Campaign Responses

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about assisted dying in Scotland.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the Covert Human Intelligence Sources (Criminal Conduct) Bill.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about Scotland's night-time economy.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the future of agriculture policy in Scotland. 

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about maintaining British food production standards ahead of any future trade deals.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about sustainable fishing in British waters and the access of large trawling vessels to our waters.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about NHS pay in Scotland.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the emergency legislation relating to the Government's response to coronavirus.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about cat microchipping.

To their owners, cats and other pets are cherished members of the family and I understand that their disappearance and deaths can cause a lot of distress.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for taking the time to contact me about the Job Support Scheme.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the fuel prices.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the trade of endangered species across the globe.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the testing of chemicals on animals.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about alcohol and beer duty.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about protecting girls in crisis.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the absence of torture from the list of excluded offences under the Overseas Operations Bill.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the Climate and Ecological Emergency Bill. 

I understand that this Bill has been developed by campaign members of Extinction Rebellion, Big Ask and Power for the People. 

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about asylum seekers and refugee resettlement.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the integrity of the UK as the country leaves the EU.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the UK Internal Market Bill and the UK’s respect for international law.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about pesticides and trade agreements.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about alleged changes to the Withdrawal Agreement.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about animal sentience and the #Betterdealforanimals campaign.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about military exports to Saudi Arabia.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about asylum seekers and employment.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about military exports to Israel.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about accommodation for asylum seekers.  

Dear Constituent,

I am pleased that Scotland has been officially TB free since 2009 and our wildlife, including badgers, is not considered to be a high risk in terms of spreading bovine TB to cattle herds.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about Israel and the West Bank

I appreciate your concerns about the situation in the region. That is why I firmly support the UK’s longstanding position on the Middle East Peace Process.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the Israel-Britain Alliance campaign on local government pensions guidance and foreign policy.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the performing arts in Scotland.

I share your concern for the industry which has faced many difficulties as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about hospitality businesses reopening. 

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the Trade Bill and new clause 17.

I recognise the strength of feeling about the provisions in new clause 17. However, for what I believe are sensible and practical reasons, I felt it best not to support the clause.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about legal aid.

In Scotland, justice is a devolved matter. This means the provision of legal aid is the responsibility of the Scottish Government, through the Scottish Legal Aid Board.

Dear Constituent,

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the health and care sector and future immigration. 

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about abortion.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about investor-state dispute settlement (ISDS) mechanisms.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about human rights in Bahrain.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about assisted dying in Scotland.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the use of the whip in horseracing.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about New Clause 4, which has been tabled to the Trade Bill.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about animal testing at Porton Down.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about HS2 and the coronavirus outbreak.

I know that the Government will take whatever action is necessary to deal with COVID-19, and that it will also continue to invest in vital future infrastructure.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about debt cancellation for the poorest countries in light of the coronavirus outbreak. 

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the Gender Recognition Act 2004 (GRA).

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the merger of the Department for International Development and the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about a green economic recovery to the coronavirus. 

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about permission for Scottish businesses and venues to reopen.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about full abortion services in Northern Ireland.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about support for businesses – in established and emerging sectors – as part of the economic recovery from coronavirus. 

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the environment. 

While a handful of sections of the Environment Bill extend to Scotland, under the Scotland Act, environmental issues are devolved to the Scottish parliament.

Dear Constituent,

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about recent protests.

In this country we have a long-standing tradition that people can gather together and demonstrate, and the right to protest peacefully is a fundamental part of our democracy. 

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about maintaining British food production standards ahead of any future trade deals.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about a UK-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA).

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about future immigration. 

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the impact of the coronavirus on the economy and your proposal to extend the transition period.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the death of George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter campaign.  

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the Local Housing Allowance.

Following the outbreak of the coronavirus, the Government has acted swiftly to protect renters and ensure that those who need it are able to access support and remain in their homes.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the road haulage sector and COVID-19.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about immigration and visas as the Coronavirus outbreak continues.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about support for the visually impaired in Scotland.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the Scottish Premier League.

Members of the Government do not, by convention, sign any Early Day Motions as doing so is likely to breach the Ministerial Code’s rules on collective responsibility. 

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the fur trade.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about NHS staff and immigration as the Coronavirus outbreak continues.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about abortion in Scotland. As you may be aware, abortion was devolved to the Scottish Parliament via the Scotland Act 2016.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the NHS and international trade.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the vote held in Parliament on New Clause 2 of the Agriculture Bill.  Whilst I don’t necessarily expect you to agree with me, I am happy to explain why I voted in the way I did.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about Government financial assistance for airlines. 

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about antibiotics in farming. 

Antibiotic resistance is the biggest threat to modern medicine and we must act now to help keep antibiotics effective for future generations. 

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about support for the travel industry.

I fully appreciate your concerns and the seriousness of the situation for the whole UK travel industry, which I recognise is facing real difficulty in light of the coronavirus outbreak.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about future trade agreements.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about Trident.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about sanctions on Iran and coronavirus.

The UK is working with the international community to ensure Iran receives the humanitarian support it needs during this global pandemic.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the National Wildlife Crime Unit. 

I understand your strong feelings on this issue and wish to thank you for your clear commitment to the welfare of wildlife across our country.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about privacy laws in the UK.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about air quality in Scotland.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about deforestation, food and the Environment Bill.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about EDM 225: International law and trade with illegal Israeli settlements.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about Israel Apartheid Week campaigns and anti-Semitism on campus in Scotland.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the environment. 

While a handful of sections of the Environment Bill extend to Scotland, under the Scotland Act, environmental issues are devolved to the Scottish parliament.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the welfare of farm animals.

I appreciate your concerns. As you may be aware, this is a devolved issue and therefore a matter for the Scottish Government.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about arms exports and Early Day Motion (EDM) 24.

Members of the Government do not, by convention, sign any Early Day Motions as doing so is likely to breach the Ministerial Code’s rules on collective responsibility.

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the Windrush generation.

Dear Constituent,

Dear Constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about the NSPCC’s Wild West Web campaign.

Dear Constituent,

Oceans are currently facing unprecedented challenges, including climate change and over-fishing. It is more important than ever to take action to ensure our seas are healthy, abundant and resilient.