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.

Westminster must change gear on poverty

Tue 19 Nov, 2019

Rising levels of poverty and inequality show the need for change in the way the UK is governed, the Scottish Greens have said.

The Scottish Greens have welcomed the publication of the general election manifesto from the Poverty Alliance, which reveals how policies at Westminster drove inequalities which has left Scotland with over a million Scots in poverty, 240,000 of them children.

Scottish Greens welcome basic income pilot proposals

Alison Johnstone MSP Tue 5 Nov, 2019

The Scottish Greens have welcomed a new report into the feasibility of a Citizen's Basic Income (CBI) in Scotland.

The interim report suggests several different models for a CBI, which would be a payment to cover basic costs paid to all residents of Scotland. It would not be subject to means-testing, benefit sanctions or tax. These could be piloted for three years in selected communities.

SNP timid on short-term lets, say Greens

Fri 1 Nov, 2019

The Scottish Greens have slammed the SNP for its lack of action on short-term lets.

The party’s parliamentary co-leader Alison Johnstone called for action at FMQs, after a Scottish Government consultation overwhelmingly endorsed the Scottish Green position to regulate short term letting through both planning and licensing reform.

This week SNP MSPs in Edinburgh signed a letter calling for urgent reform, even though they had voted with the Tories during the Planning Bill to block similar proposals from Green MSP Andy Wightman.

We must protect green spaces from urban creep

Alison Johnstone MSP Mon 28 Oct, 2019

I first became involved in politics as part of an inspiring community effort to save Meggetland playing fields, so ensuring we protect existing greenspace is an issue very close to my heart.

And we know that greenspace has huge benefits. Studies show that people living closer to good-quality green space are more likely to have higher levels of physical activity, and additional tree coverage increases C02 absorption and reduces both flooding and noise pollution.

Ruth Davidson's lobbying role shows need for second jobs bill

Fri 25 Oct, 2019

Former Scottish Conservative leader must quit as an MSP and force a by-election after accepting a lucrative corporate lobbying role, the Scottish Greens have said.

Davidson has recently been appointed to the Scottish Parliament’s corporate body, which oversees the workings of Parliament, but has also now taken a £50,000 job with a firm which lobbies politicians.

Commenting, Scottish Green MSP for Lothian Alison Johnstone said: “The people of Edinburgh Central elected Ruth Davidson to represent them, not use her position to earn £50,000 from lobbyists.

Green young carer grant approved

Alison Johnstone MSP Mon 7 Oct, 2019

Scottish Green Social Security Spokesperson Alison Johnstone MSP has welcomed parliamentary approval of legislation establishing a Young Carer Grant, after the Scottish Parliament formally backed the measure on Wednesday 2nd October.

GREENS SLAM “UNACCEPTABLE” BENEFIT APPEAL WAITS

Alison Johnstone MSP Mon 7 Oct, 2019

The Scottish Greens have called for more protection for disability payment recipients, after official figures showed waiting times for appealing decisions have rocketed to a level even the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) itself describes as “an all-time high.”

The UK Government has published figures which show people who are denied Personal Independence Payment (PIP) or awarded PIP at a reduced rate, now wait 69 days on average for an internal review by the Department for Work and Pensions.

Johnstone calls for action on raptor persecution

Alison Johnstone MSP Mon 7 Oct, 2019

The Scottish Government’s attempt to tackle the continued illegal killing of birds of prey by introducing vicarious liability has failed and the provision needs urgent review, Alison Johnstone MSP has said today.

Vicarious liability was introduced in 2012 as a “strong response” to the continued illegal poisoning of birds of prey. It allows for a landowner or sporting agent to be held responsible for the criminal actions of an employee, and it was hoped that it would act as an effective deterrent for wildlife crime.

GREENS CALL FOR ACTION ON FOOD INSECURITY AFTER "SHOCKING" NEW FIGURES RELEASED

Alison Johnstone MSP Wed 25 Sep, 2019

Scottish Green health and social security spokesperson Alison Johnstone MSP is calling for urgent action after new statistics showed an alarming rate of food insecurity.

The Scottish Health Survey released today shows that 9% of adults worry about about running out of food 6% ate less than they should to avoid running out of food, and 3% had run out of food due to a lack of resources.

The figures are much higher for single parents, with 25% worried they would run out of food, single men under 65 living alone, at 21%, and those in the most deprived areas, at 16%.