by Christine Jardine Liberal Democrat MP for Edinburgh West.
It has been quite a first six months for Christine.
There has been no shortage of issues to tackle either here in the constituency or down at Westminster.
One of the biggest at Westminster has been State Pension Inequality for women born in the 1950s. Indeed the so-called WASPI women issue affects thousands of women across the country, and I am now co-sponsor of a bill, tabled by an All Party Group, calling for an urgent review of the implementation of pension changes and the cost of compensation.
It’s an issue I care deeply about and will also be raising at my party’s autumn conference with my coll ague Alex Cole-Hamilton. None of us disputes that the demographic changes we face demand we look again at retirement ages designed for a very different age.
But the incompetent and thoughtless way that pension changes for women born in the 1950s were implemented was simply unacceptable.
In terms of issues at home there have been many, the Scottish Water roadworks in various areas, problems with anti-social behaviour by youngsters and the continuing issues with GP shortages and the NHS generally across Edinburgh West.
Many of you have written, come to my regular surgeries or popped into the office at 125a St John’s Road to draw these to my attention.
In most cases we have worked with either MSP Alex Cole-Hamilton or your local Lib Dem councillors to find a solution.but there have also been many which demanded direct representations to the Home Office or Department of Work and Pensions.
However one issue stands out: the Edinburgh Airport flightpath proposals.
This issue has caused major concerns for residents in both Cramond and South Queensferry.
Since the process began I have had regular meetings on the issue with Cramond residents and was in South Queensferry to hear how the prospect of flights over that community for the first time is raising fears over noise and pollution.
I have made representations to the airport, the Civil Aviation Authority and to the National Air Traffic Service against the proposals in behalf in the communities and we are all now waiting on a decision from the CAA.
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