A Week in Parliament

Emma and Nicole

My heart goes out to the family of Emma Robertson Coupland and Nicole Anderson. It must be made all the harder that the perpetrator was someone who had loved them. Part of the family. It is such a difficult concept to grasp. Each one killed while going about their daily business. It is hard to imagine how the family can heal but I wish them all the best at these difficult times.

I also have to pay tribute to the emergency services who attended – paramedics and the police. They do this, not knowing where the attacker is and whether there is a further danger to life. It is also a minor insight into the harrowing scenes and trauma that these people see as part of their daily lives.

Vaccination

The vaccination programme continues and Scotland is meeting its targets. There has been much mischief-making by politicians playing up how much better it is going in England. However, as always, like for like comparisons tell a different story. For a start, the UK Government have been measuring patients offered the vaccination for care homes, not the actual jags received. The Scottish Government focussed completely on the recommended priority groupings of care home residents whereas the UK Government moved earlier for the mass vaccination centres which are better for headline numbers. When I highlighted to the UK Government Minister for Vaccinations that they were behind in tackling care homes, he claimed with no proof that Scotland has larger care homes so it is easier. It is a fact from scientific modelling that the approach in Scotland will save more lives. That is more important than interim statistics on vaccination numbers.

EU Exports

Exports to the EU are down 60%. This is terrible for business in Scotland. 62% of good manufactured in Scotland go the EU so this must be devasting for several businesses. We often hear that 60% of Scottish trade is with England so Scottish Independence would jeopardise that. And the current Brexit issues demonstrate this. However, if 62% of manufactured goods actually go to the EU, then it shows that this is actually a far more important market. It also shows that so much of the other trade with England is service-based and therefore not directly affected by border arrangements. Meanwhile, the UK Government need to get a real grip on this and the ongoing hold-ups at Dover.

Vat Refund

A constituent had contacted my office about the fact he felt he should have received a VAT return on caravan site fees he had paid in advance. I worked with the site owner and got information from Government and HMRC that confirmed the Vat could be reclaimed. So because of my constituent and our office, several other caravan owners at the caravan park will now be receiving a £180 VAT refund. Clearly not a fortune, but every little helps as they say, and it is unusual to do something that helps non-constituents as well as constituents.