Dundee Liberal Democrats - www.dundeelibdems.scot

Responding to new statistics showing there were 178,260 applications recorded on local authority or common housing register housing lists in March 2021, Scottish Liberal Democrat housing spokesperson Paul McGarry commented:

"This 8% increase in the length of housing waiting lists will cause many to wonder if this door will ever open for them.

Shetland MSP Beatrice Wishart has today pressed the Scottish Government over what action it will take to provide local support to new mothers who require a specialist mental health bed with their baby, following recent reports that many are having to travel hundreds of miles in order to receive the treatment they need.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has today branded the SNP a disaster for local health care as new figures revealed significant falls in how people rate the quality of care they have received.

The Health and Care Experience Survey 2021/22 published today revealed that:

• 67% rated the care provided by their GP practice positively, down from 90% in 2009/10
• The percentage of people rating their care services as either excellent or good has fallen from 83% to 62% since 2013/14.
• Just 44% reported positive experiences arranging to see a mental health professional.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Alex Cole-Hamilton has today called for the whole Scottish Parliament to oppose the Scottish Government's Coronavirus (Recovery and Reform) Bill "power grab" on Wednesday afternoon.

Scottish Liberal Democrats have consistently campaigned against Scottish Government plans to permanently take control of emergency powers granted during the Covid-19 pandemic which cover everything from closing schools to the early release of prisoners.

Orkney and Shetland MP, Alistair Carmichael, has secured a commitment from the International Trade Secretary this week that maintaining UK food standards and the ban on hormone-treated beef would be a "red line" in UK-Canada trade negotiations. The Secretary of State, Anne-Marie Trevelyan MP made the commitment in response to a letter from Mr Carmichael highlighting claims from Canadian negotiators that overturning the ban would be their goal during trade talks.

Responding to comments from Patricia Watson, strategic director at Education Scotland in which she described the next two years as "business as usual at Education Scotland" despite ongoing proposals for reform and said that the body was making "good progress" in improving education, Scottish Liberal Democrat education spokesperson Willie Rennie said:

Responding to Jenny Gilruth's opening statement in this afternoon's Scottish Parliament debate on ferries, Scottish Liberal Democrat economy spokesperson Willie Rennie said:

"It's difficult to believe that the SNP happened to find this apparently critical document just before the debate on ferries. The document makes matters worse as it still doesn't explain why the decision was made to ignore CMAL.

Scottish Liberal Democrat and Shetland MSP Beatrice Wishart is to bring a debate to the Scottish Parliament highlighting the damage caused by 'high order' detonations to clear unexploded ordnance (UXOs) from marine areas.

Supporting the Stop Sea Blasts campaign, Wishart is calling on the Scottish Government to end the use of 'high order' detonations and only allow the safer low order deflagration which has been used by the Royal Navy for over 15 years.