Following a motion I submitted to Parliament celebrating the success of their Future Change Programme, I visited HMPYOI Polmont this week. Many of their initiatives focus on wellbeing, such as performing arts classes, Pawse for Progress therapy dogs, and life skills courses. As an advocate of the impact of trauma and adverse childhood experiences, it was fantastic to hear the determination from prison officers and support staff to break the cycles of trauma to support a better way forward for our young people.
This week was interesting on both the Finance and Public Administration and the Economy and Fair Work Committee. At the Finance Committee we considered evidence relating to the upcoming budget from the Minister for Public Finance, Ivan McKee MSP. We also had an informative discussion relating to the Building Safety Levy (Scotland) Bill with representatives from Bancon Homes, Homes for Scotland, Miller Homes and the Scottish Property Federation. At the Economy and Fair Work Committee, members considered the economic potential of artificial intelligence, taking evidence from a key industry advisor, a Professor of Economics at Herriot Watt University and a representative of the Data Lab.
I also stopped by the exhibits from the Museum of Ukrainian Crafts & Culture Scotland and the Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland. The stall by MUCCS asked MSPs to depict what they would take in their suitcase if they were required to flee their home – in other words what they really value. It was a tough choice and a very impactful way of recognising the devastating effect of war on civilians. The Queen’s Nursing Institute Scotland is a charity that provides a range of high quality professional development opportunities for Scotland’s community nurses and midwives, encouraging them to tackle health and care inequalities in collaboration with the people they care for.
Yesterday, I was pleased to speak in the Scottish Parliament debate on the Recall and Removal of Members Bill which is currently at Stage 1 of the Parliamentary process. The behaviour of all elected members must be held to the upmost standard, and this Bill is important to ensure the shared interest of MSPS in protecting the reputation of the Scottish Parliament is paramount.
Finally, I met with both Mamba Sounds and Visit Scotland this week. I have long been supportive of the work being carried out by Mamba Sounds, based in Edinburgh, and welcome their input on the Cross-Party Group on Music of which I am Convenor. As an AI tech company, they provide streaming services of African music and utilise modern technologies in their work. I also met with the Chief Executive of Visit Scotland to find out more about their role in growing the value of the visitor economy following their appearance at a recent Economy & Fair Work Committee meeting.
