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Hyslop Welcomes Hospitality Training at Larder Cook School Linlithgow Constituency MSP Fiona Hyslop and her colleague Hannah Bardell MP for Livingston have visited the Larder Cook School to see first-hand the work they do in re-engaging people and communities with food whilst also working as a social enterprise to help alleviate poverty. All profits from the Cook School are reinvested into training and employability programmes. Fiona commented; “The Larder Cook School in Livingston is a bespoke cookery school that offers activities with adults and children and also engages with the community and schools to teach young people about food, cooking and offer valuable life skills. “It is a great initiative to support younger people who want to work in the hospitality sector but have struggled to find work or maintain…

Fiona Hyslop Comments on Scottish Police Authority Planned Review of Local Stations “The Scottish Police Authority has made it clear that local police commanders will play a leading role in deciding whether changes to the police estate are compatible with maintaining an effective local policing service. “While the Justice Secretary, Michael Matheson has emphasised that work is still at a very early stage, the review identified a number of police stations that, in the police’s view, do not match the police’s current requirements, which are subject to some form of consultation with communities, partners and staff. Consultation will be carried out by local police teams, to ensure that decisions are based on local needs in communities. “I would urge those in West Lothian with an interest in or view on…

Fiona Hyslop Calls on local organisations to adopt new £8.45 (Image: Fiona Hyslop speaking on importance of Living Wage to Youth Theatre Arts Scotland) Local Constituency MSP for Linlithgow, Fiona Hyslop has welcomed the new Scottish Living Wage rate of £8.45 an hour and encouraged more employers in West Lothian to sign up as Accredited Living Wage Employers. Fiona is an accredited Living Wage employer, and works with the Scottish Living Wage Accreditation Initiative to promote the Living Wage in West Lothian. Fiona said; “The new Living Wage of £8.45 will be a welcome pay rise for thousands of workers across West Lothian ensuring that people’s basic wage continues to meet the real costs of living. “For businesses, paying the Living Wage is an investment in people and all the…

Carers of West Lothian to help shape Social Security System Fiona Hyslop hosts West Lothian Stakeholder Meeting The Carers of West Lothian have been invited to feed in to Scotland’s first Social Security system after local MSP Fiona Hyslop wrote to the Cabinet Secretary for Social Security, Angela Constance to request that West Lothian have the chance to host a session focussed on their consultation, ‘A New Future for Social Security in Scotland’. Fiona said; “As an organisation who are used to dealing with the benefits system and understand what works for their staff and clients, it is very appropriate that the Carers of West Lothian be involved shaping Scotland’s first ever social security system. “This meeting will give key stakeholders in West Lothian the opportunity to have their say…

Hyslop Welcomes Independence Referendum Bill Consultation Hyslop urges constituents to submit to Independence Referendum Bill Consultation to protect Scotland’s Interests Local Constituency MSP, Fiona Hyslop has welcomed a draft bill giving Scotland the ability to reconsider the question of independence before the UK leaves the EU and has urged constituents to respond to the consultation regardless of their views. The consultation which opened on October 20th will run until January 11th 2017. Fiona commented, “The reason for this consultation is very simple – to protect Scottish interests and to ensure that we have every option available to us going forward towards Brexit Britain. “I have already written to EU Nationals in my constituency highlighting that the Scottish Government will do all it can to allow them to remain in Scotland,…

Hyslop Welcomes Independence Referendum Bill Consultation Hyslop urges constituents to submit to Independence Referendum Bill Consultation to protect Scotland’s Interests Local Constituency MSP, Fiona Hyslop has welcomed a draft bill giving Scotland the ability to reconsider the question of independence before the UK leaves the EU and has urged constituents to respond to the consultation regardless of their views. The consultation which opened on October 20th will run until January 11th 2017. Fiona commented, “The reason for this consultation is very simple – to protect Scottish interests and to ensure that we have every option available to us going forward towards Brexit Britain. “I have already written to EU Nationals in my constituency highlighting that the Scottish Government will do all it can to allow them to remain in Scotland,…

LOCAL MEMBERS HANNAH BARDELL MP & FIONA HYSLOP MSP TAKE CASE FOR INDEPENDENT AVIATION NOISE AUTHORITY (IANA) TO UK TRANSPORT MINISTER At a meeting on Monday 17th October 2016 with the UK Transport Minister, local representatives for the West Lothian constituencies of Livingston and Linlithgow Hannah Bardell MP & Fiona Hyslop MSP lobbied the new Transport Minister Lord Ahmed to establish an Independent Aviation Noise Authority (IANA). The same report that recommended a third runway at Heathrow also recommended the setting up of an Independent Aviation Noise Authority which would have a responsibility to monitor and manage aviation noise, flight paths and other operating procedures. The Davies Report clearly stated that; “An Independent Aviation Noise Authority should be established with a statutory right to be consulted on flight paths and…

Fiona Backs Scale Down Cancer Campaign Local Linlithgow MSP Fiona Hyslop is backing Cancer Research UK’s new Scale Down Cancer campaign to help prevent obesity-related cancers across Scotland. Scotland has one of the heaviest populations in Europe, with two in three adults in Scotland overweight or obese and according to new calculations by Cancer Research UK, almost 83,000 children have started primary school overweight or obese in Scotland over the last decade. Commenting, Fiona said; “Sadly we will all know someone who has been affected by Cancer. Cancer affects more and more people every year and despite four in ten cancers being preventable, not enough of us know that obesity is the single biggest preventable cause of cancer after smoking. Given the devastating impact that cancer has on families across…

Fiona Welcomes West Lothian College Students to Parliament Fiona Hyslop MSP for the Linlithgow Constituency has welcomed hospitality students from West Lothian College to the Scottish Parliament. The students who train at the College’s award winning Terrace Restaurant on campus hosted MSPs and staff at Holyrood in the Member’s Restaurant on Wednesday. (5th October) Fiona commented; “I was delighted to meet some of this year’s Hospitality students as they took over the kitchen and restaurant at the Scottish Parliament, it was a delicious dining experience. “The hospitality sector is vital to our national and local economy and this scheme is a great opportunity for students to grow and develop their experience, shaping their future career paths.”

Hyslop Comments on HMRC Bathgate Debate in Parliament Speaking after the debate on Retaining Tax Jobs in Bathgate, Fiona Hyslop, Local Constituency MSP commented; “I was pleased to be present in the debate in Parliament on Retaining jobs in Bathgate and I have previously met with PCS and the owners of the Pyramids Business Park on this matter. “Taxpayers will want HMRC to provide value for money. The Bathgate site can provide the best value as well as general greater economic impact than may be the case in Edinburgh. “I am pleased that the Minister for Business, Innovation and Energy is doing all he can and that the Scottish Government is fully committed to working towards a resolution. I am keen to provide whatever support I can to the staff…