Martin Whitfield MSP is supporting this year’s Scottish Women and Girls in Sport Week (25-31 October) – a chance for people across Scotland to celebrate the positive impact sport and activity can have on the lives of women and girls, regardless of age or ability. From sports podiums to grassroots activities happening in communities across [...]
Martin Whitfield MSP has lodged a motion at Holyrood highlighting the success of Friends of Ormiston Park in being presented with a Green Flag Community Award. The award follows years of dedicated work by the volunteers who make up the group, which has included securing significant funding for a new children’s play park and the [...]
The new multi-million-pound visitor centre at Glenkinchie distillery has been praised by South Scotland MSP Martin Whitfield. Mr Whitfield paid his first visit to the site since the new experience was formally opened in October last year. The enhanced visitor centre builds on Glenkinchie’s heritage to tell people the story of the Lowland Home of [...]
Responding to the latest cervical cancer screening statistics, which show the number of smear tests in Scotland fell by 45% in a year, from 318,727 in 2019-20 to 174,299 in 2020-21, Martin Whitfield MSP has called for urgent action to improve testing uptake. Jo’s Cervical Cancer Trust has said that the statistics must serve as [...]
Martin Whitfield MSP has lodged a motion in the Scottish Parliament highlighting a new report on the urgent need for action to improve MS and neurology services in Scotland. Published by the MS Society Scotland, “Neurology Now”, explains how the pressure on neurology services, already significant pre-pandemic, has been exacerbated over the last year and [...]
Martin Whitfield MSP has officially been accredited as a Living Wage Employer, a commitment that ensures his staff will receive a minimum hourly wage of £9.50. This UK rate, and the London rate (£10.85), are significantly higher than the government minimum for over 23s, which currently stands at £8.91 per hour. In Scotland, more than [...]
Martin Whitfield MSP welcomed his local hero Ruth Davie to Holyrood today for the official opening ceremony of the sixth session of the Scottish Parliament. Ruth, who was joined by her mother Jessie for the event, was chosen because of her work supporting local people through the Fundamental Foods project at the Pennypit Community Development [...]
Martin Whitfield MSP has committed to supporting the Fair Trade Pledge for MSPs to promote the benefits of fair trade during the current parliamentary session. Fair Trade has always been an important part of challenging global inequality and poverty. COVID-19 has exacerbated these inequalities, making Fair Trade more essential than ever before. The Fair Trade [...]
Scottish Gas have contacted MSPs to provide information for customers who have recently joined them from failed energy suppliers, including People's Energy. The information provided includes advice on potential sources of assistance for customers as we head towards the winter period, including the British Gas Energy Trust and the Warm Homes Discount. The full advice [...]
Earlier this month, a frontpage headline in the Courier highlighted the stubbornly high levels of child poverty that still exists in East Lothian. While acknowledging that Covid has reinforced existing poverty and created new hardship for many, it is important to remember that poverty was on the rise even before the pandemic struck. Much of [...]
