoning.

How? Health is a devolved issue.

Who’d have stumped up for the furlough scheme?

Would we be finding our own vaccine supply? Or are the SNP going to try and defend the EUs vaccination purchase scheme now.

 

[Seadog]

Wait till you see the mobile testing vans with the big fuckoff sticker stating UK Government on the top corner

If have thought the cryptic writing on the side of the vehicle allows it to hide the fact it’s an ambulance.

I’ve not once, ever met anybody that speaks Gaelic.

There are more true Scots fluent in Klingon than French, German, Spanish, Italian. Independence Jocks who bang on about how cosmopolitan they are need to know, that they aren't.

 

[tiger stacker]

There are more true Scots fluent in Klingon than French, German, Spanish, Italian. Independence Jocks who bang on about how cosmopolitan they are need to know, that they aren't.

Different posts for different vans

 

[JuniorBod]

You seem to have that on cut and paste these days

But, but, but [insert current faux/manufactured grievance here] Grrrr....

JB

 

[Seadog]

How? Health is a devolved issue.

It's amazing how many 'true Scots ' don't know that. Some of those who do know, dont know Health has been devolved forever.

 

[Fang_Farrier]

Governments accused of 'childish game playing' over Covid vaccine doses | Press and Journal

"Childish game play" over vaccine dose numbers is not helping the country's battle against the coronavirus, it has been warned.

www.pressandjournal.co.uk

It seems that it's as clear as mud how much vaccine Scotland has actually received

 

[jagman2]

Governments accused of 'childish game playing' over Covid vaccine doses | Press and Journal

"Childish game play" over vaccine dose numbers is not helping the country's battle against the coronavirus, it has been warned.

www.pressandjournal.co.uk

It seems that it's as clear as mud how much vaccine Scotland has actually received

A week ago it was 560,000 ish doses
Scottish Government did have the roll out plan on the web but had to remove it because they had been a bit to liberal with sensetive information
Scottish Health Secretary Jeane Freeman also revelaed the storage location which was viewed as a fairly serious security breech
ScotGov was quite open about the rollout plan until it was realised it had been a bit to open about it.

Part of the issue is that the UK is doing quite well on aquisition of vaccine and other nations are bringing coniderable pressure to bear on manufacturers to get some of that production re-allocated to them.

Like Boris or not he has been pretty good at splashing the cash and getting the UK a big slice of vaccine production
Everything is being split proportionately between England. Scotland, Wales and NI according to population, HMG is aware of the sensetivity of that and is actively working very hard to make sure all areas of the UK get their fare share.

 

[Fang_Farrier]

A week ago it was 560,000 ish doses
Scottish Government did have the roll out plan on the web but had to remove it because they had been a bit to liberal with sensetive information
Scottish Health Secretary Jeane Freeman also revelaed the storage location which was viewed as a fairly serious security breech
ScotGov was quite open about the rollout plan until it was realised it had been a bit to open about it.

Part of the issue is that the UK is doing quite well on aquisition of vaccine and other nations are bringing coniderable pressure to bear on manufacturers to get some of that production re-allocated to them.

Like Boris or not he has been pretty good at splashing the cash and getting the UK a big slice of vaccine production
Everything is being split proportionately between England. Scotland, Wales and NI according to population, HMG is aware of the sensetivity of that and is actively working very hard to make sure all areas of the UK get their fare share.

The disparity seems to be between the amount allocated and what's actually been delivered.
There does not seem to be clarity that all allocation has yet been delivered.

 

[Fang_Farrier]

New face mask guidance

For entry to NHS sites up here now it has to be a fluid resistance surgical mask
Scarves and buffs no longer acceptable.

 

[TamH70]

New face mask guidance

For entry to NHS sites up here now it has to be a fluid resistance surgical mask
Scarves and buffs no longer acceptable.

I thought that the thinking was that those sorts of masks were only to be used by healthcare professionals, with the rest of us having to use non-surgical ones? Or at least non-N85 and above ones?

 

[Fang_Farrier]

I thought that the thinking was that those sorts of masks were only to be used by healthcare professionals, with the rest of us having to use non-surgical ones? Or at least non-N85 and above ones?

It's on public health advice.

I assume that it's just a risk reduction.

Given the ever increasing number of covid patients in such places it's understandable.

 

[johnboyzzz]

Being on the advisory group she’s hardly going to say anything negative, wonder what she’s been promised though.........

A night out in Bridge of Allan

 

[Truxx]

New face mask guidance

For entry to NHS sites up here now it has to be a fluid resistance surgical mask
Scarves and buffs no longer acceptable.

Interestingly that has been the case here for many months, and surgical masks are available at hospital and other medical facilities entrances. Must have been a local thing. Clinics were also taking temperatures before admitting outpatients.

Still a hotbed of infection though.

 

[Fang_Farrier]

Interestingly that has been the case here for many months, and surgical masks are available at hospital and other medical facilities entrances. Must have been a local thing. Clinics were also taking temperatures before admitting outpatients.

Still a hotbed of infection though.

We've had surgical masks widely available at entry points for months, along with staff ensuring that face coverings were worn and hands sanitised.

However this insistence on surgical masks is new this week.

No thermometers though.

 

[Dafty duck]

Governments accused of 'childish game playing' over Covid vaccine doses | Press and Journal

"Childish game play" over vaccine dose numbers is not helping the country's battle against the coronavirus, it has been warned.

www.pressandjournal.co.uk

It seems that it's as clear as mud how much vaccine Scotland has actually received

All I see there is smoke and mirrors. I genuinely struggle to believe that Boris would play a dangerous game in sitting on "Scotland's" stock. Having had a shufty about, I'm inclined to (as per usual) believe it's the SG telling porky pies.

They are again adamant that they are on target. Current percentage of adult population vaccinated, Scotland 6.9 % England 9%.

FM stated that 75% of GP practices have already have or will be getting supplies. An utterly meaningless statement. Anecdotal evidence (including the random shouty message I got from my own practice) would suggest a lot of practices probably fall into the "will be getting" category.

According to Freeman. Between 200,000-400,000 vaccine doses are stuck in England. Another meaningless statement, why are they stuck? Is England saying Scotland can't have them? Or has SG failed to properly plan the logistics of drawing down and distributing adequate stock? Given Freemen gave such a vague answer I suspect I know the answer. The FM has this gem to say re distribution "The reason those vaccines have not yet been administered is down to "a really important, complex supply chain" she said."

And in what is becoming an increasingly common display of non parliamentary behaviour from the FM, she had this to say about the GOVUK request to withdraw the detailed vaccination plan. Yes, the one giving away the exact number of vaccinations available in the UK (and the location held in Scotland) which could be used by other governments to pressure manufacturers into redistributing current UK allocation.

"I hope I’m not about to use unparliamentary language Presiding Officer, but the UK Government had something of what I can only describe as a hissy fit about us doing that, and we have agreed in consultation with them to take away the publication of those supply figures."

What little "evidence" there is points to the usual dodging and ducking by the SNP to pin the blame on anyone but themselves. I found the FM statement re GOVUK request to be particularly petty, even for her.

What is good to see is that the media seem to be beginning to ask questions of the SNP, would be nicer if someone could press home the issue!

 

[Fang_Farrier]

All I see there is smoke and mirrors. I genuinely struggle to believe that Boris would play a dangerous game in sitting on "Scotland's" stock. Having had a shufty about, I'm inclined to (as per usual) believe it's the SG telling porky pies.

They are again adamant that they are on target. Current percentage of adult population vaccinated, Scotland 6.9 % England 9%.

FM stated that 75% of GP practices have already have or will be getting supplies. An utterly meaningless statement. Anecdotal evidence (including the random shouty message I got from my own practice) would suggest a lot of practices probably fall into the "will be getting" category.

According to Freeman. Between 200,000-400,000 vaccine doses are stuck in England. Another meaningless statement, why are they stuck? Is England saying Scotland can't have them? Or has SG failed to properly plan the logistics of drawing down and distributing adequate stock? Given Freemen gave such a vague answer I suspect I know the answer. The FM has this gem to say re distribution "The reason those vaccines have not yet been administered is down to "a really important, complex supply chain" she said."

And in what is becoming an increasingly common display of non parliamentary behaviour from the FM, she had this to say about the GOVUK request to withdraw the detailed vaccination plan. Yes, the one giving away the exact number of vaccinations available in the UK (and the location held in Scotland) which could be used by other governments to pressure manufacturers into redistributing current UK allocation.

"I hope I’m not about to use unparliamentary language Presiding Officer, but the UK Government had something of what I can only describe as a hissy fit about us doing that, and we have agreed in consultation with them to take away the publication of those supply figures."

What little "evidence" there is points to the usual dodging and ducking by the SNP to pin the blame on anyone but themselves. I found the FM statement re GOVUK request to be particularly petty, even for her.

What is good to see is that the media seem to be beginning to ask questions of the SNP, would be nicer if someone could press home the issue!

I would like to think that the situation will become clearer in the coming days but experience has taught me it's probably going to be the reverse.

 

[Dafty duck]

I would like to think that the situation will become clearer in the coming days but experience has taught me it's probably going to be the reverse.

Agree 100%. They've had ample opportunity to be transparent (without giving away sensitive information) and have so far failed to do so, I'm fully expecting more ducking and diving over the next several weeks.

Having mulled it over I'm now utterly convinced the blame for slow role out lays at the door of SG. Not for a second would the SNP fail to capitalise on any delays from the main UK distribution hub and use at as a stick to bash Boris.

Regarding the "totally not an issue" giving away sensitive information, if this does result in a reduction of allocation to UK I hope Boris uses it as a BFO stick with nails in it to beat them about the head.

 

[wilfred]

I know we like to have a laugh about the Gaelic thing but let's have a look at some actual numbers on it.

Population of Scotland: 5,460,000
Population with "some" understanding of Gaelic: 87,000
Number of people in Scotland fluent in Gaelic: 57,000

So about 1% of the population actually speak and use Gaelic.

SG annual spending on Gaelic.
Gaelic education fund: £23,500,000
Local authority Gaelic grant: £4,500,000

SG "one off" spending on Gaelic.
Translation of road/rail signage: SG claim £3,570.65 (aye, right!), they dodge answering the question in the FOI request from 2019 Amount spent on changes made to incorporate Gaelic translations: FOI release - gov.scot they also dodge answering how much was spent by Police Scotland and the Scottish Ambulance service.
Capital funding for new Gaelic primary school in Glasgow (where there are 5,700 Gaelic speakers) £16,500,000 (predicted).

Here's a breakdown of the number of Gaelic speakers by local authority.

Rank	Council area	Speakers	Population	Percentage(%)
1	Na h-Eileanan Siar	15,811	26,502	59.7
2	Highland	12,673	208,914	6.1
3	City of Glasgow	5,739	577,869	1.0
4	Argyll and Bute	4,145	91,306	4.5
5	City of Edinburgh	3,120	448,624	0.7
6	Perth and Kinross	1,434	134,949	1.1
7	City of Aberdeen	1,412	212,125	0.7
8	Fife	1,106	349,429	0.3
9	South Lanarkshire	1,079	302,216	0.4
10	North Lanarkshire	1,021	321,067	0.3
11	Renfrewshire	988	172,867	0.6
12	Stirling	939	86,212	1.1
13	East Dunbartonshire	895	108,243	0.8
14	Aberdeenshire	871	226,871	0.4
15	City of Dundee	645	145,663	0.4
16	East Renfrewshire	590	89,311	0.7
17	West Lothian	571	158,714	0.4
18	North Ayrshire	557	135,817	0.4
19	Falkirk	529	145,191	0.4
20	Angus	485	108,400	0.4
21	Moray	459	86,940	0.5
22	Dumfries and Galloway	448	147,765	0.3
23	West Dunbartonshire	437	93,378	0.5
24	South Ayrshire	417	112,097	0.4
25	Inverclyde	409	84,203	0.5
26	Scottish Borders	376	106,764	0.4
27	East Ayrshire	368	120,235	0.3
28	East Lothian	341	90,088	0.4
29	Clackmannanshire	301	48,077	0.6
30	Midlothian	244	80,941	0.3
31	Shetland	97	21,988	0.4
32	Orkney	92	19,245	0.5

Just out of interest, I wonder how many people in Scotland are either fluent in, lets say, Polish or have "some" understanding of it. If it exceeds those figures, shouldn't the bilingual signs etc be in both English and Polish?

Sent from my Lenovo TB-X606F using Tapatalk

 

[Dafty duck]

Just out of interest, I wonder how many people in Scotland are either fluent in, lets say, Polish or have "some" understanding of it. If it exceeds those figures, shouldn't the bilingual signs etc be in both English and Polish?

Sent from my Lenovo TB-X606F using Tapatalk

See post #58,975