24August2016
FourMembers Reappointed to the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland
The Minister for Transport and the Islands, HumzaYousaf MSP today announced the reappointment MarsaliCraig, CecilMeiklejohn, HusseinPatwa and KeithRobertson as Members of the Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland.
MarsaliCraig is a Trustee and Director of the MS Society and a former Director of Aberdeen based North-East Sensory Services. She has professional skills and experience as a social worker and as a solicitor and has wide experience of travelling as a disabled person.
CecilMeiklejohn has personal experience having cared for a close family member with severe mobility difficulties for over 30years. She has also worked in both voluntary and public services with people who have complex needs including mobility difficulties. In her current role, she is able to have some influence on both strategic and delivery level of services and continues to promote the equality agenda.
HusseinPatwa was elected as an RNIB Scotland Member Representative in2011 and to the RNIB Scotland Committee shortly thereafter. He was co-opted onto the strategic Living with Sight Loss Programme Board and sat on the Travel, Shopping and Control of Money Programme Board within the same organisation. He is a member of the Customer Council and participates in several strategic projects shaping membership and support services. He is a member of the Scottish Accessible Transport Alliance with a particular interest in accessible rail and local bus transport. He has a background in Business Management, Innovation and Change and Internet Information Systems with e-Business. He currently works as a freelance accessibility consultant with a focus on mainstream access technologies.
KeithRobertson is a Royal Navy veteran. He was invalided out of the service in1973 after an accident that left him disabled and a paraplegic wheelchair user. MrRobertsonis a graduate of Heriot Watt University in Inclusive Environmental Access and Design. He has professional and practical expertise in the field of access for disabled people and in the design of inclusive environments and is the manager for the charity ‘Wheelchairs for Lorraine’.
Reappointments
The reappointments of MrsCraig, MrPatwa and MrRobertson are for fiveyears from 1October2016 to 30September2021. The appointment of MrsMeiklejohn is for threeyears from 1October2016 to 30September2019.
The reappointments are part time and attract a daily rate remuneration of £101per day for a time commitment of oneday per month.
The reappointments are regulated by the Commissioner for Ethical Standards in Public Life in Scotland.
Other Ministerial Appointments
MrsMeiklejohn is a Non-Executive Member of the Board of the Care Inspectorate for which she receives approximately £4,000per annum for a time commitment of two/threedays per month. She has also been appointed as a Member of the Scottish Ambulance Service Board and will take up her appointment on 1December2016. For this she will receive £8,088per annum for a time commitment of three/fourdays per month.
MrsCraig, MrPatwa and MrRobertson do not hold any other Ministerial appointments.
Political Activity
All appointments are made on merit and political activity plays no part in the selection process. However, in accordance with the original Nolan recommendations, there is a requirement for appointees’ political activity within the last fiveyears (if there is any to be declared) to be made public.
MrsMeiklejohn is a member of the Scottish National Party and an elected member of Falkirk Council since2007. She has held a number of executive offices at branch and constituency level. She has also acted as an agent for parliamentary elections and canvassed on behalf of the party.
MrsCraig, MrPatwa and MrRobertson have had no political activity in the last fiveyears.
Background
The Mobility and Access Committee for Scotland(MACS) was set up under the Transport (Scotland) Act2001 to advise Scottish Ministers on disability issues in relation to transport. It also promotes the travel needs of disabled people with transport planners, transport operators and infrastructure providers so these are taken fully into account in the delivery of services.
While supported by Transport Scotland, MACS offers its views independently of government. Equally, MACS is expected to reflect the views of disabled people and organisations representing disabled people, but it works independently of those individuals and organisations.