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The most recent data for NHS Scotland reveals that 96.3% of patients in NHS Lanarkshire’s emergency departments were seen, admitted or discharged within four hour – beating the 95% target.

 

Scottish hospitals have now had the best performing emergency departments in the UK for more than two years.
Commenting, SNP MSP Fulton MacGregor for Coatbridge & Chryston said:

“Scotland has had the best performing emergency departments in the UK for more than two years – which is testament to the hard work of our NHS and social care workers.

“It is extremely encouraging that Emergency Departments in NHS Lanarkshire are frequently meeting the four hour waiting times target, with the latest figures published showing that 96.3% of patients are being seen within four hours.

“We will always value the vital work done by our NHS staff – and we should always celebrate their success and continue to support their efforts.”

New GDP figures show that Scotland’s economy has grown 0.8% in the first quarter of 2017, four times the UK growth rate for the same quarter.

 

Production grew by 3.1%, accounting for most of the growth in Scotland, and the services industry grew by 0.3%.

 

Since 2007, productivity in Scotland – the key driver of economic performance  –  has grown by more than 7%. In the UK as a whole productivity growth has been close to zero (0.4%).

Commenting on the latest GDP figures, SNP MSP Fulton MacGregor – Coatbridge & Chryston said:

“We are seeing an improving picture across Scotland – the economy is growing, the number of people in employment is rising and unemployment is at historic lows.

 

“Coatbridge & Chryston has lots to be confident about. The SNP Scottish Government’s £6 billion infrastructure plan, £500 million Scottish Growth Scheme and record investment in Modern Apprenticeships and education will continue to support the local economy.

 

“However Brexit, and being removed from the world’s largest single market, poses the biggest threat to this progress and Scotland’s economy. A blind crusade towards a hard Brexit cliff edge could cost our economy around £11 billion a year by 2030 and result in 80,000 fewer jobs, and the fall in Sterling since the referendum is already pushing up prices and squeezing household incomes. This, accompanied by relentless Tory austerity, means we cannot be complacent.
“The SNP has a plan to grow our economy and we will continue to work hard to support it through difficult times ahead – determined to remain an open, European nation inside the world’s largest single market.”

North Lanarkshire Labour Provost has blocked SNP motion to save Classroom Assistant posts

 

SNP MSP for Coatbridge & Chryston, Fulton MacGregor, has today (Wednesday) called on the Labour Provost of North Lanarkshire to allow an SNP motion to save 198 Classroom Assistant posts.

 

The council announced on 19 May, one day after the new Labour/Tory administration was formed, that they would be ‘deleting’ 198 classroom assistant posts throughout the local authority, leaving primary schools with just one each and secondary schools with none at all.

 

The SNP group on the council put forward a motion to reverse the decision, which was due to be debated at the next meeting of the council on 22 June.

 

However, the Provost has blocked the motion, describing it as ‘not competent’ without explaining further. This means that the item will not be on the agenda at the council meeting and cannot be discussed.

 

Commenting, Fulton MacGregor MSP said:

 

‘I am absolutely disgusted that a Labour Provost, elected after a deal with the Tory group, would block such an important motion from being discussed. If the administration truly believe that this is the right decision, they should have no fear about allowing the issue to be discussed and voted upon.

 

‘Classroom assistants play a vital part in our education system and while the SNP Government are working to increase attainment, the Labour/Tory North Lanarkshire Council seem to have the opposite aim.

 

‘Not only are people going to lose their jobs as a result of this decision, children who require additional support in school will suffer as a result of this awful decision.

 

‘I have submitted a motion to the parliament calling on this decision to be reversed. I have also been contacted by many concerned parents and staff who are working together on a large-scale campaign to save these posts. I hope the council will take notice and come to the right decision on this issue.’

 

TEN TIMES WE’VE STOPPED THE TORIES

Over the past ten years, the SNP has repeatedly stopped Labour and the Tories at Westminster from inflicting harmful policies on families across the country – showing why now, more than ever, it is vital to have strong SNP voices standing up for Scotland.

The SNP’s strong record of standing up for Scotland over ten years in government and as the real opposition at Westminster has forced u-turns on damaging Tory policies and blocked Westminster Tory attempts to cut Scotland’s budget by £7 billion.

The SNP in Government has taken action to protect Scotland from the full force of Tory policy.

1.      We stopped the Tories at Westminster cutting Scotland’s budget by £7 billion – and won new tax and social security powers.

2.      We effectively ended the Bedroom Tax in Scotland – and have spent nearly £400m since 2013 mitigating Tory cuts to household incomes.

3.      We kept and expanded the Education Maintenance Allowance – scrapped by the Tories in England – to support even more school pupils and college students from low income families.

4.      We have protected education based on ability to learn not ability to pay, saving students in Scotland up to £27,000 compared to the cost of studying in England.

5.      We abolished prescription charges helping low income households, while patients in England are forced to pay £8.60 per item.

6.         We forced the UK Government to ditch cuts to Tax Credits that would have cost low income households with children in Scotland around £3,000 per year.

7.         We have safeguarded the rights of 2,800 of the most severely disabled by establishing the Scottish Independent Living Fund when the Westminster Tories closed the UK wide fund in 2015.

8.         We’ve kept nursing bursaries and free tuition for nurses while the Tories have scrapped both in England.

9.        We’re locking out ATOS-style private profiteering in the Scottish Social Security System – rejecting the failed Tory model.

10.     We helped forced the Tories to u-turn and accept unaccompanied child refugees – and are now pressing them to keep their promise.

Commenting, Nicola Sturgeon said:

“The SNP has been, and will continue to be, Scotland’s bulwark against the dangers of an unopposed Tory government. Now more than ever, we need strong SNP voices to stop the the Tories dragging Scotland backwards.

“When the Tories tried to cut Scotland’s budget by £7 billion, it was SNP MPs and a strong SNP government that stopped them.

“When the Tories wanted to cut Tax Credits – hitting low income households by around £3,000 a year – the SNP helped to stop them.

“When the Tories inflicted the hated Bedroom Tax on the disabled, the SNP stood in their way.

“In Scotland it is only the strong voice of SNP MPs at Westminster combined with an effective SNP government that has protected Scotland from the full force of the Tories at Westminster.

“In government, around the country and at Westminster it is only the SNP that always puts Scotland’s interests first.

“Now more than ever, it is vital to have strong SNP voices standing up for Scotland.

“Only then can we protect Scotland from the dangers of an unopposed Tory government at Westminster and continue to make Scotland the best country it can be.”

SNP MSP Fulton MacGregor has called on Tory MSPs in Central Scotland to stop acting as mere mouthpieces for the UK government and oppose the shocking and inhumane two child limit and rape clause.

The family cap limits tax credits to only two children per family – unless the mother can prove that a third child was conceived as a result of rape or during an abusive relationship.

The Tories railroaded through these policies without a parliamentary debate or vote – leaving many outstanding questions with regards to womens’ rights, the impact on child poverty, as well as how the hundreds of thousands of healthcare professionals will be trained to assess evidence of rape.

Many sexual violence support charities such as Rape Crisis Scotland and Scottish Women’s Aid have said they will refuse to act as third party verifiers for the UK government, not least due to the trauma and stigma that the rape assessment process will cause both survivors and children of rape.

SNP MP Alison Thewliss has led the campaign to scrap the grotesque two child policy and rape clause.

SNP MSP Fulton MacGregor of Coatbridge & Chryston said:

“The Tory policy that has become known as the rape clause, requiring women to disclose deeply personal information and prove that a third or subsequent child was conceived as a result of rape in order to claim tax credits, is both disgraceful and disgusting.

“Ruth Davidson and the Scottish Tories should be thoroughly ashamed of their party but instead they are defending the indefensible welfare cuts coming from Westminster.

“The two child policy will mean a loss of up to £2,800 every year per child for hardworking families – driving up child poverty after the UK government scrapped their child poverty targets.

“I will continue to fight these heartless policies and I have written to the Conservative MSPs for the local area – asking them to stand up for the dignity and human rights of Women in Scotland and condemn these utterly appalling Tory Government policies.”

£425 MILLION TO BE PAID OUT THIS YEAR ACROSS SCOTLAND – ROBBING MONEY FROM VITAL SERVICES

 Labour’s disastrous PFI schools scheme continues to cost North Lanarkshire council millions of pounds every year, analysis by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre has revealed – proving they are a party which cannot be trusted to manage vital public services.

The duff deals made by Labour during their time in power at Holyrood will cost local authorities across £426.8 million in this financial year – with North Lanarkshire facing a £22.5 million bill, demonstrating Labour’s short-term thinking and profligate use of public money.  

SNP MSP for Coatbridge & Chryston Fulton MacGregor has slammed Labour’s toxic legacy, which continues to rob our local authority of vital funding for education and other public services. The total nationwide cost of the toxic PFI legacy across all projects topped £1 billion in 2015/16, with this figure continuing to rise.

 

Commenting, SNP MSP for Coatbridge & Chryston Fulton MacGregor, said:

“The toxic legacy that Labour’s PFI deals have left our schools and North Lanarkshire Council continues to cost millions of pounds every year – and proves once again that only the SNP can be trusted to deliver on education and local funding.  

“While Labour carp from the sidelines about the SNP’s record, it is increasingly clear that we are still paying for the mess that Labour left over a decade ago – with payments in 2017/18 to be as high as £426.8 million across all our council areas, and North Lanarkshire Council facing a bill of £22.5 million. 

“Labour’s spendthrift and reckless handling of our public finances continues to rob North Lanarkshire Council of funds which could be put towards delivering better local services. And let’s not forget the potential consequences of Labour’s dodgy deals on jerry-built schools across Edinburgh – forced to close for nearly 500 days because of fundamental safety concerns.   

“It’s high time that Labour apologised for this toxic legacy that they’ve left for our schools, North Lanarkshire Council and local authorities across the country.”

 

 

There has been a 21% rise in the number of newly-qualified teachers going straight into employment in Scotland since 2007.

In answer to a parliamentary question from Coatbridge and Chryston MSP Fulton MacGregor, the Deputy First Minister confirmed that the cohort of probationers gaining employment as soon as they qualify has risen from 66% in 2007 to 87% in 2016.

Outlining the Government’s vision for Scottish education earlier this week, Cabinet Secretary for Education John Swinney announced a £4.5m head teacher training programme as well as a partnership with the Hunter Foundation to create head teacher leadership academies.

 

Commenting, Fulton MacGregor MSP said:

 

“It’s not always easy to match newly-qualified teachers with their chosen school or local authority area so it’s great to see more than a 20% rise in the number of probationers getting jobs in Scottish schools as soon as they qualify.

 

“The SNP Government’s number one priority of increasing attainment can only be achieved with the support of a strong cohort of teachers and head teachers looking after our education system.

 

“For the sixth year in a row the SNP has increased student teacher intake targets while targeting specific subject areas where there are skills gaps.

 

“Last year’s Inspiring Teachers campaign helped drive a 19% increase in PGDE applications to Scottish universities compared to the previous year, and John Swinney’s Teaching Makes People campaign has committed £3m funding to train an extra 371 teachers over the next year. On top of that – the Scottish Funding Council will be funding 400 more secondary teacher training places teachers than last year.

“Our education system is fundamental to helping Scotland thrive in the future and our Deputy First Minister is working hard to ensure that the necessary change is happening to help tackle the attainment gap and drive achievement.”

INNOVATION IN SCOTTISH SCHOOLS INSPIRING TEACHERS THE WORLD OVER

Five years on since Elaine Wyllie introduced the Daily Mile challenge to St Ninian’s primary school in Stirling, teachers across Scotland and internationally have been inspired to adopt the Daily Mile in their schools.

The Daily Mile concept is a great example of innovation in Scottish schools that has been successfully introduced in schools throughout the UK, Belgium and the Netherlands.

In January this year, researchers at Essex University demonstrated the positive impact of the Daily Mile in improving attainment as well as self-esteem and wellbeing.  The study found that children in an East London school who had participated in the 15 minutes a day of exercise had performed 25% better than predicted in reading and maths in SATS tests and 17% better in writing.

In an interview with Holyrood Magazine, the Daily Mile originator Ms Whylie noted:

“Behaviour across classes and focus improved. Self-esteem, confidence, and all the individuals with challenging behaviour improved…

“Teachers and head teachers know health and wellbeing comes before their learning. Yet we’re presiding over children who, on our watch, get slower and fatter as they go through school. It’s very much a case of if not us, then who, if not now, then, when?”

Commenting, Fulton MacGregor MSP, who sits on Holyrood’s Education Committee, said:

“It is a fantastic achievement that over 1,000 primary schools across Scotland have recognised the benefits of the Daily Mile challenge – a great example of innovation in Scottish education that has gained international acclaim.

“The Daily Mile challenge sees children walking or running a mile each day to develop their physical, emotional and social health, and helps to fight childhood obesity.  A study by Essex University earlier this year found that participants of the Daily Mile programme did better than expected in classroom tests simply by getting active.

“Not only is there a wealth of positive benefits in the short-term – the Daily Mile challenge also encourages children to pick up healthy habits that will hopefully stay with them for life.

“The Scottish Government is committed to making sure as many children participate as possible in this great example of Scottish innovation, to one day become a Daily Mile Nation.”