Home and Away
The Story so far ...
Cathy has spent the last three and a half years splitting her time between her constituency of Falkirk East and her parliamentary duties in Edinburgh.
Now read on ...
A lifelong resident of Grangemouth, Cathy knows the people and places in her constituency well. Her typical working week involves a Monday spent in the Constituency, meeting constituents and local organisations; on Tuesday, she travels to Edinburgh for an Equal Opportunities Committee meeting in the morning and the Education Culture and Sport Committee in the afternoon. Wednesday and Thursday are sittings of the full parliament, and on Friday, it's another full day of constituency meetings, appointments and surgeries.
The parliament is more family friendly than Westminster, but you still need an understanding family. There are no meetings that last until the early hours of the morning, but there are frequently twelve-hour days, and it's rare to have a weekend without any commitments. While her free time has become more precious, Cathy has no regrets.
"I know it's a bit of a cliché, but it really is an honour and a privilege to represent the people of Falkirk East in the Scottish Parliament," says Cathy, "and I never forget who put me there, and the duty that I have to them."
Cathy Writes:
We are now in the final months of the first Scottish Parliament since 1707. It is a parliament that has achieved a great deal, and some of these achievements are dealt with elsewhere in this newsletter.
The achievements are often not the headline grabbing material so beloved of the media. Unfortunately they tend to be overshadowed by the thirst of some journalists and their public for "shock horror scandal" stories and the verbal jousting of party politics.
Albeit to varying degrees, most MSPs have engaged in the more thoughtful and less confrontational politics envisaged by those who helped to recreate the Scottish Parliament. With just a few exceptions, committee members have eschewed the scoring of debating points and concentrated on achieving consensus on the public interest and the way forward.
In the chamber, away from the media oriented showcase of Question Time, debates may not always be fought with extreme passion, but they are generally principled and constructive. Significantly, the Scottish Parliament has not been afraid to step back and reconsider its decisions.
Outside
the chamber and the committee room, there are many more examples of effective
cross party working on particular issues - and admittedly, a few examples
of MSPs who are notable for their lack of such involvement. As with so
much in politics, taking a step in the right direction often highlights
how much further there is to go.
Picture: At Bute House with the winner of Cathy's local Christmas card competition, Shereen Hozain.
Achievements in the Scottish Parliament
Free personal & nursing care Labour has ensured all older people who require personal or nursing care will receive it for free, wherever they are cared for.
Seizing drug dealers' assets Labour have given new powers to both the police and the courts to seize and confiscate the profits made by criminals from drug dealing and other crime.
Investment in public services An extra £4 billion will be spent on Scottish public services by 2005-06. This spending is financing the recruitment of more teachers, doctors and nurses and police.
Free
off peak travel Labour has delivered free local off-peak
bus travel for pensioners and disabled people.
Improved student support No full-time undergraduate student has to pay up-front tuition fees in Scotland. Labour has also introduced access payments of up to £2,000 targeted at students from lower income families.
AND MUCH MUCH MORE ... For a more detailed list of achievements in Health, Education, Jobs, Transport, Crime and other policy areas, there is an expanded version of this newsletter available on request, or you can read it on my web site http://cathypeattiemsp.org.uk
Picture: Bo'ness & Kinneil Railway
Working
for You 
Working
for You in the Scottish Parliament