I'm Alison Kirk and I live in Lybster, 15 miles South of Wick in Caithness. I'm 70 years old, and have been disabled for more than 20 years. I am an ex CAB advisor and an active member of the tenant participation in disabled forums for the Highland Council. I have a lot of friends with different disabilities. I am also incorporating some of their reasons in this. I have found it we have found it difficult to engage with the Scottish Parliament. Because we find it so difficult to get to the surgeries because of the awful public transport service. If you have children. It's worse because of school times. The bus service is not disabled friendly, either so unless you have a car. It becomes impossible. The surgeries are not normally in the smaller villages and even if there are there is no transport to the next village. Not having surgeries in the village means that people who are not confident outside the village cannot go.
Committee's need to prioritise people with disabilities and give them support to travel to Parliament or MSPs need to travel to them
Committees can engage with people with disabilities or in remote areas through local contacts such as Pastors, community councils?
The transport issue is a big one especially in Highlands
Centralised email contact is a good idea. This can then be redirected to the correct MSP.
There needs to be a prioritisation of people with disabilities
MSPs can rotate their surgeries so there are some held in smaller villages at least one a Month maybe?
Online Surgeries
Could there be an option for MSPs to do home visits? Half a day once a Month?
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