News – Fiona Hyslop

16Mar 2021 by admin

Hyslop Welcomes SNP Commitment to Build 100,000 Homes and Support 14,000 Jobs

Fiona Hyslop MSP has welcomed a commitment by the SNP to deliver 100,000 affordable homes in Scotland by 2032, if the party is re-elected in May. The Housing to 2040 plan will create 14,000 jobs and invest £16 billion in housing infrastructure across Scotland, including in West Lothian. Key plans from the scheme include: delivering 100,000 more affordable homes by 2032, with at least 70% of these being for social rentsetting a single set of standards for housing quality and accessibilityestablishing a new fund to help local authorities bring empty homes back into residential useending homelessness and rough sleeping once and for alldecarbonising heating in all homes in line with Scotland’s climate ambitions Fiona commented, “This is a big announcement from the SNP Government. Committing to deliver 100,000 affordable homes…

09Mar 2021 by admin

Apprenticeship Ambassador of the Year Hails From Bathgate

News, News in Lothian

As part of Scottish Apprenticeship Week, Fiona Hyslop has urged employers in West Lothian to apply for the SNP Government’s £15 million Apprenticeship Employer Grant. Marking Scottish Apprenticeship Week, Fiona has encouraged employers to make the most of the fund which would provide £5,000 for taking on or upskilling a 16 to 24-year old apprentice for those aged up to 29 years who are disabled, care leavers and minority ethnic, and £3,500 for taking on or upskilling an apprentice over 25. Apprenticeships are an integral part to the Scottish Government’s ‘Young Persons Guarantee’, which was introduced by Fiona in her Ministerial role. The ‘Young Persons Guarantee’ ensures that everyone aged 16 to 24-years old has the opportunity to access work, education or training. The Apprenticeship grant will help increase the…

09Feb 2021 by admin

Hyslop Calls on Tesco to Rethink Contract Decision which will Impact Hundreds of Workers at Local Distribution Centre

News, News in Lothian

Tesco are attempting to force approximately 280 staff at the West Lothian distribution centre to agree to new contracts which will deduct their retained pay which was part of their legally agreed contracts when they joined Tesco. This change in contract will translate into an individual monetary loss of thousands of pounds for affected employees. Local Constituency MSP, Fiona Hyslop, convened a meeting with the UK Director of Distribution and Fulfilment for Tesco along with local MSP Angela Constance and MP Hannah Bardell. Hyslop raised concerns on behalf of those affected, and she has called on Tesco to rethink this decision which will have a negative impact on several long-serving members of staff within the constituency. Fiona commented, “I am extremely disappointed that Tesco have broken legal pay arrangements for…

25Jan 2021 by admin

Hyslop Concerned by Westminster Tory Government Plans to Cut Universal Credit by £20 Per Week

News, News in Lothian

The SNP have been urging the UK Conservative Government to maintain the £20 boost to Universal Credit and extend it to legacy benefits. All six Scottish Conservative MPs abstained on a vote which would have ensured that. Figures revealed that the UK Prime Minister’s plans to remove the £20 uplift in April would push 15,675 people in West Lothian further into poverty. The SNP Government has led the way in tackling poverty, with new benefits such as the Scottish Child Payment and a social security system based on dignity and respect. It has been estimated, by the anti-poverty think-tank the Resolution Foundation, that the weekly £20 cut to Universal Credit could see the incomes of low-income families fall by more than 4% and push a further 820,000 children into poverty…

18Dec 2020 by admin

Hyslop Backs ‘Ambitious’ Steps To Tackle Climate Emergency

News, News in Lothian

Local Constituency MSP, Fiona Hyslop has welcomed the announcement of more than 100 ambitious new policies and proposals to support Scotland’s green recovery and help deliver a just transition to net zero. They form part of the Climate Change Plan 2018 – 2032, which has been updated to reflect the world’s most ambitious climate targets as enshrined in Scotland’s Climate Change Act 2019. The Plan includes: - additional funding of £120 million for zero emission buses to accelerate the decarbonisation of Scotland’s bus fleet and support the Scottish supply chain. - £50 million to support the creation of Active Freeways to provide sustainable transport links between our towns and cities - £50 million to transform vacant and derelict land, ensuring that this land is utilised for maximum environmental and community benefit…

16Dec 2020 by admin

Hyslop Welcomes Announcement of Support for Spectator Sport in West Lothian

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Spectator sports in West Lothian will receive a share of a £55million package announced by the SNP Scottish Government. The support will help local teams cope with a difficult period where they have been unable to welcome fans to matches due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Amongst the funding, £30m will go to football, £20m to rugby and £2.2m to ice hockey and rinks. The money goes over and above what has been provided by the UK government in Barnett consequentials and means the SNP Scottish Government can provide the funds each sport needs. Fiona Commented: “I am delighted that the SNP Government has engaged with sporting bodies and have tailored a funding package to each sport. This has been a difficult time for many sports in West Lothian and this…

16Dec 2020 by admin

Hyslop Welcomes News That Businesses in West Lothian to Receive Share of £185 Million Scottish Government Funding

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Businesses in West Lothian will receive their share of targeted Scottish Government coronavirus funding worth £185million. The funding was recently announced by Finance Secretary Kate Forbes and will benefit a wide range of sectors, such as taxi drivers, arts venues and the hospitality sector. The Scottish Government is developing grant schemes for hospitality, the events sector, live music, arts, indoor football centres and the food and drink sector. A further £60 million will also be provided to the tourism sector. In addition, there will be one-off payments of either £2,000 or £3,000 available for hospitality businesses in January to help them deal with the traditional post-Christmas dip in demand. Local Constituency MSP, Fiona Hyslop, commented, "I welcome this Scottish Government funding as it will help support firms and ensure that our economy is on the…

03Dec 2020 by admin

Hyslop Welcomes News That Over 200 People in West Lothian Receive Help Through Warm Homes Scheme

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Local Constituency MSP Fiona Hyslop welcomes the impact of Warmer Homes Scotland on fuel poor households in West Lothian. Over 200 households in West Lothian have benefitted from the scheme’s help since it was launched in 2015, each of them saving around £300 on their energy bills per year. The £224 million Warmer Homes Scotland scheme provides a step-by-step service to help make homes warmer and more comfortable. Assistance can include installing new and efficient boilers, fitting new radiators, insulating lofts or even working with partners to install gas mains to make heating homes in hard to reach areas more affordable. All work is carried out by registered and accredited local sub-contractors, who work to rigorous quality standards across the country. With the Fuel Poverty (Targets, Definition and Strategy) (Scotland)…

26Nov 2020 by admin

Hyslop Welcomes 60 New Teachers in West Lothian After SNP Funding Boost

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“I welcome the additional 60 new teachers to West Lothian with 28 new primary teachers and 32 new secondary teachers recruited to our schools.” “As with the rest of the country we have seen recruitment support the recent demands on learning and teaching, but West Lothian has one of the biggest percentages of young people under 19 in any of the Council areas in Scotland, so this additional recruitment of teachers is additionally important.” The SNP Government pledged £80 million of support this summer to help local authorities with recruitment for the safe re-opening of schools in 2020. Last month’s figures have shown an almost 30% rise in the number of newly-qualified teachers going straight into employment under the SNP’s leadership. Fiona commented, “It is vital that local authorities are fully…

10Nov 2020 by admin

Hyslop Highlights ‘Living Wage Week’ and The Employers of West Lothian Who Have Signed Up

News, News in Lothian

Hyslop highlights the annual celebration of the Living Wage movement across the UK which began on Monday the 9th of November. Within West Lothian, 29 businesses are signed up as Living Wage employers, and Ms Hyslop would like to congratulate them all on signing up to this commitment and maintaining it throughout the pandemic. A wide and diverse range of businesses in West Lothian are Living Wage employers from Riverside Cottage Nursery in Blackburn to Ian Macleod Distillers in Broxburn. The real Living Wage is an independently calculated rate based on the cost of living and is paid voluntarily by employers. Fiona commented: “The Living Wage Campaign is essential to ensuring that employees are paid enough to achieve a decent standard of living. I would like to thank all 29…