Bob Doris MSP Member of the Scottish Parliament for Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn constituency Parliamentary Report 2020 Help during coronavirus Age Scotland I hope constituents are safe and well during these challenging 0800 12 44 222 times. Support and advice for older people. My deepest sympathies for those who have lost loved ones Citizens Advice Scotland and a speedy recovery for those who have had to battle 0800 028 1456 coronavirus. Expert advice on welfare, employment and more. Restrictions put in place have been difficult but crucial during Breathing Space the pandemic. These are subject to change and the latest 0800 83 85 87 (open from 6pm) provisions are at www.gov.scot. I can also post out details if Help if you have a low mood, depression or anxiety. you call my office. Scottish Welfare Fund There is support available. Some details are contained in this 0141 276 1177 report. Further details can be found online at For crisis, community care and self-isolation grants. www.bob-doris.scot/helplines. Money Talk Team Everyday acts of support and kindness from local volunteers 0800 085 7145 and community groups have been inspirational. Thank you to Help with dealing with debt and finances. everyone for all you have done. Domestic Abuse and Forced Marriage Helpline My office continues to operate with staff working from home. 0800 027 1234 Formal advice surgeries have been replaced by telephone Help if you are experiencing domestic violence. meetings and online meetings. Please email or call my office if you wish assistance (my contact detail are on the back page). NHS Inform www.nhsinform.scot Help and guidence from the NHS. LGBT Helpline Scotland 0300 123 2523 Support and advice for LGBT+ people. National Coronavirus Assistance Helpline Home Energy Scotland 0800 111 4000 0808 808 2282 If you need support, and can’t get from friends or family. Help, advice and support on home energy. Glasgow Helps hub Glasgow City Council Homeless Services 0141 345 0543 (www.glasgowhelps.org) 0800 838 502 Find help getting food, medicine other support. If you are, or are at risk of being, homeless. Govan Law Centre Glasgow City Council Social Work Services 0800 043 0306 0141 287 0555 Free legal advice on employment, housing, debt and more. or call 0300 343 1505 out of hours £500 self-isolation grant A new Scottish Government grant scheme for those who cannot work from home and who face losing income as a result of self-isolation. Those who qualify must be in work and in receipt of a qualifying benefit. The person must have been advised to self- isolate by the Test and Protect Team. Applications can be made to the Scottish Welfare Fund via Glasgow City Council website or by calling on 0141 276 1177. Cycle lanes and school safety Getting the benefits you are entitled to It has never been more important to get the benefits you are entitled to. As convener of Scotland’s Social Security Committee, maximising benefit uptake is a key interest, as has been scrutinising the roll-out of Scotland’s new benefits. Scottish Child Payment Best Start Grant & Foods Delayed due to Covid-19, applications This pays parents on qualifying benefits open November 2020 (kids under 6). £600 on the birth of a first child Text - try to have as one story? The first payments will begin February (subsequent children £300) and two 2021. £10 per week per child (no two additional payments of £250 around the Along with Councillor Christina Cannon child cap) to families on qualifying time children start nursery and primary and Elmvale Parent Council, we are benefits. 194,000 under 6’s will share school. Best Start Foods provides up seeking to improve road safety outside £77m. When fully rolled out to under to £34 every four weeks to parents Elmvale Primary school. 16’s (2022-23) it will reach almost of children under 2. In the last year To assist, the Council has sought to block 500,000 kids and pay £184million. Glasgow had over 17,000 successful off part of Elmvale Street to vehicles Details of how to apply are on my applications and paid out £5m. You can and to place planters there. However we website www.bob-doris.scot/SCP apply online or call 0800 182 2222. are still working through some related issues. The street is to become part of a Child Winter Heating Assistance Carers Allowance and Supplement larger pop-up cycle route stretching from A new payment of £200 for disabled The Allowance is received by 83,000 Bisland Drive in Maryhill to Hawthorn young people up to the age of 18. unpaid carers including around 1,700 in Street and linking into the footpath over Children must get the highest rate care Maryhill and Springburn. The Scottish to Springburn Shopping Centre. I continue component of DLA. Payments should be Government provides a Supplement (an to support the ‘North Glasgow Way’ made automaticaly. additional £230.10 paid each June and initiative to have a more substantial cycle December). An additional (coronavirus network. Young Carer Grant carers) payment was also made meaning This is a yearly payment of £305 for 16-18 unpaid carers received £460.10 in June. I have also been working with local year olds with caring responsibilities councillors to promote car-free zones over 16 hours a week. In 10 months since Disability Assistance outside schools at the start and end its launch 230 young carers in Glasgow I am disappointed the new disability of the school day and welcome the have shared over £67,000. You can apply assistance grants to replace DLA and PIP extension of the Council pilot which now online or call 0800 182 2222. are delayed due to Covid-19. includes St Blane’s, Parkview, Cadder and Kelvindale primaries. For support claiming benefits including Universal Credit, PIP and DLA you can contact Glasgow North Citizens Advice at gnwcab.org.uk or call 0141 948 0204 Energy protection (Picture taken before social distance guidelines) I am backing the Scotland Loves Local campaign across Maryhill and Springburn to encourage us all to do our bit to buy locally and support our local businesses I have been fighting for greater consumer Boveda Hair & Beauty (Maryhill) and Weir’s Butchers (Springburn) both backing Scotland Loves Local protection for energy customers using ‘heat networks’. Street Improvements for Possilpark Scottish Government Minister, Paul I sit on the local Business Wheelhouse MSP, visited Maryhill to Improvement District steering hear first-hand various issues including group. £300,000 of funding has tariffs, bills and reconnection charges. The been secured from the Scottish Scottish Government has now introduced Government (via Glasgow City the Heat Network Bill which proposes a Council) to improve shop fronts. licensing regime for heat networks and There are other initiatives planned are currently seeking the devolution of for the area. My thanks to local consumer protection, a reserved power, businesses who have been to allow them to act fully in this area. Local retailers and shoppers backing #ShopSaracen championing these improvements. w Drug deaths crisis In Parliament The Scottish Government and the Drugs (Picture taken before social distance guidelines) Death Task Force have taken some Improving Family law welcome measures but much more I have been campaigning for some time to needs to be done. improve court procedures in determining child access arrangements, as well as to A range of treatment and support pathways secure the regulation of and minimum should be available. I joined Joe Fitzpatrick standards within child contact centres. at Phoenix Futures, a residential rehab I raised matters with the Minister for facility, and have called for additional rehab Community Safety, Ash Denham MSP, capacity. I also support safe consumption who also took the time to meet impacted constituents. The Scottish Government facilities for drug users, a powerful way With Joe Fitzpatrick MSP, Scotland’s Public listened, passing provisions in the Children to save lives. The power to permit this is Health Minister to meet Springburn’s Rev Brian reserved to Westminster and they have Casey who has supported many families who (Scotland) Act. They also accepted my unfortunately not agreed to this as yet. have lost loved ones to drugs. amendment on disability access at contact centres. Business Support Blochairn Depot Furlough scheme I have supported many local businesses (Picture taken before social distance guidelines) I have called for the UK Government Job to navigate their way through the local Retention Scheme to be maintained, not business grants system and secure Scottish reduced as is happening. I recently told Government funds administered by parliament:- Glasgow City Council. “the Scottish Government has estimated In recent months there have been that extending furlough - quite rightly These grants have been vital during significant complaints relating to flies called the job retention scheme -could save unprecedented times. If you run a local and odour from the Blochairn Recycling 61,000 jobs (in Scotland)….The furlough business and believe you may qualify for Depot. Together with Blochairn Housing scheme is sustaining my constituents’ support, you can find out what is and Councillor Allan Casey we secured jobs, and I have no doubt that ending available by going online to a meeting with the Council and SEPA. it will result in many jobs being lost. I www.findbusinesssupport.gov.scot. Whilst they offered some reassurance over urge Rishi Sunak, as the vast majority of mitigating action being taken, clearly there members in this Parliament do, to think This includes details of the most recent needs to be structural change in where and again on the furlough scheme”.