Gavin Newlands, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, has responded to data which confirms that Ferguslie Park has been identified as the area of Scotland with the greatest level of deprivation. It is the second time in succession that the area has been at the bottom of the Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation (SIMD). Gavin Newlands, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, said: “The Scottish Index of Multiple Deprivation published today makes it clear that there is a lot o

Gavin Newlands, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, has written to the UK Government and urged them to ensure that students are placed at the heart of the decision making on their education. The UK Government are pushing forward with their Higher Education Bill which intends to establish an Office for Students that aims to ‘promote the student interest and value for money, and reduce the regulatory burden on the sector.’ However, despite pleas from students, the UK Governm

Gavin Newlands, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, has called on the UK Government to ensure that higher education institutions in Scotland do not lose out on vital funding in the aftermath of Brexit – after new figures demonstrated the importance of Horizon 2020 funding to universities in Scotland. The figures obtained by the SNP show that Scottish higher education institutions receive just under €165 million in Horizon 2020 funding – with the University of the West of S

Gavin Newlands, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, has visited the Local Energy Action Plan (LEAP) in Bridge of Weir to find out more about the work that they’re doing to help lift people out of fuel poverty. LEAP is a community project funded by the Scottish Government’s Climate Change fund and offers free impartial advice to help households reduce their energy use and fuel bills. LEAP support community renewable energy generation, local schools, young people’s activitie

Theresa May must not shirk the UK’s responsibility to ending Europe’s refugee crisis, the SNP has said as the UN marks World Humanitarian Day on Friday 19th August. The Tory Prime Minister opposed accepting the UK’s fair share of Syrian refugees, including lone children, while Home Secretary – despite fully supporting the bombing campaign in Syria. Scotland has led the way on the resettlement of refugees, with new figures showing that 38% of those resettled in the UK we

Gavin Newlands, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, has challenged Renfrewshire Council Leader, Councillor Mark MacMillan, to consult widely with the public on any review that is carried out on the reduced services offered at the waste and recycling centres. During a Facebook Live interview with Paisley.org, Councillor MacMillan stated that Renfrewshire Council will review the recent decision to slash services at the amenity and refugee sites in Renfrew, Linwood, Johnstone

Gavin Newlands, the MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, has voiced his criticism that the UK government has fundamentally failed in reassuring key sectors and businesses over their future, as the Treasury announces limited measures to plug the gap in EU funding in the wake of Brexit. The Chancellor’s insubstantial promises on protecting only certain funding streams until 2020 have been challenged as “offering next to no comfort” for farmers, fishermen and other valued indu

G avin Newlands, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, has supported calls for the Tory Government to “act with urgency” over its efforts to halve the disability employment gap and commit to a timetable for delivering the long-awaited Green Paper on support for disabled people and those with ill health. The Tory Party made halving the disability employment gap a key manifesto pledge in the run-up to last year’s general election but despite this commitment and the overall emp

Gavin Newlands, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, has highlighted figures from the European Commission showing that the University of West of Scotland is one of the top ‘receiving’ institutions of Erasmus students in the UK - and has called on the UK Government to commit to protecting the Erasmus scheme following the Brexit vote. The figures, from 2014, show that a total of 338 students attended the University of West of Scotland as part of an Erasmus study programme,

Gavin Newlands, MP for Paisley and Renfrewshire North, has reacted angrily to the news that the Bank of Scotland is planning on closing its branch in Bishopton. The Bank of Scotland has confirmed that the branch will close on the 2nd of November 2016. This is the result of the Group’s Strategic Review which was announced in October 2014 and included a programme of planned branch closures. Customers are now being advised to access on-line banking or move their accounts to the