MSPs return to Holyrood tomorrow, meaning summer recess is over. I’ve thoroughly enjoyed spending the last two months visiting organisations and business across Inverclyde and am already thinking about my visits come the October recess.

Before that, though, this week we will learn the contents of the Scottish Government’s Programme for Government for the next year.

It’s fair to say that the decisions that have been taken by the new UK Labour Government and Sir Keir Starmer’s comments about the Autumn Budget indicate that the financials do not look good.

Budgets are being squeezed even further, and it’s clear that the Scottish Government are doing all they can to protect public services from austerity.

In other news, September marks Recovery Month – so I was pleased to attend Hope in the Square on Thursday to show my support for the variety of local organisations that support people with addictions as well as their friends and family.

‘Hope’ is very much the right word, because at the Recovery Roundtable I hosted last Monday with local recovery organisations, it’s abundantly clear that there is a lot of positive work underway.

In many regards, Inverclyde is leading the way in terms of partnership working across the recovery sector. However, issues like poverty and deprivation are continuing to hamper efforts to tackle drug and alcohol related harm.

That’s why Recovery Month is so important – as it helps shine a light on the positive, but is mindful of the challenge we still face as a society to tackle the root causes that can lead someone to become dependent on drugs or alcohol.