Category: News in Lothian

With companies in West Lothian voicing fears of redundancies with the furlough scheme ending next month, Local Constituency MSP, Fiona Hyslop, has said the Tory Government must urgently reverse its reckless decision to withdraw support for jobs and businesses. In her role as Cabinet Secretary for Economy in the Scottish Government, Fiona has consistently and directly called for the extension of the furlough scheme and believes the replacement Jobs Support Scheme is ineffective and will not go far enough to save jobs.  Bakery chain Greggs, which has 25,000 workers across Scotland and the UK, is the latest company to indicate it may have to cut staff hours or jobs when the scheme ends. A local Greggs in Linlithgow Regent Shopping Centre is facing this unnecessary threat of closure. The company…

Hyslop has welcomed new figures that show a huge boost to connectivity in West Lothian, thanks to significant investment from the SNP Government. According to the latest coverage statistics from Thinkbroadband, 97.9% properties in West Lothian are now connected to superfast broadband – a 34.9% increase from 2014 when only 63.0% properties were connected to internet speeds of at least 30Mbps. A report published this week from Ofcom also found that 172,889 properties across Scotland have been connected to superfast broadband in the last year alone. Despite connectivity and broadband remaining reserved to Westminster, Scotland is the only part of the UK that has guaranteed 100% superfast broadband access. While the SNP is investing £600 million in the R100 programme, the single biggest public sector investment in digital connectivity in…

FREE, ANONYMOUS APP WILL HELP STOP THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 AND SAVE LIVES Hyslop has urged people in West Lothian to download the new ‘Protect Scotland’ app - to help slow the spread of Coronavirus and support the easing of lockdown restrictions. The app can be downloaded onto phones and will let users know if they have come into close contact with someone who has tested positive for Covid-19.   The app will automatically alert users if someone reports that they’ve tested positive for Covid-19 and that they have been in close contact recently. No personal identifiable information will be entered on the app and the Scottish Government has assured that it will not monitor the location of individuals as the app uses Bluetooth technology, and not GPS, to identify contacts.…

Hyslop welcomes new funding from the Scottish Government which will provide targeted support for care experienced young people in West Lothian. West Lothian has been handed £344,400 to invest in projects designed to boost the attainment of local care experienced children and young people, The council will work with Chief Social Workers, and Directors of Education, to decide how this year’s funding will be used. Care experienced young people from birth up to the age of 26 are eligible for the support. Across Scotland, the SNP Government has pledged £11.6 million to support the fund. Fiona commented: ‘The SNP is determined to give all young people the best start in life.’ ‘This investment will help to remove obstacles for care experienced young people by allowing the local authority to provide…

SNP GOVERNMENT’S ‘JOB START PAYMENT’ NOW OPEN TO APPLICATIONS Hyslop has welcomed a new Scottish benefit, introduced this week, that will help 16 to 24-year olds into work if they have been unemployed for over six months. The SNP Scottish Government’s Job Start Payment is a one-off grant of £250 to help with the costs of starting a new job. The upper age limit rises to 25 for care leavers and the payment rises to £400 if the person has a child. It is estimated around 5,000 young people across Scotland will benefit from this new financial support in its first year. Fiona commented: “The coronavirus pandemic has caused uncertainty for many young people entering the job market, which is why I am pleased there is now extra support available…

Hyslop urges West Lothian residents to visit community pharmacies with minor illnesses. People across West Lothian are being encouraged to visit their community pharmacy for advice and support to treat minor illnesses or common conditions, after new NHS Pharmacy First Scotland service was launched last week. The new service will allow community pharmacies to give people expert help for treating conditions such as sore throats, earache and cold sores, along with common clinical conditions such as Urinary Tract Infections. Pharmacy teams will offer advice, treatment or referral to other healthcare teams if required. The move will allow West Lothian residents to access the right care without having to visit their GP or an A&E department for non-urgent treatment. A&E departments remain open for emergency care – with the necessary public…

Hyslop highlights new figures which show that 2,275 businesses in West Lothian have received support from the Scottish Government to support them through the coronavirus. A total of £25.83 million has been awarded to businesses in West Lothian through a Scottish Government scheme designed to support small, local businesses mitigate some of the impact from the coronavirus. Fiona Hyslop, who is also the Economy Secretary, has been working through the Coronavirus crisis to make sure that Scottish Government funds have been reaching businesses. Fiona commented, ‘From the volume of cases I have received, I know the pandemic has put real pressure on local businesses in West Lothian’ ‘I want to thank hard working Council officials, often working from home, in dealing with these grants which have greatly helped many businesses’…