25 Jan 2017

Official Scottish Government figures have today revealed that Scotland’s trade to the UK is four times the sum exported to the European internal market.

The figures show that, in 2015, Scotland’s trade with England, Wales and Northern Ireland amounted to £49.8 billion. This compared to £12.3 billion for the EU internal market.

The figures show that the USA is Scotland’s top international trading partner, with £4.6 billion exports.

Responding to the figures, Scottish Conservative Finance spokesman Murdo Fraser said:

“Once again, the facts are making it clear that our own Union of nations is Scotland’s essential union on which our prosperity depends.

“Europe is a vital market place for us too – which is why we want to see a comprehensive free trade deal with the EU following Brexit.

“But these figures show that to prioritise the EU market before our own Union – as the SNP wants – is absurd.

“Quite simply, thousands of jobs depend on our ability to trade within the UK without any barriers in our way.

“These are the Scottish Government’s own figures – which makes it all the more astonishing that the SNP is determined to ignore them by continuing its ideological pursuit of separation.

“The Nationalists would put jobs and trade at risk simply because they don’t like the United Kingdom.

“We have had it confirmed again: the UK is four times as important to Scotland as the EU in trade, and the SNP must recognise this immediately by ditching its unwanted and divisive plan for a second referendum on independence.”

The figures are available here:
http://news.gov.scot/news/scotlands-exports-increase

25 January 2017

The Green Party has responded to a report published today which reveals Europe is warming at a faster pace than the global average and faces multiple climate hazards [1].

The European Environment Agency report is the most comprehensive study of Europe’s vulnerability to climate change available [2]. It predicts Atlantic-facing countries will face heavier rainfalls, increased flood risk and more severe storm damage.

Jonathan Bartley, Green Party co-leader, said:

“Our environment is being destroyed all around us – our oceans and mountains, our wildlife and our homes are all under direct threat from climate extremes. As the planet races towards the 2C warming limit, we have two options as country. We can drag our feet and watch our environment suffer or we can move decisively away from the dirty, dangerous technology of the past by keeping fossil fuels in the ground and investing in renewables.

“Standing up to climate deniers has never been more important – even if they hold some of the most powerful positions in the world. The actions Donald Trump takes in the US will directly impact our lives in Europe.

“The EEA report makes for terrifying reading, but it’s also an opportunity for Europe to develop effective strategies for tackling greenhouse gas emissions and for Britain to step up and lead the way on transitioning to a zero carbon economy.”

Notes:

1.            https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/jan/25/europe-faces-droughts-floods-storms-climate-change-accelerates

2.           http://www.eea.europa.eu/highlights/climate-change-poses-increasingly-severe

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The guidance recommends children in nurseries and young people at university be taught when and how to wash and dry their hands, for example after going to the toilet and before preparing food, in order to prevent the spread of infections. Public Health England’s (PHE) educational resources, e-Bug and Germ Defence, are listed as two ways to promote better hygiene.

Young people living away from home for the first time should also be given information about how to care for themselves when they get an infection that will resolve itself over time, for example, a common cold or flu. They should be directed to 111, the NHS Choices website and local pharmacies if they need advice, the guidance says.

The guidance by NICE and PHE, is aimed at NHS organisations, local authorities and health and social care professionals so they can provide information to people in their care.

The guidance covers the correct use of antimicrobial medicines including that patients should not buy prescription-only antimicrobials online, share them with others or dispose of unused medicine down the sink. NICE also says that the public should be made aware about when it is appropriate to take antimicrobial medicines, and the risks associated with their overuse and misuse.

Professor Gillian Leng, deputy chief executive and director of health and social care at NICE, said:

Antimicrobial resistance is a problem that is happening now and will get worse without action at all levels so we must all play our part.

There are already common infections that are resistant to antimicrobials. Without sustained changes to the way we manage infections and protect these medicines, some routine medical procedures will become fatal.

Education is key to this issue, and that’s why we’ve made recommendations for a whole range of ages; from preschool settings to residential and day care settings for older people.

Paul Cosford, Medical Director Public Health England, said:

We all have a part to play in this battle against antimicrobial resistance to ensure that antimicrobial treatments do not become obsolete in the future. To stop the spread of infections and reduce resistance, good hand, respiratory and food hygiene and appropriate antimicrobial use are vital. As well as providing education and support resources we also encourage the public, healthcare workers and patients to sign up to be Antibiotic Guardians to make their pledge for how they’ll make better use of antibiotics.

Global estimates suggest that more than 700,000 people die every year from drug-resistant strains of common bacterial infections, HIV, TB and malaria.

If antimicrobial resistance continues to increase, this number could rise to 10 million a year by 2050, with people dying from ordinary infections, or from routine operations due to the risk of infection.

Professor Mark Baker, director of the centre for guidelines at NICE, said:

If antimicrobial resistance continues to increase, the consequences will be disastrous. It isn’t a problem we can tackle in isolation.

This is why our final guideline emphasises the need for a multi-pronged approach to tackling antimicrobial resistance. We must work together to fight this threat.

Professor Dame Sally Davies, Chief Medical Officer said:

We need to address the growing problem of drug-resistant infections as the global medicine cabinet is becoming increasingly bare. Preventing infections in the first place is key, and so is education on how to use antibitoics appropriately.

This guidance provides important information on how we can keep these important medicines working.

1. Public Health England exists to protect and improve the nation’s health and wellbeing, and reduce health inequalities. Twitter: @PHE_uk Facebook: www.facebook.com/PublicHealthEngland
2. Read the review on AMR (2014) Antimicrobial Resistance: Tackling a crisis for the health and wealth of nations.
3. Antimicrobial resistance is when a bacteria, virus or fungi can no longer be successfully treated by an antimicrobial medicine. It develops when we use these medicines inappropriately.
4. Read the guidance Antimicrobial stewardship: changing risk-related behaviours in the general population.
5. This new guidance complements antimicrobial stewardship.

Diane
Abbott MP, Labour’s Shadow Home Secretary, speaking after revelations that
confidential NHS patient data is being gathered by the Home Office to trace
suspected illegal immigrants, said:

“This
is unacceptable. We have already seen this government using schools to gather
immigration data on children. Now we find they are using the NHS in the same
way.

“Other public services should not be expected to cover for
this Tory Government’s cuts to the border agency. People could be
deterred from seeking medical care because they are worried their confidential
information might be passed on. This could do irreparable damage to the people
concerned and it may have public health implications. It should stop now.”