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 →
Today the Scottish Government made a statement to the Scottish Parliament on the closure of the Forth Road Bridge for the next three weeks.
It was the first opportunity for the Scottish Parliament to ask the Scottish Government about the closure of the bridge and it is clear from the range of questions on maintenance, funding, and governance that we must have a parliamentary inquiry.
As someone that uses both the road and rail bridge to get from Fife to Parliament I fully understand the frustrations of commuters as they struggle to get to and from work.
I understand that the closure is especially having an impact on shift workers who many not be able to rely on public transport due to the hours that they work.
It is right that we do not take risks with the safety of the public and as such the Government were correct to shut the bridge due to structural faults.
I appreciate that Scotrail has laid on extra carriages for their peak time services but people are still being left at stations, or forced onto cramped conditions. Those who are taking the busses or car are also facing long delays on diversion routes.
It is important that the work to repair the bridge is carried out as quickly as possible to ensure that any disruption is kept to a minimum.
That is why I took the opportunity during the statement to ask for assurances from the Scottish Government that their timescale of having the bridge open by the new year will be met.
You can read a transcript of my question below:
Claire Baker MSP (Mid Scotland and Fife): It is clear from the questions in the chamber today that we would benefit from a parliamentary enquiry on this issue.
The Minister has said it is anticipated that the bridge is to be open for people returning to work in the New Year. How confident is he in the timescale and which factors might lead to a delay. It is obviously of great concern to commuters in Fife, particularly shift workers that we see the bridge open as soon as possible.
Minister for Transport: The last briefing I had – which was just before I left the national traffic control centre where the multi-agency response is being coordinated to come to parliament – was the work is on track as per the timetable that has been published.
Factors that may change that, of course, is the fact that the works are weather dependent because we won’t have people working in unsafe conditions but we are working around the clock to get the bridge open as quickly as possible.
During Portfolio Questions in the Scottish Parliament I tackled the Education Secretary on tackling the attainment gap in Fife and used the opportunity to highlight the launch of Fairer Fife Commission’s report ‘Fairness Matters’ which took place this week in Kirkcaldy.
The Fairness Matters report recommends that “all schools in Fife…develop and deliver a plan for significantly reducing the educational attainment gap…based on what is proven to work and with dedicated financial and in-kind support.”
The report is right to highlight the work that needs to be done to address inequality and poverty throughout the Kingdom and I welcome their recommendations. They will draw together partners and provide a focus for tackling poverty in the region.
Fife Council has made great strides in tackling educational attainment in our schools and their work is a positive example for other local authorities throughout Scotland. Continue reading →
Over the weekend I was delighted to launch my pamphlet celebrating the work of the famous Fife politician Jennie Lee at well-attended events at the Lochgelly Institute and Edinburgh University.
Launching the pamphlet in Jennie Lee’s hometown and also at her old university, it was great to be able to count on the support of so many people that still love and appreciate all that she has done for arts and the Labour movement.
As someone who has grown up in Fife I know all about the work of Jennie Lee and the respect held for her by those who knew her. That is why I was determined to mark the 50th anniversary of her ground-breaking white paper.
Her story is a great one to tell. Like Jennie, I am a former pupil of Beath High School and I was delighted to be joined by the headteacher and senior pupils as well as pupils from Benarty Primary School keen to learn about Jennie Lee.
I was also delighted that Kevin Sayers from Fife Council was able to come along and talk about the work Fife Council is undertaking with community groups to recognise Jennie’s legacy in the upcoming years.
Jennie Lee is an inspirational figure for young people in the Fife area and I am pleased that my pamphlet kick starts recognition of her work.
This week I went along along to Fife Gingerbread AGM. It was a moving and inspiring event. We heard from families who have worked with Fife Gingerbread and their experiences of supporting their children, building their own confidence and getting on in life.
It was great to see the way Fife Gingerbread are imaginatively using creative writing and art with families. It was clear to see how much everyone had benefited from expressing their creative side.
It was also great to hear about the progress of the Teen Fife Teen Parent Project and the awards they have been winning. It was a real pleasure to present the AGM awards this year and help recognise the women’s achievements. Looking forward to next year!
Today I held a meeting with concerned residents in Leven to discuss my campaign against anti-social behaviour on quad bikes in the wider region.
I was pleased to be joined by local Shelagh Cooper who has campaigned with me for action following the death of her dog after it was knocked down and killed. I was also joined by Police Scotland Community Inspector Tom Brown and local councillors Jim Young and Tom Adams.
I was also pleased that so many locals joined me during my roundtable to discuss their concerns about the dangerous and often illegal use of single operated vehicles in the area.
Anti-social behaviour on quad bikes and single person operated vehicles has blighted the area for some time, causing thousands of pounds worth of damage to local farms. Continue reading →
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.
Today I was pleased to welcome workers and trade union representatives from BiFab to meet with MSPs from all parties to discuss the future of the yard.
Previously I have raised and discussed with the Government fears over the yards future as it competes for contracts. It is vital that we all work together to secure the future of the yards and workforce in Methil, Burntisland and Arnish.
I was pleased to welcome Richard Leonard, Michael Sullivan, Alan Ritchie and Gary Smith from GMB and Bob McGregor from Unite to hear workers concerns.
Yesterday it was announced that Havelock Europa, based in Kirkcaldy, lost £2 million off the value of its shares after it announced the loss of a contract worth up to £14 million to the company.
Understandably this has led to a fear of further job losses on top of the 50 announced earlier this year. I have spoken to senior management in the company who have assured me that they are doing all they can to mitigate the impact of yesterday’s announcement.
I will continue to keep in contact with the company to ensure that they have all the support they need in their plans to diversify and maintain as much of their workforce as possible.
The Scottish Parliament held a debate to celebrate the 10 year anniversary of the signing of the cooperation agreement with Malawi. The agreement, delivered by then First Minister Jack McConnell, was signed in November 2005 and linked two countries and 17 million people together.
The co-operation agreement was also the first step towards the Scottish Government’s international development fund, which has led to many positive successes around the world.
At the time of the partnership agreement, Malawi was one of the poorest countries in the world. Its income per person was $160 per year, and despite having a population and land area more than double that of Scotland’s its economy was little more than 1 per cent of ours. At the time Falkirk’s local economy was twice the size of Malawi’s.
The country was suffering one of the worst HIV/AIDS epidemics in the world’ life expectancy had fallen from 45 to 37 years, and the number of orphans in Malawi numbered the entire population of Edinburgh.
Since the agreement 150 schools, 15 local authorities, all of Scotland’s universitites, most colleges and hundreds of NGOs, businesses, charities and ambassadors throughout Scotland has engaged with Malawi.
This includes a large number of partnerships within Mid Scotland and Fife. Fife Council was linked with team Malawi in the Glasgow Commonwealth games, and Fife College has a number of links to the country.
Local schools such as Kirkcaldy High and Burntisland Primary are linking pupils in Scotland with Malawi, informing and inspiring future generations in both countries. St Kenneth’s parish church has links with villages in the north of Malawi and is helping to build infrastructure, fresh-water boreholes, schools and sustainable income-generating projects to help to lift people out of poverty.
We now must look at the future of the next 10 years of the agreement and the 10 after that. The work and progress already achieved in health and education is to be celebrated but more can still be done to help boost the country’s fragile economy.
The co-operation agreement is a success story that the Parliament should be proud of. The past 10 years are an example to other nations and an example that we must continue. If we can assist in any way towards a sustainable economy, we will have laid the building blocks of a stable and, I hope, peaceful and prosperous country.
You can watch the debate below or read my speech in the official report here.
