Page 24 - Ben Macpherson News Today

Latest civil service & public affairs moves — January 11 New appointments in the civil service, UK politics, and public affairs, via our colleagues at Dods People Ministry of Justice: David Wolfson appointed as parliamentary under-secretary of state. Department for Education: Julia Kinniburgh replaced Lucy Smith as director general, Covid-19 response and schools recovery.  Ofqual – Simon Lebus appointed as interim chief regulator, replacing Glenys Stacey. Office for Students – Lord Wha...

GENE EDITING involves accentuating or suppressing genes withn an organisms own natural genetic sequence PERMISSION for gene editing in agriculture is back on the political agenda, following the launch of a Defra consultation on a potential change in UK law to allow the technology into the food chain. Under current European law, Gene Editing is lumped together with Genetic Modification, and as such is excluded from use in producing novel crop plants and livestock. Defra is touting the GE c...

A new barbecue sauce company established in North Dundas.

Because of the Internal Market Bill, Scotland will have to allow the sale of genetically edited food if England decides to change its laws SCOTLAND may soon be “forced to accept the marketing, sale and free circulation” of genetically modified food as England looks to change its own laws in the area post-Brexit, the Scottish Government has warned. The UK’s Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has today launched a public consultation on the use of gene editing on ...

by Gemma Mackenzie © Shutterstock / Elliot Photograph Sign up for our daily newsletter featuring the top stories from The Press and Journal. Thank you for signing up to The Press and Journal newsletter. Something went wrong - please try again later. Sign Up A trio of projects to help farmers boost the efficiency of their businesses, while cutting emissions, has been awarded funding from the Scottish Government. The funding, worth almost £63,000 through the Knowledge Transfer and ...

Pressure is growing for urgent reform of immigration rules amid concern many EU students enrolled at Scottish universities face additional costs running to hundreds of pounds due to the Covid pandemic. Campaigners have warned first-year students will not qualify for pre-settled status if they arrive after the end of the transition period on December 31 – even though they may have opted to study online or could not move to the UK because of Covid-19 restrictions. This would mean they wi...

Mairi Gougeon appointed as public health minister Mairi Gougeon has been appointed as the new public health minister, taking on oversight of the COVID-19 testing programme. She is replacing Joe FitzPatrick, who resigned last week over a record number of drug deaths. Ben Macpherson is taking on Gougeon’s old role as rural affairs minister, while his old portfolio has been divided and re-integrated with other portfolios. Europe Minister Jenny Gilruth will now take responsibility for migration, ...

Submitting... The former minister for rural affairs and the natural environment takes up the public health and sport role after her predecessor quit on Friday. Mr FitzPatrick had faced persistent calls to resign after yearly figures released earlier this week showed a rise to a new record high of 1,264 drug deaths last year. A motion of no confidence was tabled against Mr FitzPatrick after the latest figures recorded 1,264 drug-related deaths across Scotland in 2019 – a record high and the wo...

Nicola Sturgeon announces mini reshuffle after sacking public health minister NICOLA Sturgeon has appointed a new public health minister after sacking Joe FitzPatrick, who previously held the role, last week. The First Minister moved Mairi Gougeon to the position as part of a mini reshuffle of her junior ministerial team.  She said the changes came "at a crucial time for Scotland".  Mr FitzPatrick lost his job in the wake of damning figures showing 1,264 drug-related deaths in Scot...

BBC News Published image copyrightGetty Images Mairi Gougeon has been named the Scottish governments new public health minister, with responsibility for Covid-19 testing across the country. The move comes after Joe FitzPatrick lost his post in the government over drug deaths hitting a new record level. Ms Gougeon moves across from the rural economy brief, which will now be filled by Ben Macpherson. First Minister Nicola Sturgeon said the Angus MSP would play a "key role" in the team fighting th...