Alison Johnstone MSP

Lothian

Health & Sport, Social Security, Children & Young People

Alison Johnstone has represented Lothian region since 2011 and was an Edinburgh city councillor between 2007 and 2012. Alison is from Edinburgh and lives in the south west of the city. A former East of Scotland 800m and 1500m title holder, Alison is a qualified athletics coach and Board member of Scottish Athletics. She continues to campaign to preserve precious green space, for investment in walking and cycling and for access to sport for all. She led the Fans First campaign to win football fans the right to buy their clubs; led the fight against fracking by proposing a ban in 2014 when all other parties supported it; and persuaded ministers to make energy efficient housing a national infrastructure priority. Since 2016 her advocacy for a compassionate social security system has led to benefit sanctions not being applied to devolved employment schemes and boosted family incomes by securing a roll out of the Healthier, Wealthier Children programme. She secured an amendment to the Social Security Act to ensure that unnecessary face-to-face assessments will not be required to access disability benefits when these are devolved to the Scottish Parliament. Alison is also bringing forward legislation to introduce a real ban on fox hunting and protect Scotland's hares.

Chief Medical Officer has lost credibility

Sun 5 Apr, 2020

The Chief Medical Officer Catherine Calderwood cannot continue to credibly front public health messages during the coronavirus crisis, the Scottish Greens have said.

The comments come after the CMO was pictured visiting her second home in north east Fife, flouting her own guidelines on non-essential travel.

Scottish Greens health spokesperson Alison Johnstone said:

Scottish Greens call for clarity on COVID19 strategy

Thu 2 Apr, 2020

The Scottish Greens have called on the Scottish Government to provide clarity on its COVID19 strategy.

In a letter to the Cabinet Secretary for Health, Scottish Greens Parliamentary Co-Leader Alison Johnstone MSP highlighted a series of concerns around the testing of emergency workers, the supply of personal protective equipment and the procurement of ventilators, issues Ms Johnstone claims the government must address urgently.

Alison Johnstone: Fergus Ewing must answer for foxhunting intervention

Thu 2 Apr, 2020

Rural economy secretary Fergus Ewing must face scrutiny for why he intervened to allow fox hunts to take place on public land, the Scottish Greens have said.

The Ferret has reported documents released by Forestry and Land Scotland (FLS) which show the agency reversed a decision to keep foxhunts off its land near Inverness after “considerable” pressure from the minister.

Scottish Greens welcome volunteer drive

Mon 30 Mar, 2020

Scottish Greens Parliamentary Co-Leader Alison Johnstone MSP has welcomed the First Minister’s announcement that the Scottish Government will launch the ‘Scotland Cares’ volunteering initiative tomorrow but has warned that frontline workers need clearer answers on ppe.

Alison Johnstone MSP said:

Scottish Green warning over Coronavirus impact on child poverty

Thu 26 Mar, 2020

The child poverty rate could be exacerbated by the coronavirus crisis, the Scottish Greens have warned.

New child poverty figures show 24% of children in Scotland in the 2016-2019 period experienced relative child poverty, equivalent to 230,000 children.

With unprecedented numbers of people applying for Universal Credit as businesses across the country are closed and self-employed contracts are cancelled, Scottish Greens children and young people spokesperson Alison Johnstone said emergency measures should protect more children from falling into poverty.

NHS staff coronavirus testing must be stepped up

Tue 24 Mar, 2020

Testing frontline NHS staff for coronavirus must be the urgent priority to ensure resilience in the health service, the Scottish Greens have said.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman pledged to expand testing for staff, but current guidance is that NHS staff with symptoms will not be tested.

Scottish Greens health spokesperson Alison Johnstone said:

Edinburgh slowest city in the UK

Mon 9 Mar, 2020

A new report published today showing that Edinburgh is ranked alongside London as the UK’s slowest city must act as a wakeup call for city chiefs, according to Scottish Greens Parliamentary Co-Leader Alison Johnstone MSP.

The INRIX Global Traffic Scorecard shows that drivers lost an average of 98 hours in the capital city in 2019, with last mile speeds of just 10mph on an average journey, costing the city’s economy £177million.

Lothian MSP Alison Johnstone said:

Mossmorran communities being failed say Greens

Thu 5 Mar, 2020

SEPA is either not up to the job of protecting the communities surrounding the Mossmorran gas plant or doesn’t have the powers to do so according to Scottish Greens Parliamentary Co-Leader Alison Johnstone MSP.

Speaking at First Minister’s Questions this afternoon Ms Johnstone called on the First Minister to “end the misery this plant is causing,” after communities were once again subjected to intense periods of flaring which NHS has said impacts the health and wellbeing of local people.

Alison Johnstone MSP said:

Scottish Greens respond to virus

Sun 1 Mar, 2020

Responding to reports that a case of Covid-19 has been detected in Scotland, Scottish Greens Parliamentary Co-Leader Alison Johnstone MSP said:

Scots Tories urged to come out of hiding to defend care system

Alison Johnstone MSP Mon 24 Feb, 2020

Care sector leaders have written to new Scottish Tory leader Jackson Carlaw warning that new UK immigration proposals will make delivering care “impossible”.

The call comes after the Scottish Conservatives were criticised for refusing to appear in the media to defend the UK Government’s new immigration policy to exclude lower-paid workers.

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