I kicked off this week with a meeting at Falkirk Stadium; bringing together stakeholders from the Council, Historic Environment Scotland and Museums Galleries Scotland. We discussed the future of Kinneil Museum with a view to finding solutions to secure its long-term viability.
On Tuesday, I voted in the Stage 3 proceedings on the Regulation of Legal Services (Scotland) Bill. This new piece of legislation will modernise and improve the regulatory framework under which legal services across Scotland are delivered, including by improving the complaints process and increasing transparency and accountability in the legal sector.
On Wednesday, the Acting Cabinet Secretary gave an update on the proposed Grangemouth Flood Protection Scheme. While I was pleased to hear that the Scottish Government would continue to engage with Falkirk Council on the project as it moves to a locally led enquiry, I highlighted the significant uncertainty that remains around funding and the criteria for accessing this. I will continue to press ministers for more information and seek reassurance for local residents and businesses moving forward as the scheme develops.
I also took the opportunity in Economy Committee to question Michael Shanks MP, the UK Energy Minister, about his personal reflections on the closure of the Grangemouth refinery and the impact of the closure on the workforce, the community and on Scotland more widely.
In the Chamber on Thursday, I asked the Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport about the valuable contribution of overseas workers in Scotland’s social care sector and what the Scottish Government anticipates the wider impact of the UK Government’s proposed changes to Skilled Worker Visas will be on the sector in Scotland. I share the concerns of the Scottish Government that these short-sighted changes will have a disproportionate and damaging impact on Scotland’s care sector, especially given the lack of engagement the UK Government had with the Scottish Government when developing their immigration white paper.
