News – Fiona Hyslop MSP

18Dec 2020 by admin

Hyslop Backs ‘Ambitious’ Steps To Tackle Climate Emergency

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

News, News in Lothian

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

News, News in Lothian

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

News, News in Lothian

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

News, News in Lothian

“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…

06Nov 2020 by admin

Hyslop Highlights ‘Game-Changer’ Scottish Child Payment Opens Early for Applications

News, News in Lothian

The new Scottish Child Payment - which has been described as a “game-changer” in the fight to tackle child poverty - will open early for applications this month. Local Constituency MSP, Fiona Hyslop, has encouraged parents and carers in West Lothian who are eligible to apply now so that the Scottish Government can process and start making payments as quickly as possible once the benefit starts in February next year. The SNP Government has prioritised the early introduction of the new benefit, which will provide eligible families on low incomes with a child under 6, an extra £10 per week for each child. Latest figures estimate that 194,000 children aged under-6 in Scotland will be eligible for the new Scottish Child Payment - with 7,200 children set to benefit in West Lothian. Fiona commented: “The…

06Nov 2020 by admin

Hyslop Launches Scottish Government’s Young Person’s Guarantee

News, News in Lothian

The first organisations to back the Young Person’s Guarantee have been announced by Economy Secretary Fiona Hyslop. In a collective effort to help young people, the Scottish Government has been joined by SSE, Capgemini, NHS Lothian and Standard Life Aberdeen in making the commitment to ensure everyone aged from 16 to 24 has the opportunity of work, education or training. The Guarantee, backed by an additional £60 million investment, aims to give all young people in Scotland the chance to succeed despite the economic impacts of coronavirus (COVID-19). Organisations backing the Guarantee make five pledges to help young people at this critical time: prepare young people for the world of work through work experience, volunteering and work-based learning opportunitiesengage with and provide opportunities to young people who face barriers to…

05Nov 2020 by admin

Hyslop Highlights 25,860 Low-Income Households in West Lothian Supported by SNP Government

News, News in Lothian

In the last financial quarter, the Scottish Welfare Fund made 1,570 crisis grant payments to people in West Lothian to help pay for essentials such as food, energy bills, and household necessities. The latest figures show that the Scottish Welfare Fund has paid out a 27% increase of crisis grants in West Lothian compared to last year, and a total of 25,860 crisis grants to households in West Lothian since the fund was established in 2013. After the Scottish Government increased the amount of funding available, the Scottish Welfare Fund awarded £5.2 million in crisis grants across Scotland between April and June 2020, which is an increase of 77% on the same period last year. Fiona commented, “This vital support stands in stark contrast to what is happening at Westminster, with Tory MPs…

29Oct 2020 by admin

Hyslop Welcomes News that 5447 Children in West Lothian to Benefit as Free Schools Meals Extended

News, News in Lothian

SNP GOVERNMENT PROVIDING £10 MILLION FOR SCHOOL MEALS OVER HOLIDAYS More than 5447 children across West Lothian will benefit from extra funding to extend free school meals over the Christmas and Easter holidays. £10 million has been made available by the SNP Government so that councils can continue providing free school meals through the winter breaks with future funding confirmed to extend support over Easter. Last week, Tory MPs voted rejected a plan to extend free school meals into the school holidays, arguing that it was not the job of schools to “regularly provide food during the school holidays”. No Scottish Tory MP voted to support the plan, despite recent indications from Douglas Ross that he wishes to end the Tories’ opposition free school meals provision. Fiona commented: “Many families…