OVER the past few months, I have received many letters and emails from constituents throughout East Lothian who are frustrated because they can’t get a GP appointment.

Many are concerned that our local shops are closing in our town centres due to high business rates (set to increase) and poor town centre parking. But the biggest worry remains on the 10,000 houses coming to East Lothian that many fear will have a negative impact on vital public services.

It will not have escaped your notice that the SNP have been daydreaming about calling a second independence referendum – like a chocoholic fantasising about chocolate during Lent.

Since the election on May 7, Scottish Parliament has sat for 68 days without a single piece of legislation being brought forward by the SNP for debate. The last time the Parliament debated a Bill was on March 22, a staggering 10 months ago.

In their programme for Government, the SNP have set out fourteen Bills to be introduced in 2016/17. They have introduced only four of these Bills and will have to push through the remaining 11 Bills in the next two months.

Over the same time, the SNP have tabled 17 debates and statements on Brexit and discussed numerous differentiated models for Scotland to remain in the EU whilst the rest of the UK leaves. Models such as the Faroes Islands, Norway, Lichtenstein and Switzerland have been bandied around.

According to the EU, there will be no special deal for Scotland. Europe will only negotiate with the UK Government as the member state. Meanwhile, the First Minister of Scotland continues to use Brexit as an excuse to threaten a second independence referendum.

Nicola Sturgeon does not speak for Scotland and she certainly doesn’t speak for East Lothian. In 2014, she said she would respect the result of the referendum. East Lothian voted 62 per cent to 38 per cent to remain part of the United Kingdom. Hardworking Scots are living under a cloud of uncertainty fuelled by the threat of a second independence referendum that now only 27 per cent of Scottish voters want to have.

The SNP Government are sleeping on the job. The Scottish Conservatives want to debate issues that affect us on a day-to-day basis, such as schools, the health service, Police Scotland, businesses and the economy.

The Scottish Conservatives are sticking to our commitment of holding the SNP Government to account.