The six Edinburgh constituency MSPs and the seven on the Lothian List were all sworn in yesterday at Holyrood in alphabetical order along with all the other MSPs from across Scotland.
Except that is for Ruth Davidson who was sworn in ahead of other Scottish Labour MSPs in the same way as the other party leaders.
They were the first to be sworn in as you will see in this video, with the First Minister in pole position and Ruth Davidson, as leader of the official opposition, second in line.
The chamber then went on to appoint Labour MSP Ken Macintosh as Presiding Officer with Linda Fabiani and Christine Grahame as Deputy Presiding Officers.
Ken Macintosh w/ Linda Fabiani & Christine Grahame – the new team of Presiding Officers following today’s elections pic.twitter.com/yH9cVHcrsQ
— Scottish Parliament (@ScotParl) May 12, 2016
So now it’s down to business for the fifth session of the Scottish Parliament. Except that it’s not really. Friday is generally a constituency day when all MSPs go back home, so there is no actual business at Holyrood until Monday.
Neil Findlay has been very busy lodging motions to the parliament. He has lodged one about Scotland, Pitchford and Undercover Policing demanding that if the Pitchford enquiry is not extended to Scotland that the Scottish Government conducts its own enquiry. The second motion refers to Hillsborough and demands an inquiry into events during the miners’ strike in 1984-85 in relation to police behaviour. The third motion ‘welcomes the settlement reached between the construction workers and Unite the Union that will mean that 256 blacklisted workers, including workers from across the Lothians, will share more than £10 million in compensation’ and calls on the government to ensure that the companies involved have put their house in order before conducting further business with them.
Newly elected Alex Cole-Hamilton has lodged a motion demanding that secondary thermostatic cut-out valves are installed in residential care homes to increase patient safety. This follows a tragic case where a 35 year-old care home resident from Kirkliston was scalded in a bath. Mr Cole-Hamilton has also lodged one written question : “To ask the Scottish Government how many nurse practitioners specialise in myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, broken down by NHS board.”
Separately Mark Ruskell who is the Scottish Green party MSP for Mid Scotland and Fife has asked for more information about rail services from the capital : “To ask the Scottish Government what direction ministers issued to the Office of Rail and Road regarding the open access application for Edinburgh to London King’s Cross rail services.”
As for surgeries when you can go along and speak to your MSP – this is what we know so far (and remember the newly elected MSPs have not really stopped since last Thursday night/Friday morning!) :
Edinburgh North and Leith – Ben Macpherson
Edinburgh East – Ash Denham
No details we can find on the internet but you can email her at Ash.Denham.msp@parliament.scot
Edinburgh South – Daniel Johnson
No details of his surgeries on his website but you can keep up with him by email here Daniel.Johnson.msp@parliament.scot
Edinburgh Pentlands – Gordon MacDonald
Following the recess his website remains inactive but you can get in touch with him here on Facebook or by email Gordon.MacDonald.msp@parliament.scot
Edinburgh Western – Alex Cole-Hamilton
No details just yet on Alex’s website but it is there for you to use as a point of contact. Click here.
Edinburgh Central – Ruth Davidson
No surgery details yet but contact her by email here. Ruth.Davidson.msp@parliament.scot
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