Evelyn Tweed
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“My love affair with Stirling began immediately when my family moved to Doune in 2016—the welcoming people, the beautiful scenery and the atmosphere of the Trossachs. It was just stunning.”
“This will be my last speech in Parliament, Deputy Presiding Officer, so I hope that you will indulge me with an extra few words today. Tourism is a key industry across Scotland. It is amazing to be able to welcome visitors and share our country and all that it has to offer, but high footfall has an impact on infrastructure.”
“I thank my political mentor, David Shearer, for his unwavering advice and good humour. I thank my party and its members for the opportunity to be here. I also do not forget the great teachers that I had who helped shape my love of life and politics: Mr Mulligan, Mr Johnson and Mr Mochan—Carol’s dad.”
“I know what it feels like to come from poverty, to be homeless and to feel that no one cares for you. I have loved that part of my role, and I would like to thank everyone who has come to me over the years. I hope that I did your cause justice. It has been a privilege to serve you.”
“I start my speech with the words of Kate Buchanan, who was a constituent of mine. Kate said: “I don’t want to die, but I am going to … I want to be just like the rest of you—not thinking of dying all the time. But I can’t, it consumes me, it totally dominates my living, worrying about what is going to happen to me and my family.”
“She had stockpiled some medications to be able to take her own life, but, ultimately, we decided we didn’t have the knowledge to be sure of using them effectively and safely, and we didn’t want to put a friendly GP or a GP friend in a difficult or unlawful position by asking for advice.” He went on: “While Kate was an effective supporter…”
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“In this year’s budget, more than 100 organisations across Scotland that work to tackle violence against women and girls will share in a funding uplift of £2.4 million. That will bring the annual total of funding provided to them to £21.6 million. The delivering equally safe fund, which funds such front-line projects, has supported nearly 60,000 adults, children and young people since 2021. It is key that survivors feel supported and are able to understand their options, and Government measures such as the victim-centred approach fund play a key role in supporting that work. The fund provided £18.5 million for advocacy support for survivors of gender-based violence. Changes to legislation such as the Forensic Medical Services (Victims of Sexual Offences) (Scotland) Act 2021 also give some agency to survivors of gender-based violence.”
“Inequality harms us all. It curtails the ambition and potential of those on its receiving end and it also harms society more widely. The Scottish Government recognises the nature of inequalities and strives to address their symptoms as well as their root causes. In this speech, I will focus on gender- based violence, which is both a symptom and a cause of gender inequality. We have so many amazing organisations working across Scotland that bring passion, dedication, care and expertise to their work in helping their service users. I applaud the work of those in my constituency, such as the Forth Valley Rape Crisis Centre, Stirling and District Women’s Aid and HSTAR Scotland, the latter of which specialises in helping women whose first language is not English.”
“I move amendment S6M-16755.1, to leave out from “, such as toilets” to end and insert: “; acknowledges concerns about dignity and privacy; notes recent research on safety in hospitals relating to rape and sexual assault; calls for more accurate recording and reporting in the NHS, including to the police, leading to better protections; further calls for an end to mixed sex wards; supports ensuring that schools are designed as accessible and welcoming environments for all, including accessible and single-sex toilets, and calls for the Scottish Government to outline how single-sex provision will be delivered in public buildings, such as schools and hospitals, and in line with legal obligations.” 15:18”
“Shockingly, Police Scotland could give details for only 29 per cent of the cases, meaning that the real number of sexual assaults must be far higher. Let me make a direct plea to the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice. Will she commit to urgently working with the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care, NHS Scotland and Police Scotland to ensure that there is more accurate recording and reporting of sexual crimes in the NHS? Can she ensure that the SNP lives up to its long-standing pledge to end not only corridor care but mixed-sex wards? Finally, will the cabinet secretary bring clarity in the Government’s actions by ensuring that single-sex spaces based on biological sex are protected for women and girls, as is set out in the Equality Act 2010?”
“The chaos in hospitals is not just humiliating for individual patients; it provides a backdrop for an even darker turn of events. There were 276 recorded sexual assaults and 12 recorded rapes in Scottish hospitals in the past five years alone, according to freedom of information requests submitted by the Women’s Rights Network. Of the 288 sexual assaults and rapes that were recorded, more than half occurred on a hospital ward. Lorna Slater: Were any of them by trans people? Jackie Baillie: I ask the member please not to interject from a sedentary position. I do not have time to take interventions. The surroundings where those assaults took place included a children’s hospital, two maternity hospitals and a palliative care hospital.”
“Yet in 2024, only two health boards, NHS Dumfries and Galloway and NHS Orkney, confirmed that they offered single- sex accommodation across all of their wards. The remaining 12 health boards offered mixed-sex accommodation in at least some of their wards—a far cry from the pledge that was made. The reality is that, too often, women are stuck not even in mixed-sex wards but in corridors. Most members are aware of the recent harrowing report by the Royal College of Nursing, which described corridor care. One Scottish nurse described having to use privacy screens around patients so that they could use the bedpan. As the director of the Royal College of Nursing Scotland said, “This is completely unacceptable for patient safety and staff wellbeing.” Lorna Slater: Will the member give way? Jackie Baillie: I do not have time. Sorry.”
“Will the member take an intervention on that point? Jackie Baillie: Sorry, but I have lost a lot of time already. It must do that by swiftly giving clarity to public bodies about the need to ensure the availability of single-sex spaces for women and girls. We all know that NHS staff already go above and beyond the line of duty, so our hospitals should be places where staff do not have to worry about the facilities—their sole focus should be on the job. The reality is that, even when the SNP now commits to a clear principle, it simply fails to deliver in practice. For 20 years now, first Scottish Labour and then SNP Administrations have required health boards to eliminate mixed-sex accommodation in hospitals.”
“To ask the Scottish Government how it will work with the national health service to ensure that infrastructure is in place to meet demand for adult attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and autism assessments, in light of reports that NHS Forth Valley has closed its service. (S6O-04400)”
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app would not connect; I would have voted yes. The Presiding Officer: Thank you, Ms Tweed. We will ensure that that is recorded.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what consideration is being given to increasing community resilience and supporting communities’ ability to respond to storm-related disruption such as power outages. (S6O-04331)”
“To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting community efforts to preserve built heritage, ancient monuments and archaeological sites. (S6O-04240)”
“As a flagship community project in Scotland, Big Noise is an excellent example of how culture can have a direct positive impact on some of our most deprived areas, giving young people an opportunity to succeed and realise their potential. The Stirling Smith Art Gallery and Museum continues to play a central role in preserving and showcasing local heritage. With a diverse range of exhibitions and outreach programmes, it engages people of all ages to have a deeper connection to Stirling’s history and identity. To pick up on Murdo Fraser’s points, I am hopeful that funding will be found from the budget of the local authority, which is run by Labour and the Tories, to help that amazing organisation. Creative Stirling adds another layer of vibrancy by supporting local artists.”
“The 2020 culture strategy for Scotland recognises those benefits and emphasises the empowerment of communities through cultural participation. That approach is evident in my constituency, where innovative organisations are making a real difference. We have already heard about Sistema Scotland, and I am happy to talk about it again. Its Big Noise programme in Raploch has transformed lives through music, by providing free, high-quality orchestral tuition to children. Big Noise fosters creativity, discipline and confidence, and brings families and communities together, building resilience and pride. Independent evaluations show that the Big Noise programme improves educational attainment, mental health and social skills, demonstrating the lasting impact of cultural investment.”
“That stark contrast highlights how much we in Scotland value culture as not a luxury but a core part of who we are. Culture encompasses language, literature, traditions, arts and more. However, we know that access to culture is not always equitable. Research from the National Trust for Scotland highlights how existing inequalities affect cultural participation. Ensuring access to culture can tackle social isolation, improve mental health and foster a sense of belonging. It also drives economic growth, both at the national level—through international festivals that have already been spoken about, such as the Edinburgh festival fringe, which brings millions to our economy each year—and at the local level, through smaller, community-based events.”
“I am pleased to contribute to the debate, and I welcome members’ speeches. Arts and culture play a vital role in the lives of people across Scotland. They enrich our communities, support our economy and provide a space for creativity and connection. I fully support the motion, which recognises the profound value of culture and its impact on wellbeing, education and social inclusion. The Scottish Government’s commitment to front-line arts and culture funding, with £34 million allocated in the draft budget for 2025-26, is a welcome and much-needed step at a time when culture investment is being cut in other parts of the UK. The Scottish Government continues to invest in its culture sector, acknowledging the role of culture in both individual wellbeing and the economic prosperity of communities.”