Calton’s MSP, John Mason, has called upon the Scottish Government’s intervention following yet another subsidence issue within his constituency.

For the third time in a row, a building or road within Glasgow Shettleston – in close proximity to Glasgow 2014 venues – has been closed due to subsidence.

In January 2012, a major strategic road in the East End was closed for six months when the building at 594 London Road was deemed unsafe.  Later that year, in October 2012, part of the road surface between Celtic Park and the Emirates Arena collapsed.  This meant that another part of London Road was closed for eight months – directly outside two Commonwealth Games venues.

Just recently residents in Millroad Drive in the Calton area had to flee their home due to subsidence.  Mr Mason has now written to both Derek MacKay MSP, Minister for Local Government and Planning, and to Shona Robison MSP, Minister for Commonwealth Games and Sport, to seek the Government’s intervention.

Commenting, John Mason, local MSP, said:

“This is the third subsidence issue in the last couple of years – all within a very close proximity to strategically important roads or Commonwealth Games venues.

“Unfortunately the previous two cases – both on London Road – have shown Glasgow City Council to be incredibly slow to take action which is simply unacceptable.  I am keen to ensure that the Council acts quickly and efficiently on this occasion, so I have written to the Scottish Government to ask what locus they have over this particular issue.

“Local residents, businesses and other organisations simply can’t afford to wait five and six months for action to be taken by the local authority, so hopefully the Council and Government can move this along as efficiently as possible.”

In his first weekly video blog of 2014, SNP MSP John Mason, talks about a recent parliamentary debate on Scotland’s economy.

 Yet another SNP boost for children and families

Local SNP MSP, John Mason, has welcomed today’s Scottish Government announcement that school children in primaries one, two and three are to receive free school lunches.

The move, announced in a Holyrood debate this afternoon, follows the decision to allocate extra Barnett formula consequentials to this policy which is estimated to save some families hundreds of pounds.

Speaking from Holyrood after hearing the Government’s announcement, the SNP MSP for Glasgow’s East End, John Mason, said:

“In tough times it is clear that this SNP Government is getting right behind local families with a raft of measures aimed at relieving the burden on household budgets.  Things like the council tax freeze, free prescriptions and scrapping tuition fees have all eased the pressures on family budgets but we’ve been keen to do more, particularly when it comes to school meals. 

“As a local constituency MSP, I have the pleasure of regularly visiting local schools and meeting with various local health professionals.  One of the issues that has come up during discussions is the health and education of local kids.  All too often some kids aren’t having enough nutritional food to eat and we know that this can have a negative impact on their learning ability and attainment.  The introduction of free hot school meals is one way we can help youngsters focus better on their studies and ensure they are being well looked after at school.  Rolling this out for all children in P1-P3 should also help reduce stigmatisation which can happen if only some kids are entitled to free meals.

“Increasingly our focus has been on how to support families.  Devolution, in part, allows us to do this but the powers of independence provide so many more opportunities for Scotland’s families to thrive and prosper”.

November 2013 – Parliamentary Patter

• Upgrade Tollcross Winter Gardens too, says MSP
• John visits East End food bank
• Call for baton bearer nominations
• John takes part in “Wear It Pink” week
• MSP pays tribute to the late Cllr George Ryan
• Support for Epilepsy Pledge