PAYMENT DELIVERED BY ‘A GOVERNMENT THAT PUTS SCOTLAND FIRST’

The Scottish Government’s decision to deliver a new payment to support older people with energy bills “has righted a disgraceful wrong by the UK Labour government”, Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North & Musselburgh, has said.

Cabinet Secretary Shirley-Anne Somerville announced the support payment in a statement to Holyrood, confirming the payment will be rolled out to every pensioner in Midlothian North & Musselburgh when the SNP Government’s new Pension Age Winter Heating Payment is introduced next year.

Scottish Labour MPs, including local Labour MP Kirsty McNeill, shamefully followed Prime Minster Sir Keir Starmer in the voting lobbies at Westminster backing the cut of the Winter Fuel Payment for 900,000 Scots while SNP MPs voted to scrap the cut. Weeks later, Scottish Labour MSPs voted against a Holyrood motion by First Minister John Swinney demanding the UK government to reverse the introduction of means testing for the Winter Fuel Payment.

Colin Beattie MSP said:

“The announcement of this new support by the SNP Scottish Government has righted a disgraceful wrong by the UK Labour government, ensuring pensioners in Midlothian North & Musselburgh are supported at a time of soaring energy bills and shameful inaction from the UK government.

“The SNP Scottish Government offers a wealth of support for Midlothian North & Musselburgh's older people and this new payment will be a vital lifeline for nearly a million Scots - delivered by a Government that puts the people of Scotland first.

“During the election campaign, Sir Keir Starmer promised to bring down energy bills and support older people. Labour’s Winter Fuel Payment cut to 900,000 Scots was a gross betrayal of their promises to the public and shows just how little ‘change’ there is under a Labour government at Westminster.

“Scotland will not forgive Scottish Labour MPs and MSPs who shamefully backed the cutting of the Winter Fuel Payment. I will always stand up for Midlothian North & Musselburgh's older people - especially when Westminster fails to do so.”

ENDS

OVER 11,610 UNPAID CARERS IN MIDLOTHIAN AND 13,147 IN EAST LOTHIAN  

Local MSP Colin Beattie has urged unpaid carers in Midlothian North and Musselburgh to check their eligibility for financial support from Social Security Scotland.  

The call comes following the figures in the latest census, which show that there are 24,757 unpaid carers in Midlothian and East Lothian.  

Earlier in November, Scotland's Carer Support Payment, which replaces Carer’s Allowance in Scotland, was rolled out across the country, expanding eligibility to those who are in full-time education, and introducing backdating for some applicants. This joins a suite of support for carers only available in Scotland, like the Young Carer Grant and Carer’s Allowance Supplement. 

Unpaid carers in Midlothian North and Musselburgh are being urged to check their eligibility for the financial support available from Social Security Scotland.  

Commenting, Colin Beattie MSP said: 

“Unpaid carers go above and beyond to support those they care for – so it is absolutely vital that they access the support they are entitled to.  

“The latest figures show that there are 24,757 unpaid carers in Midlothian and East Lothian. I would urge all of them to ensure they are receiving the support they deserve.   

"The SNP developed Social Security Scotland with the principles of dignity, fairness and respect at its heart, and the new Carer Support Payment is no different – improving on Carer’s Allowance by making those in full time education eligible and introducing backdating for some applicants.  

“I would urge all unpaid carers in Midlothian North and Musselburgh to check their eligibility for financial support available from Social Security Scotland.” ​

ENDS 

SNP SUPPORTING YOUNG PEOPLE FROM BIRTH​

Colin Beattie, SNP MSP for NHS Lothian, has welcomed new figures which show that 56535 baby boxes have been delivered to support expectant parents across NHS Lothian.

Over 319,800 baby boxes have been delivered to expectant parents across Scotland - providing them with around £420 worth of essential items for their newborn. 

The SNP remains committed to ensuring that all of Scotland’s young people have a secure and healthy start to life, a policy which aims to significantly improve positive health outcomes and support for newborns and families across Scotland. 

Commenting, SNP MSP Colin Beattie said:

"56535 baby boxes have now been delivered to support expectant parents across NHS Lothian - providing a substantial £420 worth of items to support newborns from birth.

"Recent analysis has shown that the SNP Government's approach to supporting infants, young people and their families is having significantly positive health outcomes - and the baby box is helping contribute to that with over 300,000 boxes delivered since the policy was introduced. It is also one of the actions from the SNP Government which is ensuring that 100,000 children are kept out of poverty this year.

"The SNP is determined that every child in Scotland should have the best possible start to life. The baby box helps to ensure that every child has the support they need to fulfil their potential and can also make a huge difference to parents faced with the high cost of products for newborns especially in the current cost of living crisis.” 

ENDS 

SNP MSP Colin Beattie has said that the UK Labour Government's decision to hike tuition fees in England shows that only the SNP can be trusted to protect free tuition for students in Midlothian North and Musselburgh.

UK Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson announced on Monday that fees will increase to £9,535 per year as a freeze on tuition fees which has seen them capped since 2017/18 comes to an end under Labour.

Student Loans Company data shows students in Scotland leave university with the lowest levels of debt in the UK and an average of £31,790 less debt than students in England. Figures released earlier this year show that a staggering 1.8 million people in England and Wales are in at least £50,000 of student debt.
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Record numbers of students from our most deprived areas in Scotland are going to university due to the SNP’s continued support for free tuition.
           
Michael Marra, Scottish Labour’s finance spokesperson, hinted earlier in the year that the party would examine models to reintroduce some form of charges in Scotland whilst new Tory leader Russell Findlay talked last week about ending free tuition in his first major speech as party leader.

SNP MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh Colin Beattie, said:
 
“Whether in Scotland, England or Wales, history has shown that under Labour governments, tuition fees go up - Labour simply cannot be trusted on tuition fees.  This latest increase by the UK Government will burden a whole generation of students south of the border with even higher levels of debt.
"Throughout their time in office, even Rishi Sunak, Liz Truss and Boris Johnson didn't go as further raising tuition fees - that Keir Starmer has done so after only months in Number 10 shows exactly where his priorities lie.
 
“Under the SNP, we have record numbers of Scottish students securing places at our universities, and recent figures showed a rise in students from our most disadvantaged communities.
“This progress has only been made possible because the SNP abolished Labour's tuition fees when we came to office - and we will never let them be reimposed on students in Midlothian North and Musselburgh."
 
ENDS

Colin Beattie, MSP for Midlothian North and Musselburgh, has said that the nationwide rollout of the Carer Support Payment is a "milestone moment". 

The Carer Support Payment, which is a payment of £81.90 per week paid by Social Security Scotland, has been introduced in phases since November 2023 and as of today is now available to people living in every local authority in Scotland.  

This support is for unpaid carers who provide 35 or more hours of care a week to someone who gets disability benefits and as part of the rollout some applicants may be able to backdate their payments to the initial rollout date.  

Unpaid carers perform a vital role across communities in Midlothian North and Musselburgh and the SNP Scottish Government is taking action to ensure that they have the full support that they require.

Commenting, Colin Beattie MSP said:

"The nationwide rollout of the Carer Support Payment is a milestone moment for Midlothian North and Musselburgh delivered by the SNP Government.

"This payment of £81.90 per week will be vital to support unpaid carers in Midlothian North and Musselburgh who go above and beyond to help those they look after and our wider society. 

"The SNP Government developed Social Security Scotland with dignity, fairness and respect at its core - the delivering of this 14th Scottish benefit is in keeping with those principles."

ENDS