WASPI campaigners have gathered outside the recent Scottish Labour conference in Glasgow, to protest again the UK Government’s decision not to award 1950s-born women compensation following changes to their state pension. Nearly a year ago, an ombudsman, UK Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO) concluded that there had been maladministration from the UK Government, and that a compensation scheme must be established. More than 330,000 Scots women born in the 1950s were not adequately warned about changes to the UK state pension – including over 21,000 women in South Lanarkshire.

Additional NHS investment from the SNP Scottish Government is reducing waiting lists in Lanarkshire and Glasgow, new figures can reveal.  The figures show a 16.1% drop in waiting times in NHS Lanarkshire for scoping procedures, a 14.9% drop for ophthalmology waits, a 9.3% drop for orthopaedics, and a 7.3% drop for waiting times for imaging. NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, where people from Rutherglen and Cambuslang may also be referred, have also seen drops in waiting times – including a 26.7% reduction for scoping procedures.

Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen Constituency, has welcomed the Scottish Government announcement that more than 100 organisations across Scotland working to tackle violence against women and girls will share in a funding uplift of £2.4 million. The funding boost will bring the total Scottish Government investment in the Delivering Equally Safe Fund, which funds projects by organisations across Scotland to prevent violence and support survivors.  If this year’s Scottish Budget is approved, the fund will provide £21.6 million for the year ahead to support Scotland’s strategy to eradicate violence against women and girls.

Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen Constituency has welcomed news that no cases of cervical cancer have been detected in those across South Lanarkshire who have received the HPV vaccine. HPV is a virus responsible for almost all cases of cervical cancer – the fourth most common cause of cancer in women worldwide.  In the United Kingdom, around 3,200 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, with more than 800 of those losing their lives.

First Minister John Swinney's plan to improve the NHS, will ensure lower waiting times and easier access to GP appointments for people in Rutherglen and Cambuslang, says local MSP Clare Haughey. The plan outlined by the First Minister follows the SNP Scottish Government announcing record funding for the NHS in its budget last month – with funding for health and social care increased to £21 billion, with  over £1,713 million for frontline services delivered by NHS Lanarkshire.

MSP for Rutherglen Constituency, Clare Haughey, has welcomed the news that over 6,000 properties in South Lanarkshire received £30.3 million worth of non-domestic rates relief in 2024, thanks to the SNP Scottish Government’s policies.   Scottish Government schemes, like the Small Business Bonus Scheme, can offer eligible organisations up to 100% rates relief - with 5,180 organisations in South Lanarkshire being lifted out of paying non-domestic rates altogether.

MSP for Rutherglen Constituency, Clare Haughey, has welcomed the news that the Scottish Government will protect the charitable and voluntary sector, by continuing to provide free Disclosure Scotland PVG scheme membership to volunteers. The PVG (Protecting Vulnerable Groups) scheme is designed to provide assurance to employers, voluntary organisations, and the public that a person can work safely with children and protected adults.

Rutherglen Constituency MSP, Clare Haughey, is encouraging young people to showcase their sense of humour by participating in a national primary school joke competition. VoiceBox is a Scotland-wide joke-telling competition for primary school pupils, organised by the Royal College of Speech and Language Therapists (RCSLT). The competition aims to highlight the importance of communication, while bringing fun and creativity to classrooms across the country.

Scotland is set to be the only part of the UK to see a decline in child poverty rates thanks to Scotland-only social security policies introduced by the Scottish Government, a report from the charity the Joseph Rowntree Foundation has shown.    The publication predicts that Scotland’s child poverty rate will continue to fall by January 2029, thanks to policies like the Scottish Child Payment, and scrapping the two-child benefit cap.

Clare Haughey, MSP for Rutherglen Constituency, is urging parents and carers in Rutherglen and Cambuslang not to miss out on support for children about to start Primary 1, and check if they are eligible for the School Age Payment before the application deadline.  The School Age Payment is one of Social Security Scotland’s Best Start Payments, which is only available in Scotland. It is made to families who receive certain other benefits or payments, to support them at a key stage in their child’s life when they may be facing extra costs.