The House of Commons Work and Pensions Committee’s Fourth Report of Session 2007-08 considers the importance of the care and support provided by carers in the UK.
“Carers who have had to give up work to care often suffer ‘opportunity penalties’. Through caring and being outside the labour market their vocational skills may become rusty or out of date, and over time they may lose confidence and feel out of touch with the world of work. When caring ends, carers who have spent a long time in demanding caring roles need sensitive, tailored support to re-enter employment, supported by advisers who understand their circumstances and particular needs.”
The Scottish Parliament Information Centre issued this briefing yesterday which gives an introduction to recent changes in food production and prices and considers the factors causing food price increases. It also provides some information on global, European and UK responses to what has become known as the food crisis.
“Global food reserves are at their lowest for 30 years, currently less than half the recommended levels. There are about 50 days’ worth compared to 120 days in the 1980s, and levels could slip further if world harvests continue to fail.”
Published yesterday by the Scottish Government, these statistics provide financial data for businesses in Scotland. They cover the period 1998 to 2006, and include new figures for 2006 and revised figures for 2005.
Scottish Annual Business Statistics includes detailed data on employees, turnover, gross value added, labour costs and other financial data. Data is shown by industry sector, local authority area and ownership. The figures are based on corresponding data for the UK published by the Office for National Statistics on 31 July 2008.
The World Health Organization issued this report today (Closing the gap in a generation: health equity through action on the social determinants of health) which covers life expectancy and public health across the globe.
“A girl born today can expect to live for more than 80 years if she is born in some countries – but less than 45 years if she is born in others. Within countries there are dramatic differences in health that are closely linked with degrees of social disadvantage. Differences of this magnitude, within and between countries, simply should never happen.”
The report shows, for example, that male life expectancy in Calton, Glasgow is 54 and in Lenzie is 82 (Table 2.1). How depressing is that?
You may find this BBC article useful.
The Scottish Parliament Information Centre issued this briefing today which covers the Bill which was introduced to extend hate crime legislation, providing for new statutory aggravations which may be applied in cases where there is evidence that a crime has been motivated by malice or ill-will based on a victim’s actual or presumed sexual orientation, transgender identity or disability. Its passage (like all Bills) is not guaranteed:
“People who are defined by age, including the elderly, and by disability may arguably be subject to attacks simply because they are vulnerable rather than because of some provable motive of ill-will or malice against them because they are elderly or have a disability.”
The Scottish Government issued these statistics yesterday which cover the provision of free personal care for the elderly in Scotland. The stats have raised the question of affordability for this policy (see The Herald and Scottish Daily Mail).
As admirable as the policy is, the advert on the telly with the chuckling old man losing his soap in the bath and asking the carer to find it for him gives me the boak.
HM Inspectorate of Constabulary for Scotland today produced this report into the police response to domestic violence in Scotland.
“The effects of domestic abuse are far-reaching in terms of the victim’s physical and mental well-being, the impact on children of victims, the links to child abuse and other violent crime and the costs to society as a whole both in terms of social cohesion and demand on services. The quality of police intervention is critical to preventing further violence and abuse.”
This Briefing by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre covers the background to the recently introduced Bill which is designed to ensure that people who are negligently exposed to asbestos in Scotland, and go on to develop certain asymptomatic asbestos-related conditions, can continue to raise and pursue actions for damages. This is deemed necessary because of a House of Lords ruling that such actions will not be possible in England and Wales.
“That a significant number of workers were negligently exposed to asbestos is beyond doubt. A central question is, therefore, whether pleural plaques constitute ‘an injury’ to the pursuer’s body. It is argued that they do not on the grounds that pleural plaques are benign and asymptomatic. However, even if pleural plaques do constitute a relevant injury, the House of Lords took the view in the Johnston case (para 87) that they do not cause sufficient material damage to give rise to a cause of action.”
This Briefing by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre provides a selection of indicators on aspects of the Scottish economy. It contains information on Economic Growth, Manufactured Exports, Labour Market, Population Change, Housing Market and UK Inflation, Interest and Exchange Rates for the period up to and including 2008 Q1.
“In Scotland house prices have been slower to react to the credit crunch with some surveys still registering an increase in house prices over the last year. Nevertheless, over recent months the majority of the major surveys are showing a decline in house prices.”
The Scottish Government issued this annual booklet recently which summarizes the key statistics on environmental trends in Scotland. Did you know, for example, that by 2100, temperatures in Scotland are predicted to rise by a maximum of 3.5 degrees Celsius? I take it that they mean in 92 years’ time and not 9 o’clock tonight (Brrrdap: tssh!).
A continuously updated database is also available which accompanies this booklet. It contains additional statistics to those available in the booklet.
