Michelle Thomson for Falkirk East

This week has been a very varied week in the Scottish Parliament! At the beginning of the week, the Economy & Fair Work Committee visited Ferguson Marine Port Glasgow. It was a hugely worthwhile visit to learn more about the processes for development. You can read more about my visit in my previous post.

On Tuesday, I asked the Acting Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy about further business discussions the Scottish Government have had with Ineos, including the future of the component parts of the business. You can listen to my contribution and the answer from the Cabinet Secretary here: https://www.scottishparliament.tv/.../ministerial...

On Wednesday I was delighted to welcome the St Andrew’s Society of Maine to the Scottish Parliament. They participated in a roundtable discussion with various stakeholders to establish business opportunities and promoting cultural and heritage links between Maine and Scotland. I was also re-elected as Convenor of the CPG on St Andrew’s Day and I look forward to continuing our efforts to increase St Andrew’s Day and Scotland’s culture.

Yesterday I attended a briefing on Green Freeports. It was a very informative event and I was pleased to receive an update regarding the progress of Forth Ports project. They have now submitted their Full Business Case (FBC) to both the Scottish and UK Governments.

In the Finance & Public Administration Committee this week, we heard evidence from Health and Social Care Alliance Scotland, Institute of Chartered Accountants of Scotland, North East Scotland Retrofit Hub, Oxfam Scotland, Public Health Scotland, Scottish Property Federation and Women's Economic Empowerment Project relating to managing Scotland’s finances. The Economy & Fair Work Committee discussed further into a Just Transition, taking evidence from Professor Keith Bell, Mitigation Committee Member on the Climate Change Committee and Professor Graeme Roy, Chair of the Scottish Fiscal Commission.

“There has been, not unsurprisingly, considerable interest in my announcement that I am working with a potential buyer of the refinery in Grangemouth.

“Any successful transaction relies on a willing seller and a willing buyer and is under-pinned by complex negotiations and acute commercial sensitivity.

“I have made clear that I have signed a non-disclosure agreement and I will honour this completely.

“My focus is entirely on getting the best outcome for the workers at the refinery, their families and the community in Grangemouth - and this will be what I continue to do.”

The first week back in the Scottish Parliament after recess certainly started as it means to go on!

The Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government, Shona Robison, delivered the Pre-Budget Fiscal Update, meanwhile the First Minister delivered the Programme for Government. I spoke in both these important debates, firstly asking the Cabinet Secretary a question on ScotWind funds for the future wealth for Scotland, followed by a speech on the proposals set out by the First Minster. You can view more information on these contributions in my Facebook posts.

I also visited Food Train, a fantastic initiative in Falkirk helping the elderly with shopping, befriending, and Meal Making services. They are a great charity providing a vital service for many and some rewarding volunteering opportunities for anyone who is interested.

On Thursday morning I was a panellist for the SMIA Summit 2024 debate ‘A Sound Investment – What’s Scotland's Music Industry Worth?’. As the Convenor of the CPG on Music in the Scottish Parliament, I was delighted to be able to take part in such a worthwhile discussion exploring the economic impact and current financial landscape of our culture and arts sector.

On Thursday evening I attended the Holyrood Political Awards where I was privileged to be awarded Backbencher of the Year. It was a lovely evening celebrating the political contributions of everyone across all parties and roles.

My Surgery Tour for 2024 kicks off on Monday 5 August. Dates, times and locations are listed below. Please do pop along if you can.

If you cannot manage along to one of the meetings but would like to raise a matter with myself and my team, you can email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call the office on 01324 357373

Several weeks ago, I submitted a Members’ Business motion to the Scottish Parliament recognising the suppression of women’s rights by Taliban forces in Afghanistan. This week, I was privileged to be able to bring that motion forward to a Parliamentary debate in the chamber. You can watch my full speech and the subsequent debate at:

https://www.scottishparliament.tv/.../members-business...

Further to my Members’ Business Debate, I contributed three times to discussions in the Scottish Parliament this week. At First Minister’s Questions, I asked about the Scottish Government’s assessment of the impact on business following the introduction of new border rules post-Brexit. At the Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands Portfolio Questions I also asked how the Scottish Government can ensure any monies given to hedge funds use this money for benefiting local communities. Finally, in the Ministerial Statement on Industrial Relations in the Further Education Sector, I asked how the proposed post-school education reform agenda can support Scotland’s colleges further.

Prior to the summer recess, many Stage 3 Bills will be progressing through the Scottish Parliament. This week MSPs voted on Stage 3 of both the Visitor Levy (Scotland) Bill and the Post Office (Horizon System) Offences (Scotland) Bill. Both these Bills are hugely important. The Visitor Levy legislation will generate funds for communities with strong visitor economies to benefit and will help to attract more visitors to Scotland in a sustainable way. The Post Office Offences Bill is welcomed by all parties and will provide justice to those wrongfully accused.

Both of my Committees were held this week. In the Education, Children & Young People Committee, we considered The Education (Fees and Student Support) (Miscellaneous Amendments) (Scotland) Regulations 2024, considered evidence on an update to the Scottish Technology Ecosystem Review, and took evidence on the SPSO Child Friendly Complaints Handling Principles. The Finance & Public Administration Committee also carried out some important work this week, taking evidence on Scotland's Commissioner Landscape: A Strategic Approach.

On Wednesday, I sponsored and chaired the Women in Multiple Low-Paid Jobs Roundtable event. A previous post yesterday highlighted this important work. You can see my previous post here:http://www.facebook.com/share/p/BySF3V1g483SrvpR/