RHODA GRANT: Taking stock after another busy time at parliament
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As the summer breaks, I like to reflect on the parliamentary year passed.
This year we have seen Caithness petitions come to the Public Petitions committees and make a significant impact within the Parliament. These petitions (and others from rural Scotland) have resulted in the Health and Sport Committee committing to conducting a rural health inquiry. This inquiry will hopefully look at the issues Caithness residents face regularly, such as travelling for healthcare, accessing appointments, recruitment and retention of health professionals locally and associated issues that come with that.
I don’t believe the Health and Sport Committee would have made this commitment if campaigners in Caithness had not stood up for their communities and stood up against the status quo of centralisation. I will encourage the committee to add it to their work plan as early as they are able and continue to campaign for better local health services.
Additionally, in the past year, we have seen controversial legislation come through the parliament such as Highly Protected Marine Areas (HPMAs), the National Care Service and Deposit Return Scheme.
Although these are all – clearly – very different pieces of legislation, they have all been pushed back because this SNP-Green government have failed to engage, communicate and inspire the very organisations and communities that would be affected. This has resulted in opposition – from political parties, but also from businesses, charities and communities.
These pieces of legislation are good initiatives in principle. However, the way the government has handled them has been very poor. They need to proactively engage and use that engagement to plan and implement these initiatives in a way that works for everyone.
That has been sorely lacking with this SNP-Green Government and it has resulted in a government who, sadly, are struggling to govern their own party, far less the country.
I hope this changes in the next parliamentary session, that they buck up their ideas, however, I am not holding my breath. People need change, not only in the Scottish Parliament but in the UK parliament and I believe that the required change is coming with Labour.
We desperately need change. I am really saddened to hear of the real pressures constituents are facing with their mortgage rates and the impact this and inflation is having on their household budgets.
Interest rates and mortgage costs are rising because of Tory economic chaos, while the SNP spend their time talking to themselves about the constitution.
If you are losing sleep over financial worries please go to the Citizens Advice Bureau, they will help. They will be able to conduct a financial review and tell you whether you are entitled to any unclaimed benefits and provide a wealth of knowledge to help with individual circumstances.
Scottish Labour are also calling for the relaunch and revamp of the Mortgage to Shared Equity scheme so that it operates as a true safety net for those at risk of losing their home.
These are difficult times indeed – worse than I’ve ever known – so please reach out for help should you need it. If you are able, also consider donating to a food bank or community larder to help those not so well off.
Rhoda Grant is a Highlands and Islands Labour MSP.
