Hyslop Marks Boghall and Bathgate Pipe Band 40th Anniversary

Local MSP, Fiona Hyslop marked the Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band’s 40th Anniversary on Friday (4th May) at a dinner in Whitburn’s Hilcroft Hotel by delivering the keynote speech.

Fiona said;

“I am delighted to deliver the keynote speech to mark the 40th anniversary of such a significant piece of West Lothian’s culture.

“I am aware that many of the current members that are here today, were part of the pipe band some 25 years ago. This shows a band, who are not just in touch with, but dedicated to their roots and to each other.

“West Lothian has a strong sense of culture and Scottish Identity particularly within traditional music and it is fantastic to watch groups like the Boghall and Bathgate Caledonia Pipe Band flourish.”

Hyslop Supports Blackburn Schools’ Right to be Safe

Local MSP Fiona Hyslop has this morning attended a community conference at Our Lady of Lourdes Primary in Blackburn to support their “Right to be Safe” project.

Primary 6 and 7 Pupils from Blackburn, Murrayfield, Our Lady of Lourdes and Pinewood Schools in Blackburn have been working alongside West Lothian Youth Action Project Peer Educators to identify the community life issues and presented their findings through dance, song and drama.

Speaking at the event, Fiona Hyslop said,

“This conference has been a hugely creative and informative community event and I am delighted to be here supporting the issues that the pupils feel are important to them.

“Community life involves everyone living here, regardless of age and it is right that the pupils across Blackburn and West Lothian as a whole feel safe and happy in their surroundings.

“We all have a responsibility to ensure the points that the pupils made today are recognised so that we can all play a part in making Blackburn a safer, healthier community.”

Hyslop Marks West Lothian International Workers Memorial Day

Fiona Hyslop MSP for Linlithgow constituency attended and delivered a speech at West Lothian’s International Workers Memorial Day in Bathgate on Saturday (28th April). Hyslop hit out at cuts from the Westminster Government to Health and Safety Executive saying that more and more often, they are simply reacting to concerns rather than proactively policing safety issues.

Commenting on the day, Fiona said;

“I was honoured to deliver a keynote speech at such an important event, to mark International Workers’ Memorial Day – a tribute in remembering workers who have died, been injured or made seriously ill through work.

“West Lothian was an early pioneer of commemorating this day and would like to thank West Lothian Trade Council for developing the day to include important platforms for vital services.

“Each year, across the world, more than 2 million men and women die as a result of work related accidents and diseases. Annually, asbestos claims 100,000 lives wordwide. To put this into perspective, across the globe, one worker will die every 15 seconds, that’s 6,000 workers every day.

“As the MSP for Linlithgow constituency I am very pleased that we have a Parliament which, with cross party support, took forward the Damages Asbestos Related Conditions (Scotland) Act (2009), which was later successfully defended by the Scottish Government when the Supreme Court dismissed a legal challenge from insurers in a real triumph for progressive politics. (October 2011)

“Since the Scottish Health and Safety Division was set up in March 2009, some 219 cases have been, or are being, dealt with by the unit. Of those, 78 have concluded and 77 have resulted in convictions. That is a conviction rate of about 99% – a substantial achievement that ought to be recognised.”

Ms Hyslop concluded;

“This day is about marking international solidarity, the need for political and legal change but it is also about people – the people we have lost and those that are still living. With time, energy and determination, the anger and grief that we feel for our loved ones can be transformed into a focus to campaign for change. Remember the dead; fight for the living.”

COUNCIL TAX SUPPORT WILL HELP 16,680 OF WEST LOTHIAN’S MOST VULNERABLE

Local MSP for Linlithgow Constituency, Fiona Hyslop has welcomed the announcement that the Scottish Government and COSLA will protect the 16,680 West Lothian residents who claim council tax benefit from having their allowances cut.

In April 2013 the UK Government will abolish the existing Council Tax Benefit and cut the successor budget by 10 per cent. The Scottish Government and COSLA have agreed to cover the cost of the cuts which would have had a serious impact on 16,680 vulnerable West Lothian residents.

Fiona commented;

“In West Lothian we have one of the fastest growing populations in Scotland, with 16,680 – around a 10th of our residents – having to claim council tax benefit.

“This decisive action will continue to give those on low or no income the support they really need in paying their council tax.

“I am delighted that COSLA and the Scottish Government have not allowed the many pensioners, carers and disabled people of West Lothian to be a victim of this benefit cut and are instead protecting the needs of West Lothian’s ever-growing vulnerable population.”

Hyslop Visits St Joseph’s Primary in Parliament

Fiona Hyslop MSP for Linlithgow Constituency has met with primary five pupils from St Joseph’s Primary from Whitburn when they visited the Scottish Parliament on today (Wednesday, 18 April )(see photo)

Fiona said,

“I was delighted to meet with the young pupils students when they visited Holyrood this afternoon.

“It is important for young people to meet with their representatives and find out how their Parliament works whether their interests lie in politics, the arts, enterprise or any other field.

“We have a fantastic outreach programme at the Scottish Parliament and I am pleased that so many local schools are taking advantage of this.”

Hyslop Congratulates West Lothian School Hidden Poverty Film

Local MSP Fiona Hyslop has congratulated the Seen and Heard Group at St Kentigern’s Academy in Blackburn in winning the Rotary International Young Citizens Award for their film in Hidden Poverty.
Commenting after their win, Ms Hyslop said;

“This is a wonderful achievement for the Seen and Heard pupils for highlighting such an important issue Scotland-wide as well as at home and I am pleased that UNICEF will be using the pupils’ message as part of their UK wide education Programme.

“I have made a point of alerting those I know to the hard hitting film and the song written by pupil Kirsten McDonald and hope that their hard and dedicated work has the right impact on those who see child poverty as an issue in other countries.

“It is vital that we work towards eradicating child poverty that occurs in our own towns and villages in order to tackle the thousands of children living in poverty across Scotland.”

Hyslop Urges Local Charities to Apply for £10,000 Grant

Local MSP, Fiona Hyslop is urging local charities across West Lothian to apply for a newly announced funding grant of £10,000 to help improve the support they receive from volunteers.
The grant was announced by The Volunteering Action Fund (VAF) and is funded by the Scottish Government.
Fiona Hyslop Commented;

“This is great news for the charities and organisations in our community who depend on the work of volunteers.

“Volunteering contributes a great deal to our economy and I am pleased to see that this has been acknowledged through this £10,000 funding grant.

“This funding is open to all registered charities who are working in Scotland who do not currently involve volunteers to any significant extent but want to add value to their existing services or develop new ones that can involve volunteers, or already involve volunteers but want to improve and develop their capacity to deploy and support volunteers

“I plan to write to or visit the charities in my constituency who could benefit from this cash and urge them to download an application form from www.vaf.org.uk.”

Hyslop Welcomes Linlithgow Deacon Court to Parliament

Linlithgow MPS, Fiona Hyslop organised for Linlithgow Marches group, Deacon Court to have one of their monthly full court meetings in the Scottish Parliament and also invited them on a tour of the Holyrood Building during their visit.

Fiona said,

“Linlithgow Marches Day is one of the biggest town events in its calendar year and I was delighted to host Mr Jack Adair and his group to the Scottish Parliament for their meeting.

“I am always pleased to show constituents or organisations from my constituency around the building, after all it is the peoples parliament and I would encourage a visit to see the architecture and the building at work to all across West Lothian.”

Fiona Hyslop MSP with Elma Birrill and the Norwegian Pupils

Fiona Hyslop MSP met with 16 Norwegian exchange students who are studying at Armadale Academy when they visited the Scottish Parliament this morning. (Thursday 22nd March)

Fiona, Armadale’s local MSP, met with the group in the morning before they received tickets for First Ministers Questions and a tour of the Parliament building.

Fiona commented;

“I am always delighted to meet with different groups from my constituency and enjoy showing them round our Scottish Parliament.

“The group of exchange students from Norway were very impressed and showed great interest in the Parliament building and they had some very good questions on the important political issues in Scotland and more local issues in
West Lothian.

“Holyrood is the Scottish People’s Parliament and I would encourage anyone who hasn’t visited, to come and watch a debate or take a tour of our famous Parliament.”

Hyslop Congratulates West Lothian Pupil Running for National Amnesty Award

SNP MSP for Linlithgow constituency, Fiona Hyslop has written to St Kentigerns Academy in Blackburn to congratulate pupil Rhona Aitken on being long-listed for Amnesty International’s Young Human Rights Reporter of the Year Award.
Miss Aitken is just 16 years old and wrote about the issue of human trafficking.

Ms Hyslop said,

“This is great news for Rhona Aitken and I know her teachers and parents will be extremely proud of her work.

“The issue of human trafficking is very serious and the more light shone on this issue, exposing such a horrible situation, the better.

“To have been long-listed from over 3,000 applicants from all over the UK is a massive achievement and I have written to her at St Kentigern’s Academy to offer my congratulations and best wishes for a place in the final when it is announced on May 9th.”

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For more info:

http://www.amnesty.org.uk/news_details.asp?NewsID=20009