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Writer's pictureLiam Kerr

July Newsletter (2024)


Welcome to my newsletter, where I set out what I have been doing over the last month. If you want to see more of what I am up to, follow me on social media. If I can be of any assistance, please do not hesitate to get in touch through the details below. 

 

Recess is well under way and now the General Election has passed, the focus turns to holding the new UK Labour Government to account. Whilst 2026 seems a long way away, the Scottish Conservatives will continue to take the shambolic SNP Scottish Government to task over their continued failings.


As Shadow Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, it is my responsibility to grill the Scottish Government Ministers about their shortcomings in this portfolio.


Over the last month, we learned that Scottish parents have threatened to 'strike' as the school violence crisis leaves them fearing for their children.


Documents released to Scotland on Sunday show how Jenny Gilruth continues to be inundated with concerns and complaints from “terrified” parents, pupils, teachers, and support staff. The report highlights that from minute one in her job, Jenny Gilruth was being warned about the bullying and behaviour crisis in Scotland’s schools. Yet, after more than a year, she and the SNP Government are still not treating this problem seriously and with the urgency required to fix it.


You can read more about this here

 

Amid claims of declining educational standards and an epidemic of classroom violence, the number of parents homeschooling their children has surged. With a general rise across the UK since the pandemic in the number of pupils being homeschooled, critics claim the steep increase in Scotland points to a lack of confidence in state education.


 It is of course the right of any family to choose to homeschool their child, but the rise in numbers hardly reflects well on the SNP’s running of our school system. With the SNP’s stewardship of education so utterly shambolic, it’s no wonder these figures are rising.


You can read more here

 

I was shocked to learn that a 94-year-old woman from the North East was left starving in an ambulance for a staggering nine hours after being transported from an Aberdeenshire care home back in June.


By the time she was admitted to hospital, the elderly patient had gone a full 14 hours without a meal! There is a wider issue here about the lack of inpatient space, and frankly, the loss of local health care settings across the North East like Minor Injury Units (MIU’s) will only add to the problems of a system already under huge pressure.


I will continue to hold the Scottish Government to account on this, and raise further questions to the Health Secretary as I did last month.


You can read more here

 

If you have ventured into Aberdeen City Centre recently, you will know the bus gate saga continues with the damage to local businesses being further compounded by the recently introduced Low Emission Zone.


We have since learned that no specific research was undertaken into how the bus gates in Aberdeen would impact city centre businesses. An astonishing oversight from the SNP/Lib Dem administration.


This proves the potential economic fallout from these bus gates was never even considered as an important component in the decision-making process.


You can read more of my thoughts here

 

I was delighted to MC the fantastic Blast from the Past last weekend, a showcase of over 300 cars and 70 magnificent motorcycles.


The event has been running for a number of years and every time I attend it's clear to see why, with a variety of stalls, charity displays and kids rides. 


A brilliant event and a special thank you to the organisers and participants.

 

It was fantastic to visit the Aberdeen campus of Scotland's Rural College and hear about the excellent work they're doing to train the next generation with a variety of skills. 


What stuck out to me was the clear expertise from the staff and how well supported the students at SRUC are. I was also delighted to hear about the new Veterinary Science course, which will help train the next generation of Veterinarians right here in the North East. 


If you'd like to know more about SRUC, or are considering enrolling, please visit their website here

 

My Summer surgeries return this year, with stops in Cove, Peterculter, Airyhall and Broomhill on the 12th of August. If you would like to pop along, please email me at Liam.Kerr.msp@parliament.scot and we can set it up.


Any issue, big or small, can be raised with me!

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