News – Fiona Hyslop

14Jun 2021 by admin

St. John’s Hospital – Staff Car Parking

Following on-going representation by local Constituency MSP, Fiona Hyslop, on behalf of her constituents who work at St. John’s Hospital, Fiona Hyslop has further highlighted to NHS Lothian the need for greater accessibility to car parking for staff at the hospital. Availability of staff car parking is a long-standing issue, and in Fiona’s letter to NHS Lothian she highlighted the need for a commitment to improve the current situation, to bring back pre-Covid measures such as the lift share programme and the shuttle service for staff at Livingston FC Stadium. Fiona highlighted that these measures are essential to ensuring the accessibility of car parking and the safety of all staff. In response, NHS Lothian committed to continuing to host virtual sessions to seek ideas from staff on how they can…

14Jun 2021 by admin

Hyslop Welcomes £541,000 Funding for Kid’s Summer Activities as part of Covid Recovery

News, News in Lothian

Local Constituency MSP, Fiona Hyslop, has expressed her delight as West Lothian Council is set to receive £541,000 from the Scottish Government to encourage children to play and socialise as part of the recovery from the pandemic. The Scottish Government has set aside £15m to support summer activities across Scotland, and West Lothian will receive a share. The support will specifically target those under 25 from low income households that may otherwise struggle to access such experiences during the holidays. Additionally, £5m will also be distributed among prominent Scottish children’s charities such as Barnardo’s and Who Cares Scotland. Fiona commented: “I am absolutely delighted that young people and children in West Lothian will benefit from this funding by the Government. Young people and children have experienced significant disruption to all…

10Jun 2021 by admin

MSP Fiona Praises Linlithgow Climate Action in Parliament and Calls on Environment Minister to Visit Town

News, News in Lothian

Local Constituency MSP, Fiona Hyslop, delivered a speech to the Scottish Parliament on the climate emergency in which she praised the work of Linlithgow Community Development Trust (LCDT). Fiona highlighted the work which is already underway and the ambitions to make Linlithgow the first Net-Zero Town in Scotland. Achievements included the successful Community Bonds initiative of LCDT which invested in local community energy, helped clubs save money and created a surplus. This builds on the achievement and work of Transition Linlithgow and other bodies in the town. The LCDT have been at the forefront of this movement with the Climate Action Group currently drafting a ‘Linlithgow Ready Vision for 2045’. This strategy focuses on 5 key objectives and looks to involve a range of people and aspects of the town.…

16Mar 2021 by admin

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

News, News in Lothian

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

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…