Alison Johnstone MSP

Lothian

Health & Sport, Social Security, Children & Young People

Alison Johnstone has represented Lothian region since 2011. She is a member of Holyrood's Health and Social Security committees. Alison has previously been a member of the Economy, Scotland Bill and Devolution committees. She was an Edinburgh city councillor between 2007 and 2012. Alison is from Edinburgh and lives in the south of the city with her husband and young daughter. A former East of Scotland 800 metres and 1500 metres title holder, Alison still runs for fitness and campaigns for access to green spaces to make healthy lifestyles easy for all. In the last session of Parliament she led the Fans First campaign to win football fans the right to buy their clubs, she led the fight against fracking by proposing a ban in 2014, and persuaded ministers to make energy efficient housing a national infrastructure priority.

Johnstone calls for devolution of powers to create safe facilities for drug users

Thu 19 Apr, 2018

Alison Johnstone MSP, Health spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, will today (19 Apr) call for powers to create safe facilities for drug users to be devolved to the Scottish Parliament.

This afternoon’s Holyrood debate on the issue comes after Glasgow City Health and Social Care Partnership’s plan for a safe drug consumption facility was blocked by the UK Government.

Foxes and hares endure another year of slaughter due to loopholes

Alison Johnstone MSP Thu 12 Apr, 2018

Another fox hunting season came to an end in Scotland recently, with investigations into illegal activity by a number of hunts.

Most people would be forgiven for thinking that fox hunting was no longer an activity which required police intervention, given that hunting with dogs was banned in Scotland over 15 years ago.

Health Secretary must come before parliament over NHS Tayside, says Johnstone.

Fri 6 Apr, 2018

Alison Johnstone MSP, Scottish Greens Health spokesperson, has called on the Cabinet Secretary for Health to come before Parliament at the earliest opportunity and explain why she delayed intervention, despite long-standing concerns regarding the running of NHS Tayside.

The appointments of a new Chair and Chief Executive comes following a prolonged period of controversy at NHS Tayside, culminating in allegations this week of misuse of charitable funds.

Alison Johnstone said:

Scotland should be known as a good food nation that takes animal welfare seriously

Alison Johnstone MSP Fri 30 Mar, 2018

The Scottish Government have this week asked the public to comment on whether compulsory CCTV cameras should be installed in abattoirs, a key protection for livestock that Greens have long called for. The UK Government has already decided to adopt this measure, and by this summer footage from all abattoirs in England will be available to vets from the Food Standards Agency.

Our 10 priorities for tackling Child Poverty

Thu 29 Mar, 2018

Scottish Green MSPs today (29 Mar) welcomed the announcement from Scottish Ministers of £500,000 to fund the Green manifesto pledge of a programme that boosts the incomes of preganant women and families at risk of poverty.

Alison Johnstone MSP, Social Security spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, secured agreement from ministers in 2016 that Glasgow's successful Healthier Wealthier Children scheme would be rolled out nationally.

Renewing our calls for a ban on the killing of mountain hares in light of new footage

Thu 29 Mar, 2018

Scottish Green MSPs are renewing their calls for a ban on the killing of mountain hares after new footage showed mass culls of the creatures on grouse moors.

Mountain hare shooting is an activity offered by Scottish game estates, and it is estimated that 25,000 were killed in one year, up to 14 per cent of the population.

The latest footage was filmed in the Cairngorms.

Alison Johnstone MSP, deputy convener of Holyrood's cross-party group on Animal Welfare, and Species Champion for the Mountain Hare and Brown Hare, said:

Johnstone to tell rally of commitment to bring forward bill to ban fox hunting

Sat 24 Mar, 2018

Scottish Green MSP Alison Johnstone will today (24 Mar) address a major rally of animal welfare supporters outside Holyrood to reaffirm her commitment to bring forward a member's bill to ban fox hunting.

The Scottish Government recently conducted a review of how current laws work but did not consider an outright ban.

Rising poverty shows need for Green policies such as topping up benefits & boosting incomes for pregnant women

Thu 22 Mar, 2018

New figures showing rising poverty and inequality prove the need for Green policies such as topping up benefits, boosting incomes for pregnant women and ending unnecessary assessments for disability payments, according to Scottish Greens social security spokesperson Alison Johnstone MSP.

Statistics published today show that in 2014-17, 16 per cent of people in Scotland - approximately 860,000 - were living in relative poverty, compared to 15 per cent in 2013-16.

Alison Johnstone MSP said:

Our work to create a fair social security system

Alison Johnstone MSP Mon 19 Mar, 2018

The transfer to Scotland of some powers over social security is a hugely important development in the devolution settlement. Not only because of the significance of the powers themselves – 15% of all benefits in Scotland, the power to to-up the other 85% and the ability to create new benefits – but because there is such a divide in opinion over what a fair social security system looks like between the UK Government and a majority of MSPs at Holyrood.

Johnstone Highlights Brexit Threat To Scottish Health And Social Care

Mon 5 Mar, 2018

Alison Johnstone MSP, Health spokesperson for the Scottish Greens, is warning of serious damage to Scotland's health and social care services, pointing to evidence being given to Holyrood's Health Committee inquiry into Brexit.

Submissions to the Committee, due to take evidence in its inquiry on Tuesday (6 Mar), include: