Karen Adam
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“That is the question that I come back to: who is this growth for? When I think about economic growth in Banffshire and Buchan Coast, I do not think first about a graph or a statistic; I think about the young folk in Buckie who wonder whether there will be a good job for them if they stay in their home town.”
“In my constituency, I see that potential everywhere. Fraserburgh harbour has a master plan that looks to future proof one of Scotland’s key fishing ports. Peterhead port, with links to fishing, energy and trade, is already a massive asset for Scotland.”
“I welcome the cabinet secretary to his new post. It is great to see him in the Parliament. When we talk about the economy, it can sometimes feel like we are talking about something that is quite abstract—something that is separate from people’s everyday lives.”
“It affects access to education, work, freight, business confidence and how quickly and cleanly produce from one of Europe’s most important fishing ports can reach the market.”
“Karen Adam: I thank the member for that intervention because it gives me the opportunity to say that I have already opened conversations and will discuss what next steps the campaign is asking for.”
“The range of amendments before us shows exactly why Scotland needs these powers to be in Scotland’s hands. While other parties pull the debate towards delay, denial, dependence or unrealistic simplicity, my constituents need a serious Scottish plan that is rooted in jobs, bills, climate responsibility and, importantly, a community benefit…”
The complete record
Every one of 357 lines we hold for Karen Adam, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 8 of 8.
“It is time that compensation was paid and that WASPI women truly get the justice that they deserve. 18:33”
“The decision is an affront to justice and it perpetuates the systemic inequality that women face in retirement. Olive’s story is one of resistance and resilience, but it is also one of unnecessary hardship that has been caused by a failure of governance and a lack of compassion. Her story is one among hundreds of thousands across Scotland. Last night, when I spoke to Olive Sharpe, she urged Labour to reconsider and asked me to put a question to Scottish Labour. Does the current UK Government, which supported the WASPI campaign since the beginning, really wish to add its failure to this maladministration? Westminster has shown us yet again that, whichever party is elected in London, the people of Scotland and—in this case—the women of Scotland, are continually let down.”
“She planned her retirement around the understanding that she would receive her state pension at the age of 60. That promise was broken, and Olive was left scrambling to cover her expenses when the state pension age rose unexpectedly for her. Fast forward to recent months, and a glimmer of hope was offered to those WASPI women. In opposition, Labour promised the world. The leader of Scottish Labour said: “Under my leadership, WASPI women will finally receive the justice they deserve.” After promising the world to get elected, what did Labour offer our WASPI women? Absolutely nothing. Is that truly what Scottish Labour thinks of WASPI women and what they deserve? Labour said to vote for it for change and all we have seen is short change.”
“That injustice stems from a series of failures, and the decision to raise the state pension age for women who were born in the 1950s without proper communication or consideration of its impact only exacerbated the impact of those failures. Women were left unprepared and unable to make the necessary financial arrangements, and many faced, and continue to face, significant hardship as a result. Notwithstanding the emotional distress that has been caused by the woeful handling of the fiasco, the ombudsman was clear that the women who are affected are owed compensation. Let me share the story of Olive Sharpe. Olive is the co-ordinator of the Banff and Buchan WASPI supporters group. Like thousands of women who were born in the 1950s, Olive worked hard for her entire life.”
“Although we have moved on in attitudes and employment practices to help to alleviate that inequality, progress has been slower than is acceptable, and throughout the time of the WASPI women’s working years, the world really has become a different place. Because they often have to care for children and other family members and are usually the first to sacrifice employment altogether because of family commitments, women retire with significantly less savings than men. On average, women have £123,000 less in pension savings than their male counterparts. A woman who is aged 25 today would need to work a staggering additional 18 years in full-time employment to retire with the same pension pot as a man. The stark fact is that two thirds of pensioners who are living in poverty are women and half of them are single.”
“I, too, congratulate Kenny Gibson on securing the debate, and I welcome the WASPI women to our Parliament. To add context to my contribution, I feel that it is important primarily to set out the circumstances as they might have been a few decades ago for many women across Scotland, especially women who are of pension age now. We already understand—and it is widely accepted—that women have disproportionately borne the burden of care responsibilities. Women, in particular those in low-income or part-time employment, have also long been disadvantaged in the working environment. I thank Close the Gap for its briefing, which sets out clearly how the pension system was designed around the model of a male breadwinner role in a way that fails to account for the disrupted work patterns of women who have care-giving responsibilities.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to reported calls from constituents to save local government services, in light of reports that some services across Banffshire and Buchan Coast are under threat of closure. (S6O-04178)”