Latest news with #EmmaJackson
Daily Record
27-06-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
Scots charity says Labour welfare cuts will 'rip gaping holes' in support for vulnerable
Citizens Advice Scotland has criticised the welfare reforms as well as the last minute changes to the bill A top Scottish charity has dismissed Keir Starmer's concessions on his welfare cuts bill as 'nowhere near enough'. Citizens Advice Scotland said the decision to exempt existing claimants only from tougher eligibility rules creates a 'two tier' system. The Labour Government was under huge pressure over plans to slash around £5bn from the disability and sickness benefits bill. But Ministers made a late-night climbdown ahead of Tuesday's vote by watering down the cuts package. All current Personal Independent Payment recipients - a benefit devolved to Holyrood - will not now be affected by the crackdown. New claims from November 2026 will come under the tightened rule regime. The concessions are expected to head off a major rebellion by Labour MPs, but CAS hit out at the revised plan. CAS spokesperson Emma Jackson said: 'The concessions that have been reported are nowhere near enough. Creating a two-tier system is highly problematic. It seems the UK Government's message is: you're ok if you are disabled today, but good luck if you become disabled tomorrow. 'Furthermore, it appears none of the issues that the reforms risk for people in Scotland have been addressed, like guaranteeing the passporting capacity of the adult disability payment. Without this huge uncertainty exists. 'Social security is an investment in all of us that should act as both a safety net and springboard; enabling people to realise their potential and providing support during the challenges of life that any of us could experience. 'These reforms will rip gaping holes into the system that so many depend on. In a just and compassionate society, we cannot allow this to happen. We urge the UK Government to halt these reforms altogether and engage with meaningful consultation and co-design with disabled people.' Over 100 Labour MPs, including 12 from Scotland, had signed up to an amendment to the welfare bill that would have wrecked the entire package. Asked whether he was confident the Universal Credit and Personal Independence Payment Bill would now pass, health minister Stephen Kinnock told Times Radio: 'Yes.' One of the MP rebels, Dame Meg Hillier, appeared satisfied with the compromise: 'This is a positive outcome that has seen the Government listen and engage with the concerns of Labour MPs and their constituents. 'It's encouraging that we have reached what I believe is a workable compromise that will protect disabled people and support people back into work while ensuring the welfare system can be meaningfully reformed. This means that disabled people currently in receipt of Pip and the health element of universal credit will continue to receive the same level of support.' Work and Pensions Secretary Liz Kendall: 'I hope these changes will mean we get support for our Bill, a Bill that wants to ensure fairness in the welfare system for people who really need support. It's really important that we make changes in the future so the welfare state is there for people who really, really need it.' She said of claims about a ' two tier ' system: 'Well the changes that we are introducing will make sure existing claimants are unaffected, but we also all agree that there do need to be changes in the future to make sure that people who can work do, so we protect those who can't but we make the welfare state sustainable for the future.' SNP Social Justice Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville said: 'The changes now being proposed by the UK Government would create a two-tier system, which cannot be fair. 'And this half U-turn still does not scrap the rule which will deny Personal Independence Payment to people unless they score four points or more for at least one activity. This will prevent support for hundreds of thousands of people with disabilities in the future. 'These reforms have been shambolic from the start. They will be hugely damaging to those who rely on social security support, and still seek to balance the books by targeting the most vulnerable.'
The Herald Scotland
23-05-2025
- Health
- The Herald Scotland
Why welfare reforms don't need to happen
In June, MPs will vote on proposals to reform disability and health-related social security. If the reforms pass, the incomes of millions of sick and disabled people across the UK will be dramatically reduced. Evidence from across the Citizens Advice network in Scotland shows that disabled people already experience disproportionate harm with many forced to endure poverty and inequality. More than two-thirds (67%) of people seeking advice from a CAB have a disability or long-term health condition. This comes at significant cost, especially for those in remote and rural communities. People don't have enough to live on, many are grappling with debt and destitution, and physical and mental health is getting worse. Poverty is a consequence and cause of disability and ill health, meaning the need for social security has grown alongside poverty rates. One of the proposals seeks to radically narrow eligibility criteria for the Personal Independence Payment (PIP) so that fewer people can receive this. PIP and its equivalent in Scotland, Adult Disability Payment (ADP), are enabling payments. They exist to cover the additional costs of disability or ill health. They're not means-tested or linked to the ability to work. Narrowing the criteria to access the daily living component of PIP – which includes support for preparing food or managing incontinence – will remove payments that enable many people to work. More than a quarter (27%) of those seeking ADP advice from our network are in employment. Removing people from the work force, which will happen if these proposals go head, is completely senseless. It's unclear what impact the reforms will have on devolved social security in Scotland. Alongside a dramatically reduced budget, complexity could be added to the system, making it more difficult for people to claim payments they're entitled to. It is imperative the UK Government works closely with the Scottish Government to avoid this. People urgently need reassurance, as is clear from the CEO of Glasgow Northwest CAB: "We've already seen a spike in demand from people asking what this is going to mean. People are so worried – I don't know how much more they can take. Or our advisers. How do we tell even more people who are cold and hungry, facing mounting debts and deteriorating health there's nothing else we can do to increase their incomes? This will be devastating for all of us." There's a choice to be made; improving the circumstances of sick and disabled people should not be a difficult one. It's clear for us when we hear the worry in the voices of our advisers and the thousands who visit our CABs, our leaders need to listen too – these reforms do not need to go ahead. Emma Jackson is head of Social Justice at Citizens Advice Scotland
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
ECU softball falls short in conference tourney semifinals
TAMPA, Fla. (WNCT) — ECU's softball team had its postseason run ended in the conference tournament semifinals Friday with a 3-1 loss to South Florida. Emma Jackson had two hits for the Pirates, including producing the lone run with a solo home run in the first inning. South Florida tied it in the second and then took the lead in the third. The Bulls added their final run in the sixth and ECU couldn't get a runner on base in the seventh, down to the last three outs. The Pirates finish the year with a 31-26 record. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Al Etihad
06-05-2025
- Science
- Al Etihad
Abu Dhabi hosts first regional seagrass scientific workshop
6 May 2025 21:14 ABU DHABI (ALETIHAD)The Yas SeaWorld Research and Rescue Centre, the largest facility of its kind in the region, recently hosted the first Arabian Regional Scientific Seagrass Workshop in partnership with the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) – Dugong MOU Secretariat, and with the participation of Professor Emma Jackson, President of the World Seagrass Association. The workshop brought together marine researchers and environmental experts from the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan, and Oman to highlight the vital ecological role of seagrass in Arabian coastal ecosystems. Discussions focused on the current state of regional research and strategies to improve conservation efforts. (Supplied) Seagrass meadows, marine flowering plants found in coastal waters, offer critical ecosystem services including oxygen production, sediment stabilisation, blue carbon storage, and essential habitat for marine life such as dugongs and sea turtles. Abu Dhabi's coastline hosts nearly four percent of the world's seagrass, supporting one of the largest populations of dugongs, which feed almost exclusively on seagrass ecosystems are in global decline, losing an estimated 110 km² annually since 1980 due to threats such as coastal development and marine heatwaves. The workshop addressed urgent knowledge gaps and promoted data-driven conservation, while fostering regional collaboration to protect these Al Hashmi, Executive Director of the Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity Sector at EAD, said the agency is working with partners to develop tools, including artificial intelligence and advanced monitoring, to better protect seagrass meadows and enhance biodiversity resilience in the Arab Elise Marquis, Director of the Yas SeaWorld Research and Rescue Centre, emphasised the role of seagrass in supporting marine biodiversity and storing blue carbon. She noted the workshop's importance in building collaborative scientific networks, and in driving forward a new era of seagrass research and conservation in the CMS Secretariat highlighted the 2030 Seagrass Breakthrough Initiative, launched during COP28, as a global effort to protect seagrass habitats critical to migratory species such as dugongs and sea Abou-Atieh, Executive Coordinator of the CMS Office – Abu Dhabi, said the workshop supports greater regional collaboration to fill knowledge gaps and accelerate conservation progress, helping to ensure a sustainable future for marine life. The event reaffirmed the Yas SeaWorld Research and Rescue Centre's leading role in marine conservation and scientific research, advancing biodiversity protection efforts across the Arabian region.
Al Bawaba
06-05-2025
- Science
- Al Bawaba
The Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center and Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi Organize First Regional Seagrass Scientific Workshop
The Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center, the largest dedicated marine research, rescue, rehabilitation and return center in the region, recently hosted the first Arabian Regional Scientific Seagrass Workshop, organized in partnership with the Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi (EAD), the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS) – Dugong-MOU Secretariat and in presence of professor Emma Jackson, President of the World Seagrass Association. The event brought together leading marine researchers and environmental experts from United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, Jordan and Oman to spotlight the vital role of seagrass habitats in our Arabian coastal ecosystems, sharing the current status of seagrass research and knowledge in the region and discussing the way forward to improve the conservation of seagrass. Seagrasses are marine flowering plants found in coastal areas worldwide, providing vital ecosystem services such as oxygen production, sediment stabilization, blue carbon sequestration, and essential habitat for numerous marine organisms, including migratory species like dugongs and sea turtles. For example, with nearly four percent of the world's seagrass, Abu Dhabi's shores are home to a large population of the vulnerable species of dugongs, commonly known as sea cows, relying almost exclusively on seagrass, with adults consuming up to 40 kg a their importance, seagrass meadows have been declining globally at an alarming rate of 110 km2 per year since 1980 due to significant global and local threats (coastal development and marine heatwaves for example). This workshop highlighted the urgent need to address any knowledge gaps and promote scientific-based conservation strategies. It served as a platform for knowledge exchange, enabling regional scientists to share insights on the current state of seagrass research, identify critical research priorities and foster collaborations aimed at advancing conservation efforts across the region. It also strengthened sustainable research partnerships that support ongoing scientific dialogue and advance initiatives to preserve these vital ecosystems in the Arab Al Hashmi, Executive Director of the Terrestrial and Marine Biodiversity Sector from EAD said: "The Environment Agency – Abu Dhabi commits to collaborate with local, regional and international partners to develop tools to protect our marine ecosystems, including the use of artificial intelligence and advanced monitoring technologies, to enhance our understanding and protection of seagrass meadows across the Arab region, given their importance in conserving biodiversity and sequestering carbon, thus enhancing the resilience of our coastal ecosystems. This regional workshop marks a significant step toward strengthening scientific collaboration and sharing expertise to ensure a sustainable future.'Dr. Elise Marquis, Director of the Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center, said, 'Seagrass meadows are not only vital for marine biodiversity, they also play a crucial role as blue carbon habitats. Through our dedicated seagrass research program, the Center is committed to advancing our understanding of seagrass ecosystems in the Arabian Gulf and the broader region. This workshop represents an important step toward initiating a dynamic, collaborative effort to enhance seagrass research. We are entering a new era of opportunities for seagrass conservation, and we are immensely proud to be actively instigating it.'CMS representatives highlighted the 2030 Seagrass Breakthrough Initiative, initiated at COP28, which aims to establish a global framework for seagrass conservation, which is a crucial habitat supporting migratory species such as dugongs and sea turtles. Ms. Rouba Abou-Atieh, Executive Coordinator of CMS Office – Abu Dhabi said, 'Seagrass ecosystems are vital for migratory species like dugongs and sea turtles, yet they remain under-researched and at risk. This workshop strengthens regional collaboration to bridge knowledge gaps and advance conservation. We hope this workshop will foster further collaboration within the Arabian region to advance the seagrass conservation agenda.' By hosting this event, the Yas SeaWorld Research & Rescue Center reaffirmed its pivotal role in supporting marine conservation efforts and strengthening partnerships that contribute to impactful scientific research, enhancing the protection of marine biodiversity in the region and ensuring its sustainability for future generations.
