McMillan Visits Dunbritton Housing Association

Stuart McMillan MSP SNP has recently visited Dunbritton Housing Association at their office in Dumbarton as part of his summer tour.

Mr McMillan was visiting as part of his three week summer tour of the West Scotland region.  The summer tour is an opportunity to meet with a number of different businesses to learn more about their activities and future plans.

Speaking after his visit Mr McMillan said:

“I was pleased to visit Dunbritton Housing Association as part of my summer tour of the West Scotland region.

“The visit was an ideal opportunity to learn more about the housing stock Dunbritton currently has and their plans, as a Registered social landlord, going forward.

“I am grateful to Dunbritton Housing Association for arranging my visit and I wish everyone involved every success for the future.”

Stuart McMillan MSP with Sephton MacQuire, Convenor at Dunbritton Housing Association Ltd

McMillan Highlights Continuing Healthcare Response from Scot Govt

Stuart McMillan MSP SNP has today (Monday) highlighted the response letter he has received from the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Alex Neil MSP, which highlights the actions the Scottish Government is taking to make sure those entitled and eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare are receiving it.

Mr McMillan wrote to the Scottish Government after receiving correspondence from constituents who had a number of questions regarding continuing health care, the costs and how to access the care.

Continuing Healthcare is a package of continuing health care provided and solely funded by the NHS, where the NHS, and n
ot the local authority or the individual, pays the total cost of that care.

Mr McMillan said:

“I welcome the response I have received from the Scottish Government which highlights, to my constituents, what continuing healthcare is and how they can obtain more information about the package.

“Constituents can obtain said information by visiting www.sehd.scot.nhs.uk or www.careinfoscotland.co.uk. 

“Anyone who feels they are entitled and eligible for NHS Continuing Healthcare should contact the Chief Executive of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde or if unsure they can contact my office, at 0141 889 9519, for more details.”

McMillan Visits James Walker Devol

Stuart McMillan MSP SNP has yesterday (Monday) visited the new premises of James Walker Devol in Faulds Park, Gourock.

Mr McMillan was visiting as he kicked off his three week summer tour of the West Scotland region. The summer tour is an opportunity to meet with a number of different businesses to learn more about their activities and future plans.

Speaking after his visit Mr McMillan said:

“My annual summer tour started with a visit to the new site of James Walker Devol in Gourock. I had previously visited them in their former site in Greenock.

“I am delighted to see that all their hard work has paid off with the acquisition of the site and the move. This is indeed a good news story for all involved at James Walker Devol and also Inverclyde.

“I am sure the company will progress even further and this new site will greatly impress both potential as well as existing clients. Furthermore, the workforce now have 1st class conditions in which to work and I’m sure this will be welcomed by all.”

McMillan encourages young people to study abroad

Stuart McMillan MSP (SNP – West of Scotland) is encouraging young people to look at widening their horizons and ultimate job prospects by taking part in new international study opportunities offered through the British Council.

Hundreds of children attending schools throughout Scotland have already become involved in British Council initiatives such as the Global Schools Partnership and Connecting Classrooms programmes.

Now a new website has been launched - Study, Work, Create – that provides a single gateway offering 16 to 25-year-olds opportunities to study, volunteer or work overseas, and so develop their creative ideas around the world.

Thousands of opportunities are available on 30 different programmes in more than 80 countries, with more being added on a regular basis.

It is expected that the website will make it easier for young people and their families to find the wide range of international opportunities that are available to them.

Stuart McMillan said:

“In visits to schools I have noted many of our young people are fascinated by different cultures throughout the world and seek to learn from communities in Europe and beyond. This is a resource that seeks to build on that enthusiasm and the confidence that already exists in our young people.

“They can learn valuable skills and gain life-changing international experiences as well as making friends and contacts that may well last throughout their lifetime.”

“It is notable that in a 2011 survey the British Council learned that half the students they polled believed that an international outlook could benefit their work prospects. That was backed up by employers, with 79% in the same survey saying that knowledge and awareness of the wider world was an important factor when recruiting new employees.

“I benefitted from studying in France, Germany and Sweden which gave me a better understanding of different cultures and also enhanced my life experiences.

“I would encourage others to take that opportunity to visit this website to see what opportunities are available.”

NOTES:

To learn more about the Study, Work, Create initiative visit http://www.britishcouncil.org/more/study-work-create

McMillan Comments on School Bus Attendants Issue

Stuart McMillan MSP (SNP, West Scotland) has today (Monday) commented on the news that First Group/Glasgow have issued a statement indicating an error occurred when issuing final pay slips to school bus attendants.

Mr McMillan received news, from former bus attendants that they have now received their final pay and P45's. However, in receiving their payslips and P45's it now appears that around half of the redundant workers have had their final pay docked after First Group have made deductions shown on payslips as being for "equipment".

Mr McMillan then wrote to First Group asking for an explanation regarding the pay issue and the school bus contract and has since been made aware that First Glasgow have indicated, Unfortunately due to an administration error deductions were wrongly taken from four school bus attendants. We will be writing to those concerned to formally apologise for our mistake. In the meantime, we've authorised the release of funds to their individual bank accounts by close of business today (July 18).

Mr McMillan said:

“I welcome the news from First Group that school bus attendants are to receive the monies wrongly deducted from their wages and they have also received an apology.

“It appears that First Group have acknowledged their internal process has failed and I sincerely hope lessons will be learned and this never happens to anyone again.

“I’m sure my constituents, who have been affected, will be relieved at the decision taken by First Group. However, there are still questions outstanding regarding the bus contract and staff employment, and I await a response from First Group to my recent letter.

“Nevertheless, this is a welcomed development.”

MSP says Inverclyde deserves so much better

Stuart McMillan MSP has written to the Convener of the Scottish Parliament’s Local Government and Regeneration Committee, requesting that the Committee obtains copies of the mid-term review about Riverside Inverclyde and all relevant papers from Inverclyde Council which discuss this issue.

There are also concerns that the report highlighting the outcomes achieved by Riverside Inverclyde has not been made available to the public and that even local elected members within Inverclyde Council have not received a copy of the report.

The Local Government and Regeneration Committee, chaired by Kevin Stewart MSP, is currently investigating the impact of regeneration in Scotland and both Riverside Inverclyde and Inverclyde Council are due to attend the committee in September to discuss their respective roles in regeneration.

Stuart McMillan MSP, and member of the Local Government and Regeneration Committee, said:

“It is vitally important that these reports are made public; this is public money that has been used in the regeneration of Inverclyde and the people of this area and across Scotland have right to know exactly what has happened here.

“It is essential that this report is released to allow all members of the committee to be fully informed of the position of Riverside Inverclyde before they give evidence to the committee.

“The people of Greenock and the Inverclyde area deserve so much better than the mismanagement of a service which should be doing so much more for the area than it has so far. I am absolutely committed to getting to the very bottom of this and I challenge Labour run Inverclyde Council to work with me on this.”



NOTES:
Recent press comments on Riverside Inverclyde:

http://www.heraldscotland.com/news/home-news/call-for-action-as-quango-fails-to-hit-its-targets.21617412

McMillan Welcomes Drop in Homeless Figures as Housing Charity Praises Scottish Government

Stuart McMillan MSP (SNP – West of Scotland) has welcomed statistics released that show a drop in homeless figures in Scotland.

Official figures show that in the last twelve months, there were 39,827 homelessness applications in Scotland, a drop of 5,720 (13%) from the previous year.

Meanwhile, the work done by SNP Government to protect vulnerable people has been praised by housing charity Crisis, who said that the Scottish Government is “an example to Westminster”.

Stuart McMillan said:

“It is heart warming to hear that almost six thousand less people in Scotland were homeless in the last year in comparison to the previous twelve months.

“These are encouraging figures that show the hard work of the SNP Government to prevent homelessness in Scotland is paying off.

“It is welcoming to see that these efforts are being noticed by groups such as Crisis, who are urging Westminster to follow our example.

“We should be under no illusions though, a place to call home should be the right of every single person in Scotland and despite this drop in homelessness applications there is still a lot of work to be done. However, unfortunately Westminster driven policies such as welfare reform and the bedroom tax is hindering the work of the Scottish Government to completely remove homelessness in our society.”


The official homeless statistics can be found at: http://www.scotland.gov.uk/stats/bulletins/00956

McMillan Congratulates Starter Packs Inverclyde

Stuart McMillan MSP (SNP – West of Scotland) has congratulated Starter Packs Inverclyde on receiving £93,780 from the Big Lottery Fund’s Support and Connect fund.

Through this funding Starter Packs Inverclyde will increase its capacity to support homeless people who are offered a tenancy but lack sufficient funds to purchase the small household items required to set up and maintain a home. The organisation will work in partnership with a range of organisations which refer clients including housing associations and Women's Aid.

Stuart McMillan said:

“This is excellent news for Starter Packs Inverclyde and will allow them to provide a valuable service to many local people.

“Starter Packs Inverclyde has an excellent motto on their website – Turning an empty building into a home; that encapsulates the magnificent work that they do, helping some of the most vulnerable in society.

“This organisation provides a range of starter packs to suit the needs of clients referred to it by a range of organisations including housing associations and Women’s Aid.

“I have also submitted a motion to the Scottish Parliament in support of Starter Packs Inverclyde and the excellent work that they carry out. I would also like to add my support and best wishes for the future.”

Motion Number: S4M-07298
Lodged By: Stuart McMillan
Date Lodged: 16/07/2013
Title: Starter Packs Inverclyde

That the Parliament congratulates Starter Packs Inverclyde on being awarded £93,780 by the Big Lottery Fund’s Support and Connect scheme; understands that this grant will increase its capacity to support homeless people who are offered a tenancy but lack sufficient funds to purchase the small household items required to set up and maintain a home; notes that Starter Packs Inverclyde will work in partnership with a range of organisations that refer clients, including housing associations and Women's Aid, and wishes Starter Packs Inverclyde continued success with its work.

McMillan to undertake Summer Tour of West Scotland region

Stuart McMillan MSP, (SNP) will start his three week summer tour of the West Scotland region on Monday 22nd July by visiting James Walker Devol in their new premises in Gourock.

The summer tour is an opportunity for Mr McMillan to visit the region and meet with may different businesses, charities, individuals, local organisations and voluntary groups. During the three week tour Mr McMillan will visit groups and projects in

Alexandria, Clydebank, Dumbarton, Gourock, Greenock, Helensburgh, Irvine, Largs and Paisley.

Speaking in advance of his summer tour, Mr. McMillan said;

“On Monday, I will start my 3 week summer tour of the West Scotland region. The summer tour is an opportunity for me to get out and about in the region and meet a number of businesses, local groups and organisations, rather than sitting in an office catching up on briefings.

“The tour allows me to learn more about the work said groups are doing in our communities and also find out what issues or concerns they have. It also allows me to go back to the Scottish Parliament knowing I have a better knowledge and understanding of the region.

“I would like to thank all the businesses, local groups and organisations in advance of my visit and accommodating me and my staff.”

McMillan welcomes Broadband Expansion

Stuart McMillan MSP (SNP – West of Scotland) has welcomed the announcement that hundreds of thousands of households and businesses across Scotland are set to reap the rewards of high-speed fibre broadband thanks to a £264 million investment.


The project will be delivered by BT, which is investing £106.7m in the partnership, and is being led by the Scottish Government working together with local authorities and Broadband Delivery UK in the Department for Culture, Media and Sport.

Together with a £146 million partnership announced earlier this year to bring faster broadband to the Highlands and Islands and commercial investment plans by the private sector, the new project will ensure that 85% of Scottish properties have access to fibre broadband by the end of 2015 and around 95 per cent by the end of 2017.

Initial priority will be given to rural small and medium sized businesses to encourage economic growth in hard to reach areas.

Mr McMillan said:

“This announcement signals the start of one of the most ambitious infrastructure projects in the whole of Europe. It will connect communities across rural and urban areas, providing a platform for future economic development and regeneration.

"Next generation broadband enables businesses to compete on the international stage. It has the potential to transform the way in which we educate our children, provide health and social care and deliver our public services. It provides Scotland with a platform upon which we can build and sustain a world class digital country.

“This will bring fibre broadband to another 600,000 plus Scottish homes and businesses and will include areas such as Inverclyde, Argyll & Bute and West Dunbartonshire.”

NOTES:
The project is being supported through £157.6million public funding including £50 million from BDUK and BT investment of £106.7million. The public funding includes fourteen local authorities who are investing around £51 million to increase coverage, meet local priorities and address the digital divide in their areas.

This, coupled with the investment in the Highlands and Islands region announced earlier in the year, brings the total investment in fibre broadband to over £410 million.

Details of announcement for Highlands and Islands: http://www.hie.co.uk/regional-information/digital-highlands-and-islands/default.html

A Scotland-focused study by Analysys Mason estimates that a project to provide just 85% NGA coverage in Scotland would deliver £2 billion in economic benefits over 15 years. These include increased productivity, and health and environmental benefits. This study estimated an increase of 14,000 new jobs induced by the deployment, with a significant number being high value, knowledge economy positions.

The Scottish Government’s Step Change project consists of two procurements – one covering the Highlands and Islands area and the other covering the Rest of Scotland. Together they cover the whole of Scotland.

The Rest of Scotland project area includes the following local authority areas: Aberdeen City, Aberdeenshire, Angus, parts of Argyll & Bute, Clackmannanshire, Dumfries & Galloway, Dundee City, East Ayrshire, East Dunbartonshire, East Lothian, East Renfrewshire, City of Edinburgh, Falkirk, Fife, Glasgow City, Inverclyde, Midlothian, North Ayrshire (apart from the Islands), North Lanarkshire, Perth & Kinross, Renfrewshire, Scottish Borders, South Ayrshire, South Lanarkshire, Stirling, West Dunbartonshire, West Lothian.

The Highlands and Islands Broadband project includes the following local authority areas: Highland, Moray, Orkney Islands, Shetland Islands, Eilean Siar (Western Isles), parts of Argyll and Bute and part of North Ayrshire (Islands).

Bagpipe Tune for Andy Murray set to be a Smash

A composing competition for a bagpipe tune for Wimbledon Champion Andy Murray by The College of Piping in Glasgow has been welcomed by Stuart McMillan MSP today, who represents the West of Scotland.


Mr McMillan, the only MSP who is a piper, said:

“A pipe tune for Andy Murray is a fantastic idea by the College of Piping, and they are to be congratulated for such a creative initiative. I am sure it will capture the public’s imagination - and it's bound to be a smash!

“Andy Murray has made history with his outstanding Wimbledon victory, his second Grand Slam, and his Olympic Gold. I have no doubt that the calibre of tunes that will be composed will be befitting of Andy's phenomenal achievements.”

Notes: http://www.collegeofpiping.org/2013/07/composing-contest-for-andy-murray/

McMillan Congratulates NHS Scotland

“Congratulations to all staff, past and present, on their valuable work in making NHS Scotland one of the world’s best health services,” said Stuart McMillan MSP (SNP – West of Scotland) on the 65th anniversary of the founding of the NHS in Scotland.


The NHS has been an international model for healthcare since its creation in 1948 as it provides universal healthcare with equal access to comprehensive care that is free at the point of need, irrespective of personal income. Despite many changes over the years, and the constant pressure to adapt to new medical breakthroughs, the NHS has continued to deliver excellent healthcare to the people of Scotland.

Stuart McMillan added:

“Since its formation in 1948 the NHS in Scotland has delivered first class care to patients thanks its hard working and dedicated staff.

“The NHS is with us at every stage of our lives and most people in Scotland will benefit from the tremendous care it provides at what can often be their darkest moments, or a time of crisis.

“A national health service which is free at the point of need is what distinguishes NHS Scotland from many other health services. The introduction of free prescription charges is a key element of this ethos, providing care and medication when it is needed, irrespective of the patient’s finances.

“This week marks the 65th Anniversary of Scotland’s NHS and there’s never been a better time to celebrate what we have – our NHS is there for everyone, no matter what the circumstances.

NOTES:
Every day, there are over 150,000 patient contacts with NHS Scotland and as Scotland’s largest employer, there are approximately 157,000 staff working across the 14 health boards.

To find out more about the 65 lives and NHS Scotland, visit www.ournhsscotland.com

McMillan Welcomes Action Mesothelioma Day

“This is an important day to remember the impact that mesothelioma – a fatal disease caused by asbestos – has on individuals, families and communities across Inverclyde and Scotland”, said Stuart McMillan MSP (SNP – West of Scotland) in recognition of Action Mesothelioma Day on Friday 5th July.


Asbestos related diseases kill 4,000 people a year in the UK. The aim of Action Mesothelioma Day is to raise awareness of this asbestos related cancer (and other asbestos related diseases). It also provides a focus on the work that has been done to support those who have been diagnosed with the disease, as well as other asbestos-related diseases, and to work for better legislation and healthcare to protect those who may come into contact with asbestos in the future.

Stuart McMillan added;

“This is an important day to highlight the toll that mesothelioma is taking on many families across Scotland and especially Inverclyde which has one of the highest levels of mesothelioma deaths in Scotland.

“I have worked with Clydeside Action on Asbestos to help support their members and all others affected by asbestos related diseases. This includes the launch in the Scottish Parliament, with the First Minister, of the new Clydeside Action on Asbestos lapel badge to highlight the dangers of asbestos. I have also moved a motion in the Scottish Parliament praising Clydeside Action on Asbestos for the work that they do.

“Clydeside Action on Asbestos is Scotland’s leading charity on all aspects of asbestos and on Action on Mesothelioma Day I would like to thank them for the work they have done for over 30 years supporting people with asbestos related diseases.”
Notes:

Motion S4M-06996: Stuart McMillan, West Scotland, Scottish National Party:

That the Parliament recognises Action Mesothelioma Day, which is marked annually on the first Friday in July; understands that, for almost 30 years, Clydeside Action on Asbestos has provided information and support to people with asbestos-related conditions; supports the efforts of Scotland's medical professionals who it considers work tirelessly on new treatments for people with mesothelioma, and believes that, through the Rights of Relatives to Damages (Mesothelioma) (Scotland) Act 2007, the Damages (Asbestos-related Conditions) (Scotland) Act 2009 and the Damages (Scotland) Act 2011, Scotland's parliament has been at the forefront of assisting people with asbestos-related conditions.

Mesothelioma is an asbestos related cancer (usually of the lining of the lung); all cases of mesothelioma are recorded and every few years the Health and Safety Executive complete an analysis of deaths involving this disease.

Clydeside Action on Asbestos is Scotland’s leading anti-asbestos campaigners who provide welfare rights and legal advice to people with asbestos related diseases. They can be contacted on 0141 552 8852.