SNP MSP Roddick has stated the importance of introducing a minimum income guarantee in Scotland, which would ensure nobody would fall under a set income level. Asking the Scottish Government to provide an update on the work of the Minimum Income Guarantee Steering Group, Roddick stated: “My region has some of the highest poverty levels [...]

Emma Roddick has today praised the Scottish Government for challenging the UK Government on its supposed plans to unilaterally change the Northern Ireland Protocol, which was part of its Brexit deal, a course of action the Highlands and Islands MSP has described as “careless”. Commenting Roddick said: “It’s not surprising that the UK Government is [...]

£161,630 has been spent this year in Orkney mitigating cruel Tory cuts including the disgraceful bedroom tax. In 2021/22 £161,630 was provided by the SNP Scottish Government in Discretionary Housing Payments to protect families from cuts, with £137,413 spent mitigating the impact of the cruel Tory bedroom tax in Orkney. Across Scotland £82million has been [...]

Emma Roddick has today highlighted the need to find balance in achieving net-zero whilst also not pushing island communities further into fuel poverty.  The Highlands and Islands MSP expressed her support for Scottish Government plans to achieve carbon-neutral status in the Isles whilst also sharing concerns on how this could be achieved fairly. Commenting she [...]

“It’s impossible to leave politics at the door on this" Social Justice and Social Security Committee member Emma Roddick MSP has condemned what she described as the UK Government’s hamstringing of the Scottish Government’s efforts to end child poverty in Scotland. The Highlands and Islands MSP pressed witnesses on the difficulties of a hybrid social [...]

Highlands and Islands MSP Emma Roddick has visited the new Social Security Scotland headquarters in Dundee in her capacity as a member of the Social Security Committee in the Scottish Parliament. The SNP representative described the work the team there is doing in redesigning adult disability benefits in Scotland as  “revolutionary”. She said: “I’m on [...]

SNP MSP Emma Roddick has raised points to the Minister for Social Security on current plans to transfer some of those receiving the Disability Living Allowance to the Adult Disability Payment scheme. The transfer, which is set to be completed by 2025 will see around 44,000 people switch to ADP starting this summer. In Thursday’s [...]

Speaking in the Scottish Parliament on Thursday [31ST MARCH], Highlands and Islands MSP Emma Roddick backed the call by a cross-party group of MSPs on the UK Government’s Department of Work and Pensions to share anonymised data on benefits sanctions with a team of University of Glasgow-based researchers. Roddick, who herself has experience of living [...]

Highlands and Islands MSP Emma Roddick has lambasted the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s Spring Statement, noting recent polling that suggests over 80% of people in Scotland are worried about the cost of living crisis. Commenting, Roddick said: “The Tories can talk about responsible government all they like but the truth is that they are hiking [...]

Highlands and Islands MSP Emma Roddick has welcomed the passing of emergency regulations from the Scottish Government which will ensure that Ukrainian refugees brought to the UK won’t face extra barriers when claiming social security they are entitled to. The decision to make the change passed without opposition in the Parliament this evening, and will [...]