Category Archives: Parliament News

Claire backs National Guarantee for care workers

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I’m calling for a national guarantee for care workers in Mid Scotland and Fife that will see all workers paid the living wage and an end to exploitative zero hour contracts.

With an aging population and patients suffering from complex and multiple conditions, social care will be one of the biggest challenges facing the health service in the years ahead.

The easiest thing to do would be to continue a sticker plaster approach to health and social care in Scotland but we must meet this challenge head on.

As a result of the Chancellors spending review carried out last month, the Scottish Parliament will receive health consequentials of around £400 million.

I joined colleagues in the Scottish Parliament in putting forward proposals for using the majority of extra revenue to invest in social care.

We need to ensure that we have a health service that is fit for the future and meets the health needs of Scots in the years ahead.  Continue reading →

Keep Calmac and Carry on

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Today Scottish Labour held a debate on keeping CalMac ferry services in public hands. Before the debate started I was pleased to join colleagues and members from RMT in protesting against the possibility of the service being privatised.

This service is a lifeline for many people in rural Scotland and I am proud to support our campaign to keep Calmac in public hands.

You can show your support to the campaign by signing our petition at the following link –> http://www.scottishlabour.org.uk/…/keep-calmac-ferries-in-p…

Intergovernmental relations

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Earlier this week I led for Scottish Labour in a debate on intergovernmental relations within the UK.

With the new powers coming via the Scotland Bill it is more important than ever that there is a good working relationship between Westminster and Holyrood.

It is also important that this relationship is open and any discussions transparent as Governments must be fully accountable for decisions they reach.

Scrutiny of Government’s decisions is vital and the public cannot be left in the dark as decisions are made behind closed doors.

You can watch the debate below.

Fife GP Crisis

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Yesterday during Health Questions I raised the growing GP crisis in Fife with the Cabinet Secretary for Health.

The news that Cannons Surgery in Fife has been taken over by NHS Fife and 8 surgeries in Kirkcaldy have closed their list to new patients is a huge cause for concern and it is vital that the Scottish Government take action.

In June £60 million was announced in funding to support GP services, it is important to meet demands that Fife gets its fair share.

You can watch the question below.

Claire votes against Trade Union Bill

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Following last week’s protest outside Fife House against the Conservative Government’s Trade Union Bill I was delighted to join colleagues in voting against the Bill in Parliament.

The Bill, introduced by the Conservative Government, is an attack on workers’ rights and weakens local democracy. I am pleased the Fife Council have spoken out against the Bill and I hope that Scottish Parliament’s vote will put more pressure on the UK Government.

Before the debate I was pleased to join local and national trade unions – including a delegation from Fife – in protesting against the Bill outside the Scottish Parliament.

I have previously raised the issue in the Scottish Parliament and I held street surgeries in Fife, promoting our petition against the bill. Currently over 300,000 people have signed Labour’s petition against the bill – if you haven’t you can sign up here: http://www.labour.org.uk/w/trade-union-bill-petition

Scottish Labour is proud to stand against this ideological attack from the Tories on working people and I hope you can join us.

You can watch the full debate below or read the official report here.

Claire continues Levenmouth rail campaign

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As the campaign continues to reinstate the Levenmouth Rail Link I was delighted to meet with those involved in my office in Kirkcaldy.

Since I was elected as an MSP in 2007 I have been campaigning on the issue and I have previously held debates in the Scottish Parliament calling for its reintroduction.

Levenmouth is still one of the largest urban areas in Scotland not to be serviced by a working rail link. This is despite much of the tracks still intact.

Following the recent opening of Borders railway, Levenmouth Rail Link should be the Scottish Government’s and Transport Scotland’s next railway priority.

Last month during General Questions in the Scottish Parliament I called for the Scottish Government to commit to the rail link. You can watch a video of the question time below, my question is at 9 minutes.

Trade Union Bill concerns raised in Parliament

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Yesterday in Parliament I raised my opposition to the Conservative Government’s Trade Union bill which is currently making its way through the UK Parliament.

This bill is a draconian piece of legislation designed to attack the rights of workers that we have battled so hard for throughout the years.

Council Leaders from across Scotland, including the leader of Fife Council, David Ross, have come out against the bill and its potential impact on council workers.

Only last weekend I was out in Kirkcaldy gaining support for a petition against the bill. It is clear that there is a real strength of feeling that what the Tories are doing is wrong and must be stopped.

Continue reading →

Claire goes pink for breast cancer awareness

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Last week I showed my support for women with breast cancer by dressing up in pink to encouraging constituents to take part in Breast Cancer Now’s flagship fundraiser, wear it pink, on Friday 23rd October.

Wear it pink, the UK’s biggest pink fundraiser, calls on supporters across the country to ditch the day-to-day colours and pull on some pink to raise money for Breast Cancer Now’s life-saving breast cancer research.

I was delighted to join fellow parliamentarians in wearing it pink in Holyrood to encourage people across Scotland to get involved.

Continue reading →

SCIAF Celebrates 50 years

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This week SCIAF joined us in the Scottish Parliament to celebrate their 50th anniversary, hosting a well attended evening celebrating on Wednesday.

It was good to meet and discuss all the fantastic work they do throughout the world. I look forward to further conversations as we work together in my role as Democracy spokesperson for Scottish Labour.

Claire calls for stronger Scotland Bill

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Today I led for Scottish Labour in a Parliamentary debate on the Scotland Bill and the issue of more powers for the Scottish Parliament. 

During the debate I called for the Bill to be strengthened to ensure that more powers come to the Scottish Parliament. Labour has laid amendments to the bill that would see the bill go beyond what was agreed in the Smith Commission and ensure that all VAT raised in Scotland would stay in Scotland.

I also called for full transparency in that discussions taking place between the Scottish and UK Government over the fiscal framework that will underpin the bill. We must ensure that we are getting a fair deal for Scotland.