Category: News

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.…

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…

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…

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…

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…

Local MSP for the Linlithgow Constituency, Fiona Hyslop, has welcomed the news that new brown tourist signs on the M8 and M9 have been erected to direct tourists to the Korean War Memorial in the Bathgate Hills. The signs were produced by Scotland’s Bravest Manufacturing Company, a social enterprise that provides employment and development opportunities for Armed Forces Veterans in Scotland. Fiona initially raised the installation of the brown tourist signs directly with then Minister for Parliamentary Business and Veterans, Graeme Dey MSP. Following this, the Scottish Government entered into discussions with Transport Scotland regarding a review of its signage policy as it pertains to war memorials that are of national significance. Fiona then wrote to the Minister inviting him to visit the Korean War Memorial, and asking that he…

Local MSP for the Linlithgow Constituency, Fiona Hyslop, highlights the designation of 2022 as Scotland’s Year of Stories. Scotland’s Themed Years have been in effect since 2009 as a way to recognise and celebrate a particular aspect of the country and have been taking place biennially since 2016. Previous examples of themed years are the Year of Food and Drink 2015, the Year of Young People 2018, and the Year of Coasts and Waters 2021. This year, Scotland’s Year of Stories, will celebrate stories written in or inspired by Scotland. To showcase this part of Scotland’s culture, a programme of activities centred around the theme of storytelling will be designed and delivered, which will also support the nation’s tourism and events sectors. Events will be run by community groups, museums,…

Local MSP for the Linlithgow Constituency, Fiona Hyslop, has welcomed the impact of a scheme aimed at helping homes become warmer, more comfortable and more affordable to heat in her constituency. Warmer Homes Scotland is the Scottish Government’s national fuel poverty scheme which has supported 313 people in Linlithgow since its launch in 2015, with each of the homes saving an average of £265 on their energy bills. The Warmer Homes Scotland scheme provides a step-by-step service to identify where energy improvements can be made and arranges for these to be carried out. The scheme offers new central heating systems, including renewable heating technologies, in all property types and in all regions across Scotland. All work carried out as part of the scheme is undertaken by registered and accredited local…

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…