Community tonic after deeply emotional week
Following on from the appalling terror attack at Westminster last week, it was extremely important for me to pay my condolences to all of those who affected on the floor of the house in response to the Prime Minister’s statement on Thursday morning and then to sign the book of condolences on our constituency’s behalf.
As my husband served in the Armed Forces, our family firmly believe that it is important to show resolve in the face of such events and to ensure that extremists — who are the minority — never succeed in disabling democracy.
I, therefore, continued my parliamentary work on Thursday as normal, speaking in two debates tabled by my committee before returning home.
It is at these critical times, however, that the public duty of our emergency services and all that they contribute to making our lives secure is brought to the fore.
I would therefore like to pay special tribute to the late PC Keith Palmer, and to all of our police forces, emergency services and serving personnel who work in the face of danger on our behalf every day.
We should never take their important contribution to maintaining our democracy for granted. It is vital that terrorists never prevail. On Friday, I resumed my constituency work as usual, holding surgeries in Strathaven and East Kilbride.
I then attended the opening of the new 3G sports pitch and rugby pitch at Whiteshawgate, Strathaven Rugby Club alongside colleague and Minister for Health and Sport, Aileen Campbell MSP (see page 36 of this week’s East Kilbride News for the full story).
I was proud to blow the whistle for the community opening of this club on Saturday with Councillor Isobel Dornan. It is testament to the hard work of our constituency that such a top-class facility has been accomplished which ensures that children have access to sports for generations — building upon our health and wellbeing outcomes. I am also very pleased that Scottish Government funding has contributed to its development. And I am hopeful, of course, that our constituency will now continue to harness the potential of many little stars of the future!
In relation to work at Westminster, I continue to press upon the UK Government, as chair of the Disability All Party Group, the debilitating impact of PIP assessments upon those with significant mental health problems. I have had a number of constituents highlight that the assessment process does not acknowledge their clinical problems properly and that they are therefore losing their benefits unfairly.
When Secretary of State Damian Green gave a statement on this issue in parliament, it was even more concerning that upon questioning he was unable to give any examples of mental health conditions that were being appropriately assessed and gave examples instead of nonmental health conditions.
I highlighted the deficiency of this assessment in parliament to him and have since written to his department with my significant ongoing concerns.
I would be pleased if any other constituents who have been affected could get in touch with me directly to progress their problems.
I firmly believe that we should not be ‘balancing the books on the backs of people with severe mental health issues’.