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News
My Week in 5 - 12 May 2023
My Week in 5 - 5 May 2023
Following last week’s British Islands & Mediterranean Region of the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conference at Westminster, I was pleased to return to a busy week of committee and legislative work at Holyrood whilst also progressing a variety of issues within the constituency.
Tuesday’s Finance and Public Administration Committee afforded me an opportunity to ask a number of probing questions in our inquiry into effective Scottish Government decision-making. I chose focus on the themes of transparency and influence around data collection and analysis. You can watch committee proceedings back on the following link.
Wednesday’s Economy and Fair Work Committee was held in private session to consider the evidence found thus far in the inquiry into a Just Transition for the Grangemouth area. This is an enquiry I suggested and is vitally important for the area. Detail on the work of the committee thus far can be found here:
I was also delighted to meet with a variety of organisations in parliament this week, including Water Safety Scotland and hear about the important work they do on drowning prevention. Scroll back to previous posts for a range of safety tips and advice links.
On Thursday, I attended the White Ribbon Scotland conference within parliament, highlighting the crucial role men have to play in the elimination of violence against women and girls. You can find out more about the organisation and their work by following links in previous posts. Please encourage men to sign up to their pledge.
Finally, with this week seeing the start of May and therefore National Walking Month, I was happy to sign up to the Paths for All, Step Count Challenge with members of my office team. Falkirk East has some of the most beautiful path networks in the country and I look forward to taking part and enjoying them in what I hope will be the start of a fine Scottish summer in the weeks to come!
https://www.stepcount.org.uk/
My Week in 5 - 10 March 2023
My Week in 5 - 03 March 2023
Earlier this week, I was delighted to receive notification that my motion on “Taliban Suppression of Women and Girls in Afghanistan” has received the required cross-party support to proceed to a debate within parliament. This is a crucial international issue which we must see sustained pressure from governments and international agencies to assist with, but also a matter close to home, as we support women and girls fleeing Taliban suppression who have resettled and Scotland. You can read the full text of my motion on the following link and watch my page for further information when this is tabled for debate - https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/votes-and-motions/S6M-07924
Through my role in the Economy and Fair Work Committee, I was pleased to contribute to both the parliamentary debate on Retail and Town Centres in Scotland and the committee enquiry into A Just Transition for the Grangemouth area.
You can watch my contributions to both by visiting my facebook page https://www.facebook.com/MichelleThomsonSNP
During the enquiry questions, I was keen to focus on the theme of community benefit, and was interested to hear from the panel on how collectively, all stakeholders can ensure that the needs of communities in and around Grangemouth can be met in partnership with the new economic opportunities that a Just Transition will bring. I was also pleased to highlight the importance of putting women and girls at the heart of the development of the Just Transition from the outset.
It was fantastic to see Cycling Without Age in the parliament this week and get a chance to stop by and visit local volunteers from this wonderful organisation. Their connection with Falkirk District from their outset in Scotland in 2017 is something I know local residents are extremely proud of and remember with fondness the stories coming out of Carrondale Care Home and the joy brought to residents from feeling the “wind in their hair”. Their success in spreading across the country since then has been remarkable and fuelled by indomitable volunteers. I was also delighted to recognise this in a parliamentary motion last month which you can access here : https://www.parliament.scot/chamber-and-committees/votes-and-motions/S6M-07662
I was also pleased to host a successful reception in Parliament for The Bottom Line, with a variety of interesting presentations and engaging discussion on the topic of “Elevating the debate on Independence and the Scottish Economy”. You can find out more about their mission to invigorate the debate on the economics of Scottish independence by visiting their website here : https://thebottomline.scot/
My Week in 5 - 24 February 2023
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This week I was delighted to visit Forth Valley Sensory Centre at their Scottish Parliament exhibition to find out more about the vital work they do helping people with sensory loss across the Forth Valley area. It was great to hear about their partnership with Windsor Park School in Falkirk and the fabulous “Climate Comic” Project that they were able to produce together. I was also rather delighted to say hello to Sadie (the assistance dog) on perhaps more than one occasion over the week!
The passage of the Scottish budget is always an important marker in the Parliament’s calendar and I was pleased to contribute to stage 3 of the Scottish Budget Debate, highlighting specifically the need to do much more to support women’s entrepreneurship to drive economic growth and social equality.
A key concern of local residents in my Falkirk East constituency is how we use the necessary refocus of Carbon Intensive Industry to benefit local people as well as Scotland’s wider economy and our global environment. I was able to ask a number of questions at the Economy and Fair Work Committee’s Enquiry into a Just Transition for the Grangemouth area – highlighting that wider economic benefits must extend to local people and communities. A matter I will continue to pursue as the enquiry progresses.
Back in the chamber, I asked a Portfolio Question regarding continuing support for food producers, as plans for the forthcoming Agriculture Bill progress, - supporting a crucial industry for our national and local economy.
Finally, I was also very pleased to submit a motion to the Scottish Parliament commending the work of Scottish Trauma Teddies for their generous donation of 50 teddy bears to the Children’s Ward at Forth Valley Royal Hospital. Their kindness and support for children facing difficult circumstances, is truly heart warming and it is a pleasure to be able to recognise and promote the work that they do.
