Latest News –  Martin Whitfield MSP

Martin Whitfield MSP has welcomed the news that several rural businesses from the South Scotland region are among the finalists in this year's Countryside Alliance Awards. The Awards are the Countryside Alliance’s annual celebration of British food and farming, enterprise and heritage through our small hard-working businesses. The Rural Oscars are now in their 18th year and have become the definitive rural business award to win. They are set apart from other award schemes because they are driven by public nomination, offering customers the chance to tell us why their favourite businesses are worthy of national acclaim. Martin Whitfield MSP [...]

A new campaign led by the energy sector Radio Teleswitch Service (RTS) Taskforce and overseen by Ofgem has been launched to highlight the urgent need for RTS customers to book the installation of a new meter as soon as their energy supplier contacts them. The campaign explains what the RTS service is and how households and businesses can identify if they have an RTS meter. It also outlines the potential consequences of not upgrading, including possible disruption to heating and hot water, and higher energy bills. If you have not yet heard about the RTS switch-off, Ofgem has a short [...]

Martin Whitfield MSP is encouraging primary schools across South Scotland and beyond to participate in VoiceBox 2025 – a national joke-telling competition for primary schools. Mr Whitfield attended the launch of this year's competition which took place at Cockenzie Primary School, home of last year’s winner, Gordon Moodie. On the first day of joke-telling, competitions will take place across Scotland as schools select their entries to be put forward for this year’s final, organised by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT). VoiceBox is a celebration of the critical role communication plays in children’s development. It showcases the [...]

This Cervical Cancer Prevention Week (20-26 January), The Eve Appeal is sharing advice and tips on you can ask for during cervical screening tests. The charity's YouGov survey found that one in two women were not aware they could ask the nurse or doctor to stop at any point during their screening. One in four were not aware they could ask for a smaller speculum, and one in 10 were not aware they could book a double appointment or could ask for a different position. The Eve Appeal is sharing tips like these on our social channels throughout the week. [...]

Martin Whitfield MSP is calling on local grassroots organisations to consider applying for new grant funding opportunities from Asda’s charity, the Asda Foundation. The Asda Foundation has announced up to £500,000 of funding to help transform and improve community spaces across the UK. Grants awarded will be worth between £500 and £3,000 and are aimed at helping grassroots groups improve or transform their local outdoor community spaces. Funding can be used to transform an outdoor area, create or enhance community growing projects, and enable community clean ups. Martin Whitfield MSP said: “The Asda Foundation has been supporting people in local communities [...]

Martin Whitfield MSP has warned the Scottish Government is presiding over “a decade of decline” of childminding in Scotland as new figures show numbers halving. The number of childminders in Scotland has plummeted by 49 per cent between 2012 and 2023 – a drop of more than 3,000. This figure has fallen for seven consecutive years, dropping by 8 per cent between 2022 and 2023 alone. Mr Whitfield warned that this decline risks doing lasting damage to childcare services in Scotland.   Overall the capacity in Scottish early learning and childcare fell between 2022 and 2023. Martin Whitfield MSP said: “The [...]