Westminster View - Success of Arbroath Declaration Day

Provost Linda Clark, Harry Simpson from Friends of Arbroath Abbey, Kathryn Porter and Robert McMonague.

Arbroath Declaration Day earlier this month was a resounding success. Huge congratulations to everyone involved, not least Friends of Arbroath Abbey, for what will have been an enormous amount of work in the run up to the day in ensuring everything ran smoothly.

What an amazing boost for the Abbey, and for the town at the start of what will hopefully be a very busy summer season for local businesses, charities and community groups.

The wider impact of the event can’t be underestimated either.

I was pleased that officials from the US Consulate in Edinburgh accepted my invitation to take part.

They were extremely impressed with the passion of the organisers, attendees and the town itself.

My hope is that they will continue to spread the good word among the US diaspora about Arbroath being a fantastic place to visit and in turn increase visitors here and to the wider area.

CITIZENS ADVICE

I recently met with Angus Citizens Advice Bureau’s Manager, Zoe Watson, to discuss their important work.

Casework is the bread and butter of any elected representative’s office and the CAB team are fantastic in supporting constituents with a diverse range of concerns and issues and it is important as an MP that I can learn from the issues they are seeing brought to their office, as well as my own.

From April 1 the charity closed its offices in Montrose and Forfar, developing community-based coverage throughout the Angus area, to be available closer to the people who need their vital services.

The charity plans to begin a home visit service in the summer.

Their main CAB office in Arbroath remains open, and service will be available as usual through telephone, email and by face-to-face appointment.

PRIVATE MEMBERS BILL

On April 25, my Private Members Bill will have a Second Reading in the House of Commons Chamber.

The short title of the Bill is ‘Devolution (Immigration) (Scotland) Bill’ and it looks to amend the Scotland Act 1998 to grant legislative competence to the Scottish Parliament in respect of immigration.

In plain English, I hope that the bill would open visa routes for various sectors including higher education, health and social care, tourism, construction and others, where Scotland is struggling to recruit to the levels that is required for our country’s specific needs.

For me, the Private Members Bill process is antiquated and slow, with little chance of most legislation being brought forward in in this way being able to make progress, but as a backbench MP it is one of the few ways I can try to affect meaningful change in the UK Parliament and I will do my best to see that it reaches the next stages.