Latest news with #GillianMartin
The National
8 hours ago
- Business
- The National
Renewables transition fund for Aberdeen oil workers launched
The Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund will allow applicants to access careers advice and funding for training to move into sectors like offshore and onshore wind, hydrogen and carbon capture. Around 200 workers in Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire are expected to benefit from the programme, helping them transition from the oil and gas industry into roles within the renewables sector as the push for Net Zero continues. READ MORE: Glasgow Commonwealth Games official mascot unveiled The programme will be delivered by Skills Development Scotland in collaboration with the UK Government's £900,000 Regional Skills Pilot for [[Aberdeen]] and [[Aberdeen]]shire, as well as receiving an extra £40,000 in funding from the Scottish Government. Cabinet Secretary for Climate Action and Energy Gillian Martin said: 'The North East has long been a titan in the oil and gas industry and the valuable expertise within our workforce must be at the heart of the transition to new fuels and sustainable energy. 'This new Oil and Gas Transition Training Fund will support offshore workers to take on roles in the sustainable energy sector and has been designed and developed by the Scottish Government, supported by funding from UK Government's Regional Skills Pilot for Aberdeen and Aberdeenshire, and will be delivered by Skills Development Scotland. 'I am determined to ensure a positive impact and powerful legacy of Scotland's clean energy revolution which benefits communities across the North East of the country.' READ MORE: Scottish community-owned island announces full boycott of Israel Skills Development Scotland chair Frank Mitchell said: 'Scotland's oil and gas workforce possesses a broad range of skills and experience which is vital to the continued growth of the renewable energy sector. 'The shift to sustainable energy generation and transmission represents a generational opportunity, and this funding will assist workers in making the most of their expertise in that growing sector. 'Our careers advisers are available for anyone who needs support in considering their options, or whether applying for the fund is right for them.' The fund covers retraining in renewables but does not cover "recertification" for existing skills or transport costs. Those wishing to apply can do so through the official website launched for the programme.
The National
12 hours ago
- Politics
- The National
Cabinet ministers pressure Keir Starmer to recognise Palestine
It comes as a delayed UN conference on Gaza and recognising Palestine as a state, co-chaired by France and Saudi Arabia, is set to take place in New York later this month. According to the Guardian, the Prime Minister is understood to have been urged by a number of senior ministers in different cabinet meetings over recent months that the UK should take a leading role in issuing recognition. READ MORE: Gillian Martin: Scotland has clean water, Labour have dirty politics The Labour Government has previously said it plans to formally acknowledge Palestine as part of a peace process, but only in conjunction with other western countries and "at the point of maximum impact", without elaborating on what that means. The Guardian reports "a growing sense of desperation and horror inside the Labour cabinet in recent weeks", particularly on Israel's killing of starving Palestinian civilians and its attacks on humanitarian agencies. One cabinet minister told the paper: 'We say that recognising Palestinian statehood is a really important symbol that you can only do once. But if not now, then when?' And in a Commons intervention on [[Gaza]] on Tuesday, Health Secretary Wes Streeting called for the recognition of [[Palestine]] "while there's still a state of [[Palestine]] left to recognise". He said: "I sincerely hope that the international community can come together, as the foreign secretary has been driving towards, to make sure that we see an end of this war but also that we recognise the state of Palestine while there is a state of Palestine left to recognise.' READ MORE: SNP call on Labour backbenchers to push for end to two-child cap The Labour Government has faced increasing pressure to recognise Palestine as a state by its own MPs, while the SNP have urged ministers to "stop the excuses" and heed the words of European allies. The comments came as French President Emmanuel Macron visited the UK earlier this month, where he said that recognising the state of Palestine was "the only path to peace".
The National
a day ago
- Politics
- The National
Scottish Water hits back at UK minister Steve Reed's pollution claim
Labour's Environment Secretary Steve Reed said in a Channel 4 interview last night that pollution levels in Scotland are 'worse than they are in England'. In response, Scotland's Climate Secretary Gillian Martin has written a letter hitting out at the 'misleading' comments and saying it is "clear that Scotland has a higher performance". But now, Scottish Water – the publicly owned utility company that provides water and wastewater services in Scotland – has also responded to Reed's comments. "Scottish Water is the UK's top performing water company and most trusted utility in the UK according to the Customer Service Institute,' a spokesperson told The National. READ MORE: 'Twinned with Epstein Island' sign put up at Donald Trump's Aberdeenshire golf course "In addition to producing world-class drinking water, the independent regulator, Sepa, says 87% of water bodies in Scotland are either good or excellent, the highest proportion ever.' They added: "The Cunliffe Report also makes clear that 'Scotland has a greater number of water bodies achieving 'good' status compared to England and Wales'" The final report from the Independent Water Commission led by Sir Jon Cunliffe was published this week. It found that 66% of Scotland's water bodies are of good ecological status compared with 16.1% in England and 29.9% in Wales. Although, the report does note that this is, in part, due to Scotland having a much lower population density.
Leader Live
a day ago
- Politics
- Leader Live
Environment Secretary urged to apologise for ‘misleading' Scottish water claims
Mr Reed came under fire after claiming that under publicly-owned Scottish Water 'pollution levels in Scotland are worse than they are in England'. The UK Government minister made the remarks to Channel 4 News as he dismissed calls for water services south of the border to be nationalised. Gillian Martin, the Scottish Government Secretary for Climate Action and Energy, said she was 'extremely disappointed' that Mr Reed had made the 'inaccurate and misleading comments regarding performance in Scotland' as he sought to 'dismiss out of hand the value of public ownership of a key asset like water'. She wrote to Mr Reed noting that Monday's report from the Independent Water Commission, led by Sir Jon Cunliffe, had found 66% of Scotland's water bodies to be of good ecological status, compared with 16.1% in England and 29.9% in Wales. And while she accepted the figures for the different countries were 'not calculated on the same basis', Ms Martin stated: 'It is clear that Scotland has a higher performance.' She insisted that 'much of the improvement' seen in water in Scotland was 'due to significant investment in the water industry to reduce pollution', which she said was driven by both Scottish Water and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa). My letter to UK Gov Minister Steve Reed asking him to retract his false statements about the condition of water in Scotland. IWC was able to report we're in a much better position than rUk with 87% 'high' or 'good' status. Public ownership works. — Gillian Martin (@GillianMSP) July 22, 2025 Ms Martin told the UK Environment Secretary: 'Your comments sought also to undermine the idea of public ownership in the minds of voters, yet this is clearly what the people of Scotland continue to want. 'Indeed, it is the very fact of that public ownership and control which has allowed us to keep water bills lower for people, compared to what people with privatised water supplies in England have to pay.' Noting that Sepa had found 87% of the Scottish water environment to be of 'high' of 'good' quality – up from 82% in 2014 – she insisted this was 'in part, due to water being a publicly-owned asset, allowing for investment without shareholder returns or the pressure to make profits'. The Scottish Government minister went on to tell Mr Reed: 'I am therefore asking that you acknowledge that your comments were inaccurate, that you apologise publicly for making them, and seek to correct them.' Sir Jon's review of water services south of the border did not explore renationalising water companies – with the Government at Westminster opposed to this despite demands from campaigners for a return to public ownership in England. Mr Reed however warned that nationalisation would cost £100 billion and would slow down efforts to cut pollution. The UK Government has been contacted for comment.
South Wales Argus
a day ago
- Politics
- South Wales Argus
Environment Secretary urged to apologise for ‘misleading' Scottish water claims
Mr Reed came under fire after claiming that under publicly-owned Scottish Water 'pollution levels in Scotland are worse than they are in England'. The UK Government minister made the remarks to Channel 4 News as he dismissed calls for water services south of the border to be nationalised. Scottish Climate Action and Energy Secretary Gillian Martin has written to Mr Reed, urging him to apologise (Andrew Milligan/PA) Gillian Martin, the Scottish Government Secretary for Climate Action and Energy, said she was 'extremely disappointed' that Mr Reed had made the 'inaccurate and misleading comments regarding performance in Scotland' as he sought to 'dismiss out of hand the value of public ownership of a key asset like water'. She wrote to Mr Reed noting that Monday's report from the Independent Water Commission, led by Sir Jon Cunliffe, had found 66% of Scotland's water bodies to be of good ecological status, compared with 16.1% in England and 29.9% in Wales. And while she accepted the figures for the different countries were 'not calculated on the same basis', Ms Martin stated: 'It is clear that Scotland has a higher performance.' She insisted that 'much of the improvement' seen in water in Scotland was 'due to significant investment in the water industry to reduce pollution', which she said was driven by both Scottish Water and the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (Sepa). My letter to UK Gov Minister Steve Reed asking him to retract his false statements about the condition of water in Scotland. IWC was able to report we're in a much better position than rUk with 87% 'high' or 'good' status. Public ownership works. — Gillian Martin (@GillianMSP) July 22, 2025 Ms Martin told the UK Environment Secretary: 'Your comments sought also to undermine the idea of public ownership in the minds of voters, yet this is clearly what the people of Scotland continue to want. 'Indeed, it is the very fact of that public ownership and control which has allowed us to keep water bills lower for people, compared to what people with privatised water supplies in England have to pay.' Noting that Sepa had found 87% of the Scottish water environment to be of 'high' of 'good' quality – up from 82% in 2014 – she insisted this was 'in part, due to water being a publicly-owned asset, allowing for investment without shareholder returns or the pressure to make profits'. The Scottish Government minister went on to tell Mr Reed: 'I am therefore asking that you acknowledge that your comments were inaccurate, that you apologise publicly for making them, and seek to correct them.' Sir Jon's review of water services south of the border did not explore renationalising water companies – with the Government at Westminster opposed to this despite demands from campaigners for a return to public ownership in England. Mr Reed however warned that nationalisation would cost £100 billion and would slow down efforts to cut pollution. The UK Government has been contacted for comment.
