Here you’ll find updates on my activities in East Lothian, representing you in the Scottish Parliament, as well as my work with the various parliamentary groups and committees I serve on.
My office team and I are here to help constituents with a wide range of issues, from healthcare and education queries, to championing the interests of East Lothian residents and businesses at Holyrood.
You are welcome to contact the team and myself at any time. You can do so here.
- Paul McLennan welcomes increase in support for families in East Lothian
Shona Robison, the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, Housing and Local Government, announced last week an increase of a further £5 to the ‘game-changing’ Scottish Child Payment – bringing the total payment to £25 per week per child at the end of the year, following the increase to £20 this year. This move will see the SNP Government’s package of five family benefits for low income families, including the increased Scottish Child Payment, now totalling over £10,000 to low income families by the time a first child turns 6, and £9,700 for subsequent children. This directly benefits 2075 children in East Lothian already in receipt of the payment. This package of measures to tackle child poverty is hugely welcome and the impact it will have on households in East Lothian cannot be underestimated – increasing the Scottish Child Payment even further, to £25 per week per child, will make such a difference to families struggling to cope with the Tory cost of living crisis right now. - Paul McLennan MSP backs Marie Curie Great Daffodil Appeal
I’m delighted to back the Great Daffodil appeal. Health inequalities exist due to poverty and related issues, so the work of Marie Curie is so important in addressing palliative care needs in the community. I want to applaud the Marie Curie nurses and hospice staff who have provided care throughout the pandemic, in East Lothian, and across Scotland. Over the past two years, the difficulties of the pandemic have meant that so many people have lost loved ones. The impact of bereavement has been felt so keenly across all parts of society, and re-inforced the need for compassionate and personal end of life care. from left to right is Susan Lawson (Marie Curie Clinical Nurse Specialist from the Edinburgh Hospice), Paul McLennan MSP, and Nicola McGuire (Marie Curie Nurse at the inpatient unit at the Edinburgh Hospice) - Visiting PureMalt
It was great to visit PureMalt last week. PureMalt is an East Lothian business who are global leaders in the manufacture of malt ingredients, and a valued part of East Lothian’s world class food and drink production industry. It was great to meet with Ross & the team to hear about PureMalt’s commitment to East Lothian, and their passion for using the highest quality ingredients as part of a tradition of malting in Scotland that stretches back centuries. - 96% OF SCHOOL LEAVERS IN EAST LOTHIAN IN POSITIVE DESTINATIONS
A record 96% of pupils across East Lothian were in a ‘positive destination’ within three months of leaving school last year. Latest figures show that 1089 school leavers from East Lothian went on to positive… - Paul McLennan MSP welcomes millions of ScotGov support for East Lothian farmers
I welcome East Lothian MSP, Paul McLennan has welcomed news that farmers in East Lothian have received a share of £46.8m as part of the Less Favoured Area Support Scheme. The SNP Scottish Government continues to provide funding to the vital farming industry in East Lothian with the LFASS payments, on top of the millions of pounds committed to in the budget for the year ahead. Despite the Tory UK government trampling all over Scotland’s vital farming industry with its damaging Brexit and the Internal Market Act, the Scottish Government continues to step up and support our farmers and crofters. We cannot trust the Tories to protect the future of Scotland’s world class farming and food industry. Which is why the people of Scotland should have the choice of a better future as an independent Scotland.
