Category: News

Commenting on recent figures that show an increase in Foodbank use in West Lothian of 430 people including children, Local Constituency MSP, Fiona Hyslop said; “These are worrying figures and show the extent of the damaging the Tory Austerity Programme is having on local communities across West Lothian. “The Scottish Government has spent over £350 million in the last four years mitigating the hard and heartless cuts being inflicted on the Scottish people by the Tory party – but this can only do so much in helping families who have been driven into poverty and deprivation by the UK Government. “I will be visiting FoodBank West Lothian next month in relation to a fundraising event they are holding and met with Tesco in Bathgate in December while they were donating…

Hyslop Comments on Winchburgh Airport Meeting Local Constituency MSP, Fiona Hyslop met with Edinburgh Airport to discuss their proposed flight path routes in more detail last month, where she called for Edinburgh Airport hold a public meeting in Winchburgh and she specifically raised Edinburgh Airport’s preferred routes C5 and D0 which have been queried and questioned by many Winchburgh residents. Fiona said; “I specifically raised the consultation issues when I met with Edinburgh Airport and the fact that they were using information from the 2011 census when Winchburgh is about to expand to circa 3,000 population to 12,000 with the biggest housing development in Central Scotland. “Last week’s public meeting in Winchburgh was a good opportunity for local people to share their specific concerns directly with the Airport. Both the…

Hyslop Welcomes Linlithgow Speakers Club to Parliament Local Linlithgow MSP, Fiona Hyslop hosted the Linlithgow Speakers’ Club as part of Toastmakers International as they held their International Speech Contest and their Evaluation Contest in the Scottish Parliament on Saturday 22nd April. Fiona said; “I would like to formally wish the winner of both contests, Mr James McGinty from Southside Speakers in Glasgow, my congratulations on his achievements and thank all those who came to Parliament on Saturday to support their local Speaking Club. “The local club in Linlithgow is not just an opportunity to develop new skills, it provides a social network for those involved and promotes self-confidence and important life skills to those who volunteer to run the club and members alike. “Public speaking is a difficult skill to…

  Hyslop Calls on Tories to Condemn Family Cap and Rape Clause Following today’s Scottish Parliament debate on Child Tax Credit Cuts, Fiona Hyslop MSP for the Linlithgow Constituency is calling on all Tory MSPs to oppose the shocking and inhumane two child limit and rape clause.    The family cap limits tax credits to only two children per family – unless the mother can prove that a third child was conceived as a result of rape or during an abusive relationship. Fiona said; “The Tory policy that has become known as the rape clause, requiring women to disclose deeply personal information and prove that a third or subsequent child was conceived as a result of rape in order to claim tax credits, is both disgraceful and disgusting.   “The Conservatives at…

Fiona Hyslop Comments on Blackburn local Employment Scheme Commenting on the recent developments at Blackburn Local Employment Scheme with regards to funding, Fiona Hyslop MSP said: “As the local Constituency MSP I met with Blackburn Local Employment Scheme (BLES) on October 3rd to hear how I could help and assist them with the financial issues they were having. I wrote to the Employability Minister Jamie Hepburn on October 14th after speaking with Skills Development Scotland about BLES. One of the key issues is that BLES wanted to switch funding for training between 16 and 17 year olds and 18 year olds and over and I enquired about the flexibility of transfer funding between the two groups in the short term. “I understand that BLES believe that their Employability Funding was reduced in 2016/17, but in…

Hyslop Encourages Residents to Attend Airport Meeting Local Constituency MSP for Linlithgow, Fiona Hyslop is urging local residents in Winchburgh to attend a meeting with Edinburgh Airport on Wednesday 19th April at Winchburgh Church in Millgate at 7pm to have their concerns on airport flight paths addressed. Fiona said; “Since the start of the year I have received a number of emails from constituents in Winchburgh raising their concerns about Edinburgh Airport’s current flight path consultation. Particularly as the original airport postcode checker said that they would not be in the original design envelope consultation. “I have met and written to Edinburgh Airport recently to discuss the concerns my constituents have regarding their proposed and preferred flight path routes and have encouraged my constituents to make their views known directly…

Royal Bank of Scotland Petition has over 350 signatures in One Week Local Constituency MSP Fiona Hyslop has said that her petition to keep the Royal Bank of Scotland’s Whitburn Branch open has received over 350 signatures in just one week. Fiona added; “The petition I started last week asking for signatures from local people and businesses who wanted to see the Royal Bank of Scotland’s Whitburn branch remain open has reached over 350 signatures in just one week. “46% of customers who use the Whitburn RBS branch do not use digital banking and may not have access to online services. Many of these people will be older people or those with young families who will find it difficult to make the four mile journey to the closest branch which…

Hyslop Welcomes Parliament Support for Scotland Choosing its own Future Local Constituency MSP Fiona Hyslop has welcomed the result of Tuesday’s (28th March) debate on Scotland’s Choice which saw a majority of MSPs voting in favour of giving the people of Scotland the choice of whether to vote in favour of a hard Brexit or to be an Independent Country. Fiona, who spoke in the chamber opening the second day of debate for the Scottish Government, said; “It is entirely right that this decision on Scotland’s future should be made by the people of Scotland and following Tuesday’s debate, the Scottish Parliament now has the democratic right to open discussions with the UK Government to enable an independence referendum to be held. It would be undemocratic, indefensible and completely unsustainable…

  Hyslop Organises Petition to Keep RBS Whitburn Open Local Constituency MSP, Fiona Hyslop is organising a petition, backed by local SNP Councillors Mary Dickson and Jim Dickson, to keep the Royal Bank of Scotland Building in Whitburn open. This is following the news that RBS plan to close the bank on Whitburn’s Main Street in the next 6 months. Fiona said; “The Royal Bank of Scotland Building in Whitburn is in the heart of the town offering easy banking access to the increasing number of older residents in Whitburn who live and shop locally. “46% of customers who use the Whitburn RBS branch do not use digital banking and many of these customers may be older people or parents with young children who older cannot always make the four…

Hyslop Opposes Whitburn RBS Closure Fiona Hyslop MSP for the Linlithgow Constituency has written to Royal Bank of Scotland opposing their decision to close their Whitburn Branch. Fiona said, “I have contacted RBS to express my concerns about the closure of their Whitburn Branch. “The Royal Bank of Scotland Building in Whitburn is in the heart of the town offering easy banking access to the increasing number of older residents in Whitburn who live and shop locally. “46% of customers who use the Whitburn RBS branch do not use digital banking and many of these customers may be older people or parents with young children who older cannot always make the four mile journey to the closest RBS Branch in Bathgate. “I have asked for a meeting with RBS to…