BANFFSHIRE and BUCHAN COAST Liberal Democrats

Responding to the news that the breast cancer screening programme is to restart, Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP said:

"The resumption of breast cancer screening is extremely good news.

"It is incredibly important that we start up all screening as swiftly and safely as possible.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie today questioned proposals to delay the expansion of childcare to 1140 hours and called on the Scottish Government to stop stonewalling parents by refusing to release local progress reports. The party says a one year delay to the expansion is bad for education and the economy.

Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has today pressed the Finance Secretary about what measures she will put in place to support freelancers and others excluded from the existing funding schemes.

Speaking after he addressed the Finance Secretary in the Scottish Parliament, Mr Rennie said:

"Too many people have fallen between the gaps in the various support schemes offered by the UK and the Scottish governments. It's harsh and unfair to leave so many excluded.

Responding to the statement from the Chancellor, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said:

"This mini budget contains some measures such as the VAT cut for hospitality and tourism that Liberal Democrats have been campaigning for. The green home grants is a start but not enough to kickstart a real green recovery.

Edinburgh Western MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton has written to the First Minister to ask when visitors to Edinburgh will be able to arrive without quarantining.

Mr Cole-Hamilton's letter is as follows:

Dear First Minister,

I am writing to ask that you expedite the decision on the designation of 'air-bridges' to those countries from where we will be able welcome international visitors to Scotland without a quarantine order. Furthermore I'd be grateful if you could clarify which countries might subsequently be included into the air-bridge scheme in the latter half of the summer tourism season.

Commenting on news that the Scottish Government is further delaying the roll out of 1140 hours for early learning and childcare, education spokesperson Beatrice Wishart MSP said:

"The year long delay to the implementation to the expansion of early learning and childcare will come as a bitter disappointment to families across Scotland.

Speaking ahead of the First Minister's statement on the next steps in easing the lockdown, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie has challenged her to ensure that everyone who is expected to work will be able to access childcare.

His call comes as an SNP-run council announced that children will not be in full time education on 11th August. Falkirk council have announced that while teachers will return on 11th August, pupils will not return full-time until the 24th.

After the initial meeting of the APPG for ExcludedUK today, Liberal Democrat MP and Chair of the APPG Jamie Stone has joined with the other co-chairs in calling on the Chancellor to help those who have so far been left out of the financial support measures introduced by the Government.

The APPG has been set up with the help of ExcludedUK to represent the 3 million individuals who have not been entitled to the Government support in response to the coronavirus crisis. The first meeting this morning was the largest of any inaugural APPG meeting, seeing over 150 MPs join online.

In a joint letter to the Chancellor ahead of his speech tomorrow, Jamie Stone and the co-chairs of the APPG (William Wragg MP, Tracy Brabin MP, Alison Thewliss MP, Jeffery Donaldson MP and Caroline Lucas MP) have urged Rishi Sunak to not only respond to the Treasury Select Committee Interim Report and its recommendations to help all those who have been excluded, but also commit to a meeting with the APPG and Excluded UK as a matter of urgency.

Commenting on a new survey from the Scottish Childminding Association which suggests that if current restrictions were to continue only 19% of childminding businesses believe they will still be viable in 12 months' time, Scottish Liberal Democrat leader Willie Rennie said:

"The Scottish Government have a big challenge on their hands. If they do not change course the majority of childminding businesses will be in deep trouble.

Scottish Liberal Democrat health spokesperson Alex Cole-Hamilton MSP has today backed plans from Scottish Care for a National Day of Mourning and Remembrance for all those impacted by Covid-19.

Dr Donald Macaskill, chief executive of Scottish Care, has written to all members of the Scottish Parliament to ask them to agree in principle to the idea of a day to mourn all those who have died in care homes, in hospitals and in community and remember all those who have worked tirelessly in the care of others sharing compassion, exercising professionalism and sacrificial service