Latest news with #ClareHaughey
Daily Record
3 days ago
- General
- Daily Record
Rutherglen MSP highlights support to help families with cost of learning
Clare Haughey spoke as children went back to school. As children across South Lanarkshire head back to school this week, Rutherglen MSP Clare Haughey has highlighted the wide range of support available to help families with the cost of learning. This includes over 7400 Best Start Grant, School Age Payments worth a total of £2,057,810 paid out to local families in the last year. The Best Start Grant, School Age Payment is a one-off payment of £314.45 to eligible families when their child starts primary school, to help with essentials such as school uniforms, shoes and bags. This is in addition to the Best Start Foods payment card, which supports families with the cost of healthy food throughout the year. The Scottish Government has also expanded free school meals to all pupils in primary one to five, with plans to extend this to all primary pupils in the lifetime of this parliament. Free school meals save families hundreds of pounds each year while ensuring every child has access to a healthy, nutritious lunch. Ms Haughey said: 'The start of the school year is an exciting time for children, but it can also be a financially challenging time for families. 'That's why I'm proud that in the last year alone, over £2million has gone to families in South Lanarkshire through the Best Start Grant, School Age Payment. 'From the Best Start Grant and School Clothing Grants, to free school meals and the Scottish Child Payment, the Scottish Government is taking real, practical action to support families and tackle child poverty - using the powers we have to put money in the pockets of families, and ensuring every child has the best possible start in life.'
Daily Record
30-07-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Rutherglen MSP Clare Haughey welcomes figures showing nearly 40,000 Baby Boxes have been delivered across NHS Lanarkshire
Designed so that every child is given an equal start in life, the Baby Boxes are full of essentials like baby clothes, blankets, books and bibs. Rutherglen MSP Clare Haughey has welcomed new figures that reveal 39,619 Baby Boxes have been delivered across NHS Lanarkshire since the scheme was introduced in 2017. Designed so that every child is given an equal start in life, the Baby Boxes are full of essentials like baby clothes, blankets, books and bibs. The box also includes nursing pads and a thermometer, and can be used itself as a bed for newborns. Ms Haughey, who when Children's Minister had responsibility for the scheme, has said Baby Boxes are helping to ease the financial pressure on families during the cost of living crisis. In total, 346,959 boxes have now been distributed to parents across Scotland since the project's inception. Ms Haughey told Lanarkshire Live: "It's fantastic that almost 40,000 Baby Boxes have been delivered to families living under the NHS Lanarkshire health board since the Scottish government introduced them in 2017. "We know that raising a child is an expensive endeavour, and these jam-packed Baby Boxes help to ensure that each child born in Scotland is given an equal start in life and is supporting families during a cost of living crisis. "The Baby Box is part of the Scottish Government offering to support new families - alongside 1140 hours of free childcare for three, four and eligible two-year-olds, and giving families financial certainty by scrapping the two-child benefit cap and introducing the Scottish Child Payment." To get a Baby Box you need to be registered with a midwife and living in Scotland. Your midwife will fill in a registration card with you at either your 18 to 20 week appointment or 28-week appointment They will then send the registration card away and you don't need to do anything else. Your Baby Box it will be delivered between four weeks before your due date up until your due date. Visit to find out further details on Baby Boxes. *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
Daily Record
07-07-2025
- General
- Daily Record
Rutherglen's MSP welcomes major expansion of free school meals as Trinity High pupils take part in the project's pilot
Clare Haughey is "absolutely delighted" the school in her constituency is playing such a key role. Rutherglen's MSP has welcomed a major expansion of free school meals as Trinity High pupils take part in the project's pilot. Clare Haughey is "absolutely delighted" the school in her constituency is playing such a key role. South Lanarkshire is one of eight councils selected to take part in the Test of Change phase of the Scottish Government's Free School Meal expansion, running from next month to July 2026. The move will see over 400 more young people in the area benefit from a free, nutritious meal every school day, helping families save money and ensuring no child goes hungry. Trinity High School in Rutherglen is one of the schools involved in the most recent expansion, which builds upon the Scottish Government's existing provision of free meals to all pupils in P1 to P5, and all eligible pupils in P6 to S6, with more than 230,000 children across Scotland already benefiting. Clare Haughey MSP told Lanarkshire Live: "I'm absolutely delighted that Trinity High School has been chosen to take part in this pilot. "It means that even more young people in our community will have access to a free, healthy meal each day - and that's a game changer for many families. "At a time when household budgets are under real pressure, this is practical support that makes a real difference. "It's also about fairness, and making sure every child has the same chance to thrive in school." Ms Haughey added: "Councils were asked to identify schools which already have the capacity in place to deliver these additional meals. "The increase in cooking and preparation requires adequate space and staffing levels, and so not every school could accommodate this. "I have, therefore, written to the council to learn more about capacity in other local schools, and to hear about what work is being doing to increase this capacity, to accommodate any future expansion after the pilot phase." If your child attends Trinity High, is in S1-S3, and you receive the Scottish Child Payment, you can apply for free meals using the council's online form at Families who already receive free school meals do not have to reapply. *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
Daily Record
11-06-2025
- Health
- Daily Record
Rutherglen MSP welcomes £6.6 million of funding to reduce waiting times in Lanarkshire
This investment is part of the Scottish Government's £200 million commitment in the Programme for Government to increase NHS capacity, reduce delayed discharge, and improve the flow of patients through hospitals. Rutherglen MSP Clare Haughey has welcomed the Scottish Government's announcement of £6.6 million of targeted funding to reduce waiting times in Lanarkshire, as part of £106 million new investment across NHS Scotland. This investment is part of the Scottish Government's £200 million commitment in the Programme for Government to increase NHS capacity, reduce delayed discharge, and improve the flow of patients through hospitals. Ms Haughey said: 'This is another clear example of our SNP Government delivering for our NHS, with real action to cut waiting times and get patients in South Lanarkshire the care they need faster. 'By focusing funding where it's needed most, like orthopaedics, cancer, and diagnostics, we're helping tackle the longest delays head-on. 'This will mean quicker, diagnoses, more procedures, and better outcomes for people in South Lanarkshire. 'South Lanarkshire communities deserve timely access to care, and this SNP Government is making the investment to deliver that. While we know some people have to wait too long for treatment, the SNP is getting on with the job of driving improvements for patients.' *Don't miss the latest headlines from around Lanarkshire. Sign up to our newsletters here.
Daily Record
05-05-2025
- Politics
- Daily Record
Winter Fuel Payment cuts hit 36,000 pensioners in South Lanarkshire ahead of crunch by-election
EXCLUSIVE: Data from the Scottish Parliament's independent research unit showed that 36,057 pensioners in the council area are now missing out on the £300 payment. Some 36,000 pensioners in South Lanarkshire have been hit by the Winter Fuel Payment cut ahead of a crunch by-election next month. Data from the Scottish Parliament's independent research unit showed that 36,057 pensioners in the council area are now missing out on the £300 payment. The figure across Scotland is 900,000. Voters go to the polls in Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse in just over four weeks time. SNP MSP Clare Haughey urged Scottish Labour leader Anas Sarwar to condemn the cuts. The Rutherglen MSP said: 'The UK Labour government at Westminster's decision to balance the books on the backs of our older people is a betrayal of their election promises - and these figures show the true cost of Labour austerity. 'Tens of thousands of pensioners in South Lanarkshire, and across Scotland, have lost out on vital support because of Labour's absurd decision to continue Tory fiscal rules. So will Anas Sarwar finally condemn these cuts, or is he determined to accept the orders of his Westminster bosses? 'The SNP delivers for Scotland. That's why we are reinstating universal support for pensioners this winter - which will benefit more than 36,000 people in South Lanarkshire alone. 'The public is disappointed with a Labour Party that promised they would be different from the Tories. And with the rise of Nigel Farage's Reform - and Labour's inevitable shift to the right - Scotland needs to escape from a Westminster government that will only ever treat it as an afterthought. 'Under John Swinney's leadership, only the SNP is on Scotland's side. That's the message we will continue to take to the doorsteps with the Holyrood election now just one year away.' One of Labour's first moves after winning last year's general election was to scrap the universal Winter Fuel Payment. The SNP Government has said it will bring back a universal payment later this year. This will be worth at least £100 each. Scottish Labour has said it would do the same. The Winter Fuel Payment cut has been very unpopular. It has been touted as one of the main reasons the party is doing so poorly in the polls. Next month's by-election will be a big test for both the SNP and Labour ahead of next year's Holyrood election. Pollsters have so far said it is neck and neck between the two. Scottish Labour deputy leader Jackie Baillie said: " Winter Fuel Payments are devolved and a Scottish Labour government will reinstate these payments - it is desperate spin for the SNP to pretend otherwise. "Thousands of pensioners across South Lanarkshire and the whole of Scotland are better off because Labour protected the pension triple lock. "The SNP is deflecting because it has no positive vision for Scotland's future and cannot defend its record in government. "Only Scottish Labour can put an end to SNP mismanagement and decline."
