The Scottish Conservatives are in complete denial about the situation that we find ourselves in and the threat that it poses to the Scottish economy and people’s livelihoods. Many people I have spoken to in recent weeks say that they are fed up with the whole process and just want it to be over, but […]
I joined with Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland and patients to call on the Health Secretary to demand a life-changing stroke procedure be brought back into Scottish hospitals. Earlier this year, a procedure called thrombectomy was withdrawn from Scottish hospitals but remains available elsewhere in the UK. In 2017, only 13 people received this […]
Fife based artist Drew Walker held an exhibition in the Scottish Parliament to raise awareness of mental health and the role that art can play in recovery. The exhibition entitled ‘Falling UP’ was designed and created by Drew who himself has been open about his struggles with mental illness and how he used the facilities […]
Below is the response I received from the Cabinet Secretary for transport to a written question I submitted as a result of the volume of complaints I was getting about the poor rail service being experienced in Fife. He seems to think the problems people are facing on a daily basis in Fife have been […]
This week I spoke in a debate in Parliament on supporting Asylum Seekers in Scotland. I made the point that, when earlier this year I visited Auschwitz, the Nazi extermination camp that saw millions murdered, the tour guide made the point to me that many Jews seeking refuge from other countries were turned away. […]
The Scottish Parliament is debating the regulation of electricians as a profession. The UK charity Electrical Safety first has sent through the following briefing to MSPs about the debate, and may be of interest to those wanting to find out more about the debate.
Below is a briefing from the Scottish Parliament Information Centre on the new social security powers devolved to the Scottish Parliament. Please give the document a moment to load. If you would prefer to access a downloadable copy please click here.
[embedyt] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hYn_PI5qE6M[/embedyt] Whilst welcoming the ongoing progress being made to support former Armed Forces personnel, I highlighted to the Scottish Parliament this week that there are still gaps in support particularly for veterans involved in the recent conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. Referrals for Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder and other mental health conditions from former […]
As the Planning (Scotland) Bill makes its way through Parliament, I have submitted the following amendments which would hopefully address some of the problems in our planning system. We have an opportunity to change planning so that it works better for communities and I hope these amendments get the support to be included in the […]
As part of the Scottish Crown Estate Bill going through the Environment, Climate change and Land Reform Committee a discussion arose around the harvesting of wild kelp. An amendment to the bill was put forward that would restrict harvesting “where such harvesting would inhibit the regrowth of the individual plant.” The amendment was not […]