THE Scottish Government has called on the Westminster government to play a full part in a co-ordinated European response to this emergency humanitarian issue and has agreed to take 1,000 refugees initially.

As the First Minister made clear after last week’s emergency humanitarian summit, Scotland is willing to take our fair share of refugees to help some of the most vulnerable people in need.

As Humza Yousaf, Scotland’s Minister for Europe and International Development said: “This is first and foremost a humanitarian crisis and as such requires a humanitarian response.

“The overwhelming support we have seen from the Scottish people over the past few days shows our willingness to help the most vulnerable in the world” This week the Electoral Commission has launched an awareness campaign specifically aimed at 15 to 17-year-olds to encourage voter registration and awareness of the right to vote in the next year’s Holyrood elections.

Throughout this week schools and colleges are being encouraged to hold registration sessions to help students register online during class time. Please make sure that you have registered so that you can have your say at the Scottish Parliamentary election on 5 May 2016 by going to www.electoralcommission.org.uk Offensive weapon crimes are down by 67 per cent.

I very much welcome this substantial fall in offensive weapon crimes.

With 1,000 more police on our streets, Scotland’s communities are safer than they have been for 41 years and crime has now fallen for eight years in a row.

These strong statistics are testament to the hard work of our police officers and all of those people who support them in keeping our communities safe.