Greens respond to hospitals inquiry announcement 

Tue 17 Sep, 2019

The Scottish Government’s announcement that a public inquiry will be held to examine issues at the new Royal Hospital for Children and Young People (RHCYP) and the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital (QEUH) sites is welcome, but must not be limited in scope by the minister says the Scottish Greens Health Spokesperson Alison Johnstone 

Alison Johnstone MSP said: 

Yellowhammer documents reveal no deal disaster

Thu 12 Sep, 2019

The so-called ‘Yellowhammer’ documents published last night by the UK Government show that Scotland is facing disaster in the face of Boris Johnson’s No Deal Brexit according to Scottish Greens Parliamentary Co-Leader Alison Johnstone MSP.

The documents callously details that, ‘low income groups will be disproportionately affected by any price rises in food and fuel.’ 

Staff and patients must come first in Sick Kids delay

Wed 11 Sep, 2019

The Scottish Government must support the staff and patients of the Edinburgh children’s hospital while they are stuck in the old facilities, Scottish Green MSP Alison Johnstone has said.

Health Secretary Jeane Freeman today told the Scottish Parliament the new hospital will not be ready for another year, at huge cost to the public purse.

Fox hunting sympathies revealed in Scottish Government cabinet

Tue 10 Sep, 2019

Scottish Green MSP Alison Johnstone has asked for clarification from the Scottish Government after it emerged that Rural Economy Secretary Fergus Ewing supports current loopholes in fox hunting laws and wants to continue to allow the use of dogs when hunting and killing foxes.

Scottish Government must do more to tackle drug deaths

Thu 5 Sep, 2019

The Scottish Government must do more, urgently, to deal with Scotland’s drug deaths crisis according to the Scottish Greens Health Spokesperson Alison Johnstone MSP. 

Ms Johnstone, who responded to a statement on the issue by the Minister for Public Health this afternoon (5 Sep), criticised the Scottish Government for failing to step up in the face of this public health emergency. 

Alison Johnstone MSP said: 

Scottish Greens call for more courage from Nicola Sturgeon on the climate emergency

Thu 5 Sep, 2019

The Scottish Greens have called for Nicola Sturgeon to be more bold in tackling the climate emergency than her programme for government was.

At First Minister’s Questions, Scottish Green parliamentary co-leader Alison Johnstone asked Sturgeon if she we would transfer the billions spent on major road projects into public transport, cycling and walking, as recommended by the independent review of the government’s own clean air strategy last week.

Fox hunting ban left out of SNP's plans

Wed 4 Sep, 2019

Alison Johnstone’s proposed members bill is now MSPs' best chance to introduce a real ban on foxhunting, after SNP commitments to strengthen the laws did not appear in the programme for government.

A year ago Nicola Sturgeon promised to follow up on the Lord Bonomy review by strengthening the law, and then in January Mairi Gougeon pledged to bring forward a bill “during the course of the current parliamentary session”.

But no such bill appeared in this week’s programme for government.

SNP introduce Greens carers allowance

Tue 3 Sep, 2019

Scottish Greens Social Security Spokesperson Alison Johnstone MSP has welcomed the forthcoming introduction of the Scottish Green policy for a Young Carer Grant announced this afternoon during the First Minister’s Programme for Government.

This afternoon the FM said, “Later this autumn, young carers will start to receive £300 a year through the Young Carer Grant.”

Mountain hares in serious decline

Mon 26 Aug, 2019

The Scottish Government must act now after newly-published data by the EU shows a massive decline in mountain hare populations in Scotland, The Scottish Greens have said.

The figures come from Scottish Natural Heritage’s submission to the EU’s Article 17 report on the protection of habitats and species, and shows the status of the mountain hares has been downgraded to ‘unfavourable’ with a ‘large decline’ recorded since 2013.

Unregulated killing of mountain hares continues in Scotland, including around moors managed for the shooting of grouse.

Greens slam two child limit

Wed 31 Jul, 2019

Greens today branded as "shocking" new statistics that show the extent of impact of child limits to Tax Credits in Scotland.

The new figures show that, at 2 April, more than 8,000 families were hit by the cut. The Institute for Fiscal Studies estimates that families can lose up to £3,000 a year or 10% of average income.

The controversial 'rape clause' which provides an exemption to the limit in cases of consensual conception applies to 50 families in Scotland.

Alison Johnstone MSP, Scottish Greens Social Security Spokesperson, said: