Stevenson Welcomes Digital Packs for North-East Schools

Banffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson has welcomed a digital donation to help support secondary school pupils in the north-east.

It comes after supermarket Asda announced it was working with Dell Technologies to donate 7,000 laptops to partner schools across the UK to help tackle digital exclusion.

Fraserburgh North School and Peterhead Academy will both receive 10 laptop bundles each.

Each tech bundle includes a headset and dongle and laptops will include a one-year warranty and technical support.

According to Ofcom, around 9% of children in the UK - between 1.1million and 1.8million - do not have access to a laptop, desktop or tablet at home.

Commenting, Stewart Stevenson MSP said:

“I welcome this funding from Asda to help support schools in the north-east which will help to close the gap in digital poverty.

“The coronavirus pandemic has emphasised the very real challenges and disparity across society in access to digital technologies. This support will go a long way to help pupils in their learning both in school and at home.”

Stevenson Welcomes Update on Place of Worship

Banffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson has welcomed a Scottish Government announcement on attending places of worship.

From Friday 26 March people living in all parts of Scotland will be able to attend places of worship in gatherings of up to 50 where there is space for physical distancing.

And the updated guidance will also allow people to travel between Level 4 areas to attend their usual place of worship.

Commenting, Stewart Stevenson MSP said:

“I welcome the return of collective worship which I know is of great importance to many constituents. This is a positive change I know it will be especially welcome as we head towards religious festivals over the next few weeks.

“This has been an incredibly tough year for so many people and I am thankful to everyone in my constituency and across the north-east who have shown solidarity, compassion and love to one another by sticking to incredibly tough rules and restrictions.

“To lift restrictions in the future, we still need to suppress the virus just now, so please stay within the rules in the coming weeks – stay at home for now, unless for an allowed reason; do not meet people from other households indoors; and follow the FACTS advice when you are out and about.”

MSPs Welcome Funding for Green Jobs

North-east MSPs has welcomed funding to help support Scotland’s economic recovery and stimulate the creation of new green jobs following the coronavirus pandemic.

The £4million Green Jobs Call from Scottish Enterprise is part of a three-year £27million package of green funding and applications will go live in May.

The move has been welcomed by Aberdeenshire East MSP Gillian Martin and Banffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson.

Grants of between £50,000 to £500,000 will be awarded on a competitive basis.

Supported through the Scottish Government’s Green Jobs Fund, the funding call is part of Scottish Enterprise’s wider commitment to supporting Scotland’s net zero transition that delivers benefits for our environment, people and economic prosperity.

The call aims to support business to create jobs that produce goods or provide services that benefit the environment or conserve natural resources and jobs that help drive more environmentally friendly processes in Scottish businesses.

Picture taken pre-COVID and social distancing

Commenting, Gillian Martin MSP said:

“As we continue to tackle to Covid-19 crisis and support the economy both here in the north-east and across Scotland, it is also crucial we lay the foundations for a green recovery and I welcome the work of Scottish Enterprise in helping to support this.

“This first call for the new green jobs fund is a really positive step and will help us to rebuild a fairer, stronger and greener country.”

Commenting, Stewart Stevenson MSP said:

“I would urge businesses to apply for this funding which will help support companies as we emerge from the coronavirus pandemic. Scotland’s net-zero ambitions are impressive and funding opportunities such as this from Scottish Enterprise help us to work solidly towards this.”