http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/ George Foulkes MSP's news feed from parliament en-GB Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:33:30 +0100Thu, 01 Jan 1970 01:33:30 +0100 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/news.xml PHP George.Foulkes.MSP@scottish.parliament.uk George.Foulkes.MSP@scottish.parliament.uk http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/60 THE Scottish Government has confirmed that the wealthy have benefited by four times as much as the poorest from its council tax freeze in Scotland's capital. The revelation comes amid calls for the SNP to drop its council tax freeze next year when councils look set to be forced to make massive ... Thu, 26 Aug 2010 11:54:45 +0100 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/60 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/59 NEW fears about the future of Edinburgh's police forensic crime laboratory have emerged following the publication of a four option modernisation report Forensic scientists who have helped solve cases like the Vicky Hamilton murder could be uprooted from the Capital and relocated to ... Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:33:13 +0100 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/59 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/57 Lord Foulkes said he would not be standing in next year's Scottish Parliament elections. The Lothians MSP said: "I have made it clear my name is not to go forward even for an allegedly 'unwinnable' seat." He now plans to focus his political efforts on his rol... Thu, 19 Aug 2010 13:04:55 +0100 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/57 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/56 George Foulkes MSP has congratulated the singer songwriter and social commentator, Billy Bragg, on his new initiative Jail Guitar Doors. The project established and promoted by Billy Bragg aims to provide guitars to prisons that are using mus... Wed, 04 Aug 2010 10:46:04 +0100 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/56 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/55 George Foulkes MSP has urged that the enquiry into the release of the Lockerbie bomber be reopened. In light of the increasing speculation, on both sides of the Atlantic... Fri, 23 Jul 2010 13:39:48 +0100 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/55 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/54 NEW fears about the future of Edinburgh's police forensic crime laboratory were voiced today as staff awaited the publication of a report on whether services were to be centralised.  Forensic scientists who have helped solve cases like the Vicky Hamilton murder could be uprooted fro... Tue, 13 Jul 2010 16:57:59 +0100 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/54 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/53 LOTHIANS Labour MSP George Foulkes yesterday voiced renewed fears about the future of Edinburgh's police forensic laboratory. The Evening News revealed last year that staff feared the Scottish Police Services Authority planned to concentrate forensic work for Edinburgh and Glasgow at new labo... Thu, 24 Jun 2010 14:51:02 +0100 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/53 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/52 MOST of the elite group of university principals in Scotland are still accepting enhanced salary packages at a time when higher education finances are under extreme pressure, Scotland on Sunday can reveal. Despite calls by Scottish ministers for restraint, documents released under ... Wed, 16 Jun 2010 14:55:03 +0100 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/52 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/51 A Bill to require Property Factors to comply with a code of conduct and be registered has been published by Patricia Ferguson MSP.  The Property Factors (Scotland) Bill will make it an offence for a property factor to operate without being registered, and will also introduce an... Thu, 03 Jun 2010 12:39:54 +0100 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/51 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/50 Mephedrone and related cathinones are now controlled under the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971. From the 16th April 2010, they became classified as Class B drugs, meaning that they are illegal to be sold and illegal to possess. The consequences of Class B classification are now a maximum penalty of 5 years... Thu, 27 May 2010 16:08:59 +0100 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/50 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/49 It is welcome news that crime has dropped significantly in Lothian and Borders, with violence, dishonesty and vandalism all down in the last year, however, with ongoing Local and Scottish budget cuts this progress is now under threat. Figures released yesterday revealed 6,000 ... Thu, 15 Apr 2010 14:24:41 +0100 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/49 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/48 Earth Hour 2010 - organised by the WWF (World Wide Fund for Nature) - is set to be the world's largest mass participation event ever recorded. In a symbolic act intended to raise awareness of cli... Thu, 25 Mar 2010 12:24:18 +0000 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/48 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/47 George Foulkes, MSP has caused a stir by putting down a motion at the Scottish Parliament calling for conversation to begin with private schools to start turning them into state schools. ... Tue, 23 Mar 2010 14:35:08 +0000 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/47 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/46 A community-based credit union is extending its low cost loans and savings scheme to almost 50,000 people. Craigmillar Credit Union has increased the area it covers to include Duddingston, Portobello, Craigentinny, Willowbrae and Restalrig. The non-pro... Thu, 18 Mar 2010 11:57:21 +0000 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/46 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/45 The Scottish Governments handling of Scottish education has come under fire again after it was reported that the Scottish government legislation to enforce maximum class sizes of 25 will not be ready in time for the next school year. It has also emerged that many Primary 1 children in Edinbur... Thu, 11 Mar 2010 16:53:01 +0000 http://www.georgefoulkesmsp.com/home/news/45