MSP CALLS FOR GREATER TRANSPARENCY ON NEW PAVEMENT PARKING IMPLEMENTATION

Rutherglen Constituency MSP, Clare Haughey, has called on South Lanarkshire Council to provide local residents with more clarity around the implementation and enforcement of recent changes to pavement parking legislation. As previously reported in the Reformer, pavement parking, double parking, and parking across dropped kerbs can now result in a Fixed Penalty Notice. Under the new legislation, local authorities have the flexibility to decide if some streets should be exempt from restrictions - for example if they are too narrow to allow emergency service vehicles to pass if cars are fully parked on the roadway.

OPPOSITION PARTIES MUST BACK RECORD FUNDING FOR NHS

Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen Constituency has demanded that opposition MSPs must now back the Scottish Government’s Budget to deliver record funding for the NHS - after the SNP Government announced plans to increase funding for health and social care to £21 billion, including over £1.7 billion for frontline services delivered by NHS Lanarkshire.

UK GOVERNMENT MUST RECONSIDER TAX HIKE ON VITAL SERVICES

Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen Constituency, has urged the UK government to reconsider their planned tax hike on Employers’ National Insurance Contributions (eNICs), warning of the damaging impact it will have on many vital local services. UK Chancellor, Rachel Reeves, revealed in the Budget that the rate of employer contributions will rise from 13.8% to 15%, and contributions will start at a lower threshold.

SNP GOVERNMENT TO REINSTATE WINTER FUEL SUPPORT SLASHED BY LABOUR GOVERNMENT

The Scottish Government have taken action to deliver a new payment to support older people with energy bills, to “right a disgraceful wrong by the UK Labour Government”, says Rutherglen Constituency MSP Clare Haughey. 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 Rutherglen and Cambuslang when the Scottish Government’s new Pension Age Winter Heating Payment is introduced next year.

ENERGY BILLS ON THE RISE AGAIN THIS WINTER UNDER LABOUR

Rutherglen Constituency MSP, Clare Haughey has said that “Labour’s broken promises will hit households with an extra £470 on their energy bills” – after Ofgem have confirmed that household energy bills will rise again in January. Last month, changes to the energy price cap had already seen energy bills rise by 10% - adding an extra £149 to the average household bill.  The latest news comes after a week of weather warnings, and freezing temperatures across Scotland.

MSP: “CARER SUPPORT PAYMENT ROLLOUT A MILESTONE MOMENT”

Rutherglen Constituency MSP, Clare Haughey, 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 is now available to people living in every local authority in Scotland – including in South Lanarkshire.