Another busy week both in the constituency and parliament, beginning with an excellent visit to Carronshore Primary School, where I was delighted to meet with P7 pupils to discuss the role of democracy in Scottish life and the work I do on behalf of constituents.
Tuesday’s Finance & Public Administration Committee was conducted as a private session, however the Education, Children & Young People’s Committee had an important and robust evidence session on the Children (Care and Justice) (Scotland) Bill, hearing from Natalie Don - Minister for Children, Young People and Keeping the Promise. There continue to be a number of vital matters pertaining to the detail on this bill which I pressed the minister for answers on and continue to seek further clarity. You can watch committee proceedings for more detail on this here : (link)
In the chamber I made a number of contributions including asking Deputy FM Shona Robison about how Financial Memoranda produced by government can be improved and better subject to scrutiny. In the tight financial constraints of public spending this is a vital issue and important to the work of the Finance & Public Administration Committee. I was also able to contribute to the debate on the Rural & Islands Housing Action Plan and ask a question during the statement on the Scottish Government’s provision of information to the Covid-19 inquiries, which you can watch here : (link)
As convener of the Cross Party Group on St. Andrew’s Day, I was delighted to host a busy meeting, hard in the planning for our St Andrew’s Day event, now less than a month away.
I was also pleased to visit a number of exhibitions in parliament this week, showcasing the important work of Alcohol Focus Scotland and the Horticultural Trades Association. More on this can be found in previous Facebook posts.
