Kirsty Blackman

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@JadCairnsPT @taxbod @investor_bod @haveigotnews You too ☺️ goodnight! — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@JadCairnsPT @taxbod @investor_bod @haveigotnews All of those who get small business bonus scheme relief or rural relief. — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@JadCairnsPT @taxbod @investor_bod @haveigotnews It literally says “if you’re eligible for a grant you don’t need to repay it”. — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@JadCairnsPT @taxbod @investor_bod @haveigotnews The other answer is quite a lot: https://t.co/eth4dM5dAw — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@JadCairnsPT @taxbod @investor_bod @haveigotnews How many small businesses have a finite office costs budget that cannot be vired from a reduction in travel expenses? — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@JadCairnsPT @taxbod @investor_bod @haveigotnews How many small businesses have a finite office costs budget they cannot be vired from a reduction in travel expenses? — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@JadCairnsPT @taxbod @investor_bod @haveigotnews Did you read my tweet about the printer? I have no idea how I would get it home. And if I did, there’s nowhere to put it. We have desktops in our office which aren’t exactly portable pieces of kit. Thankfully we have been able to borrow laptops from HoC but these nos are limited. — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@JadCairnsPT @taxbod @investor_bod @haveigotnews I don’t expect I’ll spend anywhere near £10k. But I will be fulfilling my h&s obligation to my employees and making sure they have the tech to work from home. I’ll also be making sure we can respond to all constituents whether or not they have internet access. — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@JadCairnsPT @taxbod @investor_bod @haveigotnews Some of my constituents don’t have email. We use email wherever we can, but if someone writes to us and only gives an address, there are not many other ways for us to reply. It’s important we are accessible to all constituents, not just those with email. — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@JadCairnsPT @taxbod @investor_bod @haveigotnews It would, indeed, be possible for me to hand write letters to constituents. I wouldn’t be able to send them copies of correspondence we’ve received from other orgs though. How would you propose we make this work while guarding folk’s confidential info? I don’t own a home printer. — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@taxbod @investor_bod @haveigotnews Our caseload has shot up drastically and we are doing everything we can to help everyone who contacts us. We can’t do this without access to computers. I already use a laptop because I work in two places. My office staff don’t. — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@taxbod @investor_bod @haveigotnews I’m also using funding to pay for mail redirects and potentially to reimburse staff for personal phone use. In my office we have desktops so we’ve had to source laptops for this period. We’ve been able to borrow some from HoC but no.s of these are very limited. — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@taxbod @investor_bod @haveigotnews I won’t be spending £10k. I will be ensuring my staff have the tech they need to do their job, and have h&s considered too. I will ensure we can still write to constituents who don’t have email and that we can send out mandate forms to folk. — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@taxbod @investor_bod @haveigotnews The multifunction printer in my office doesn’t fit in my car. Or in my house, actually. — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@MhairiHunter @DouglasDaniel @PerthshireMags Some kind soul emailed me to say I should sack staff who don’t own their own laptops. — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@acsssoftwareltd @Nick_Pettigrew @Bacchus_Baracus And new tech for home working simultaneously. The reality is I and my office will come nowhere near claiming £10k out of this pot. But I’m glad I can fulfill my H&S obligations to my staff and not require them to pay for work phone calls etc out of their own pockets. — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@acsssoftwareltd @Nick_Pettigrew @Bacchus_Baracus It’s not a £10k bonus. It’s an expense amount that we can claim from. Laptops have never been an issue because they work in the office where they use desktops. The heating in the office has always been expensive, but I’ve never had a year where we’ve had to fund winter heating — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@acsssoftwareltd @Nick_Pettigrew @Bacchus_Baracus My staff work in my office most of the week, not me. Offices in A… https://t.co/kkvL334YxT — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@acsssoftwareltd @Nick_Pettigrew @Bacchus_Baracus Why would they need laptops? We have office desktops that work perfectly well. Desktops are more powerful for the cost and less likely to break. Until now my staff do not work from home. Why would I need a printer? I have one in the office. Sadly it’s too big to take home. — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@AnnaCrosby2710 You’re only a few months younger than me 😉 means we’re both officially ancient! — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

Small bairn: mum, were you just born when Alexander Hamilton died? — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

RT @SeedsOfHopeScot: Hi @drewhendrySNP @FergusEwingMSP! Our first wildflower seeds are now on the way to groups in Scotland who've requeste… — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

These figures are so stark and upsetting. Not “just” numbers at all. Really hammers home why it is so important to #StayHomeSaveLives because it really does. — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@ModernGirlBry @Nick_Pettigrew @Bacchus_Baracus Can you ask for equipment to do your job? If they say no I’d recommend contacting your MP/MSP. I think all employers should be trying hard to provide their employees with what they need. — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@cactusjon @Nick_Pettigrew @Bacchus_Baracus Nobody who works in my office owns a printer. And there would be data protection issues with me emailing constituent’s letters to someone else. — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@IndependentScot @YesWithDex @Nick_Pettigrew @Bacchus_Baracus Yeah we have to use approved suppliers mostly for security and IT support issues. — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@IndependentScot @YesWithDex @Nick_Pettigrew @Bacchus_Baracus MPs who didn’t take this decision and issued laptops as standard are in a much better position than my office right now. — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@IndependentScot @YesWithDex @Nick_Pettigrew @Bacchus_Baracus ... to have time each day when they’re not at the beck and call of emails from constituents (or their boss!) — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@IndependentScot @YesWithDex @Nick_Pettigrew @Bacchus_Baracus I spent 8 years as a staffer before being an MP. We chose desktops for various reasons - more reliable, more powerful for the money, less likely to break. Also staff in my office are not expected to work from home in usual times. Job is all consuming and I believe they need... — PolitiTweet.org

Kirsty Blackman @KirstySNP

@LynneRoach2019 @MhairiHunter @MrMcEnaney @Nick_Pettigrew We’re not being given £10k. It’s an increase in the pot we can claim expenses from. I am spending far less on travel just now (which is uncapped). — PolitiTweet.org