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.

GREENS BID SCOTLAND'S WOMEN WELL FOR WORLD CUP KICK-OFF

Alison Johnstone MSP Thu 6 Jun, 2019

Scottish Greens parliamentary co-leader Alison Johnstone MSP has wished Scotland’s team well ahead of the Women’s World Cup getting underway tomorrow in France.

Johnstone welcomes Royal College of GPs report

Alison Johnstone MSP Wed 5 Jun, 2019

Alison has today welcomed the publication of a landmark report on the state of general practice in Scotland.

Compiled by RCGP Scotland, the report highlights some of the key challenges facing general practice, including workload, recruitment and health inequalities.

GREENS ENCOURAGE FAMILIES TO APPLY FOR NEW SCHOOL GRANT

Mon 3 Jun, 2019

The Scottish Greens are encouraging all eligible families to apply for a new payment available to some families with children starting school, opening for applications today (3 Jun)

Families claiming low-income benefits can apply for the new Best Start GrantSchool-Age payment. This provides a one-off payment of £250 to help families with the cost of preparing for school around the time a child might start Primary 1.

Scots deserve a choice before any Brexit transition period is over

Alison Johnstone MSP Mon 3 Jun, 2019

The outstanding success for the Green movement across Europe in last week's European elections is truly a cause for optimism. Green parties finished second in Germany and Finland, made major breakthroughs in France and Ireland, polled 11% across the continent, and increased the Greens/EFA bloc in Brussels from 51 to 70 MEPs.

FMQs: JOHNSTONE DEMANDS SAFER WALKING AND CYCLING

Wed 22 May, 2019

Scottish Greens Parliamentary Co-Leader Alison Johnstone MSP has urged the First Minister to make Scotland’s streets safer after a new report showed that children from the most deprived areas are three times more likely to be killed or injured while walking and cycling than those from better off communities.

She called on the Government to back Mark Ruskell MSP’s bill to make 20mph the default speed limit in residential areas as a vital public health measure.

Alison Johnstone MSP said:

GREENS SAY WELFARE REFORMS MUST END AFTER DAMNING REPORT

Wed 22 May, 2019

Greens today called for a substantial re-investment in social security, after a major new report slammed UK Government welfare reforms for driving significantly increased poverty.

Phillip Alston, UN Special Rapporteur on Extreme Poverty, has slammed cuts to the social security system, saying that the UK Government has “doubled down on [an] agenda to reduce benefits by every means available."

Alison Johnstone MSP, Scottish Greens Parliamentary co-leader, said:

Johnstone slams Scot Gov on air quality

Alison Johnstone MSP Tue 21 May, 2019

Scottish Greens Parliamentary Co-Leader Alison Johnstone MSP has slammed the Scottish Government for its failure to invest adequately in walking and cycling following reports that air pollution is responsible for the rise in childhood cancers.

The Scottish Government has a target for 10% of everyday journeys to take place by bike by 2020, however currently only 3% of commuter journeys and less than 1% of journeys to school are made by bike. [1]

Greens back new help to access council tax support

Fri 3 May, 2019

Scottish Greens are welcoming a new service from Citizens Advice Scotland to help people apply for assistance with paying their Council Tax bills.

The charity has this week launched a new online tool - https://www.checkmycounciltax.scot/- to help people check if they are entitled to reductions, deductions or exemptions.

The number of Scottish households receiving Council Tax Reduction has declined by 78,970 since 2013, prompting concerns that the scheme isn’t well known and that thousands of people could be missing out.

FMQs: Urgent action needed in face of emergency

Thu 2 May, 2019

Scottish Greens Parliamentary Co-Leader Alison Johnstone MSP has today (2 May) called on the Scottish Government to take urgent action in the face of the climate emergency.

Last year climate scientists warned that we have just a decade to deliver the change needed to avoid a climate catastrophe, and today new guidance was issued to the Scottish Government by the Committee on Climate Change, its statutory advisor.

Ms Johnstone asked the First Minister what action the Scottish Government plan to take in the next year given the urgent nature of the emergency.

Greens encourage families to apply for new grant

Mon 29 Apr, 2019

Greens are encouraging all eligible families to apply for a new payment available to some families with nursery-age children, opening for applications today.

Families claiming low-income benefits can apply for the new Best Start Grant Early Learning Payment. This provides a one-off payment of £250 to help families with the cost of children aged two to three-and-half attending early years education.

It is the first entirely new social security payment made by the new devolved social security system.

Scottish Greens parliamentary co-leader Alison Johnstone MSP said:

Alison Johnstone MSP Back to greens.scot

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