tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-297954372024-03-05T14:05:41.001+00:00Stewart Stevenson's News UpdatesUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger2859125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29795437.post-28951902816162758392021-03-24T15:43:00.001+00:002021-03-24T17:08:31.944+00:00Stevenson Welcomes Digital Packs for North-East SchoolsBanffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson has welcomed a digital donation to help support secondary school pupils in the north-east.
It comes after supermarket Asda announced it was working with Dell Technologies to donate 7,000 laptops to partner schools across the UK to help tackle digital exclusion.
Fraserburgh North School and Peterhead Academy will both receive 10 laptop bundles Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29795437.post-14457982677338393552021-03-24T11:48:00.001+00:002021-03-24T14:19:16.107+00:00Stevenson Welcomes Update on Place of WorshipBanffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson has welcomed a Scottish Government announcement on attending places of worship.
From Friday 26 March people living in all parts of Scotland will be able to attend places of worship in gatherings of up to 50 where there is space for physical distancing.
And the updated guidance will also allow people to travel between Level 4 areas to attend Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29795437.post-50435714515397580232021-03-23T11:49:00.012+00:002021-03-24T11:17:12.957+00:00MSPs Welcome Funding for Green JobsNorth-east MSPs has welcomed funding to help support Scotland’s economic recovery and stimulate the creation of new green jobs following the coronavirus pandemic.
The £4million Green Jobs Call from Scottish Enterprise is part of a three-year £27million package of green funding and applications will go live in May.
The move has been welcomed by Aberdeenshire East MSP Gillian Martin and Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29795437.post-29849047025328572282021-03-17T12:09:00.001+00:002021-03-21T07:30:53.854+00:00Stevenson Welcomes UN Rights of the Child Bill Becoming LawBanffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson has welcomed Scotland becoming the first country in the UK to put the UN Conventions on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) into law.
It comes after MSPs vote unanimously to pass the Bill at Stage Three and the Bill will now commence six months from Royal Assent.
The move means public authorities will have to comply with children’s rights and Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29795437.post-33002316192680193872021-03-12T00:01:00.002+00:002021-03-12T00:01:01.119+00:00Stevenson Welcomes Funding for Ports and HarboursBanffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson has welcomed funding from the Scottish Government for the fishing industry.
The move has been made to support up to 20 ports and harbours that have lost income from landing fees due to the disruption caused by Brexit.
They will receive share of a £1.8million fund including more than half a million pounds for repair works at Fraserburgh, Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29795437.post-28342257750754766532021-03-09T17:14:00.002+00:002021-03-09T18:20:16.677+00:00Stevenson Delivers Final Address to Scottish ParliamentBanffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson has made his final speech to the Scottish Parliament after a career spanning two decades.
Mr Stevenson, who previously worked in Information Technology for the Bank of Scotland for 30 years before pursuing a career in politics, has been a campaigner for independence and a member of the SNP since 1961.
After standing as a candidate he became the Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29795437.post-25536512122070399642021-03-09T09:41:00.002+00:002021-03-09T12:36:07.556+00:00Stevenson Welcomes Review into COVID-19 Impact on Deposit Return SchemeBanffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson has welcomed plans for an independent gateway review to assess the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the roll-out of Scotland’s Deposit Return Scheme (DRS).
The DRS had been expected to launch in July next year and will make it easier for everyone to recycle their used bottles and cans.
People pay a small deposit of 20p when they buy a drinkUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29795437.post-71843309509527407452021-03-05T13:43:00.001+00:002021-03-06T10:53:39.055+00:00Stevenson Congratulates North-East Business for Vaccination SupportBanffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson has congratulated a north-east business for its actions to support local people during the Covid-19 pandemic.
Regency Car Sales in Buckie has made more than 50 cars available to help assist people from the area getting to the Fiona Elcock Vaccination Centre in Elgin to be vaccinated.
Mr Stevenson has commended the support in a motion to the Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29795437.post-28966952897143764202021-03-04T16:14:00.013+00:002021-03-06T10:57:35.358+00:00Stevenson Welcomes Suspension of Scotch Whisky TarriffBanffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson has welcomed a suspension on tariffs on Scotch whisky and other goods by the new US administration.
The move – which will last for four months – comes after repeated calls for the UK Government to put pressure on the US to seek a new long-term agreement.
Former US President Donald Trump had imposed a 25 percent tariff in October 2019 on imports Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29795437.post-622404628189793342021-03-02T12:48:00.003+00:002021-03-02T13:18:04.084+00:00Stevenson Welcomes New Heating Payment to Help People with BillsBanffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson has welcomed a new home heating support fund launched to help people struggling with their energy bills as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
The £4million Scottish Government scheme – which will be administered by national advice service Advice Direct Scotland – is designed to prevent households falling into fuel poverty.
The Home Heating Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29795437.post-72643552224486510232021-03-02T10:35:00.003+00:002021-03-02T12:03:22.404+00:00Stevenson Backs Scot Gov Calls on Green PortsBanffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson has backed a call by the Scottish Government to ensure green ports have access to the same level of set-up of funding as freeports in England.
Trade Minister Ivan McKee has written to the UK Government calling for two green ports to be focused on fair and sustainable economic development to be established in Scotland.
The green port model will Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29795437.post-20231181049239855452021-02-25T13:10:00.001+00:002021-02-27T08:35:35.422+00:00Stevenson Backs Calls for Clear Timetable on Alcohol DutyBanffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson has backed calls for a clear timetable to be set out on alcohol duty.
The issue has been raised repeatedly with the UK Government following a devastating financial year for the industry – due to high US tariffs as a result of Brexit.
It comes after the issue was raised again to the UK government in Westminster by Mr Stevenson’s colleague BrendanUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29795437.post-63585868697639682272021-02-24T14:34:00.002+00:002021-02-24T17:30:09.032+00:00North-East MSPs Urge Food and Drink Sector to Apply for FundingNorth-East MSPs are urging food and drink projects to apply for a new Scottish Government fund launched to celebrate locally sourced produce food and drink.
It comes after the Scotland Food & Drink Partnership was launched to help the sector with its recovery from COVID as well as to prepare for Brexit.
It is supported by £5million from Scottish Government and in the following year an Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29795437.post-42174529055420820042021-02-23T10:29:00.007+00:002021-02-23T10:38:20.706+00:00Stevenson Backs Social Security SurveyBanffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson has welcomed the findings of a new survey which show that more than four in five clients feel Scotland’s social security agency treats them with dignity, fairness and respect.
More than 3,000 people took part in Social Security Scotland’s client survey – with 90% of people rating their overall experience as ‘very good’ or ‘good’.
Some of the Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29795437.post-9848329565304155102021-02-11T12:58:00.009+00:002021-02-11T18:29:12.507+00:00Bombshell Evidence as Fishing Chiefs Slam Tory Brexit Deal Tory Brexit Deal "Falls Very Far Short"of UK Government Commitment
Scottish fishing chiefs have slammed the Brexit deal negotiated by Boris Johnson, describing it as an “extremely disappointing” deal which “falls far short of what the UK government had committed” to the industry.
Giving evidence to Holyrood’s Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Affairs Committee, Elspeth Macdonald, Chief Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29795437.post-76751742434131186402021-02-11T11:55:00.001+00:002021-02-11T18:11:37.755+00:00SNP Council Tax Freeze Offers Financial relief for Local HouseholdersBanffshire & Buchan Coast SNP MSP Stewart Stevenson has said the SNP Government’s Council Tax freeze will provide financial relief to thousands of local households during tough times.
Last month, Scotland’s Finance Secretary Kate Forbes MSP announced a £90 million fund to compensate local authorities who choose to scrap planned rises in Council Tax.
Mr Stevenson has welcomed today’s decision byUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29795437.post-27871704555781120112021-02-10T14:43:00.001+00:002021-02-11T18:45:23.967+00:00Stevenson Welcomes Council Commitment to Replace Bridge of FortrieBanffshire & Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson has welcomed confirmation he has received from Aberdeenshire Council that it intends to replace the Bridge of Fortrie.
The structure is one of the six bridges in the King Edward area damaged by flooding in late September 2019. Bridge of Fortrie carries the C9S Road from Mains of Fisherie westward to join the A947 at Keilhill.
Bridge of Fortrie hasUnknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29795437.post-36481900605912035632021-02-02T13:52:00.001+00:002021-02-08T08:12:46.517+00:00Stevenson Hits Out at UK Gov Over Whisky Tariff CostBanffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson has hit out at the UK Government for its “failure to act” on Scotch whisky tariffs imposed by the US.
The US introduced crippling tariffs on the sector more than a year ago, costing the industry £176million in the first part of 2020, according to figures previously release by the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (SPICe).
The Scotch Whisky Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29795437.post-9181084991097510232021-02-02T10:57:00.001+00:002021-02-08T08:07:25.254+00:00Stevenson Welcomes Funding to Help Tourism SectorBanffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson has welcomed a significant cash-boost to help support Moray’s tourism sector.
The project, by destination management organisation Visit Moray and Speyside (VMS), will deliver a series of initiatives aimed at inspiring, enabling and delivering destination recovery.
Now VMS has secured £350,000 from Highlands and Islands Enterprise (HIE) to Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29795437.post-71648021247270718552021-02-01T09:52:00.004+00:002021-02-08T08:03:43.521+00:00Stevenson Welcomes Awareness on Changes to Organ and Tissue DonationBanffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson has backed a campaign launching this month to make households aware of changes to the law around organ and tissue donation in Scotland.
The move means that from March 26th the law around organ and tissue donation will change to an opt out system.
This means that most adults who die in circumstances where they are able to donate will be Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29795437.post-80360324804098594862021-01-28T15:45:00.001+00:002021-01-29T07:30:21.958+00:00North-East MSPs Welcome Budget and Call for Cross-Party SupportNorth-east MSPs have welcomed the Scottish Government’s ambitious draft budget – which includes £16billion for health and social care services.
Now, Aberdeenshire East MSP Gillian Martin and Banffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson, have called on opposition MSPs to support the budget which was announced by Finance Secretary Kate Forbes.
Ms Forbes announced it would focus on three Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29795437.post-26883868486883151352021-01-27T09:54:00.001+00:002021-01-27T12:06:42.150+00:00Tax Grant Won't Impact Universal Credit, UK Gov ConfirmsAberdeenshire East MSP Gillian Martin and Banffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson have welcomed confirmation a grant offered to support taxi and private hire drivers will not impact Universal Credit payments.
It comes after the Scottish Government announced a £57million funding package to help support the sector following the impact on business as a result of the coronavirus pandemic.
Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29795437.post-61725695725524001472021-01-25T08:31:00.001+00:002021-01-25T11:05:54.702+00:00Stevenson Backs Proposals for Green PortsBanffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson has welcomed proposals from the Scottish Government for green ports.
The proposals put forward would establish green ports which would be more sustainable and require operators and businesses to pay the real living wage, adopt the Scottish Business Pledge and commit to supporting sustainable and inclusive growth in local communities.
They would Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29795437.post-25770958757334856972021-01-21T14:09:00.002+00:002021-01-23T11:59:50.329+00:00Stevenson Welcomes New Brexit Advice Service for ConsumersBanffshire and Buchan Coast MSP Stewart Stevenson has welcomed a new online advice service launched to help consumers with free, impartial and practical advice following Brexit.
The brexitadvice.scot website from Advice Direct Scotland includes information on household expenditure, transport and travel, banking, and roaming charges.
Examples include the additional documentation needed if Unknownnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29795437.post-46129063136944522282021-01-21T11:31:00.021+00:002021-01-21T11:42:59.985+00:00North-East MSPs Call for Tories to U-Turn on Universal Credit CutNorth-east MSPs have urged their Tory MSP counterparts to back a U-turn on UK Government plans to cut Universal Credit amid the coronavirus pandemic.
It comes after new figures revealed that Boris Johnson’s plan to remove the £20 per week uplift in April would hit more than 14,000 people in Aberdeenshire.
Latest statistics show that in November 2020 there were 14,189 people claiming Universal Unknownnoreply@blogger.com