Top Advanced Higher Class Quizzes MSP
Mark Griffin MSP was quizzed by thirty Advanced Higher Modern Studies pupils at Greenfaulds High School on Friday 16 September.
More students study Advanced Higher Modern Studies - the equivalent of a first year politics course at university – at Greenfaulds than at any other school in Scotland. All are doing dissertations on criminal justice in Scotland, researching topics such as drugs in prison and early release schemes.
Mark said:
“It is excellent that so many young people are taking an active interest in politics.
“The class asked some tough questions and voiced many insightful opinions. I thoroughly enjoyed the session and hope that some of the answers I gave will help them with their dissertations.”
“I wish them the very best of luck for the future.”
Troubling Times at Monklands
NHS Lanarkshire is so short of staff in the Accident and Emergency departments at three hospitals it is appealing to the public to call their doctor or NHS 24 before going to casualty.
The comment came from an NHS Lanarkshire spokesman after a leaked report from the Board highlighted the situation Monklands, Hairmyers and Wishaw.
Already there have been a number of breaches of the four hour waiting time target at the three sites caused by the staffing difficulties where there are currently a total of 33 vacancies including emergency medicine and anaesthetics.
Just recently NHS Lanarkshire announced it had spent £6.2 million on a redundancy programme which saw them shed 130 staff including nurses and administrators.
Mr Griffin is joining Shadow Health Secretary Jackie Baillie in calling for the Nicola Sturgeon to step in to find out why the Health Board is having so much difficulty recruiting suitably trained staff.
Mark said:
“This is deeply worrying news for people in our area who use Monklands Hospital. It is extraordinary that a member of the Health Board is appealing to members of the public not to go to A&E at these three hospitals.
“The Scottish Government has always sold the notion that they saved the A&E department at Monklands Hospital, but they have failed to properly invest in the department or in the necessary staff required to allow it to function effectively. Nicola Sturgeon must do more to ensure lives are not put at risk.”
Operation: Live For It!
Central Scotland MSP Mark Griffin has welcomed a new joint partnership between Diabetes UK Scotland and Edinburgh International Science Festival, to improve the health of children across the area and beyond.
The two organisations have come together to offer school students the chance to participate in Live For It!, a new interactive and fun programme of workshops and activities designed to tackle and raise awareness of childhood obesity and highlight the possible risks to young people of developing Type 2 diabetes in later life.
Each school participates in four 90 minute sessions during which pupils, whether at a primary or secondary level, explore topics of dieting, digestion, cooking, diabetes, and how the body uses energy.
Mark said:
“One third of children in Scotland are overweight or obese, with almost 2000 children under the age of 14 suffering from Type 1 diabetes. It is not an exaggeration to say that there is an epidemic in Scotland that must be addressed at every level.
“That is why initiatives like Live For It! are so welcome. I hope this campaign will be adopted by all primary and secondary schools in our area, so as to help raise awareness of the dangers of diabetes, and promote a healthy lifestyle for our young people now and in the future.”
Lawrie Morgan-Klein, diabetes sufferer and campaigner from Cumbernauld Village, welcomed the campaign. Lawrie said:
“It is so important that we raise as much awareness as possible about the dangers of diabetes, especially among children. It is excellent that the Live For It! campaign will actively engage young people and show them the benefits of healthy eating and good exercise.”
Parliamentary Recognition of Bo’ness Achievement
Central Scotland Labour MSP, and keen footballer, Mark Griffin, has praised Bo’ness United FC for winning the ACA East Region Super League Championship for a second consecutive season.
In his motion, Mr Griffin praised the players, management, staff and fans of the club for the support they have shown to club, and recognised the fact that the team had achieved an excellent feat, by becoming the first in history to win back-to-back Super League titles.
Mark said:
“For any team to win the league is an excellent achievement, but to win it two seasons in a row says a great deal about the drive and commitment of the players, management and staff. The accomplishment is made extra special, as the team is making some history in the process.
“It is excellent that the community has seen sporting success of late, and I hope that Bo’ness’s good run continues into next season.
Also commenting, Bo’ness Councillor and Falkirk Council’s Convenor of Leisure, Adrian Mahoney said:
“I send my congratulations to the players and the management whose hard work has paid off for a second consecutive year. Bo’ness United’s achievement is great news for our community and I wish everyone associated with the club all the very best for the future.”
Griffin to Take Forward BSL Bill
Central Scotland MSP Mark Griffin has hit the ground running and is already bringing forward a Private Members Bill.
The Parliament’s youngest MSP will take forward the British Sign Language (BSL) (Scotland) Bill. The Bill had received cross-party support during the last Parliament but was put on hold when Cathie Craigie lost her Cumbernauld and Kilsyth seat at the election. However it has now been revealed that then new MSP for Central Scotland will keep the Bill alive and attempt to steer it towards the statute books.
Commenting, Mark said:
“There is a deep-seated inequality endured by Deaf and hard-of-hearing people across Scotland and I believe it has to be addressed. British Sign Language (BSL) is the first language of a great many deaf people, but users to not have access to the same information as those without a sensory impairment. This has to change.
“The Bill also aims to increase awareness of BSL, especially among our young people, and address the fundamental problem of low interpreter numbers, by getting the language taught in more of Scotland’s schools.
“Cathie Craigie deserves a great deal of credit for the work she did for the deaf community during her twelve years in the Parliament. The Bill received a great deal of cross-party support in the last session of Parliament and that is a testament to her efforts.”
Lilian Lawson OBE, Director of the Scottish Council on Deafness (SCoD) said:
“The Scottish Council on Deafness (SCoD) is truly delighted that Mark Griffin MSP is taking the BSL Bill forward because it is crucial that Cathie Craigie’s work and support for BSL be continued, especially after the unprecedented and phenomenal response to the proposed BSL Bill consultation in 2010. Over 850 responses were received and 98% of these responses were in favour of the proposed Bill.
“Deaf people and their families from all over Scotland as well as SCoD members are really grateful to Mark. We urge all MSPs to support Mark’s draft proposal and Statement of Intent which will be lodged in the Scottish Parliament in the next few weeks.”
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