The Convener's Blog

Welfare Reform Bill

2012-01-23T12:17:00.000Z

The Welfare Reform Bill is once again back in the media spotlight as amendments are being debated in the House of Lords.

The Church of Scotland has given its backing to one particular amendment, proposed by Baroness Lister, Lord Hope of Kirkwood and the Rt Rev John Packer, the Bishop of Ripon and Leeds. The amendment has the support of a large number of organisations working with children, including Action for Children in Scotland, Banardo’s Scotland, One Parent Families Scotland, Citizens Advice Scotland, Scotland’s Commissioner for Children and Young People, Save the Children Scotland, Scottish Women’s Aid and many others.

We want to ensure that claimants wth a dependent child or children do not face sanctions if they are unable to access work or work related activity, or to sustain work, due to a lack of appropriate childcare. Most lone parents want to have the opportunity to combine paid work with the vital job of being a parent. We believe, however, that the Welfare Reform Bill fails to recognise that the required childcare infrastructure is lacking in many parts of the UK – particularly before school starts and after it finishes, and during school holidays – and is insufficient to meet the demands being made upon benefit claimants. There also continues to be a serious lack of childcare settings that are properly equipped - and have staff properly prepared to deal effectively and positively with – children having disabilities, learning/communication/behaviour challenges or a wide range of additional support needs.

We hope that this amendment will be considered today and are seeking assurances from the Government that they will think again about the impact of their current proposals.

Please keep all in the Government and House of Lords in your prayers as they continue to deliberate on these important issues.

Is anyone asking ‘Who is my neighbour?’ in the independence referendum debate?

2012-01-16T10:00:00.000Z

A week is certainly a long time in politics.

I was on the radio last week (http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/console/b0195lv1 Good Morning Scotland – 2hr12mins into the show) talking about the question of Scottish independence (an issue I should say the Church of Scotland has not and will not be taking sides on!).

My main points were:

This is an issue that is beyond politics and concerns the whole Scottish people, so it cannot be left to politicians alone, nor should we be focussing on process questions as the important ones.
We should be asking what kind of society do we want to live in? What is the vision that we want as a kind of society for all the people of Scotland to live in relationship with all its neighbours, both near and far.
Will change or status quo make any difference to the really important thinks, such as child poverty.
In the debate, politicians need to be informed by the reality of people’s lives on the streets, otherwise it will be an impoverished process. It will be enriched by involving all of Scotland’s people in a debate about the values that we want, and how we can reduce gross inequality.

I would be very interested to hear from blog readers what their take of last week’s events has been.

2011-12-23T14:57:00.000Z

I shall be having a wee break during the Christmas and New Year festivities therefore my blogging may be less frequent than normal. But look out for some post Christmas and pre New Year gems that may come tripping off my keyboard.

I wish everyone a very Happy Christmas and all the best for the coming New Year.

Homelessness kills

2011-12-21T11:35:00.000Z

The news that Homeless people die, on average, 30 years before their neighbours is shocking but no surprise. The mental and physical extremes experienced by those who sleep rough or whose address is no fixed abode cannot be under estimated. It’s not just the lack of a roof - it’s the lack of purpose, identity, place and belonging that grinds down the souls of those who have no-where to lay their heads each evening. Homelessness kills and it seems like the world is still walking on by.

There are those who do great things in support of those who are homeless, not just in material provision of beds and food, but in getting beside them and walking with them. The Salvation Army, the Church of Scotland’s Cross reach and many others from the voluntary and statutory sectors save the lives of homeless people every day, or at least prolong them a little anyway. But the solutions lie in a level of material and spiritual investment that none of us, government and citizens, seem yet ready to make.

It’s not just beds, food and a roof we need to find. We need to be willing to do whatever it takes to walk with these folk, no matter how chaotic their lives or the darkness of their past for as long as it takes to get them to place that means they believe again that they matter to their neighbour; that they are both loved and loveable. That will cost a lot but when human lives are at stake, it seems a small price to pay. For the other truth the survey showed is that the human life at stake could so easily be ours.

God Particles and the meaning of life

2011-12-15T15:35:00.000Z

It was with great interest I read that a senior physicist of Hadron Collider at CERN announced that there was evidence of the existence of the Higgs Boson- the particle that is thought to underpin the subatomic workings of nature. I find these kinds of scientific discoveries and advancements awe inspiring

There is one part of this story that I struggle with; the idea that Higgs Boson is somehow “The God Particle”, and more importantly the suggestion that if it is discovered in the next year as predicted, this will both prove “The Big Bang Theory” and in doing so disprove the hand of God in creation and ultimately God .

I feel this is reflective of the type of consumerism society that we live in, we want everything now and we want answers neatly wrapped up in a bow. There is no room for the unknown or the mysterious. Yet science itself rarely gives definitive answers, Newton´s Law of Gravity was corrected by Einstein’s. It is only what we know now – and knowing the physical facts rarely is enough to understand the meaning of that knowledge for all of life

Higgs himself said of the name, “It embarrasses me”, going on to state that he felt it to be a “misuse of terminology”; it being called “The God Particle” overstates the importance of the particle. If discovered it will still leave many questions unanswered;

Explanation is one thing, however experience and decision are others that are critical to how our lives are lived. Self - giving love is at the heart of the Christian faith, and knowing another human being does not focus on the amounts of chemical compounds we are undoubtedly made up of. My love for my family goes far beyond emotion and relies little on scientific knowledge, however immensely valuable that is. The material of faith remains rich and is not dependent on one discovery or another. Indeed seen through the lens of faith, the work of science is to be welcomed rather than feared, especially if it can be harnessed to improve the lives of those suffering the ravages of poverty and disease.

God is within and beyond any particles no matter how awe inspiring they may be.

Offensive behaviour and threatening communications

2011-12-13T14:02:00.000Z

We all want to see a Scotland that is free from hatred and bigotry. This will take time and effort, and the Offensive Behaviour and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill alone will not in itself be enough.

It will be locally led and locally delivered community initiatives that will drive social and cultural change. Churches, schools, charities, police and statutory agencies need to be at the heart of a national anti-sectarianism strategy. It is for the Scottish Government to facilitate co-ordination and agenda setting, with all stakeholders, and for a national strategy to be visionary, long-term and attract cross-party support. This issue is too important to be used to try to seek political advantage; once this Bill has finished its progress through Parliament, MSP’s from all parties need to work together on a programme of action to combat sectarianism.

We know that sectarian attitudes and behaviours are not only found at football matches, and we know that the tackling of sectarian attitudes and behaviours cannot only be through the criminal justice system. So how are our schools resourced to teach about and explore the issues behind bigotry? What are the most effective interventions? How can leadership – spiritual, political, local community and football role-models – express clearly that there is no place for intolerance in Scotland.

I warmly commend the important work that has already taken place funded by churches, football clubs, the Scottish Government, local authorities, the police and charitable groups. It therefore should be recognised that we are not starting from scratch, however, a more co-ordinated strategy, with appropriate leadership and which has broad support, could lead to meaningful change.

The Current Financial Crisis - People's Needs first

2011-12-09T12:29:00.001Z

The decisions facing David Cameron at 4am this morning cannot have been easy. He is pulled many ways and the choices he makes will always be the wrong one to some-one whose support he need. I understand why he chose in the end to exclude Britain from the next stage of negotiations but I am not convinced that it was the right choice.

It is time that European political leaders, including our own Prime Minister listened to the voice of the people who are protesting on the streets of many European countries. In a crisis situation – solidarity must prevail. It is time for more coherent economic governance, a closer political oversight over financial markets and a move towards a developed fiscal Union – no sustainable future will be found without it.

A global Financial Transaction Tax would be a step in the right direction. It limits financial speculation, redirects a small part of the gains from financial transactions to the needs of the people, particularly in the southern hemisphere and is supported by huge numbers of people – that the financiers don’t want it is not the issue; the people do.

The current crisis is an ethical crisis as well as a political one and the solutions European need to be based one ethical principles and values. For two years political leaders have attempted to address this crisis – none of them have worked. They have all been insufficient and unsustainable. They have done nothing to regain the trust of the people in the European Union and deal with its crisis economic management and governance. In reality every delay fuels the crisis and is costly.

Decisive action must be taken now. And a financial Transaction Tax would be a good start as it begins with a key first principle for politicians in a crisis; act together- focusing on the needs of the people.

2011-12-09T07:58:00.000Z

Alex Salmond in China: The First Minister Addresses The Central Party School

Alex Salmond recently addressed members of the Communist Party of China on the legacy of Adam Smith and its relevance to climate change. The speech coincides with the climate change summit at Durban and while neither have been front page news it is good to see Scotland’s First Minister giving prominence to the subject.

In his speech he encouraged other countries to share Scotland’s ambition to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases and pointed to moral and ethical reasons why we should do this: mainly that the burden on climate change falls most heavily on the poor. And he invokes Adam Smiths ‘Theory of Moral Sentiments’ (1759)to explain this:

”As we have no immediate experience of what other men feel, we can form no idea of the manner in which they are affected, but by conceiving what we ourselves should feel in the like situation. Though our brother is on the rack, as long as we ourselves are at our ease, our senses will never inform us of what he suffers. They never did, and never can, carry us beyond our own person, and it is by the imagination only that we can form any conception of what are his sensations.”

It is impressive that the First Minister can lecture the Chinese Communist Party on climate and great that we can take the global high ground. We have every right to feel proud of the Scottish Climate Change Act but the challenge is now to ensure that we put this into effect and ask everyone in Scotland, including departments of the Scottish Government how they can contribute to this vision. In particular, in the same week as Alex Salmond was giving his speech his ministerial colleagues were publishing proposals to increase expenditure on road construction in Scotland.

This continues the tradition of new road construction that has seen the M74 extension across the south side of Glasgow, new forth road bridges at Kincardine and at Queensferry and proposals to dual the A9 to Inverness. While this may make driving a little quicker it will almost certainly lead to an increase in traffic and emissions of CO2.

At the same time public transport in Scotland remains fragmented with incompatible ticketing and no real integration of buses, trains and other means of public transport, making journey complex and more expensive than they need to be. Investment in truly sustainable transport, walking and cycling, remains a pitiful proportion of the total.

The First Minister is preaching a great message but are his colleagues listening?

White Ribbon Campaign

2011-12-05T11:49:00.001Z

Are you a man and a member of a faith community who would like to contribute to ending violence against women? Are you looking for concrete ways to actually do something effective within your faith community and beyond? We have just the opportunity for you.

The Church of Scotland aims to form two men’s multifaith groups (one specifically for men under the age of 25) who share interest and commitment to the aims of the White Ribbon Campaign. These aims are to:

• Endorse and clearly state the vital role of non-perpetrating men in challenging and stopping violence against women

• Identify, create and promote opportunities for non-perpetrating men to be involved in the campaign to Stop Violence Against Women in Scotland

• Increase the capacity of men in Scotland to engage in the campaign to Stop Violence Against Women, through examination and dissemination of best practice from the UK and abroad

For more information about the White Ribbon Scotland Campaign, please visit their website at: http://www.whiteribbonscotland.org.uk/
Our specific goal is to work with these two multifaith groups to create an innovative plan of action within the unique context of faith communities. This is not an awareness raising campaign, but rather a think-tank with the goal of engaged activism that will make a difference in our respective communities.

The first meeting will be organized for early 2012. Please forward this to anyone you think would be interested. We need you to take action.

Nativity Plays

2011-12-02T16:44:00.001Z

One of the extra-ordinary thingsabout Christmas is the amazing creativity I see in school nativity plays – theretelling of a 2000 year old story in ways that remain fresh and new. It’s a reminder to me of how my faith is asmuch as 21^st Century faith as it is a 1^st Century onewith something to say about life and its living to everyone, no matter whatthey believe about God.

Which of course, is the point ofthings like nativity plays in schools. They are not evangelical opportunitiesbut a time when, through drama, the wisdom of one faith community can be sharedwith others of all and no faiths. In that sharing everyone is included. Those that don’t believe in the God bit canstill find something for themselves and their view of life, even if it is thatthey disagree with the idea that Jesus was God on earth.

Sadly, there are those who, becausethey take the view that there is no God, want everyone else to live in a worldwhere we can’t talk about God. They claim that they are excluded by Nativityplays when the truth is it they who are excluding themselves. Their view of inclusion is that if they don’tlike something, no one can enjoy it. Why is it that because they don’t wanttheir children to take part in a nativity play, my children shouldn’t either.Their view of exclusion is that everything, (except their view, should beexcluded in case they choose to be offended.

On that basis, we would say nothingabout anything in case someone disagreed with something we said. I don’t want that kind of world and neitherdid the baby in the manger who said we should love our enemies even at a costto ourselves.

Nuclear Weapons

2011-12-02T11:58:00.001Z

Last month a group from the World Council of Churches was meeting here in Scotland to discuss nuclear weapons.

The group, which was made up of policy experts and church leaders from around the world, including South Korea, Japan, Kenya, USA, Canada, Belgium, Switzerland as well as Britain, had come to meet in Scotland in recognition of the work that the Churches, civil society and the Government here have done in speaking out against nuclear weapons. Scotland is also in the unique position of having a Parliament, Government and general public opposed to nuclear weapons yet we have to host the Trident submarines on the Clyde. Speaking about the meeting Bruce Crawford MSP, Cabinet Secretary for Parliamentary Business and Government Strategy said:

“The Scottish Government remains firmly opposed to the possession, threat and use of nuclear weapons – and the Scottish Parliament has clearly voted against the UK Government’s plans for a new generation of these costly, unnecessary and immoral missiles.

“An independent Scotland would not have such weapons of mass destruction based in its waters. Until then, the Scottish Government is committed to building Scotland's role in international peace building, and I welcome the opportunity to meet with the World Council of Churches and to work with others to take this important agenda forward, with and for the people of Scotland.

“We must work together to maximise the opportunities for engaging with international partners on matters of peace, conflict resolution and nuclear disarmament.”

The UK Government has put off any discussion of Trident replacement until after the next election, yet campaigners fear that secretly the Government is already investing in the new technology for the design of new warheads and missiles.

Nuclear weapons are inherently evil, and their possession, threat of use, or use, are so terrifying that we should all continue to do our utmost to seek their ultimate abolition.

We in Scotland have been recognised by the World Council of Churches for our campaigns on the issue. I hope the group have been inspired by what they have seen here in their week, and that the Churches may continue to work internationally for peace and reconciliation. Scotland has the opportunity to show how we can lead on peace through education and awareness raising. I will be at Faslane to protest on 31 March, at an event organised by SCANA. Why don't you join me?

Sectarianism - looking to the future

2011-12-02T11:57:00.001Z

The much maligned Offensive Behaviour at Football and Threatening Communications (Scotland) Bill is in the final steps of its Parliamentary process. The focus of debate should now shift from whether this Bill is simply an example of gesture politics or about the dangers of unintended consequences of rushing legislation to what is it that we in Scotland can do to eradicate sectarian attitudes and behaviours.

That's why I am pleased that the Government is looking to tackle sectarianism with £3 million worth of new money towards local community projects that challenge bigotry and breaks down barriers.

The Moderator, Rt Rev David Arnott, has said: “We welcome the Scottish Government’s commitment to a long-term community-based approach to tackling sectarianism and we look forward to engaging with the Government to help make that happen.”

Once the hubbub and party politics surrounding this issue has gone away (after this Bill finishes its passage through the Scottish Parliament), it will be time for a whole range of organisations, statutory and voluntary, to work together to help each other address the problem of sectarianism. From the Scottish Government, the churches, police, schools, trades unions, local authorities and most importantly local communities and grassroots charities. Eradicating hatred in society won't be a change that will happen overnight, but it is one which is surely not only possible but a task for which is at the heart of the Church's mission to love and to serve.

Violence Against Women

2011-12-01T09:22:00.001Z

An important reminder that we are in the middle of the international 16 days of action against vioence against - 25 November - and runs until 10 December.

The Church and Society Council is in the process of preparing a report on domestic abuse for next year's General Assembly but the Church has also published some special resources to help congregations focus and reflect.

Special Starters for Sunday resources on the theme have been prepared.
The Guild have produced a prayer booklet to use on each of the 16 days.

Scottish Women's Aid have prepared special resources and a list of actions for faith groups.

Is the UK Government’s solar panel review FiT for purpose?

2011-11-22T09:08:00.001Z

The UK Government has shocked the renewable energy world by proposing to cut the subsidy for solar panels by 50%. The subsidy is provided in the form of a ‘Feed in Tariff’ or ‘FiT’ that is designed to encourage the installation of low carbon electricity generation on houses or others buildings, including churches. The scale of the cuts and their speed – they are due to come into effect on 12 December – has caused real consternation.

One of the reasons for the announcement is the success of the scheme, which has attracted far more interest than the government had expected. Churches have begun to take interest and this unhappy announcement coincided with the report of the Eco-Congregation Scotland solar panel conference at Partick South Church in Glasgow on 29 October. This conference brought together 120 representatives from churches around Scotland to discuss the pros and cons and of solar panels.

Speakers and participants agreed that solar panels might be useful in Scotland, despite our rather grey climate but firmly concluded that they only make sense as part of a ‘whole church’ energy management policy. The conference report encourages congregations to do the basics before considering solar panels: install draught proofing or secondary glazing. This would help improve the energy rating of the church, something the UK Government is also seeking to encourage in its consultation. Few churches have energy performance certificates and their introduction has been resisted some church authorities. However the UK Government is suggesting this could become a pre condition for the subsidy.

Others have criticised the UK government proposals. Housing associations have suggested that they are regressive and that they will destroy plans by social housing providers to install solar panels on housing in low income areas. Friends of the Earth in England are arguing the whole review is illegal because the haste with which it is being introduced and are mounting a legal challenge in the courts.

This is a lot to consider and we will be looking at the details closely. But it does say something about the inadequacy of the consultation. The UK Government has come up with some reasonable arguments about the subsidy but has managed to upset just about everybody in the process. At a time when government, churches and communities should be working together to respond to climate change the consultation risks driving us apart.

You can find out more about the ECS Solar Panel Conference and Review of FiT at:
www.ecocongregationscotland.org/events/solar-panels-in-church-buildings

Growing Pains?

2011-11-18T13:34:00.000Z

There has been considerable coverage of the announcement that the world’s population has crossed the 7 billion threshold for the first time.

On the back of this people have expressed their fears about what this means in terms of managing resources. One eminent scientist went so far as to suggest that families in Scotland should be limited to two children.

I don’t think that the question shouldn’t really about limiting the number of children; it should be about how much we humans consume, in terms of food, energy, water and other resources.

There is enough to go around, we just need to find a better way of sharing it with one another.

Reports from UN and elsewhere suggest this is possible but we will have to change the way we manage and share the earth’s resources to ensure there is enough for everybody.

We hide ethical issues of sharing behind the false god of economic growth. What we in affluent countries cannot do is continue to consume resources at the current wasteful rate.

For these reasons excessive consumption rather than excessive population is the real issue.

Occupy Edinburgh

2011-11-15T16:35:00.001Z

It was interesting to meet a couple of young men from the Occupy Edinburgh camp yesterday.

Pete Nicholson and Eric Nelson came along to the Church of Scotland offices in Edinburgh to give evidence to the Church of Scotland Commission on the Purposes of Economic Activity.

Although they’re located at opposite ends of Edinburgh’s George St, and their approaches quite different, it was gratifying to see just how much common ground there was between the two groups.

When we set up the Commission to look at the ethics underpinning the way we do economics, as part of the church’s response to the “credit crunch” of 2008/9, we took a lot of flack from people saying that, by the time it reported to the General Assembly in 2012, the whole thing would have blown over and we would be back to “business as usual”.

In many ways, that was the whole point: that we can’t just go back to business as usual, and the need to take a proper look at what we’re doing with economics has become more rather than less relevant.

Of course, Jesus reminds us that you can’t serve both God and money, and Paul identified the love of money as being at the root of all kinds of evil; these are themes which are echoed in what the Occupy Edinburgh protestors are saying.

We have to recognise again that economics and wealth are far too important for the church to ignore – and that they are about much more than simply money.

You can read about the Occupy Edinburgh visit to the Economics Commission at the Scotsman or watch a short news clip about it on STV News.

Prisoners' Week: 20-27 November

2011-11-10T09:22:00.000Z

Welcome home?

What’s it like for a prisoner getting ready to go home after a spell inside? Will they be welcomed? By their family - probably; by their community – maybe; by employers – less likely. How can we prepare for their return?

It’s in everyone’s interest to help them settle into community life – and help them to avoid re-offending – but support is needed. But this support can and is being given! Read about Frank and Brian’s stories.

Prisoners’ Week helps us to focus on how we can welcome ex-offenders home. It’s an opportunity to remember all in our communities who are affected by crime and imprisonment – prisoners and their families, the victims of crime and those who work within the Criminal Justice System.

It is an initiative of the Churches that encourages debate and interest about justice in our communities, highlights concerns and shares hope.

And you’re invited to come along and join in the debate. Prisoners' Week Question Time is on Monday 21 November, 7pm - 9pm, in St Matthew's Episcopal Church, 200 Balmore Road, Glasgow G22 6LJ.

If you can’t go to this event you can still watch live online.

Palestinian Christians

2011-11-09T10:25:00.001Z

I wrote yesterday about my visit last week to Israel and the Occupied Palestinian Territories.

When I was there I had dinner in an East Jerusalem restaurant with four young Palestinian Christian professional people who had agreed to tell me what life is like for them under occupation.

East Jerusalem is formerly part of Jordan, now subsumed within the Jerusalem municipal boundary. Palestinian residents have separate ID status there from the West Bank. They can travel in Israel, and in the West Bank, however they have only a resident’s ID and travel document, and are made to feel like illegal immigrants in their own country.
While Christians around the world romanticise about celebrating Easter in Jerusalem, these locals no longer go.

The prospect of having to negotiate four checkpoints manned by armed soldiers to get into the Old City is more than enough disincentive.

“This life is killing the Spirit”, says one.

“It is already dead”, says another.

These are people with Masters Degrees from Universities including Glasgow.

The question “Do I stay or do I leave?” is a daily reality – many of their friends have already gone.

They are aware that this is a privileged position, and that most young Palestinians don’t have a choice.

The first question a young man and woman ask one another is not very romantic: What is your ID status? Why fall in love with someone who is destined to be separated from you by a twenty foot concrete wall?

For information on conditions on the West Bank and East Jerusalem area go to the website of UN OCHA (the United Nations Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs).

Alcohol Bill and Minimum Pricing

2011-11-08T09:46:00.004Z

As we approach Christmas, adverts on TV are urging shoppers to stock up on alcohol in preparation for the festive season. Whilst some of us may enjoy a glass of something special at Christmas, or a dram to bring in the New Year, what about our drinking habits throughout the year? What of the drinking habits of our nation?

Last week, the Scottish Government introduced the Alcohol (Minimum Pricing) (Scotland) Bill to the Scottish Parliament. The Bill will introduce a minimum price of alcohol below which alcohol must not be sold on licensed premises. The Scottish Government hasn't revealed the minimum price that they are planning to introduce, but it will be set according to the strength of the alcohol, the volume of the alcohol and the minimum price per unit.

This isn't something that the Church has just supported in the heat of political debate; the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland discussed and supported the principle of minimum pricing in 1983, 1986 and 1987 and reaffirmed this position in 2009.

If an increase in the minimum price of alcohol will reduce consumption of alcohol and reduce the resulting problems for individuals and our society then it is not a case of penalising the majority in order to discourage the minority. This is a choice that we, as a society, could make in order to improve our collective health and wellbeing. That is why I will support the principle of the Scottish Government introducing a minimum price per unit of alcohol.

Visiting Israel and Palestine

2011-11-08T09:44:00.000Z

I spent last week in and around East Jerusalem and the Bethlehem area of the West Bank speaking to people about the current situation in the Palestinian Territories. I had hoped to go to Gaza but the permit did not materialise.

I have always been struck by the resilience of Palestinians I have met when they have spoken about life under occupation, however on this occasion I was aware just how tired many people have become following twenty years of negotiation that have resulted in things getting worse rather than better.

Hopes for a two state solution are strained, and the response to the Palestinian UNESCO application being approved, both by the US and Canada withdrawing aid and the Israeli withholding of Palestinian tax revenue, has caused huge frustration and distress.

As Israel continues to expand the building of settlements in East Jerusalem and in the West Bank, it is planning the forced relocation of twenty Bedouin and Herder communities into an urban setting, meaning the loss of their way of life as well as further displacement of what are already largely refugee communities.

Meanwhile the descriptions of life in Gaza are appalling, with the water supply polluted to the point of being poisonous.

As Christmas decorations start to go up across Scotland’s High Streets, life in Bethlehem is far from the glitter. Weariness and resignation are more in evidence than expectation.

For a good briefing on life in Gaza see the website of UN Office of the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

Is gambling too prevalent in society?

2011-11-07T11:29:00.001Z

In Britain the law around gambling is from Labour UK Government’s Gambling Act 2005. This Act was supposed to both liberalise gambling (including allowing advertising for the first time, and the establishment of new Las Vegas-style Mega Casinos) whilst at the same time introducing new protections for vulnerable players.

Has it worked? Well there is more gambling than before, but sadly there is also more problem gambling. So the industry has been liberalised but at the cost of addiction. We’ve not seen any new Mega Casinos opened, but despite this the explosion in online gambling has added its own misery.

It was revealing to read Culture Secretary Jeremy Hunt’s remarks to the Culture Media and Sport Select Committee that he thinks the laws are ‘inconsistent’ and in ‘limbo’ which is ‘not healthy’.

Here are some of my suggestions for how to improve the situation:

Government should address problem gambling as a public health issue, not as part of business regulation.
There should be stronger restrictions on gambling advertising
The levels of stakes and prizes for gaming machines should be reduced
Children should be prevented from playing on low value fruit machines
Local authorities should have the power to limit the number of gambling premises in a particular area if there is local concern that there are too many
Government should regularly monitor the prevalence of gambling and problem gambling and if it appears that problems are increasing they must do more to stop it.

The Church of Scotland works closely with a range of other Christian organisations on gambling policy. I will be asking them to write to Jeremy Hunt about how we can contribute for the benefit of everybody. Together we have produced a briefing on gambling issues, Against the odds…?

Robin Hood Tax

2011-11-07T11:07:00.001Z

The Church of Scotland is a member of the Robin Hood Tax campaign.

This campaign calls for a tiny charge of 0.05% on financial transactions such as stocks, bonds, foreign currency and derivatives. It is estimated that if it was introduced by countries across the world it could raise an extra £250billion per year, which could help bolster public services, increase aid to developing countries or help to mitigate the effects of climate change.

Last Monday I, along with representatives of about 70 other organisations, wrote to the Prime Minister ahead of the G20 meeting urging him to consider signing up.

So far the UK Government position has been to oppose the idea of a financial transaction tax, but the French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel are both in favour of it. We hope that the G20 meeting will be a crucial turning point and that if the UK Government gets behind it, it will sooner become a reality.

You can read a comment about how the G20 meeting went on Robin's blog.

H@ppy birthday email!

2011-10-27T14:29:00.000+01:00

I notice that that (nearly) indispensable tool of modern communication, the e-mail, is forty years old this month.

The first message, sent in October 1971, travelled a distance of one metre between two computers. One small step for a message, one giant leap for mankind.

By the end of the 1990s, e-mail had become an essential part of working life in many offices around the world. By 2008, 170 billion e-mails were being sent each day, at a rate of 2 million per second. It hasn’t stopped accelerating; by 2010, the daily rate was 294 billion. Now, many of us are constantly checking our e-mails: we have access to them wherever we are (or not, in the case of BlackBerry recently). We’ve come a long way in 40 years.

This got me thinking of another anniversary: going back ten times further in history, to 1611, it's 400 years this year since the King James (or Authorised) version of the Bible in English was published. While not the first translation of the Bible into English, what is now familiar to us- an everyday part of our lives, which we now perhaps take for granted- was at the time a revolutionary departure. One of the express intentions of translation project was to make the Bible accessible to the ordinary person.

We may not consult our Bibles as often as we do our e-mails: perhaps we would all benefit from doing so! We need to use all the means at our disposal to communicate the good news of the Gospel. The church still has a message- even if the ways of communicating it has changed.

Sea level rise in Tuvalu

2011-10-26T09:28:00.000+01:00

The news from Tuvalu is not good. A set of small islands in the distant South Pacific ocean, about as far from Scotland as it is possible to get on the surface of the earth are now at critical risk. Why? Because of a life threatening drought that has been added to the combination of a rising and warming sea which together are making life on these small islands inhospitable.

Why should this be of concern to us in Scotland with all the problems we have to worry about here? There are after all less than 12,000 people living on the islands of Tuvalu and there are others closer to hand, like New Zealand who can help out. I think the reason is a bit like the story of the canary in the coal mine. What is happening in Tuvalu is a wake up call to all of us.

When the climate changes and sea levels rise low lying places will be hit hardest and among the first to suffer are the atoll islands of the South Pacific. The reasons are not difficult to see when the highest point in the Tuvalu archipelago is less than five metres above sea level. A rising and warming sea, both caused by global warming, and a climate that appears to becoming drier spell trouble. The protective coral is bleached by warmer water and if damaged then the risk of storm damage increases; the islands’ limited supply of fresh water is reduced; ground water becomes more saline and a traditional way of life becomes more difficult.

The Church in Tuvalu, the Ekalesia Kelisiano Tuvalu has been warning of the risks for some time but now the risk has become a crisis due to a prolonged drought that has endured for months. I can do no better than quote from a message sent to us by the Rev. Tafue Lusama, General Secretary of the Church in Tuvalu a few days ago:

"… for the past 5 to 6 months there has been no rain at all, and that caused shortage of water, trees are dead, traditional plantations are all dead, land is so dry that even the crabs cannot survive.

"This is the worst experience of a drought we have ever faced in history.

Because even our underground water is salinated and is no longer viable for any use."

They have brought in desalination machines, but even that does not assist the land and the plantations for they only give out enough water for drinking and cooking for a family a day.

Tafue asks us to remember the people of Tuvalu in our prayers, which we will do. He is gracious in his plea for help and does not point the finger of accusation against those us who may be causing the misery that they must endure. But we can read in the experience of the people of Tuvalu the slow and inexorable pressure that makes the land less hospitable and the earth and sea less sustaining. Where Tuvalu is now suffering others will follow, and as the impact of climate change spreads many more will experience conditions that challenge life and wellbeing. In our own worries about the economy and our own prosperity we must find time to remember these distant islands and the warning call they make to all of us.

Priority Areas - really getting it right

2011-10-12T12:03:00.000+01:00

Harvey Cox, the eminent American academic and theologian visited Scotland recently.

Whilst he was here he was introduced to the Priority Areas work of the Church of Scotland and Bridging the Gap, a project I am deeply involved with in my day job as a parish minister in the Gorbals.

Harvey has written back to us on his journey home to Harvard, and he said:

“I think that even though many of those involved are not aware of it, the priorities areas project is on the frontier of a new and welcome stage in Christian history and in the maturing ministry of the church. The Church of Scotland, unlike many other denominations, is really getting this one right. I know full well how discouraging it can be at times for the people involved, but I came back convinced that the program is bodying forth a fuller vision of what the Church should be. If Bridging the Gap is not a sacramental token of what the Kingdom of God is, then I do not know what would be."

Wow. Praise from the praise worthy is praise indeed.

When we’re up tae oor oxters in work, meetings, committees, preparing sermons, worrying about finances and roof metal theft, this is inspiring and uplifting.

I have written this post not to blow the trumpet for Bridging the Gap on its own, but to share the inspiration and uplift with everyone else involved in our Priority Areas work, and to share with the whole Church of Scotland that it is at the cutting edge

Child Poverty and the growing distance between ambition and reality

2011-10-11T10:30:00.000+01:00

Headline news today was the publication of an Institute for Fiscal Studies (IFS) report Child and Working-Age Poverty from 2010 to 2010.

The IFS research says that child poverty rates are set to increase substantially, despite the Government’s child poverty strategy which sets targets for reducing child poverty.

We are members of the End Child Poverty campaign in Scotland. A spokesperson for the coalition of campaign groups, charities, faith groups and trade unions in Scotland said:

"This analysis by the IFS shows that the new Universal Credit being introduced by the UK government cannot reverse the impact of massive cuts to welfare benefits, rising inflation, stagnating wages and higher unemployment. In a rich country that already has shamefully high child poverty levels, this news is devastating. If allowed to happen, it will reverse the progress made over the past decade and set us back to the rapidly rising child poverty rates of the 1980s and 1990s."

We are calling on the UK Government to take immediate steps to reduce child poverty if it is going to stand any chance of honouring the commitments made in the Coalition Agreement.

The group is also called on the Scottish Government to do more to ensure the ambitions set out in its child poverty strategy are supported by its budget decisions.

The importance of giving children the best start in life is underlined by our report from 2009 on Growing Up in Scotland.

Are computer games good for you?

2011-10-07T09:55:00.000+01:00

Since the days of the early computer games of pong, pacman and space invaders through to today's craze with MMO (massively mulitplayer online) games such as World of Warcraft, parents across the globe have despaired that children are wasting their lives on pointless rubbish.

But how would you feel if computer games could have a social good?

Perhaps as confused as me when I saw this article which says how online gamers have helped with an important breakthrough in understanding how the HIV virus works, and so helping research towards more effective treatment.

This form of collective working on a common project through the Internet is called crowd-sourcing, and it is beginning to be used in a number of different fields, from film reviews to the scrutiny of academic papers. Maybe one day we will even do a crowd sourced report for the General Assembly's Blue Book.

The Church of Scotland supports work around HIV AIDS through the HIV AIDS Programme.

The Internet is a tool, and can be used for good or ill. We published earlier this year a major report on the ethics of the Internet which you can read here.

Out of solitary places

2011-10-06T09:41:00.000+01:00

Mental health and suicide were two of the issues which the Church and Society Council raised at the General Assembly earlier this year.

Two news stories last week have caught my attention and brought be back to look again at the reflections in our reports.

The first is the news of the publication in English of Robert Enke's biography.
Enke was a successful German club goalkeeper, a married father. He suffered from depression and killed himself in 2009. Sadly this is not an unknown story, but Enke's fame, success and celebrity status has meant that a spotlight has been thrown on suicide, and what might be done to support people in desperate need of help.

Suicide is the number one cause of death in young men in Scotland. Our report recommended the play 'Dare 2 Hope' from Cutting Edge Theatre Productions, designed for schools, which helps young people to explore some of these issues.

The second news story was about the increased use of anti depressant drugs as a treatment for mental health issues in Scotland.
This just goes to show that mental health problems remain an important and growing issue of concern. Our report tried to shed some light on this and suggested that local congregations agree a policy or charter for how they approach the issue.

When thinking about mental health issues I often recall the Bible story of Jesus healing the man known as Legion, a man cast out of normal society and tormented by his inner demons (Mark 5: 1-9). Healing is not always an easy process, but by understanding why people become ill and accepting them in society rather than ostracising them is an important way we can demonstrate love and compassion.

Bold action to tackle alcohol misuse

2011-10-04T14:28:00.001+01:00

A year ago Holyrood was debating the Alcohol Bill.

One of its key provisions, for a minimum price per unit of alcohol, was removed by MSPs before the final vote.

An outcome of the SNP’s re-election means they can reintroduce this measure, and their majority means it is almost certain to become law.

The Church of Scotland fully supports the Government on this, or rather I could say that the Government is in line with the Church, as we first called for a minimum price per unit of alcohol way back in the early 1980s.

We need radical action, as despite years of talk about education programmes and attitudinal change, as a nation Scotland has a deeply troubling relationship with alcohol.

I read last week that Professor Tim Stockwell of the Centre for Addictions Research in British Columbia, Canada, had urged MSPs to transform alcohol policy by introducing minimum pricing. His research shows that minimum pricing has worked in Canada where there has been a fall in the level of drinking.
Critics of minimum pricing claim it is no ‘magic bullet’ that it alone will solve all alcohol-related problems. Any reasonable person would likely agree. But the thing is minimum pricing is not being introduced by itself, but as part of broader Government and voluntary initiatives, including NHS health living campaigns, education in schools, AA groups and abstinence campaigns. However all these other programmes are not enough, we need to try everything we can or the costs of alcohol misuse will continue to grow.

So I am interested in debating the merits of the plan revealed in last week's Herald (sorry no link) to have separate queues and tills in supermarkets for alcohol, and putting a rateable levy on supermarkets based on alcohol sales (currently supermarkets are only taxed on the size of their shop floor).

The Herald article quotes an unnamed source from the Scottish Retail Consortium: “Demonising alcohol is not the answer.” I say, “Yes, it is”. Alcohol has been demonising our neighbours for too long, we need to make excessive drinking socially unacceptable.

People First - my thoughts

2011-10-01T19:59:00.002+01:00

Today I was at the People First march and rally in Glasgow. The heavy rain meant the rally was curtailed, and I wasn't able to speak - but here is what I would have said!

I’m happy to be able to speak for the Moderator today –

because he agrees with me

that when the rich go on getting richer,

and the poor go on getting poorer,

and nothing – nothing in government policy

is designed to change that, to make

any difference at all –

it’s time for people from churches

to stand beside people from unions,

to stand beside people from disability groups,

to stand beside people from right across Scotland

and say that this is an offence

against the kind of society

that we want to be part of.

To be as the old Testament prophets who stood up and named what was wrong ;

Challenged injustice,

And called

No demanded

that those in power

Put others first

Some people, of course, think they come first.

Because of their wealth

Their status

Their position

Or their antecedents

And the deep desire of these people

is – at all times and at all cost

to anyone else – to stay first.

That’s why we have a body of millionaires

making up the Cabinet,

trying to get their own taxes cut

and telling us that we can’t afford

poor people.

The Bible get a lot of stick these days,

but let me tell you now what the Bible says:

It says that when there are resources to be shared out,

everyone should get enough. Everyone should

get enough, and everyone can get enough.

We’re told there’s no choice

about which direction to go in.

And of course they’re quite right,

the government.

If things are to stay the same –

the same inequality,

the same winners,

the same losers,

the same lack of values,

the same lack of compassion,

the same holding on to weapons of mass murder,

the same refusal by the wealthy

to pay a decent share of tax,

the same lack of political will and imagination….

If all these things are to stay the same

then we’ve no choice.

But today we exercise choice – the choice

to say no to the same old, same old,

business as usual.

Today we say it is time to make other choices,

it is time to put some other people first.

All over Scotland

The nation of which we are all part

Whatever our roots and our beliefs

there are young people who believe

that our society has nothing for them –

no respect, no decent work, no hope, no future.

It really is time to put them first.

All over Scotland there are people

Some of who are here today ,

who have already felt the sharp edge of cuts –

transport services to disabled people taken away,

to save a fraction of a banker’s bonus.

It really is time to put them first too.

If the Moderator was here he’d tell you

that these are the very people

who should get a fair deal,

because right now they are last,

and what Jesus says in the Bible

is that the last shall be first.

The way they get to be first

is that we stop living as though

there was no alternative

and make the changes that are needed

to prioritise the poorest.

Scotland has a proud record

of caring for all of its people.

We need to call on that pride today,

and say that we will not cease

in our efforts, until we have

a change that puts people first –

that puts all of our people first,

and the ideology of market forces last.

What we have now is not rational,

it is deeply irrational to have an

economy in which the only thing

that is growing is inequality. And

it is deeply irrational to have some

with all the opportunity and others

with none.

It’s time for those with the power

to change our political priorities

to rediscover the morality that

needs to underpin our society, and

to say no to the ideological cuts

that are doing such terrible damage

to the most vulnerable people

in it.

On behalf of the Moderator

I thank you for listening, and

thank you for coming.

People First

2011-09-26T10:31:00.001+01:00

Next Saturday, October 1st, I will be speaking at the People First rally in Glasgow.

The event is co-ordinated by the Scottish Trade Union Congress and is supported by a wide range of civil society organisations including faith groups and equality and anti poverty campaigners.

There will be a march from Glasgow Green at 12 noon and the rally in Kelvingrove Park will be from 1.30 to 3.00pm

After the rally the Close the Gap campaign will be having a lauch event at Anderston Parish Church from 3.30-4.30pm

I hope that this day will be a chance for community organisations and social welfare groups to come together to show solidarity with one another and to raise the profile of the impact that cuts will have on the must vulnerable in society.

As I said, I will have the privilege of being able to speak at the rally. I would welcome your suggestions for things I should say.

Scottish Government – September 2011 Spending Review

2011-09-21T17:00:00.000+01:00

Today John Swinney MSP made a statement in Holyrood on the Scottish Government’s Spending Review.

Now I’m not a financial expert and it is far too much detail to take in straight away, so here is my first gut reaction.

What I think is interesting

In his statement Mr Swinney also talked about how bold he wanted to be in terms of preventative spending. In 2011 the General Assembly urged the Government to consider the opportunities created for young people by adopting a preventative spending model when setting education budgets. Support for Family Nurse Partnerships and commitment to a Reducing Reoffending Change Fund are exciting developments.

It is also important to recognise the increase in the Scottish Living Wage to £7.20 per hour. The Church of Scotland supports the Living Wage as one way to help tackle in-work poverty.

The aspiration of the Government to care for the earth, through prioritising a move towards a low carbon economy, is to be welcomed. More investment in renewable energy so we can play our part in global efforts to properly steward resources is also welcome.

The announcement of £3million for new work to tackle sectarianism is also an important way the Government can enhance and complement the work that we are doing in Churches and communities across Scotland.

Issues of fuel poverty have hit the headlines recently and we are pleased to see that the Government has responded to this growing need with several programmes intended to tackle fuel poverty. It is to be hoped that the Government will take action to ensure that these funds are accessible to people in the private rented sector.

What I am sorry not to see in there

There seems to me no substantive discussion of poverty. I sincerely hope that the omission of strategies and initiatives specifically to tackle poverty are not a sign that the Government is abandoning its commitments to work to help those in our society in greatest need.

Poverty is a real problem for a huge proportion of people in Scotland, yet this crucial statement about the future direction of Government funding for the next three years does not address it seriously as a problem.

By having a ‘relentless focus on economic growth’ (their words) is the Government suggesting that they won’t be focusing on anti-poverty work?

This looks as though the Scottish Government is avoiding some of the difficult questions of inequality and the distribution of wealth in Scotland today. It is not enough simply to create wealth through economic growth and be blind to the consequences. We have to be far more sensitive to how wealth is distributed and the destructive impact greater wealth can have on communities and the environment.

For instance, talking about growing Scotland’s transport infrastructure through supporting a new Forth bridge and the Aberdeen bypass does little to tackle the growing carbon emissions from the transport sector.

In 2010 the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland called on the Government to recognise the destructive impact of inequality on the wellbeing of all, the disproportionate impact of cuts in services on the poorest, and therefore to poverty proof all budget decisions.

The focus of budgets and spending reviews should not just be a list of financial announcements but demonstrating a deep understanding that the economy is there to serve society, and not the other way around.

Afghanistan; why we need to withdraw troops today

2011-09-20T14:04:00.000+01:00

In May the General Assembly voted to oppose the continuation of the war in Afghanistan and called on the Government to take the immediate steps required to secure the earliest possible withdrawal.

I am repeating this call in advance of tomorrow, 21 September, which is the UN International Day for Peace and the World Council of Churches International Day of Prayer for Peace.

World Council of Churches - 21 September is the
International Day of Prayer for Peace

By working with Church partners from other traditions, including Anglicans, Catholics and Quakers, we assessed the war in Afghanistan against the criteria for a Just War, which many Christians have used for centuries when considering a response to the use of armed force.

We found that the war in Afghanistan cannot be supported.

The Just War tradition requires a series of criteria to be met:

Is the war legitimate, or, is the war permitted by the right authority?

There are two aspects of the war. One is the International Security and Assistance Force (ISAF), set up under a UN mandate which is designed to support the Afghan National Army and police. The second is Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF), which aims to eradicate Al Qaeda and defeat the Taliban. The report concluded that while the ISAF mission could be considered legitimate, the OEF aspect is no longer tenable, as there is no direct threat to our own security and the UN has not given any explicit authorisation for OEF.

Is there a reasonable hope of success?

What does success in the context of the war in Afghanistan look like? Conservative MP John Glen asked in the House of Commons:

"By what measure will we gauge our success? Does it mean free and democratic elections? The removal of corruption? A well-trained and effective army and police force, new roads, new schools, rights for women? Where does the list end and what is realistic? There are many who argue that British and other foreign presence in Afghanistan is a cause for the continuation of violence and insecurity. It also makes Britain a terrorist target. This is why we have called for withdrawal as soon as possible."

Does the harm caused by the war outweigh the harm it prevents?

More than 2000 civilians a year are killed in the conflict. Lives lost which would not be lost if the war wasn’t taking place. It is sometimes argued that the presence of the NATO troops is essential to protect the rights of women. Recent laws passed by the Afghanistan parliament legalise rape within marriage. Sonali Kolhatkar who co-directs the Afghan Women’s Mission (a US based non-profit organisation that supports women’s rights activist in Afghanistan) explains:

"There are incidents happening every day in Afghanistan of women and girls being harassed and raped, flogged and killed by pro-US warlords and local commanders who are not working with the Taliban – such incidents are rarely covered in the Western media. Afghan women activists I work with have long called for US forces to leave Afghanistan."

Are non-combatants protected from violence?

The extended information now available through Wikileaks paints a picture of considerable death and injury caused to civilians and non-combatants and chronicles over 20 separate occasions when British troops are said to have bombed or shot Afghan civilians – identifying at least 26 people killed and another 20 wounded as a result. According to The Observer, (26 September 2010), no British soldier has been prosecuted in relations to operations in Afghanistan. A report in September 2010 by the Afghanistan Study Group, a reputable and specialist US organisation, said that ‘many more civilian deaths have occurred than have been officially acknowledged as a result of US and allied strike accidents’.

The use of drones in particular raises concerns as to whether the methods being used adequately take into account the likelihood of casualties among or the duty to protect them. John Baron MP (Con), a former army officer, in a speech in September 2010, expressed the view that ‘high civilian casualty rates exponentially increase hostility. They might not force Afghans actively to support the Taliban but it will certainly stop them opposing anyone who wants to kill those who have killed their loved ones.’ Non-combatant immunity is fundamental to the just war theory. The huge loss of civilian lives, regardless of whether they were directly or indirectly intended, undermines any justification of the war.

Read the full report.

This video is an introduction to the report from Norman Shanks, one of the authors.

Read the response of the Ministry of Defence and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office to the report.

Paying tax is good for us

2011-09-19T15:59:00.001+01:00

Last week a petition was launched to change the term ‘Income Tax’ to ‘Social Investment Payment’.

The petition, which anyone can sign on the epetitions website, says:

We need to change the way we think about income tax. For too long it has been seen as a necessary evil, a portion of our incomes which we part with reluctantly. Rather, paying tax is a good thing. Through it we contribute towards an incredible range of services and facilities which we could never otherwise afford: schools, hospitals, transport systems, sporting facilities, theatres and art galleries, street lighting, parks, community centres – the list goes on. Now is the time to start changing the way we think about our contribution towards the cost of these services and facilities, and use the term 'Social Investment Payment' rather than 'income tax'.

The Herald included a comment about this in today's edition which commended the petition.

I fully agree with this petition – we should pay tax with pride, and see it not as a penalty but as a contribution from those who have been blessed to help those less fortunate than themselves.

If you love your neighbour, if you value your public services, if you want to know that there is a social safety net for those who need it, think again about tax, and sign the petition!

Homelessness - we need your stories and ideas

2011-09-16T09:29:00.000+01:00

The Scottish Government has a target that by 31 December 2012, all unintentionally homeless households will be entitled to permanent accommodation. This is a change from the current situation where only households that are deemed to be in ‘priority need’ are entitled to permanent accommodation.

Progress has been made since the target was set nearly 10 years ago. By June around 87% of unintentionally homeless people were being assessed as ‘priority need’. Some parts of the country like Dundee and Orkney have already reached the target, but others still have some way to go.

This is why we are working with Scottish Churches Housing Action to see if we can find what more needs to be done in order that the target is reached. Given the scale of financial pressures, many now think it is unlikely that the target will be reached by the end of next year – but we want to play our part in making sure it is achieved as soon as possible.

We’ll be reporting more on this at next year’s General Assembly. To help us with this report we need your help. We are looking for examples of local church projects which work with homeless people. If your church is involved, for instance by hosting a night shelter, raising funds, offering a drop-in facility or something else then we would be pleased to hear from you – email churchandsociety@cofscotland.org.uk

On 30 September we are holding a conference in Edinburgh with Scottish Churches Housing Action to look at the policy issues in more detail. We are hoping a range of people will be there, from local and national government, churches, housing associations and homelessness charities. There are still a few places left, if you would like to find out more, download the flyer which has information about the timetable and how to register.

Time or money? Growing up in Britian today

2011-09-15T13:38:00.000+01:00

Yesterday’s report from UNICEF reminds us again about the importance of getting our priorities in the right order.

Family life, sharing time and laughter together, living

happily – these things cannot be bought in the shopping centre or through the internet.

So why does Britain seem to do so badly in these international comparisons? What is it that is ‘wrong’ with our society? Depending on where you sit on the political spectrum I imagine there will be a variety of different answers.

One of the most convincing arguments I have seen is those put forward by Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett in their book ‘The Spirit Level: Why More Equal Societies Almost Always Do Better’. In a nutshell, their argument is that societies where income difference between the poorest and richest is small have better social outcomes for all social groups on a range of indicators, from academic attainment to happiness and well-being. Britain is a relatively unequal society, and it is relatively unhappy, and has a fair slice of social problems from knife crime to our relationship with alcohol and drugs and so on.

What can be done? From a policy-makers perspective it is surely important to focus on making our society a more equal place to live.

But as individuals, we need to take stock and think about the things that we really need to cherish – love, life, friends and family.

St Irenaeus said that the Glory of God is reflected in a human being fully alive. We are called to a full, abundant life (John 10:10). Far better to share with others rather than struggling to accumulate wealth or compensate our loved ones with gifts for our failures to be there for them.

We reported on what it means to Grow Up in Scotland in 2009. We asked children, young people and adults what can churches do to help.

Children's responses included:

(a) Provide clubs and outings
(b) Encourage children to come to Church
(c) More fundraising projects for charity (like people in poverty)
(d) Summer Sunday School

Young people's responses included:

(a) Charity work
(b) Got to combat trend where one goes to Church as kid and then grows out of it.
(c) Fairtrade groups within schools
(d) Charity work – unique position with volunteers and fundraising
(e) Challenge dogged traditionalism which is very intolerant and dismissive of children

Adult responses included:

(a) Help create community
(b) Affirm people's real, honest experience
(c) Make sermons less boring
(d) Provide appropriate activities and improve quality of religious education
(e) Prophetic voice
(f) Enable young and old to listen to each other
(g) Listen, beyond paying lip service
(h) Make safe places for young people to hang out and ask questions

What is your church doing?

The Arms Trade

2011-09-13T16:54:00.000+01:00

Today in London the Defence and Security Equipment International arms fair opened its doors.

I wrote about Britain's role in the arms trade business in today's Scotsman, and I have reproduced my article below.

I also spoke about this issue on this morning's Good Morning Scotland programme on BBC Radio Scotland as the 'thought for the day. You can hear this on the iPlayer website for the next week (at 1:22:40).

Selling arms to our allies so they can defend themselves is one thing; making fortunes out of the misery of countless millions is another. The government is entrusted with the task of drawing a line between the two. Both the previous Labour government and the coalition have failed to do this.

I cannot accept the idea that an economy which relies on the production of life-denying equipment is healthy. It is perverse that the government should support and promote weapons production and distribution.

The British government has for years tried to manipulate global trade and politics by promoting arms sales to despotic regimes. Our taxes are going to support a war-mongering effort through the Defence and Security Organisation (DSO). This wing of UK Trade and Investment pushes the selling of armaments to many governments with appalling human rights records. It must be remembered that Britain was selling arms to Gaddafi's Libya in February and in March we were launching air strikes against the regime.

We need to ask why we allow the government use our money to support an arms trade system that sacrifices the lives and livelihoods of innocents overseas – and for what? A bigger profit margin, bigger bonuses and bigger shareholder dividend for fat-cat investors and executives.

The DSO must be closed and its operations cease. The subsidy it spends to support arms sales should be used for the common good. The Stockholm International Peace Research Institute estimates that the cost to the taxpayer of arms subsidies is £700 million a year. Other investigations show British arms sales to the Middle East are up 27 per cent on last year.

The arms trade can corrupt moral and financial judgment, and adds immeasurably to the anguish, pain and poverty of us all, especially the powerless. The Church is called to work for peace in the world that is founded on love and justice, not a balance of fear. Britain controls too much of the global arms trade; there must be other ways to influence the world for the better.

Carbon emissions targets and caring for creation

2011-09-09T15:43:00.000+01:00

It’s coming round to that time of year again when getting the fire going and cranking up the central heating seems like an ideal plan - particularly on days like today when the warmth of summer feels like a distant memory! According to a news report this week, last years cold snap saw greenhouse gas emissions in Scotland increase by 9% as people endeavoured to keep warm at home in the Arctic winter conditions we were experiencing.

This rise in emissions was in sharp contrast to previous years, where the output of greenhouse gases in Scotland have been recorded as steadily declining, keeping us on track to meeting the Scottish Government’s target of a 42% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.

Climate change is something which we as a Church are wholeheartedly committed to tackling, and these reports show that we still have considerable work to do. At our General Assembly in 2009 we noted the serious damage the effects of climate change are having not just to our natural environment, but also on the lives of those people trapped in the grip of poverty.

I mentioned in an earlier blog post that we are presently in “Creation Time” – a period set apart to allow us to reflect on the way we care for environment. Now seems a good a time as any then to remind ourselves that, in the words of Psalm 24:

“The earth is the Lord's and all that is in it, the world and those who live in it.”

This is God’s Earth. From the highest mountain to the deepest ocean – all things belong God. We are the stewards of this magnificent creation, a role which we all too often neglect. Creation Time presents a good opportunity for you and your Church to reflect on the contribution you are making to halting this increase of damaging greenhouse gas emissions we seeing in Scotland.

The Church of Scotland supports the ecumenical movement Eco-Congregation Scotland. It exists to help congregations link environmental issues to their faith and take action in their church and local community. Environmental protection is an important principle, but it is something that needs to be practically outworked in the way we use our resources and buildings etc. If you find you’re struggling to make the step from principle to practice then can I urge you to get in contact with our sisters and brothers at Eco-Congregations, they’d be delighted to assist you in any way they can as we journey together to conserve this beautiful, God-given world in which we live.

Zambia, and how the love of money harms society

2011-09-08T14:56:00.000+01:00

Tax evasion by a mining company in Zambia has come to my attention this week. Zambia is an African nation blessed with many natural resources and a country where we as a Church gladly serve as part of our World Mission work. Managed well the revenue generated from the extraction and sale of the abundant natural resources could be, potentially, a great source of income for Zambia. However, this has not been the case. These mineral reserves have been a curse for the majority of the population meaning poverty for most, in the midst of plenty - for some.

This issue has come to a head this year in light of elections which will be taking place across Zambia later this month. There is not much ideologically that separates the main parties, politics here tend to have more to do with personalities. However, the use of the county’s natural resources is in issue which engages all parties. The key concern is this: that mining multi-nationals are being accused of a lack of financial and fiscal transparency, violating the human rights of their employees and showing a disregard for the environment.

One multi-national operating in Zambia in particular has hit the headlines this year: Mopani Copper Mines, one of Zambia’s biggest producers of copper and cobalt. It has been reported that Mopani ‘sold’ its Zambian copper and cobalt at a price lower than that set by the London Metal Exchange to its Swiss parent company, Glencore. Glencore hedged and then sold on the copper when the price was higher so as to maximize profits. Between 2003 and 2008 it is reckoned $700m was made in this way. According to World Trade Organisation (WTO) figures in 2008, over half of Zambia’s copper production was ‘exported’ to Switzerland. Cobalt received the same treatment. Moreover, you may also be interested to hear that Mopani received 48m Euros in early 2005 from the European Investment Bank (EIB) to help contribute to sustainable development in Zambia. This funding has since been stopped.

There is a Memorandum of Understanding with the Zambian Government which gives Mopani a number of tax reduction and exemptions. Yet still Mopani claims to make no profit further reducing its fiscal obligations. A recent audit reported Mopani resorted to the following ploys to evade taxation in Zambia:

Overestimating the costs of mining and extraction
Underestimating the volume of production
Price-fixing and avoiding competition.

Aside from violating good practice in line with OECD guidelines the more important issue is that the greed of this multi-national company has prevented huge sums of money from being re-invested into Zambia, thus keeping Zambia poor.

Jesus tells a story about the fruits of such shameless greed: the parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12: 13-21). A man stores all his earthly treasures up in barns, and when these barns are full he tears them down to build bigger ones. He flatters himself and is overjoyed at all he has made, at just how rich he has become: “it’s all mine!” He plans early retirement and on spending the rest of his life taking it easy. The message for this man from God is clear-cut: “You fool.” This is how it is with those who pile up riches for themselves but are not rich in God’s sight – the treasure they store up here for themselves will not last. There is no space for greed in God’s kingdom.

Being rich in God’s sight is far more important than any profit margin, revenue level or tax-evasion scheme we could ever dream of devising. For Christians this richness means loving God and living for Him. The Bible, God’s word for us to live by, demands that we do all we can to alleviate poverty. So I ask that you join with me in praying for the people of Zambia as they go to the polling stations on the 20th September. That the government they choose to elect would take a bold stance against the greed of multi-national co-operations whose conduct would have Zambians remain in the grip of poverty.

You can also take a stand against tax evasion by following this link to a Christian Aid petition: http://www.christianaid.org.uk/ActNow/trace-the-tax/

Further links on this issue:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/apr/17/glencore-denies-copper-tax-allegations

http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2011/jun/07/glencore-rebuff-zambia-unpaid-tax?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/8e968330-8c3b-11e0-b1c8-00144feab49a.html#axzz1XBQnsl4j

http://www.actionaid.org/2011/07/whose-side-our-government-mining-companies-or-its-people

Justice and Rights for Gypsies/Travellers

2011-09-06T09:40:00.000+01:00

This year at the General Assembly commissioners heard a report on the Church’s attitude to the Travelling Community in Scotland.

Today I was encouraged to receive a letter from the Scottish Government which affirmed the contents of this report and our desire as a Church to see the rights of the Travelling Community respected. The Scottish Government has made it clear that discrimination against the Travelling Community is to be taken seriously. In fact, it goes so far as to recognise the Travelling Community as a distinct ethnic group and has set out a number of proposals which it hopes will allow this community to flourish.

This is encouraging news as it is good progress to achieving some of the recommendations set out by the Church’s report. Moreover, the recognition of the Travelling Community as a distinct ethnic group (giving rise to legal rights) is important as it is in line with our call as Christians to defend the rights of the oppressed and to be a voice for those in minority groups (Psalm 82:3,4 and Isaiah 1:17).

It is with great sadness then that I have noted the news that during the month ahead 400 Travellers currently residing at Dale Farm, Essex are to be evicted from their homes. Aside from the obvious trauma of being forcibly removed from their homes, this community of Travellers will also see the consequences of this eviction affect their access to healthcare, employment, safe residence and even education as children too will be uprooted. On a relational level, friends and families face being split apart as the Travellers are forced to move on and relocate.

Earlier I mentioned the call of the Christian to uphold the rights of minorities. The Church of all places should be a forum where the voice of Travellers can be heard safely and which supports the rights of this oppressed and too often misunderstood group. Not least because in our own history as a body of God’s people we have ourselves been a wandering community, just take a look through the books of Exodus and Ruth. The imminent eviction of residents at Dale Farm threatens the basic rights of this community of Travellers. I will be praying for this community in the days ahead as they begin to come to terms with the upheaval they face. I would also join with the UN’s Committee on Elimination and Discrimination in calling for this eviction to be stopped, or at the very least postponed until suitable alternative accommodation, which reflects the culture of the Travelling Community, can be found.

For further information see this press release on the report regarding the Church’s attitude to the travelling community.

Creation Time

2011-08-31T15:09:00.001+01:00

Creation Time is a church season which runs from 1 September to 4 October each year, and is designed to help churches and Christians think, pray and act on issues to do with caring for the earth.

This year the General Assembly passed a Deliverance which said: Commend Creation Time and encourage all congregations and presbyteries to take advantage of the season of Creation Time and to use the related resources that have been produced.

The resources are available from Churches Together in Britain and Ireland, and the theme this year is Our Daily Bread.

This prayer is taken from the CTBI resources:

O God, as the reality of what we have done to the earth and seas, which provide us with our daily bread, dawns on us, grant us the grace to do what is necessary to cooperate with your redeeming care of the cosmos. Give us the generosity and the courage to do without those things that destroy earth, air, water and all that sustains us. Bless us anew, that we may bless the earth with healing care, God – Creator, Word and Holy Spirit. Amen

This theme ties in well with our current work which is looking into food sustainability and farming. We are seeking views on a range of questions, please get in touch.

Assisted dying debate - what does it mean for sharing life in all its fullness?

2011-08-29T10:58:00.000+01:00

I've been reflecting on this story about assisted suicide.

It has been well said that modern society knows the price of everything but the value of nothing.

Perhaps one of the most distressing aspects of the way our society has developed recently is the way in which we deal with those who are coming towards the end of their lives. Where in the past Granny having a bed in the living room might have been a common scenario, now we seem much less able (or willing?) to care for those who cared for us, to hold the hands that held ours.

Of course, there are many reasons for this: dislocated and busy families, people living longer, the provision of supported housing which allows older people the choice of living independently. However, sometimes I think that society feels that, if a person is not contributing financially, they are of little value to our community- indeed, they are seen as a burden.

Perhaps nowhere is this more starkly portrayed than in the debate around assisted dying. while I recognise that those who advocate assisted dying are seeking a way to respond to suffering, I cannot accept that legislating in this way adequately takes into account the effects of such provision on our society as a whole. Nor does it affirm other responses to suffering or the experiences of many who struggle for fullness of life through the limitations of a range of debilitating illness and disability. Without a comprehensive approach to the end of life, and a full exploration of our interdependence with one another, I continue to represent the Church's current opposition to such a change in the law

We need to learn again to value what really matters.

Ex-Chancellor on the Purposes of Economic Activity

2011-08-25T09:11:00.002+01:00

The Kirk’s Commission on the Purposes of Economic Activity met yesterday morning with Alistair Darling MP, the former Chancellor of the Exchequer.

Alistair reflected on a number of key issues he faced at the time of the credit crunch and global slowdown, and made some points about the situation facing the country and the world economy today.

The Commission is made up of a range of heavyweights; bankers, theologians, economists, poverty campaigners and people who have had real life experience of what it means to be poor.

It is good that senior politicians like Alistair Darling are willing to engage with us as we work out what the Church might say to a world where inequality and greed seem to be ever-present.

The conversation ranged from the banking crisis, global leadership (and the current lack thereof), the rate at which the Coalition is cutting the deficit, the problems in several European countries, the false assumptions people made about the permanence of consumer-led growth, the ongoing role of banks and financial services in the UK economy, the successes of the Labour Government in reducing child and pensioner poverty, bank bonuses and the culture that rewarding risky activity without consequences for the individuals that are taking the actions has on the industry.

When asked about creating a more equal society, Alistair Darling said that this should not be the focus of Government efforts; rather he pointed out that employment is the best way to tackle poverty, and to create jobs the economy needs to grow.

We also asked him about using something other than GDP to indicate social progress or purpose – there has been quite a lot of discussion about General Well-Being. He didn’t seem convinced about this, asking how can you define ‘well-being’ – at least GDP is quantifiable.

No doubt some of these opinions will cause a stir. The Commission continues to meet and will report in the new year. You can submit your views to the Commission by answering some of their key questions.

Libya's future

2011-08-24T12:49:00.000+01:00

The eyes of the world turn again to Libya. In the chaos and confusion I hope that what emerges from the current conflict is an open and tolerant society that has the best interests of all Libyan people at the heart of its decision making.

Now, as many believe the end is in sight for the old regime, our thoughts and prayers are turning to what will be the future for Libya, both in the short term but also for the months and years ahead. I recognise that the shape of this will probably not be Western in style or content.
I will be praying for the Libyan people and trying to remain positive and hopeful. The next few months will not be easy, but with faith and perseverance the grim predictions for the country might be avoided. The Libyan people have the potential, and the spirit, to do something great with their country, joining citizens in neighbouring Tunisia and Egypt in beginning to explore what freedom from dictatorship can mean for them.
I am also aware that there is a possibility that a new government in Libya might publish information that can shed on the Lockerbie bombing. With new questions about the confidence of the conviction of Abdelbaset Ali al-Megrahi, and the second anniversary of his release from prison on compassionate grounds, this is something I would look forward to, particularly for the sake of families of those who died.

Tesco Supermarkets and Labelling of products from Israeli Occupied Palestinian Territory

2011-08-18T11:14:00.002+01:00

In May the General Assembly repeated a call clear labelling of products from the Occupied Palestinian Territory.

The purpose behind this is so that consumers in Britain can shop with confidence and the knowledge that the products come from either illegal Israeli settlements on Palestinian land, Israel, or from Palestinians in the West Bank.

An informed consumer can then make a choice not to support the economy of a political reality which they do not agree with.

I have recently written to the Chief Execs of some of the leading supermarket chains asking them what their policy was on this issue.

Read the reply from Tesco’s Chief Executive Philip Clarke.

UPDATE 19 AUGUST 2011

I have now also received a reply from Justin King of Sainsbury's.

Science and Religion

2011-08-17T09:47:00.001+01:00

I was struck by this story in yesterday’s Daily Mail.

John Schneider quit his post as a teacher in a Christian college after pressure from critics who were opposed to his views that science suggests that the Bible’s creation stories may not be literally true.

Science and religion are both, in their own way, a search for truth. There is nothing in science which has to contradict Christian tradition; indeed God revealed in the world is as incredible and amazing as God revealed in scripture.

Jesus himself invited people to observe the world around them and to reason from what they saw to an understanding of the nature of God (Matthew 6: 25-33).

Darwin’s ideas needn’t be a threat to Christian faith – I find it terribly sad that in some Church cultures a response to evolution or creationism is now a litmus test to determine whether an individual is fit to hold office.

Our own Society Religion and Technology Project has been exploring issues of ethics, theology and scince for more than 40 years and remains at the forefront of international debate about science and religion.

Far better, surely, to acknowledge that despite our best efforts we can never fully know and understand God, and to realise that however fervently we hold our beliefs, there may always be doubt, questioning and the possibility that we are wrong.

My friend Maclolm Brown from the Church of England has written more about this subject here.

Death Penalty

2011-08-11T09:39:00.001+01:00

The UK Government’s new e-petitions website has attracted some attention by sparking the debate about capital punishment.

There are petitions supporting the current ban on executions while others call for hanging to be brought back.

The Church of Scotland opposes capital punishment for three main reasons:
Firstly, revenge or retribution is not a moral position for an enlightened and civilised society.

Secondly, the chance of a miscarriage of justice may mean that an innocent person is killed. Would you like to be hanged by mistake?

Thirdly, it is for the supporters of the death penalty to prove beyond doubt that bringing back hanging will deter crime. They have to show why the status quo is not working. There is no statistical evidence to suggest that having the death penalty deters terrorists or murderers.

The Church reported on the death penalty in 2008. The report concluded:

“No system of justice devised and operated by humans is free from error or arbitrariness. The death penalty conflicts with the right to life enshrined in the European Convention in Human Rights, and the possibility of the death penalty has manifestly failed to deter murder, war crimes and genocide. The death penalty brutalises the society which practices it, and alternative sentences for serious crimes exist through which restitution and rehabilitation may be achieved. Inflicting death as a punishment limits the redemptive work of God in this life, work modelled by Jesus in his life of God’s compassion and mercy, and in his teaching of non-violence.

“Therefore the Church of Scotland affirms that capital punishment is always and wholly unacceptable and does not provide an answer even to the most heinous of crimes; and commits itself to work with other churches and agencies to advance this understanding, oppose death sentences and executions and promote the cause of abolition of the death penalty worldwide.”

Back and better than ever

2011-07-19T10:36:00.000+01:00

Welcome back to my blog, which has been refreshed and reinvigorated.

After a wee break covering a busy time in the life of the Church, and a trip overseas, I am looking forward to start posting again. Time off and away allows me to take stock and think, but I am now looking forward to start sharing my thoughts and comments on the issue of the day. I hope you look forward to reading them!

In the meantime why not like the new Church of Scotland official Facebook page and follow us on Twitter.

Letter bombs and violence

2011-04-21T16:34:00.000+01:00

Having spent yesterday doing media interviews around the bombs sent to Neil Lennon, Paul McBride and Trisha Godman I have been reflecting on the profile of violence in our society. Knife crime is being prioritised by the Labour party in the Holyrood election. Domestic abuse figures are way up, and of course news media ensure that we have the details of every crime of violence day after day.

In Holy Week, Christians are reflecting on the suffering of Jesus - Put to death on a cross. And reflecting too on following Jesus in the role of peacemakers.
Locally in Gorbals, where I am Parish Minister, one of the things we do – and have done again over the past two weeks, is take 90 young people aged 15/16 from the local schools, Catholic and non-denominational, to Northern Ireland. They see Belfast, meet young people there and spend time at Corrymeela in North Antrim, a place that has been a centre for refuge, respite and challenge for people there for decades and right through the troubles.
The aim, of course, is to give these young people the experience of belonging to one another and to enable them to have a first hand view of the reality that people are trying to overcome. It’s work we have won awards for, but the greatest reward is seeing young people realise their potential to change the future and shake off ancient prejudice.
Bombs in Scotland? Unthinkable. The death throes of sectarianism are painful to be part of. It is time they were over.

Reflecting on the Poverty Truth Commission

2011-04-18T09:59:00.000+01:00

If George Osborne wants to explore with any seriousness what would give a hint of reality to his assertion that “we are all in this together”, he could not have done better than attend the closing session of Scotland’s Poverty Truth Commission on Saturday afternoon in Glasgow City Chambers. At the beginning of the Commission, two years ago, before a gathering of four hundred witnesses, a number of people with direct experience of poverty set out the challenge that their experiences have an essential contribution to make if we are serious as a society about tackling poverty. Also present were a number of people of the kind that we think of as having real influence, from the world of politics, the media, academic life, the police, business, and the Church. The outcome was the forging of a partnership between those with the experience of poverty and those with the influence. Together over the past two years they have wrestled with the need for change, and together they have taken, by way of an example of that need, the cause of kinship carers to Parliament in search of a little more justice for some of the people whose voluntary effort already goes way beyond anything the government might conceive. A big society already exists – big hearted, and at a big cost to those involved.

There are two questions that might be asked as Scotland’s Poverty Truth Commission reached its final session. What has been achieved, and what has been begun?

So what has been achieved? Recently I was asked to speak in Germany about the Church of Scotland’s work in our poorest communities. At the end the local mayor said: ‘Very good, but you have not told us how to end poverty.’ Neither has the Poverty Truth Commission. Child poverty figures are once again on the rise, and despite claims that the cuts programme is fair, all the indications are that once again the poorest among us are already being hit the hardest. Inequality is rooted in our society in ways that are hugely resistant to change, and only action and resolve from all of us together can make that happen.

Yet the Commission has brought change which may yet prove of lasting significance. It has demonstrated that with due attention paid to process, meeting style, appropriate support and acute listening, the many and varied gifts of people who have learned about poverty the hard way can be brought to bear as part of the solution. The learning that has made this possible is now available to be built on in other settings.
It has also provided evidence of the lie that is at the heart of the rhetoric about benefit fraud. Churches across the UK managed to extract an apology from Lord Freud when the Chancellor lumped together figures for error in the system with those for fraud and made the issue appear three times its actual size. After spending most of my adult life working in and around some of our poorest communities, I have met some people who are good at playing the system, even illegally. However they are few in comparison to the people who lead frugal, disciplined lives on amounts that many of us would find it hard to envisage existing on. The Commission has given a platform to some of the yearning and aspiration that exists in people who our society has failed, and demonstrated that they do not need to be portrayed in the ways that sadly prevail without much opposition.

Saturday's closing session presented a series of challenges that we ignore at our peril.

Too much of the way we have tried to deal with poverty has treated those most directly involved as objects, rather than those with the skills and experience to shape our response. In regeneration initiatives, little of the resources invested – other than the physical building of houses – stays in the poorest communities. It is time for a change, and as the Poverty Truth Commission is all too aware, that has only just begun.

Poverty Truth Commission

2011-04-15T10:35:00.000+01:00

Tomorrow, Saturday 16th April, sees the closing session of Scotland’s Poverty Truth Commission take place at 2pm in Glasgow City Chambers.

Two years ago the Commission was launched in the same venue in front of 400 witnesses. Following an afternoon in which a range of people who have learned about poverty the hard way made their case for change, a partnership was formed between these testifiers and some of those in our society – from the worlds of politics, the media, academic life, police, the Church – who wield power and influence.

Now – after two years of working together - they will issue a series of challenges. Early next week I will publish the link to their final report – it is important that this is widely read and acted on.

I know that already nearly 400 people have signed up to attend tomorrow’s session. But if you are inspired to turn up, give it a go. If it is anything like the opening session, you will not regret it. With an election in front of us, no politician in Scotland should be unaware of the Commission’s work, or of the challenges it is bringing.

What do our political parties stand for? (and how can we find this out?)

2011-04-06T13:01:00.000+01:00

The Scottish Parliament dissolved ahead of the 5 May Election on 22 March. I watched the 5 main political parties out on the campaign trail and waited to read a full explanation of their policies in their manifestos. Two weeks later I am still waiting. So far this week there have been 2 high profile manifesto launches which means that half our parties are still campaigning without telling us what they would do in Government. All the polls tell us that a minority or coalition government is likely so it is important that we know the policies of the smaller parties as well as the larger ones.

My colleagues in the Scottish Churches Parliamentary Office were awaiting manifestos even more keenly than I am and they have discovered that some parties will only make their manifestos available online; you will not be able to have a paper copy unless you print it yourself. Others are still discussing whether they will charge for copies of their manifesto! Many voters will struggle to access online only documents, and many more will make their voting decisions based on incomplete information or how well the party leader performs in a public debate.

Can you imagine applying for a job and telling your potential employer that they could not see your CV until half way through the interview? These parties are asking us to choose who will form the next Scottish Government. They should have the honesty and integrity to tell us what they stand for.

UK Government breaks the law on Child Poverty Act?

2011-04-05T10:13:00.000+01:00

The long-awaited UK child poverty strategy is to be published before the UK Parliament breaks for Easter recess today. This document will lay out how the UK Government, alongside Scottish, Welsh, Northern Irish and local government counterparts, will reach the targets of eradicating child poverty by 2020.

This week it has emerged that the Child Poverty Action Group has written to senior Government ministers criticising the late arrival of the strategy, which should have been published by 25 March 2011. They've already missed that deadline, but the Government has assured MPs that the strategy will be published before the recess.

It is not just the date of release that the Government is dragging its heels on. The 2010 Act requires a commission to be set up, whose role includes giving advice on the writing of the UK strategy. DWP minister Maria Miller, recently wrote that "our plans for establishing a Commission will be set out in the Child Poverty Strategy, to be published shortly." This is the wrong way round! The independent commission was intended to inform the writing of the strategy, and to scrutinise the proposals, not to be set up after the strategy has been published.

I hope that this, along with Save the Children's recent concern that the recent UK Budget announcement failed to address child poverty, isn't an indication of this issue dropping further down the list of priorities of our government. Both the Conservatives and Liberal Democrats supported the Child Poverty Act when they were in opposition: so what is causing this reticence to comply now?
To take the challenge of tackling child poverty in this country seriously, the UK Government needs to be serious about implementing this law. I wait with interest for their response.

Climate Day

2011-04-04T08:20:00.000+01:00

On Climate Day, Wed 13th April, just three weeks before the elections, political parties will announce and publish their climate change polices. At the same time, Stop Climate Chaos Scotland (SCCS) is encouraging people across the country to engage with the issue on this day and to get involved in an online community, where you can access blogs and other video content and take part in conversations and debate on climate change issues.

Climate Day will culminate with a live, online debate with climate change spokespeople from each of the five political parties currently represented in the Scottish Parliament. Tune in and post your questions and comments live via the online forum and Twitter.

I think that climate issues and environmental challenges are fundamental to the political agenda and we need to make sure we use all opportunities to let that message be heard. The earth remains a precious but fragile gift and we need to make sure we cradle it with greater care than we have up to now

For more information: www.stopclimatechaos.org/scottish-elections

You can follow or take part in the SCCS campaign online:

Twitter: #SCCS_Elections

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Stop-Climate-Chaos-Scotland-Elections-2011/136042149794674?sk=wall

The Census

2011-03-25T09:59:00.000Z

Filling in your census form may seem like an unwelcome extra chore on the weekend when you lose an hour’s sleep but it will probably fascinate people in a hundred years time.

Like a time capsule the information creates a snapshot of living in 2011. The questions about your occupation and the number of rooms in your home and who you share it with paint a picture of life now which will no doubt intrigue people in 3011.

Campaigns to put religion as ‘Jedi’ are a fun but flippant response to what is a serious question, even if the answer to the question about religion is ‘none’.

Everything we do relates to what we believe about how the world was and is and why we believe it. If the census is to tell something about how our society is and will be shaped then knowing what people believe will tell us more than any other of the questions put together.

Conference on Sustainable Agriculture

2011-03-24T10:19:00.000Z

Food and agriculture remain subjects of ongoing interest and importance.

Over the past year, a subgroup of our Council has been discussing sustainability in agriculture, and is preparing a report for the General Assembly in 2012.

Some weeks ago, we invited a range of experts to a conference to help us explore these concerns and learn more about the issues. The purpose of the conference was not to provide firm answers but to help shape the thinking of the Council in preparing the report.

After a keynote address by David Atkinson, Convener of the Scottish Churches' Rural Group, discussion workshops looked at different approaches to the topic.

Pete Ritchie of Whitmuir Farm introduced ‘Our mutual food’, a report exploring local sourcing of food.

Edinethics Director Donald Bruce discussed Science and agriculture - new technologies, new opportunities, new challenges, while Richard Frazer and Josiah Lockhart of the Grassmarket Community Project spoke about community supported agriculture: local food production, transition towns and allotments.

Other workshops explored the view from the farm: issues and challenges facing farmers, led by NFU Scotland representative John Picken and the view from the Scottish Government with Antje Branding.

Read a fuller report about the conference and its conclusions.

In its work on sustainable agriculture, the Council is particularly interested to explore the questions around what congregations can do. If you would like to contribute ideas and comments, please contact Climate Change Officer Adrian Shaw.

Child Sex Trafficking in Scotland – a ‘national scandal’

2011-03-14T16:09:00.000Z

Today’s report from Tam Baillie, the Scottish Commissioner for Children and Young People, must be a wake up call to everyone in Scotland.

The fact that dozens of children are being used as sex slaves in our cities, towns and neighbourhoods is utterly repugnant. This should be a call to action for everyone in Scotland. How can we let this happen?

The report calls on the UK Government to encourage more inter-agency co-operation, appointing an independent child trafficking rapporteur and to ratify without delay the Council of Europe Convention on the Protection of Children against Sexual Exploitation and Sexual Abuse.

It asks that the Scottish Government acts to lead the efforts of local authorities to combat child trafficking, including providing proper funding for the investigation of suspected child-trafficking. And if the UK Government does not appoint a UK rapporteur on the issue, then the Scottish Government should appoint a rapporteur for Scotland, accountable to the Scottish Parliament.

This issue is one that the Church of Scotland Guild has been concerned about for some time. Last year they brought an ACTS-produced report on trafficking to the General Assembly.

I intend to write to the Home Secretary in the UK Governement and the Justice Secretary in the Scottish Government asking that they urgently take action on these recommendations.

Can I ask you to write to your MP and MSPs as well? This story should create an outcry. Please speak up on behalf of those whose voices have been silenced.

Eco Congregation Scotland Annual Gathering

2011-03-11T08:42:00.002Z

On Saturday in Bridge of Allan the Eco Congregation Scotland movement held its annual gathering. This year is the 10th birthday of Eco Congregations, which is one of the fastest growing community-based environmental initiatives in the country.

Around a hundred people from across Scotland and representing a wide variety of Christian traditions met and shared in fellowship and worship.

As a symbolic act of the growing sign of the movement branching out throughout churches across Scotland, everyone present was given a small tree sapling with the invitation to plant it in a church yard or community garden. The trees, all native Scottish species, will then become a physical symbol of growth and our concern for caring for the earth in neighbourhoods all over the country.

If your church is not already part of Eco Congregation Scotland, you can find out more on their website or keep up to date by following their blog.

It is no sin to be dependent

2011-03-08T11:45:00.000Z

The Welfare Reform Bill is one of the UK Government’s flagship policies, and its impact will affect all of us. It begins being debated in Westminster tomorrow, when it has its 2nd Reading debate in the House of Commons.

I’ve written before about my concern about the language and rhetoric that politicians have used in this debate. It is good therefore that there has been a shift in some of the thinking and words used by Ministers, such as Iain Duncan Smith’s responses to the Work and Pensions Select Committee last month when he said:

"If it’s of any use, it also helps politically to tone the rhetoric down quite a bit. We can turn the knob down on this. There is always this "fraud, fraud, fraud" and everyone wagging their finger at everyone else, bit the truth is that quite a lot of we hear about politically and constantly as fraud is often complexity error. It is very easy for us to say it is fraud, and people feel quite stigmatised by that. The truth is that quite often it has nothing to do with them; it is simply that the system itself means that they did not understand what they were meant to be doing, yet they are apparently committing a fraud. A lot of them did not know that that was the case. We hope that, politically, this will tone some of the rhetoric down and basically stop people being accused of something that, frankly, is partly because of the system and has nothing to do with them."

The Church of Scotland, with our partners in Faith in Community Scotland, have written to all MPs representing Scottish constituencies about the Bill and the debate tomorrow.

In the briefing we outline some of our beliefs about the principle of the welfare system:

Our nation comprises of people who care for one another.

It is important to remember what the welfare system is intended to achieve. It is the means by which we, as a nation, pool our resources to support the most vulnerable members of our society and ensure that everyone has access to adequate resources to live a dignified and healthy life.

Change should not be about cutting costs, but making the system work better and for more people.

The goal of welfare reform has to be to make the lives of people who need help easier and we urge the Government to seek to take steps through its planned reforms of the welfare system to seek to reduce the levels of inequality in our country – an inequality which we believe damages all parts of society.

Dependency is not a sin for which requires penance in order to spur people into laying it aside.

Dependency is a fact of life, for us all; we depend on each other, rich and poor, disabled or able‐bodied. This is what makes us human. Perpetuating the myth that only those in receipt of benefits are dependent – and using that as a basis for policy – is divisive and undermines the social cohesion which the Government seeks to foster.

The goal of welfare reform must not be to reduce the cost of the welfare system or to reduce dependency but to enable all members of society to contribute as they are most able.

The Welfare Reform Bill

2011-02-25T11:12:00.000Z

Iain Duncan Smith MP, Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, has recently introduced the Welfare Reform Bill.

It is being spun as the biggest reform of the welfare state for 60 years since the days of the Beveridge Report.

The Church and Society Council, together with our partners in the Priority Areas Committee, Faith in Community Scotland and other organisations are preparing for some serious engagement with the Bill as it makes its way through the Houses of Parliament.

We have already responded to the Green Paper published last year.

We are cautious about the Bill. Some of the principles are to be welcomed, but it is the detail of how things might work out which is causing some to worry.

Last week Iain Duncan Smith promised that “no one will be worse off” under the new system. We intend to hold him to this promise.

We are also keen to make sure that the Government’s use of language when talking about those who receive benefit entitlements remains fair and not inflammatory. We have had experience of this in the past, and have had an apology out of the Government.

But overall we are keen to work constructively with anyone whose intention is to make life easier for the poorest people. I am keen to continue a dialogue with the Department for Work and Pensions to see how their plans will be rolled out in Scotland.

Westminster Visit

2011-02-24T17:04:00.000Z

Last week I made an annual visit to the Houses of Parliament to meet some of Scotland’s MPs.

This was the first visit to Westminster since last year’s General Election, and it was a good opportunity to remind MPs that the Church is very much interested in legislation and debates which raise awareness on those issues that we care most about, particularly poverty, justice, peace and climate change.

It is important to get face time with MPs. It reminds them who we are, and it allows for us to share ideas and information in a way that is not possible just be sending e-mails or reading websites. It’s important too for us to demonstrate that we are engaged with Westminster and legislation on reserved issues, and by making the journey south we show that we want to be taken seriously.

We spoke with folk from all four parties represented in Scotland, with our main topics the welfare reform proposals and the impact of spending cuts on the poorest. We also had a chance to just chat; these visits are as much a pastoral opportunity as a political one.

The Speaker of the House of Commons graciously lets us use part of his state apartments in order for us to have a meeting base for an afternoon. This way MPs can come to visit us in between their other duties in the House. This year we were in the Great Bedchamber, where according to tradition is where the monarch sleeps the night before their coronation – no doubt because of its proximity to Westminster Abbey. It is also a reminder that Westminster is a royal palace with an ancient history. The bedroom was rather larger than most houses, and was luxuriously furnished and contained portraits of past Speakers as well as other artefacts relating to the history of the Houses of Parliament. Quite a change from the routine!

Overall it was a good opportunity to share some ideas and concerns, and to help build those relationships which can be so crucial for when we are campaigning or just trying to have our point of view heard by law-makers.

Discrimination against Gypsies/Travellers

2011-02-23T14:20:00.000Z

I am pleased to be able to support Amnesty International Scotland’s initiative on discrimination against Gypsies/Travellers in Scotland and across Europe today.

Especially after the popular but much-criticised Big Fat Gypsy Wedding that has been shown on Channel 4 recently, it is important to stand in solidarity with people who face discrimination in many parts of the European Union.

Together with a group of other activists, I have signed a series of letters which are being hand-delivered to the First Minister and the consulates of nine EU states in Edinburgh. I am doing this because it is important that the Church is seen to be standing alongside those who are marginalised or face persecution because of prejudices in society. We are calling on the Governments of Scotland and of the other EU countries to show political leadership and do more to protect the human rights of Gypsies/Travellers.

A report on churches’ attitudes to the Travelling community in Scotland is being prepared by Action of Churches Together in Scotland, and will be presented by the Church and Society Council to the Church of Scotland General Assembly in May.

Against the odds…

2011-02-15T16:06:00.000Z

As the number of problem gamblers in Britain continues to grow we need to start asking ourselves as a culture if we feel we are on the right road; is more gambling a good thing?

Gambling means that a few win and many lose. I worry about gambling and how it is built around undeserved rewards for reckless behaviour, which seems strikingly similar to what happened in the banking system prior to the credit crunch. We need more responsibility in our relationship with money, and this includes how we spend it in leisure time.

The Government has a duty to protect vulnerable people from being exploited or harmed by gambling. An increase in problem gambling suggests that their current methods of protection are a busted flush. With many people’s financial problems increasing the Government must do all it can to curb further proliferation of gambling opportunities. In particular, I'm deeply troubled by the level of problem gambling associated with gaming machines. This form of gambling is solitary and repetitive. These high value machines in betting shops turn every high street into a casino.

More information about gambling in Britain today is available in this excellent paper produced by the Methodist Church and the Salvation Army.

Religious Freedom in Afghanistan

2011-02-09T12:10:00.000Z

My heart goes out to Said Musa and his friends and family after learning of his death sentence for converting from Islam to Christianity in Afghanistan.

You can read about it at:

- http://www.rnw.nl/english/bulletin/dutch-foreign-minister-appeals-behalf-afghan-christian

- http://www.inspiremagazine.org.uk/news.aspx?action=view&id=5122

- http://www.sify.com/news/embrace-islam-or-face-gallows-afghan-worker-told-news-international-lchsOfdfdch.html

I think many people will be worried for the freedom of religion in Afghanistan seeing as the Taliban were forced from power nearly 10 years ago. Conversion from Islam is still a crime in Afghanistan.

Last year the Church of Scotland’s World Mission Council produced an important report on Christians who live in minority communities around the world.

I want to see our Government doing all it can to convince the Afghan authorities to free Mr Musa. Western pressure has worked before. Let’s hope and pray that it happens again.

Young and unemployed

2011-02-03T15:09:00.000Z

Unemployment figures for young people have almost reached the 1 million mark. This means that youth unemployment has risen by 20.3%, which is the highest level it has ever been since 1992. Young people face an incredibly difficult entry into the job market, because they are competing for jobs with experienced workers who have recently entered the job market as a result of redundancy and job cuts.

Whenever young people remain unemployed for long, there is a societal and personal price to pay. A long spell of unemployment leaves permanent scars; it makes the prospect of entering the job market even harder and the likelihood of being stuck in low paying jobs more likely. At a societal level, disaffected youth is more likely to engage in crime and violence increasing demands on the police, social workers, hospitals and courts. Long-term youth unemployment is very expensive. It is also a tragedy.

The Coalition Government has proposed to attack youth unempoyment through a combination of apprenticeships, extra training places at colleges and work pairings, but in England it has allowed for the rise in student fees, the reduction of the education budget and the possible withdrawal of the £550 million education maintenance allowance, which was so vital for young people to remain in education. These actions seem paradoxical because many young people may chose to go back into education if they cannot find employment quickly. However, if entering education will merely sink you further into debt and there are no immediate jobs to be had, what are young people to do?

It is understandable that budgetary cuts need to come but I hope that Scotland can see through the fallacy behind cuts that affect the education, skills development and future employability of our young because innovation, R&D and ultimately jobs come from an educated work-force.

Approving Trident Replacement by the back door?

2011-02-01T17:13:00.000Z

Greenpeace has uncovered through the Freedom of Information Act that the Ministry of Defence seems to have committed £2 billion in advance purchase of major elements of submarine body and equipment. The shopping list is available by following this link to the Greenpeace website.

It is very worrying to commit to the purchase of submarine parts because there were firm reassurances that no decision would be taken on a Trident replacement programme before 2016. Moreover, if so much money has already been committed in advance purchase orders, how can the cancellation of the Trident replacement programme be justified later on?

One more manifesto pledge seems to be broken. The continuous breaking of trust eventually inspires suspicion. No government can afford to lose the trust of the population, particularly when it involves the judicious use of tax-payers money. There should be much more honesty and transparency on the amount of money being spent in relation the Trident nuclear weapon system. The Church of Scotland remains opposed to nuclear weapons, and calls for the UK Government to have the courage and leadership to repudiate them to help facilitate international nuclear disarmament.

The Writing on The Wall

2011-01-31T13:27:00.000Z

In the past few days, the press has been presenting us with harsh headlines concerning the state of the economy and the likely impact of the cuts on our society. The picture looks grey. In the last three months of 2010 the UK economy contracted by 0.5% and the number of unemployed claiming job-seekers allowance for more than six months rose by 7,200 to reach 960,300, according to the Office for National Statistics. Consumer expectations and confidence about their future is at a 12 year low.

It has been estimated that as many as 60,000 households in Scotland might be hit by the cuts proposed by the Coalition Government. Many of those affected could risk loosing their homes if the proposed cap on housing benefits gets introduced in Scotland. Shelter Scotland, recently run a seminar on the effects of the proposed cuts with a view to help prevent homelessness. The Chartered Institute of Housing has stated its concerns over the proposed social housing reform stating that it might “stigmatize social housing tenants and weaken communities”.

In the meantime, David Cameron reaffirmed in Davos his ideological commitment to the cuts and George Osborne stated that despite the economy’s contraction, the programme of cuts would not be derailed.

How far does the situation need to escalate before the writing on the wall becomes clear?

Almost 5000 incidents of domestic abuse in Scotland in December alone

2011-01-26T09:21:00.001Z

Domestic violence in Scotland rose during the festive season. In December alone the police’s Violence Reduction Unit logged 4,783 incidents. Although most victims of domestic abuse are women, it can happen to anyone and affects everyone within the family; women, children and men. Domestic abuse is very costly not only in terms of psychological harm and loss of self esteem, but also in terms of health service costs, police resources, legal costs and productivity due to absence from work. The Kirk has had a long tradition of highlighting social issues that might lead to domestic abuse and I have writen about the victim’s need for legal aid through this blog.

Over the past year, Scotland has invested heavily in combatting homelessness for victims of sexual abuse, and raising awareness of that fact that males can also be victims of domestic abuse. It is therefore somewhat disappointing, given the statistics and the work of the past year, that £7.5 million of direct funding from the Scottish Government to tackle frontline services in domestic abuse, might be scrapped. It is difficult to find the justification for cuts that will affect services that are supporting the most vulnerable within our society. Is this a case of false economy?

Scotland Bill 2010

2011-01-24T16:53:00.000Z

The Kirk presented its views on the Scotland Bill 2010 to the Scottish Parliament two weeks ago. The Church of Scotland is neither for nor against independence, but it has in coordination with other churches in Scotland, a long history of engagement and dialogue with the Scottish Parliament and with Westminster. It was therefore interesting to be able to reflect on 10 years of devolution in practice and to participate in a process that following the recommendations of the Calman Commission, sought to strengthen devolution and develop the fiscal accountability of Scotland in terms of tax-raising powers.

What best serves the interests of the people of Scotland? I believe that this question should be answered from the perspective of those at the margins of our society. For the Kirk, social justice is crucial because, tax raising powers should be intimately connected to tackling poverty and inequality. It is an opportunity missed that the Scotland Bill falls short of proposals to further devolve welfare provision and shows little emphasis on social justice.

I think that as a society, we should see taxation not as an imposition by the government, but as a way of sharing what we have, so that everyone’s life can be improved. This goes for us, as individuals as well as for corporations. Direct taxation is always more transparent than indirect taxes, but regardless of the way they get collected, taxation should respond to the need of the weak, contribute to the well-being of the community at large and be levied justly.

The Apology of the Minister for Welfare Reform

2011-01-19T15:50:00.000Z

The Minister for Welfare Reform, Lord Freud, has recognised to Church representatives throughout the UK that “the vast majority of benefit recipients are genuinely entitled to the financial support they receive”. Lord Freud wrote to Rev. Martyn Atkins, General Secretary of the Methodist Church and other Church representatives across the UK in response to our complaints against grossly inaccurate governmental accounts of the extent of welfare fraud.

The Coalition Government brandished the figure of £5.2 billion as the extent of welfare fraud. From August to November, there was a deluge of negative publicity against welfare recipients, detailing examples of abuse of the benefits system. However, in his letter, Lord Freud, has acknowledged that the £5.2 billion figure was in fact the joint accounting of “fraud and error” and that “this was entirely inadvertent and not in any way intended to mislead. "

It is reassuring that there is recognition that the figures were incorrect; however, public perception about the integrity of people living on benefits has probably been distorted. This is in spite of the fact that Lord Freud recognises that “It is a small minority who choose to abuse the system support by deliberately setting out to defraud it”.

An apology was issued to Church representatives; however who has apologised to the thousands whose integrity was questioned? Lord Freud states he has “asked his officials to take corrective action”. Has anyone heard public announcements correcting and explaining the figures? Have governmental websites been modified?

It is gracious indeed to recognise mistakes, it is however wiser to make amends.

Cyberbullying

2011-01-17T12:04:00.000Z

Cyberbullying has reared its ugly head again; this time it is parents targeting teachers with online abuse in social networking sites. This is regrettable.

Children are getting younger and younger in the use of online technology. According to a recent survey across Europe, children as young as 7 are accessing the Internet for a variety of purposes. Most 9-16 year olds are online for about 1 hour and a half a day and large number of them use the internet in the privacy of their bedrooms effortlessly becoming internet natives to the amazement of their presumably less internet savy parents. The internet provides us with wonderful tools to expand our creativity, learn and enjoy ourselves, but it is not without risks, both to children and adults. The Church and Society Council will be presenting a report on the ethical aspects of internet use to the General Assembly this coming May.

Much effort has been spent promoting digital awareness and skills for our children. Part of becoming digitally literate involves the responsible use of the communication facilities provided by the internet like for example, how to deal with inappropriate emails, how to report cyberbullying, how to set up a safe profile in social networking sites, and the importance of keeping private information private. All of this information is extremely valuable, however, the role of parents as role models in shaping the internet use of their children cannot be discounted. There is evidence to support that children’s use of the internet matches their parents use. This means that children might be influenced in their use of the internet by the way they see their parents use of the technology.

Parents have a big role to play in mediating the way their children use the internet; this might involve setting and enforcing rules for use, sharing with them initial experiences when embarking on social networking, giving tips on use, talking about their online experiences and monitoring usage if appropriate. All of this amounts to helping them become responsible cyber-citizens. The internet is very much woven into our every day activities, but this does not mean that we can use this technology for venting frustration and abusing others.

Is detention of children our only answer?

2011-01-14T14:25:00.000Z

Children of asylum seekers are to be given minders and housed with their families in secure accomodation. Despite well publicised pledges by the coalition government that this practice would stop, some have labelled this new practise as rebranding. If children’s detention is to be stopped, this means that detention of the family should also stop. There is little point in detaining adult family members away from their children. Although in Scotland, the practice of sending children and their families to Dungavel has stopped, some families previously living in Scotland were sent to England to be housed either in Yarl’s Wood detention centre or in Tinsley House. Does this feel like window dressing?

The Church of Scotland, has spoken repeatedly against the imprisonment of children and through my parish work, I have been able to see first hand the effect that even the threat of detention can do to the psychological well-being of a child and of the family as a whole.

I want to stress that the integrity of the asylum process must be preserved. This means that it is recognised that the government is entitled to remove families whose asylum applications have exhausted all appeal procedures. Likewise, it must also be recognised that the “returns process” has to be done humanely, with sensitivity and with full respect to the dignity of the people involved.

Must detention and rapid removal be the only alternative? Has the notion of voluntary returns, with some flexibility inbuilt into the process been fully explored? This is not pie in the sky. In Glasgow, the Family Returns project encourages families to return voluntarily. There is evidence that supports that families with children are less likely to abscond if they are allowed to remain within the communities where they have laid down some roots. Initiatives that support the family in voluntarily returning to their country are steps in the right direction.

As far as I am concerned, the culture of detention is not helping matters. The government’s proposals have so far failed to demonstrate creativity or effectiveness in dealing with the safe return of children and their families.

Tackling Child Poverty

2011-01-10T11:28:00.000Z

The Scottish Government opened up a consultation process on the issue of child poverty in Scotland. The Child Poverty Act was passed on March 2010 with the target of eliminating child poverty throughout the UK by 2020. I think the discussion paper issued as part of the consultation process is a useful overview of the Scottish Government’s initiatives since this target was set.

The Church and Society Council presented a response to this consultation in collaboration with Faith in Community Scotland, Scottish Churches Housing Action, the Church in Society Committee of the Scottish Episcopal Church and the Methodist Church in Scotland,. All of these faith-based organisations have worked on the alleviation of poverty over a number of years and welcomed the opportunity to share their experiences and ideas to reflect on the best way for Government to address child poverty. The eradication of child poverty is an area on which the Kirk has taken a keen interest. In 2009 it published the “Growing up in Scotland “ report and has supported initiatives through the Poverty Truth Commission.

The government discussion paper is useful reading, but, as our response explains “the discussion paper does not address the degree of change that would be required to achieve the 2020 targets.” It is disappointing that the discussion paper included neither strategic priorities nor actions with long and short term targets. What is needed is a strategic approach that addresses the effect of the cuts on child poverty since there is ample evidence that child poverty is likely to rise as a result of budgetary reforms.

The Assassination of Salmaan Taseer

2011-01-07T13:24:00.000Z

It is with sadness that I heard the news of the assassination of Punjab’s Governor Salmaan Taseer's.

Mr Taseer was a moderate voice within the Pakistani’s People Party, (the ruling party in Pakistan). He was well aware of the negative impact that blasphemy laws were having on members of Pakistan’s religious minorities, particularly Pakistani Christians. His support for minorities was evident through his visit to Aasia Bibi, the Christian Pakistani woman sentenced to death for alleged blasphemy. Christians in Pakistan and elsewhere are mourning his death

Sadly, it is not the first time that major political figures have been assassinated in Pakistan. The cocktail of diversity in religious interpretation and political dissention is causing a schism within the fabric of the country. I encourage everyone, regardless of their faith to pray that this schism does not widen. The use of violence to silence dissention should not be set as a precedent for future generations of Pakistanis.

Personally, I will be praying for the establishment of peace in Pakistan and for the nurturing of bridges of respect and understanding within our Pakistani community in Scotland.

Christmas break

2010-12-22T16:49:00.000Z

I shall be having a wee break from blogging during the Christmas and New Year festivities. I wish everyone a very Happy Christmas and all the best for the coming New Year.

Neuroimaging as evidence?

2010-12-16T15:58:00.001Z

Can technology be so advanced that our thoughts can be seen by other people? Apparently , brain scans using neuromagnetic resonance imaging can explicitly project unto a computer screen an individual’s thought patterns. The Scottish Universities Insight Institute has recently presented a report on the current applications of neuroimaging in a variety of fields. The Church of Scotland, through the Society, Religion and Technology Project, has been involved in the development of this report .

The fact that other people can see our thought patterns raises a number of questions; who will have access to the data from people’s brain scans? How will that data be interpreted? How will the interpretations of brain activities be used? The difficulty is that although this technology was developed for use in a clinical context it is now being used as evidence in criminal trials, although the technology has not yet been properly tested and tried in non-medical contexts. It is not unusual to have technologies applied outside the context for which they were originally developed, take the computer; it was intended to be used as a gigantic calculator. The difference here is that the application of neuroimaging as evidence in criminal cases has been introduced without proper legislative frameworks. There is a real danger that vulnerable groups could become victims to the misuse of brain imaging. Other areas of potential misuse are for insurance applications and pre-employment interviews.

This is why I wrote to MSPs urging them to support the motion proposed by Helen Eadie, MSP for a parliamentary debate on the legislative framework for the use of brain imaging.

Let us hope we can have a proper debate which incorporates not just scientists and lawyers, but ordinary folk as well.

Scottish contribution for Climate Change leadership

2010-12-14T14:28:00.000Z

The Cancun Climate change conference has finished with what has been hailed by some, as the roaring of a chihuahua. It was good to see that the science behind climate change has stopped being disputed. There is global recognition that climate change “is one of the greatest challenges of our time” and that the need to engage in action to curb greenhouse gas emissions is urgent.

One of the primary objectives of the talks was to establish mechanisms by which developing countries could be helped in mitigating the effects of climate change. The agreement allows for the establishment of a climate fund managed by the UN, however, there are no specific cash promises attached. There is also agreement on the creation of a forestry programme dedicated to forestry conservation.

Much about the specifics of both agreements are still to be worked out. The details of the financial and technology transfer commitment of rich nations to contribute towards climate change mitigation in developing countries will be discussed at the next conference of the parties to be held in South Africa in 2011.

The Kirk is committed to helping congregations respond to climate change issues. the Moderator, the Right Reverend John Christie met David Cameron on the first day of the Conference in Mexico, urging him to fully engage with Cancun 2010. Although international development funding is primarily a UK Government responsibility we in Scotland can continue to set an example by reducing our own carbon footprint to meet the challenging targets of the Climate Change (Scotland) Act. This would be no mean achievement.

Is tax avoidance socially responsible?

2010-12-09T11:43:00.000Z

Tax avoidance is getting on the nerves of people I certainly oppose violent actions against retailers but it is crucial to recognise that tax avoidance might be legal, but it is not an ethical business practice. I previously blogged on the fact that £9 in every £100 that should be paid in taxes goes missing people people and corporations are very efficient at avoiding tax.

The commissioning by the Coalition Government of a study into a General Anti Avoidance Rule (GAAR) is certainly a step in the right direction but overall, the deliberate choice of ethical practices as part and parcel of daily business practices by all our corporations is what we should be encouraging.

Corporations have a social responsibility to the communities where they operate. What they do, impacts at home and abroad. This is why the Church of Scotland is supporting Christian Aid’s Trace the Tax campaign highlighting the effects of tax avoidance on developing countries.

Adherence to tax legislation is of course compulsory, but corporate social responsibility goes beyond that. It is actually a new business model where becoming a part of the community is seen as a business opportunity. These ideas are not pie in the sky. Several companies such as Marks and Spencer’s or IPC Media (publishers of some of our favourite magazines) are actively involved in one or all of the main areas of corporate social responsibility : the environment, the marketplace, the workplace and the community.

A business model based on corporate social responsibility makes corporations intricately involved in the sustainability of the communities in which they do business. In the short term it might seem profitable and simpler to relocate corporate headquarters to a tax haven; however, in the long term such practices damage the sustainability of any economy. Damaging our economy by evading taxes undermines our economic recovery. That is surely bad business.

The plight of Pakistani Christians

2010-12-08T11:46:00.002Z

Asia Bibi is a Pakistani Christian woman who was arrested in June 2009, accused of insulting the Prophet Muhammad by Muslim farm workers following a dispute over their different faiths. She was prosecuted under Section 295 of the Blasphemy Law in Pakistan and has spent the last year and a half in prison. On the 8th of November of this year, she was found guilty of blasphemy and sentenced to death. Since 1991 anyone found guilty under Section 295 (C) of the Pakistan Penal Code faces a mandatory death sentence.

The problem is that the Blasphemy Law in Pakistan is being abused to settle scores, exact revenge or inflame religious extremism. Within Pakistan itself, there are voices opposing the death sentence of Asia Bibi. Shabaz Bhatti, Federal Minister for Minorities, has been quoted saying, “She was wrongly sentenced to death.” Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab was quoted saying, "This is a disgraceful case, it is a disgraceful law. It has to be repealed."

The Church of Scotland has connections with the land that became Pakistan that go back to 1857. Our partnership with the Church of Pakistan continues to develop and deepen. Our partners in Pakistan have visited Asia in jail and have urged people to pray and lobby for her release. This is why, Andrew McLellan, the Convener of the World Mission Council and I have written to His Excellency Mr. Wajid Shamsul Hasan, the Pakistan High Commissioner urging the Government of Pakistan to release and pardon Asia Bibi and to ensure that she and are family are protected from those who would seek to take the law into their own hands.

The Church of Scotland also urges the Government of Pakistan to repeal the Blasphemy Law since it appears to be used to intimidate and terrorise minority faith communities in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. This goes against the traditions and teachings of Islam and is contrary to the culture of the majority of Pakistanis.

widening the debate on end of life issues

2010-12-03T13:08:00.000Z

As the Church opposed the End of Life Assistance (Scotland) Bill which was rejected the day before yesterday in a free vote by the Scottish Parliament, I am pleased with the outcome of the debate. Our MSPs voted freely according to their conscience and their conscience dictated that the procedure to end life contained in the proposed legislation was not the way forward. Their vote reflected the views of medical practitioners, people with disabilities as well as other ordinary folk who campaigned arduously through their churches or voluntary organisations to let their voices be heard. The Bill was thoroughly examined with over 50 people giving evidence and contributing to a lively and informed debate. This was much to the credit of Margo MacDonald.

Although the Bill has been defeated, the examination of the issues around the end of life has only just begun. There is a need for us as a society to examine issues surrounding the meaning of “quality of life” particularly when physical pain and progressive illness occurs. We need to examine our own expectations surrounding the intrinsic value of human life; we also need to confront our frailty and our mortality. I shall be exploring some of these items in the upcoming edition of the Sunday Express. Those who supported Margo’s Bill need to know that their concerns have not been taken lightly.

As a society, we need to address the availability of resources to support the emotional, spiritual and physical needs of those reaching the end of their lives with dignity.

The Bill was defeated. Let the wider debate begin.

A passion to help

2010-11-30T16:10:00.000Z

It is enough to lighten up a cold November wintry day. Young folk in Bo’ness responded to a call from St Andrew’s Church to come and help out old folk and people who are stranded in their houses unable to get out because of the weather conditions.

Lilias Snedden, youth worker at St Andrew’s and Bo’ness community councillor, sent a few text messages and was inundated by the response and offers of help. Twenty young folk are doing a spot of grocery shopping, digging cars out and clearing pathways in Bo’ness. This is what true community spirit is all about. This is precisely the type of Scotland that we should all be striving to achieve. Well done Bo’ness; I would love to hear more stories of young people with a passion to help and of people being just plain good caring neighbours.

On Sectarianism

2010-11-30T15:28:00.001Z

I am sad to see that sectarianism and bigotry have risen its ugly head in our nation again. The roots of these forms of behaviour go far back into our history and some would even say that they form an endemic part of our culture. I reject that viewpoint. The Scotland I want to be part of is not one that nurtures its sectarian past as something good.

Banter at the expense of other people is simply not humour; it is disguised aggression and it should be condemned and stopped. Gratuitous discriminatory behaviour must not be part of our present as Scots and it is definitely not a legacy that should be passed unto our children. Everyone living and visiting our fair city has the right to walk and attend events undisturbed, regardless of the colour of their skin, their religion or the colours they support. From an individual perspective, nobody wants family members to be the victims of sectarianism; this is why we should all refuse to engage in it. Some within the Protestant community might not want to see the Church of Scotland standing beside our Catholic Colleagues but I stand behind the right of anyone to live, worship and socialize within a city that embraces peace and respect.

Less than five years ago the then Scottish Executive, now Scottish Government addressed the issue of sectarianism and developed a number of campaigns against it. It is clear that education and respect for the other are a big part of the answer to this type of problem.

Surely Scotland has moved on from this sad part of its past; if not, its time it did!

2010-11-24T11:55:00.000Z

The debate on the End of Life Assistance Bill planned for this Thursday at Holyrood this Thursday has been postponed to December 1st. The Bill, has been examined by the Bill Committee. It is really encouraging that Committee has found that our current law does not require any change or modification. In other words, the Committee was not persuaded that the law should decriminalize those assisting suicide or voluntary euthanasia.

However, it is very important that our MSPs recognise that the proposed legislation put forward by Margo MacDonald would endorse the deliberate ending of a human life and would undermine us as a society. This is why I have written to MSPs urging them to oppose this Bill.

As a society, we should recognise the necessity to ensure that as far as possible, all have access to good palliative care. This involves caring not just for the physical but also for the emotional and spiritual needs of people coming towards the end of their lives. I do hope the Bill gets a spirited debate on Wednesday the first of December and that it concludes with a resounding opposition.

How to evaluate governmental policies: equality or fairness?

2010-11-19T12:04:00.000Z

There is much talk on equality and fairness in the press now-a-days. Both are difficult concepts to define and measure so I searched for definitions. This is what I got:

- Equality: the condition of being unequal
- Fairness: concerns equality of opportunity; in conformity with rules or standards.

So it seems that to talk about fairness without addressing inequality is quite simply nonsense because within the definition of fairness is the notion of equality. Which brings us to the following question: Under which conditions should public policy actions be evaluated: fairness or equality? This is at the core of the debate on welfare reform.

The Equality Act was centred on making public bodies demonstrate that they had assessed the impact of their decisions on disadvantaged populations. In other words, public bodies had to demonstrate that their actions were not contributing to making our society more unequal. Although some might consider those impact assessments an expensive tick-box exercise, the spirit behind them Act is not.

Inequality matters. Richard Wilkinson and Kate Pickett, authors of the Spirit Level found evidence that many social problems are rooted in inequality. The UK is a deeply unequal society. The latest Wealth in Great Britain report published last year revealed big regional divisions in the distribution of wealth amongst households; the wealthiest being located in the south east of England and the poorest in Scotland. Fifty two percent of Scotland’s most deprived areas are in Glasgow. According to OECD data the UK has high levels of income inequality when compared to other industrialised nations. The inequality is not just pay differentials, it also shows in the school readiness of children from poorer families when compared to those of richer families.

The scrapping of the requirement to assess the implications of the actions of public bodies on deprived pockets of our society is based on the assumption that these bodies will do so voluntarily. This assumption raises some disturbing questions. Does, our government really want its public institutions to be free of the duty to assess the consequences of their actions? Is it wise to assume that in a climate of financial restraint, organisations will act altruistically? The proof of this assumption shall be in the pudding.

I would like to propose the following test for fairness. I contend that we will live in a fair society when everyone earns enough to provide for their families’ basic needs. We will live in a fair society when everyone can save for emergencies and to invest in assets, like a home, or an expanded business, or for their retirement. We will live in a fair society when households have some equity to help them weather difficult times and to realistically aspire for better times in the future.

I agree with the statement that it is not possible for any society to guarantee equality of outcomes; however it is possible to govern to achieve equality of opportunities. Then and only then can the outcomes of governmental policies be considered fair

Housing the Dispossessed

2010-11-17T14:50:00.000Z

I am very distressed at the decision of the UK Border Agency to relocate 600 refugee households. This decision has apparently been takes as a result of the termination of the contract with Glasgow City Council to house these people.

Letters have apparently been sent to 600 households advising them that they will be given 3-5 days notice to move from their homes. Each household will be allowed to take two pieces of luggage per person, plus baby equipment, children’s toys and disability aids. This action will effectively mean the potential removal at extremely short notice of 1,311 people from their current homes to undisclosed destinations within Scotland.

From a psychological perspective, this action can have devastating effects on people who are already very vulnerable. It will also affect children who will have to be taken away from their school, their friends and their local connections. Many of these people have already had to suffer forced, sometimes violent uprooting, fleeing their countries through fear for their lives. Another forced uprooting can have dire consequences. Refugee families and their children are not objects that can be stashed or shifter about at the stroke of a pen. They are human beings and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect irrespective of the place where they happened to be born.

Positive Action in Housing has written to the Prime Minister asking him to intervene in the negotiations between Glasgow City council and the UKL Border Agency. The Kirk is entirely in support of this action. Moreover, as a minister within a community which is working actively with asylum seekers, I encourage everyone to be present at the protest which will take place on Brand Street in Govan the 20th of November supporting the refugees against this appalling action.

The poor are major stakeholders in the welfare reform debate

2010-11-17T11:13:00.001Z

There has been a lot of talk about trying to instil a job culture on the long-term unemployed. The proposals from the UK Government seem to me to be based on the assumption that people living in poverty do not have a culture of work and self development. This is rather puzzling, because many unemployed people held jobs at some point in their lives. It would be useful to find out why they are no longer in paid work. The Church’s experience, gathered through our long-term involvement working in deprived areas in Scotland as well that of organisations like Faith in Community Scotland and the Poverty Truth Commission show that very many people who are not working would love to do so. We are also aware of the huge contribution which many so called unemployed people already make as carers and volunteers. This evidence does not tally with the image of fraud, job-aversion, and job-shyness presented by those in government arguing for punitive approaches and draconian cuts to the welfare system. I believe this is a misrepresentation of the reality of poverty and have joined church leaders across the UK in pointing out that the poor are currently not being heard and their reality has not been addressed by policy makers.

Sometimes it is hard to understand something that you have never experienced yourself. This is why, in partnership with Martin Johnstone of the Scotland’s Poverty Truth Commission, we have invited Mr Osborne to come and talk to members of the Commission in order to hear first hand their stories of struggle and survival in poverty. Who knows? Some really creative and dignity enhancing back-to-work schemes might be the outcome of such an encounter.

Anyone who currently holds a job, could face the misfortune of being unemployed and on benefits. Unemployment is a misfortune and people should be treated with dignity in their efforts to regain employment. It is well recognised that effective solutions to problems need to have the direct involvement of all stakeholders. People who are unemployed and those who are poor are undoubtedly major stakeholders in any welfare reform proposals; they are also voters. Have they been consulted?

The ethics of persuasive technologies

2010-11-12T15:36:00.000Z

Only a few days ago I was blogging about the areas where science religion and technology can benefit from an inner dialogue and today I became even more aware of the need to promote this type of dialogue. The Church and Society Council presented a paper addressing ethical questions on internet advertising practices during an event at the Scottish Parliament sponsored by the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce . Why would the Kirk be invited to speak on the ethics of online advertisement?

The internet is allowing everyone to have increased access to educational opportunities, online services, shopping and entertainment. We do not even need a computer anymore; smart mobile phones allow you to access a world of consumer choice and online services. However, online selling and advertising have entered totally new grounds in their adoption of persuasive technologies. In the case of e-commerce these technologies allow online retailers to gather information about your likes and dislikes when you shop online, and present you with ever more tempting offers based on what you have looked at on the internet. Your past viewing and online shopping activities allow online retailers to present you with newer and better tailored personalised offers in the hope of getting you to part (yet again…) with your money. Many advocate that shopping is the way out of the recession. However, I wonder if this is the economic model that we should follow. Everything we buy carries a carbon footprint therefore, we might be encouraging our economy through shopping but we are also contributing to the demise of our planet.

There is also privacy issue; who has given the right to online retailers to access the information of what I have viewed on a search engine? Who owns the information of thousands of internet users, happily using keywords on search engines? Do online retailers and search engines have the right to commercialise with this information? Is it ethical to use targeted consumer behavioural information upon an unsuspecting public? Is this a case of Big Brother watching you, or simply, the birth of an ever better online retail therapy experience? These are some of the questions that the Kirk has been grappling with in the context of the use of persuasive technologies for e-commerce.

I often wonder whether Tim Berners-Lee, the British inventor of the world-wide-web, fully realized the impact that his work at Cern in Switzerland would have on society.

A Christian perspective on scientific and technological developments

2010-11-09T15:05:00.000Z

Many people associate religion as contrary to science. However, 40 years ago, the Kirk had the forethought to develop and finance the Society, Religion and Technology (SRT) project with the specific remit to examine and advice the Church of Scotland on the ethical and moral implication of technological and scientific advances.

Science and technology are ever changing. Advances in biological sciences or in digitalisation allow us to do things that were only science fiction when I was a child. Many of these advances pose acute ethical issues. Take for example the development of cloning, or issues surrounding genetically modified agriculture to name only a few.

Over the 40 years of its existence the SRT project has provided invaluable advice on topics right at the interchange between ethics and frontline research. Thanks to SRT’s foresight and the work of committed scientists, philosophers and theologians associated with the project last May I was able to write about the Kirk’s insight into developments in synthetic biology. We were the first religious institution to have addressed such a current topic and propose a Christian perspective.

I am therefore delighted to see that the SRT is celebrating its 40th anniversary with a conference at City Chambers in Edinburgh on the 20th of November. This conference will have distinguished scientists amongst the panel of speakers. In particular, I am quite keen to attend Prof. John Wyatt’s presentation on the ethical issues at the beginning and end of life. If anyone is interested in attending please send an email to this address.

The debate about Housing Benefits

2010-11-05T14:24:00.000Z

I understand there is to be a debate in Westminster about housing benefits next week. I have written to all Scottish MPs not about the specifics of the debate but about the principles that I would want to see behind the debate. Welfare benefits are intended to alleviate poverty. A mark of any society is how it cares for the vulnerable. It is not possible for any society to guarantee equality of outcomes for all; it is however possible to achieve equality of opportunities. Any proposals for welfare reform which place barriers upon the ability of individuals and families to survive with dignity when they are in a vulnerable position undermine us as a society.

We are concerned about the apparent stigmatisation of those in receipt of benefits that is emerging through a political discourse that associates error and fraud in immediate proximity to each other. I am concerned that this is being done deliberately and that the incidence of what are extreme cases is being used as a cover for reforms that harm those in need whose care is our moral duty as a society.

Christians and Muslims living together in respect

2010-11-02T09:59:00.001Z

It is with great sorrow that I heard the news of the tragic outcome for the people taken hostage in Iraq.

Christianity has long and established roots in Iraq. In fact, there were Christians in Iraq well before there were any in the UK. It seems therefore paradoxical that after centuries of both faiths living together in relative harmony, violence and death have made the headlines again in Iraq.

Islam is the second largest religion in the UK and estimates place over 2 million Muslims living in the UK. My own city of Glasgow is home for over 30,000 Muslims, mostly of Pakistani origin and I am very proud to see that in my home town, there are ample examples of both Muslims and Christians actively working together to improve the living conditions of everyone in the city.

Take for example the work of the Multifaith Antipoverty Project where Christians and Muslims volunteers are being trained to become anti-poverty champions and within their communities; or the work of the Bridging the Gap project where Christian churches in conjunction with Muslim volunteers work together to provide services for refugees newly arriving to Glasgow; or the work of Faith in Community Scotland who work with members of the Christian, Jewish, Muslim and Sikh communities to address issues of poverty and social inclusion in 38 of the poorest communities in Glasgow.

I strongly condemn interfaith violence. I believe that communities have a much better chance at getting to know each other if there are common issues that bind them. It is through working jointly on a common project and sharing common purposes that true communities and lasting friendships are built. May it always remain the case in Scotland.

The numbers behind benefit fraud

2010-10-28T11:17:00.001+01:00

Benefit fraud is a serious offence and it has been continuously mentioned in speeches and announcements by the Coalition Government.

I certainly do not condone it and the Kirk is completely against fraudulent activities, but, the stress that is being placed on benefit fraud seems slightly out of proportion to the reality. Let us have a look at the data; for the financial year 2009-2010 the National Audit Office estimates fraud to be 0.6% of the Department of Work and Pensions benefits bill, while errors make up more than double this figure. Benefit fraud is estimated at £1 billion, and tax credit fraud is estimated at £0.6 billion, making a total of £1.6 billion.

However the Chancellor seems to have conflated benefit fraud and error during his speech announcing the Comprehensive Spending Review on October 20th 2010. He said:

“Nor will fraud in the welfare system be tolerated any more. We estimate that £5 billion a year is being lost in this way - £5 billion that others have to work long hours to pay in their taxes. This week we published our plans to step up the fight to catch benefit cheats and deploy uncompromising penalties when they are caught.”

How come £1.6 billion got metamorphosed into £5 billion? Has there been a mistake in the decimal point?

There seems to be a tendency to emphasise fraud when poverty and welfare reform are discussed. This often distracts attention from getting resources to those genuinely in need. This is truly unfortunate because our experience working in deprived communities is that life on benefits is often a struggle, with difficult and stressful financial choices being a daily occurrence. We believe this reality is not well reflected in government statements and should be at the heart of any debate on Welfare Reform.

I have therefore written together with a number of other church leaders to David Cameron calling on him to instruct the Chancellor to correct his statement of 20th October and that the publication ‘Tackling fraud and error in the benefit and tax credits systems’ published last week by the Department of Work and Pensions and HM Revenue and Customs is similarly corrected, as it makes the same error.

Biomass power stations

2010-10-25T13:51:00.000+01:00

Forth Energy has submitted planning applications to develop biomass powered energy plants in Dundee, Grangemouth, Leith and Rosyth. These power stations would be burning wood fuel to produce electricity. The joint electricity production of the plants is estimated to be up to 500M, which according to Forth Energy amounts to 14% of Scotland’s electricity demands. Forth Energy mentions the advantages of the proposed plants to the selected towns in terms of employment, training opportunities and a contribution to Scotland’s energy mix.

Biomass technology is already in use in a power station at Steven’s Croft, near Lockerbie so the technology seems to be well established. However there might be some questions concerning the sustainability of the scale of some of some of the proposed plants, or the fact that all of proposed plants are to be build in built-up areas. One area of particular concern can be the sourcing of the wood for burning. If most of the wood is going to be imported from abroad, what will be the carbon footprint attached to importing this wood for burning up in Scotland and what will be the impact on the communities where the wood is sourced? All of these are questions to be asked.

The Kirk has no objection to the biomass proposals submitted by Forth Energy since they are on the whole consistent with the views expressed by the General Assembly; however, these proposals have caused concern from a number of local groups including local congregations. Their concerns are listed in the Greener Leith website.

I would encourage everyone with an interest in these issues to get involved in the debate by asking questions, checking the websites listed, lobbying and using your vote.

The Child Benefit Conundrum

2010-10-14T14:54:00.004+01:00

Economic recessions have the consequence of pressuring governments into implementing austerity measures that sometimes produce contradictory results. This has clearly been the case for Chancellor George Osborne in the proposed measures to end child benefit after 2013 for families in which at least 1 earner pays 40% tax. The proposed measure has had the unforeseen effect of having some families with joint incomes way above the threshold remaining legally entitled to the benefit, whilst other families with only one salary above the threshold loosing the benefit. The Coalition Government will undoubtedly tinker with the proposed measure to make its effects less contradictory, but what is really at stake is the principle of universality.

Social benefits are intended to alleviate poverty and to soften the sharp edges of capitalism. Making some social benefits universal makes sure that all people get them. It is a simple way of ensuring that all mothers receive financial support without the hassle of forms and means-testing which may be overly complicated and inefficient. In the case of child benefit, this support costs the tax payer £11 billion a year and has been taken up by practically every mother in the UK.

Although some might suggest that the principle of universality is irrelevant in a financial crisis, I think exactly the opposite. Universal benefits send a very clear measure of what is valued within a society. In this case, a universal child benefit states that we are valuing our children, our future. It also states that we value the choice that families might make in deciding whether one family member can afford to stay at home to look after the children. Since it costs close to £200,000 to bring up a child parents must not be penalised by opting to remain at home to raise their children. Finally an attack on the universality of child benefits changes the concept of what we have been entitled to as citizens and residents of this country since WWII. This should not be done just as a cost-cutting measure and without due consultation.

Tax dodging

2010-10-14T13:46:00.000+01:00

It was reported last month that £9 in every £100 that should have been paid for in taxes, actually goes missing because people, as well as corporations are very efficient at evading tax. In 2009 this amounted to an estimated £42 million. This is a tricky issue. Should we do everything we can to avoid participating to the costs a society that tries to be fair and provide for its most vulnerable members? Is tax dodging ethically defensible for individuals and corporations?

The question of immoral tax evasion and avoidance lead the Kirk in the General Assembly of May 2010, to study the issue further. I am delighted to see that Christian Aid will be issuing on Monday the 18th a report called “Paying our Dues” which explores the ways by which tax dodging punishes the poor. The Church and Society Council of the Kirk collaborated with Christian Aid in the report and fully supports its vision and philosophy.

As a Christian, I cannot but support the position that it is ethically appropriate to pay our fair dues to the running of the society in which we work, play and make our livelihood.

Leadership, Expertise and Prayers: The Rescued Miners in Chile

2010-10-13T12:58:00.001+01:00

I am delighted to see that the miners who have been trapped in the San Esteban mine in the Atacama desert of Chile are being rescued today. It has been an amazing feat of human endurance, to withstand for 69 days in those conditions, and remain optimistic, and help each other survive. Respect and cooperation were the strategies adopted by foreman Luis Urzua, a veteran miner trapped amongst the 33 whose leadership was crucial.. Meagre resources were shared by all. I hesitate to think what their chances of survival would have been if the strongest amongst them would had monopolized resources in a selfish attempt for survival. The miners have taught us all a lesson in the value of respect and cooperation.

Many people have cooperated for this successful rescue. Jeff Hart, a driller from Denver, Colorado was taken away from drilling for water for the US army in Afghanistan to operate the T130drill that would eventually open up a hole large enough for the rescue operation to take place. Drilling for water or oil is not the same as drilling for lives, and Mr Hart, acknowledged the weight of responsibility as he expertly sensed the vibrations of the driller. Jean Romagnoli, a Chilean expert in sports medicine undertook the task of overseeing the men’s physical and psychological fitness. The families of the miners supported their loved ones sending encouraging messages through a video conferencing link. Churches throughout the world and particularly in Latin America organised prayer vigils and services.

Thank God for the combination of good leadership, professionalism, technical expertise, and prayers.

The Azure Card, and survival as a failed asylum seeker

2010-10-08T16:21:00.003+01:00

Imagine having to leave your country because of war, or violence, or threats to your life. Imagine arriving to the UK, a country which you think might offer you asylum. Imagine your asylum application refused. Imagine contemplating having to be sent back to whence you came from. Imagine the stress and anguish at having to be handed over to officials of the country you fled from. Imagine that you get ill just before you are sent back or you cannot be sent back because of the political situation in your country. Who are you now? You are now a failed asylum seeker under ‘section 4’.

What does this mean?

It means you will receive £35 a week per person as support towards your maintenance. The snag is that the money is not in cash, but locked in a prepaid “azure card” which is accepted at certain supermarkets and shops. Administratively, this sounds like a good idea, if lots of places take the card, there is choice and convenience.

The cards started its roll-out phase since 2009 in Scotland however, its implementation has not been as simple as it might have been expected. Supermarkets that are participating in the scheme are not always the most cost-effective places to buy food. On £35 a week, cheap food is really important. If you have dietary restrictions because of your faith, the food you can eat might not be stocked in the shops that take the card. The card also has restrictions on what you can buy… it is not accepted for transport, or clothes; in fact… it is not money.

To discuss this, and other issues relating to the problems of asylum seekers in Scotland, representatives from Glasgow Citizens for Sanctuary, have been seeking a meeting with Phil Taylor, the Regional Director for the Scotland and Northern Ireland Region, of the UK Border Agency. Despite earlier attempts, the meeting has not materialized. I only fear that in the current economic climate, the voices of those who live amongst us without the protection that UK citizenship awards will be unheard.

Citizens for Sanctuary search and have developed good working relations with UK Border Agency offices elsewhere, why not in Glasgow? Please, Mr Taylor, can you meet-up with these folk?

Domestic Abuse in Scotland

2010-10-06T10:40:00.002+01:00

Over 53,000 reported cases of domestic abuse were reported in Scotland in 2009. More current data is not yet available, but last year’s was already an increase of 8% over 2007. I was therefore happy to see that the Kirk presented a response to the Scottish Parliament on the consultation to Rhoda Grant’s Bill on Domestic Abuse. The Church of Scotland’s Guild has been heavily involved through its Scottish Women’s Convention in working towards improving the position of women in Scotland, and addressing issues of violence against women.

Domestic abuse is not a family spat; it is serious business where women and children have to cope with possible re-location, financial and psychological distress as well as physical violence. This does not mean that all who suffer from domestic abuse are women; there are reported cases of men suffering from this type of abuse, but the numbers are low in comparison.

In the current economic environment, with the extent of the proposed cuts becoming clearer by the day it is important to stress that not everyone will be capable of contributing to the reduction of the deficit. We are not all in this together; some are in such vulnerable positions, that it is not ethical to increase their burden any further. This is the case of victims of domestic abuse. The legal, medical and psychological needs of people in vulnerable positions, escaping their homes because of domestic abuse must be supported.

These people, although traumatized, gather the strength to escape the family home because they are protecting their children. The access to legal assistance is of paramount importance for their welfare and should be protected from cuts, even in these times of restraint.

Welfare Reform should mean Support with Dignity

2010-10-01T11:51:00.000+01:00

I truly welcome the fact that the Kirk has been invited to respond to the consultation on 21st Century Welfare issued by the Coalition Government. With a church in every community, the Kirk has been at the centre of community involvement, getting the views of people living in poverty throughout Scotland. Through the work of Scotland’s Poverty Truth Commission, we have had direct access to hear and learn from those that are struggling with poverty. This has informed our views on the need to get the involvement of those struggling with the issues on a daily basis, on any kind of measures directed towards helping them out of poverty. ‘Nothing about Us without Us is for Us.’

The Coalition Government proposes to simplify the benefits system. Aye to that. It also proposes to encourage people to move from the benefits system into paid employment. The welfare system is in place to help those in need. It is a resource that we all contribute into in order to provide help and support to the most vulnerable amongst us. Much has been said about the culture of dependence and the lifestyle choices of welfare recipients. In our experience, nearly all people that are able to work, want to and do so if work is available. There are many ways to contribute into society apart from paid employment. No one can dispute the valuable contribution done by thousands of people caring for children, or tending for a disabled relative; these unpaid contributions, amount to significant savings to the public purse.

Support with dignity is the key.

Fall is in the air

2010-09-22T16:04:00.000+01:00

Believe it or not, I am off on a short break, back in a week.

Why can't the minimum price of alcohol be agreed upon?

2010-09-22T16:00:00.000+01:00

Today the MSPs in the Scottish Parliament Health and Sport Committee debated the Government proposal to introduce a minimum price of 45p per unit of alcohol and voted to delete this proposal from the Bill (Parliament report not yet available). The Church, alongside medical organisations, the police and voluntary sector organisations have been campaigning in support of this policy so I am disappointed to hear that opposition parties remain unwilling to compromise in order to make progress on this key public health issue. Everyone agrees that action should be taken to combat the excessive drinking culture in our nation, so what is preventing our representatives from sitting round the table together and agreeing what can be done, by this Scottish Parliament, in this piece of legislation?”