Last week the Scottish Government introduced their equal marriage bill to Parliament and we have already seen Equality Network launch their excellent video ‘Its Time’ in support of Equal Marriage.
Having signed Equality Network’s equal marriage pledge to “support the equal marriage campaign to lift the ban on same-sex marriage and mixed-sex civil partnership in Scotland’ I will be supporting the bill’s passage through Parliament. Continue reading
Previously in Parliament I raised the issue of the cancellation of Dunfermline based Sheds Hairdressing’s contract to provide hairpieces to the NHS. The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing agreed to meet to discuss the issue further and I am delighted to say that the decision looks to have been reversed and the contract will hopefully now be renewed.
Sheds Hairdressing provides a vital service supplying and personalising wigs and hairpieces to many across Fife and this decision has caused a lot of concern and distress amongst clients. The hairdressers provide hairpieces to NHS patients who suffer from hair loss due to medical conditions or treatments such as chemotherapy and alopecia. The salon has had more than 200 referrals in the past year. Continue reading
Recently I teamed up with Scotland’s leading anti-sectarianism charity Nil by Mouth at an event in Holyrood to help encourage young people across Scotland to stand up and be counted in the battle against sectarianism.
Nil by Mouth was founded by Glasgow teenage Cara Henderson after the brutal sectarian murder of her friend Mark Scott in 1996. Since then the organisation has campaigned tirelessly against sectarianism on, and off, the terraces. Continue reading
Yesterday in Parliament I took part in the Scottish Government debate on Hydropower. Hydro not only provides electricity and jobs to many rural places across Scotland but can also play a fairly significant part in helping us meet our future climate change targets.
The debate focused on the 70th anniversary of hydro-power in Scotland and I was recently at a dinner during Scottish Renewables hydro conference to mark the occasion. The night and conference was a great opportunity Continue reading
After the Scottish Government failed, for the second year in a row, to meet their climate change target for reducing carbon emissions I called for a topical question to ensure the Minister would come to Parliament to explain why.
The Government had announced on the previous Friday that they had failed to meet their 2011 target, missing it by 0.8 million tonnes. They also failed to meet their 2010 target, blaming it on a cold winter. Continue reading
I was delighted to tuck in to an award winning school dinner when the Soil Association’s Food for Life Scotland initiative was hosted at the Scottish Parliament. The event was designed to promote the Soil Association’s programme which aims to transform food culture across the country so that the food eaten is good for the consumer, the community and the planet.
School meals have certainly changed since I was at school Continue reading
This week the Scottish Government has been warned by the Faculty of Advocates and the Law Society of Scotland that the Courts Reform (Scotland) Bill will lead to a backlog in the system. I share these fears and believe that with the current closures due to still take place the court service is in danger of heading to a ‘gridlock’.
The bill will see cases where damages of less than £150,000 heard by new summary sheriffs rather than the Court of Session and cases would be held at sheriff courts across Scotland despite the Scottish Government’s recent decision to close 10 local sheriff courts. Locally the changes will see the closure of Cupar Sheriff Court with trials moving to Dundee and jury trials no longer taking place in Kirkcaldy, with trials moving to Dunfermline.
The move of all jury trials from Kirkcaldy would see an increase in jury trials by 283% at Dunfermline Sheriff Court. There are fears that the number of trials at Dunfermline would also increase with the passing of the Court Reform Bill leading to concerns about delays.
Recently I met with Mike McFarlane and Moira Cook from the Save Wemyss Ancient Caves Society to discuss the future of the caves after I had spoken on the issue in a debate in the Scottish Parliament.
The Society was established in 1986 to protect and save as much of the Wemyss Caves and their unique drawings as possible. They aim to record information on the caves, to preserve them and promote them as a tourist attraction.
Yesterday in Parliament I spoke during Mary Scanlon’s member’s debate on the Freshwater Pearl Mussel after earlier attending an information session in the Parliament hosted by Scottish Environment Link. During the event Dr Peter Cosgrove from Aberdeen University informed us of the work he does with estates and land managers to raise awareness.
The debate was another example of the success of Scottish Environment Link’s Species Champions initiative. As the champion of two species – the Puffin and Lesser Butterfly Orchid – I understand that just putting your name to a threatened species is not enough and we must be active in offering our political support in protecting them.
Yesterday in Parliament I opened the Flood Insurance Problems debate in the Scottish Parliament for the Scottish Labour Party. The debate was a committee debate after Professor David Crichton submitted a petition to the Public Petitions Committee calling for the Scottish Government to ensure Scotland’s interests are represented in on-going negotiations over home insurance for flooding.
The region of Mid Scotland and Fife is one such area that has been particularly affected by flooding recently. Last year a home in Dura Den was severely damaged and up to 30 families had to be evacuated from their homes when the River Eden burst its banks. In December the Eden also burst its banks between Ladybank and Kettle causing severe flooding for some homeowners. Continue reading
