Christmas and New Year Message from Fiona Hyslop MSP
December 2011
“As your new MSP for Linlithgow, I am delighted to wish my constituents a Merry Christmas and all the very best for the year ahead.
“Christmas provides us all with an opportunity for family and friends to spend valuable time together and I hope that my constituents get the chance to relax and celebrate over the festive period. It is also a time of year when we remember those who are no longer with us. We also remember our troops serving abroad and their loved ones.
“2011 has also been a difficult year for many of my constituents. I have been working hard to help those facing the prospect of redundancy or benefit cuts. The Scottish Government is confronting these challenges by supporting households and public services and by ensuring there are no compulsory redundancies in areas that the Scottish Government has responsibility for.
“The economic climate presents many difficulties and many families have challenges ahead, but I can assure my constituents that I will use all my efforts to support opportunities for jobs and economic growth in West Lothian.
“We know things are tough with pay freezes in the Public Sector but by maintaining the Council Tax freeze, abolishing prescription charges and maintaining free university education the Scottish Government is doing what it can to help hard pressed family budgets.
“The VION Halls in Broxburn announcement that they are safeguarding 1000 jobs and creating 250 new jobs, 100 of these for apprenticeships for young people, has been very much welcomed.
“The past few weeks have seen some very good news for West Lothian with the reinstated X14 bus running Whitburn residents to Glasgow after a successful petition from local people – a vital transport link for those who have or have had families residing in the West.
“As we move into another period of wintry weather I think it important to also pay tribute to members of the emergency services, postal workers, businesses and local members of the public in the community who are doing everything they can to serve our communities in particularly difficult conditions.
I hope everyone has had a wonderful Christmas and I pass on my very best wishes for a prosperous 2012.”
Fiona Hyslop MSP