This week, along with constituency case work on a number of topics, Ruth has:
- Visited Hessilhead Wildlife Rescue Centre where she met and learned about hedgehogs in her role as MSP Species Champion for the hedgehog
- Attended the meeting of the Local Government and Communities Committee to take evidence on increasing turnout for Local Government Elections.
- Attended the meeting of the Social Security Committee, where MSPs took evidence from the UK Government Secretary of State for Work and Pensions, Damian Green, on the devolution of 15% of welfare powers to Scotland and ongoing Tory welfare reform.
- Asked the First Minister about the the contribution of migrants to Scotland, and what the First Minister is doing to ensure that Scotland remains a welcoming place in the wake of the UK’s vote to leave the EU at First Minister’s Questions.
- Highlighted funeral poverty in a debate about ‘The Cost of Saying Goodbye’ sparked by the findings of a recent Citizens Advice Scotland report which showed that burial and cremation fees have increased by 8% and 11% respectively this year.
- Sampled the culinary talents of the Ayrshire College Hospitality and Tourism students who took over the Members’ Restaurant in Parliament
- Welcomed the Mental Health Minister, Maureen Watt MSP to Irvine, where they visited the new Community Mental Health Facility at Woodland View
- Visited local Living Wage employer, VOCA call centre, to learn more about their work and explore ways to encourage other employers to take the Business Pledge and become Living Wage employers.
Ruth Maguire MSP 