The past month has been incredibly busy, both in the Scottish Parliament and in my constituency. I have had the opportunity to meet many great people and visit more of the fantastic places in my region.
I have spoken in several very important debates in Parliament over the last two months. The first was on the 1140 hours childcare policy and how parents and everyday people have been negatively impacted by it. I stood up for parents and called out the SNP for their failings in childcare policy. My second debate was on apprenticeships and the National Training Transition Fund. I called out the SNP on their failure to meet apprenticeships targets and to get young people into employment. Finally, I was privileged to address the Chamber in two crucial debates: one on the Transvaginal Mesh Implants scandal, as we seek to create financial redress for the patients, and one on International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women – a subject I’m very passionate about. Speeches in the Chamber are one of the most important parts of the job and I’m always very privileged to contribute.
I have also been actively holding the SNP to account in the chamber through portfolio questions. I asked what the Scottish Government was doing to help support university staff after figures were published showing a serious number of university staff were suffering from poor mental health. I also asked how the Scottish Government were working to increase educational attainment and made clear the need for them to consult key partners, such as parents and support staff. Most recently, I asked the Cabinet Minister for Education and Skills during Education Portfolio Questions what the government is doing to take action on the significant gender gap in computer sciences. I also put in an intervention during the debate on remembrance commemorations and the Scottish Governments support for veterans and the armed forces community to ask that the British Indian Army’s role in WW1 and WW2 be recognised.
A lot of important discussions have taken place at the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee. We have continued to hear evidence from a variety of people from different backgrounds on a legislative ban on conversion therapy. I have asked questions on how the ban would be enforced and how the ban could be introduced without infringing on religious beliefs and practices. After hearing the statement of reasons, I recently voted to advance the Disabled Children and Young People (Transitions to Adulthood) Bill to the final proposal stage. Most recently, I visited the Court of Session in Edinburgh with my colleagues to get a better understanding of the work they do and to hear how they had risen to the challenges they faced during the pandemic. November also included training on Human Rights, as the Committee took the opportunity to teach members how to better understand the human rights framework, particularly around Civil and Political Rights.
In November I continued my in-person surgery tour visiting Dumbarton, Clydebank and Helensburgh. My constituents raised a wide variety of issues ranging from local to national topics, on all of which I am more than happy to assist in any way I can.
I also visited West College Scotland to meet students and staff and see a more practical side to learning in action. We discussed the new West Care Academy which received just under £300,000 from the UK Government’s Community Renewal Fund.
As COP26 recently took place in Glasgow, I spent the past few weeks involved in visits, meetings and talks about the importance of climate change and how we can all help save the planet, including meeting Prime Minister Modi from India. I was also privileged to meet COP26 pilgrims from all over the world at the Central Gurdwara in Glasgow and to help welcome them to the city. It was also an honour to take part in the COP26 Vigil in George Square and to pray alongside people from many different faiths.
In partnership with the four Glasgow Gurdwaras, I helped create a Gurdwara COP26 pledge detailing ways that Gurdwaras could become more environmentally friendly. The four Gurdwara leaders then picked changes they could make, signed the pledge, and then presented it to Iain Stewart MP, Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State for Scotland, who is going to deliver it to Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, to show how the four Gurdwaras are leading the way for other places of worship to become environmentally friendly.
I have been privileged to attend many Diwali events to celebrate the festival of light. I was pleased to attend Eco Diwali at the Queen Elizabeth House hosted by the UK Government and Edinburgh’s Public Diwali event. It was also a great honour for me to host a Diwali celebration in the Scottish Parliament and to celebrate alongside my colleagues from all parties and a wide variety of backgrounds. I was delighted to attend the event celebrating Gurpurab, Guru Nanak Dev Ji’s birthday at the Edinburgh Gurdwara.
Thank you for your support over the past month.