Kaukab Stewart
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“All forms of violence against women are abhorrent, and those who perpetrate violence and abuse— the majority of whom are men—must change their actions and behaviours.”
“Will the Government stop blaming teenage boys for misogyny and finally connect the dots upstream by strengthening sex-based protections and confronting systemic misogyny through urgent legislative and societal action to reverse this crisis?”
“Ash Regan: Twelve years on from the equally safe strategy, women and girls in Scotland are less safe than ever. Male violence is escalating in homes, on our streets and online.”
“I have also met Jess Phillips MP, so that we can take a collaborative approach to tackling technology-facilitated abuse of women. This Government is absolutely taking action to address those abhorrent abuses of women and girls. The Presiding Officer: That concludes general question time.”
“Bill Kidd: The support and dedicated services that are available to help people with their struggles with the cost of living are a lifeline to many in my constituency and across Scotland, given the continuing pressures on households and in the light of rising petrol, energy and food prices, which are linked to global instability.”
“We recognise the pressure on household budgets, which is why we are working with key partners, including Glasgow City Council, to tackle child poverty through transforming the way in which public services are delivered.”
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“Stuart McMillan: The minister will be aware that Inverclyde is one of seven areas in Scotland, and the only one in the central belt, to have seen its population decline between 2022 and 2023, according to the mid-year estimates. We have a reduced working-age population while our over-65 population has increased at a higher rate than the Scottish average, so those immigration proposals will have a detrimental impact on my constituency, especially because the demand for social care will only grow. Does the minister agree that, yet again, a one-size-fits-all policy from the UK Government is directly hampering areas such as Inverclyde from growing their working-age populations and supporting those who need care? Kaukab Stewart: I absolutely agree with Stuart McMillan.”
“A key strand of the Scottish Government’s migration strategy involves engagement with the United Kingdom Government to make the case for immigration system changes that will reflect Scotland’s demographic and economic needs. The Scottish Government issued comprehensive, evidence-based proposals to the Home Office during the development of the white paper on immigration, but there was no substantive engagement from the Home Office following that. The white paper includes none of the Scottish Government’s proposals and fails to account for Scotland’s requirements. The ministerial population task force will discuss the policy implications of the white paper at its next meeting in June 2025.”
“I am aware that he travelled to India in April and met the Dalai Lama. The Scottish Government supports the principles of religious freedom and human rights. It believes that the Tibetan Buddhist community should have the right to choose the next Dalai Lama without external interference. Malnutrition and Dehydration 5.”
“When the Panchen Lama died, 30 years ago this month, the Chinese Government immediately kidnapped the six-year-old boy who had been chosen as his successor and the boy’s family. It then installed its own false Panchen Lama in his place. Buddhists fear that the Chinese Government will attempt the same with the next Dalai Lama. The Scottish Government enjoys positive relations with the leaders of many faith groups, and His Holiness the 14th Dalai Lama has made a number of visits to Scotland. Does the minister agree that it is for Tibetan Buddhists to choose the 15th Dalai Lama, in line with their traditions and teachings, and that the Scottish Government would recognise only a Dalai Lama who was appointed on those terms? Kaukab Stewart: I thank Ross Greer for bringing those issues to the chamber.”
“The Scottish Government greatly values the rich contributions of all faith and belief communities in Scotland, including the Buddhist community. On the significant occasion of the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday, and on behalf of the Scottish Government, I offer my warmest greetings and best wishes to the Dalai Lama and the Buddhist community in Scotland. I acknowledge their role in promoting peace, compassion and cultural diversity throughout the country. Ross Greer: I am very grateful to the minister for her remarks on behalf of the Government, and I know that the Buddhist community will be as well. The most important issue for Buddhists across Scotland and the world who are celebrating the Dalai Lama’s 90th birthday is the matter of his reincarnation.”
“The Presiding Officer: That concludes general questions. Before we move to the next item of business, I invite members to join me in welcoming to the gallery the honourable Sue Lines, President of the Senate, from the Parliament of Australia. [Applause.] First Minister’s Question Time 12:00”
“I ask the Government to rethink its position on the matter. If the Government will not introduce legislation to end the abhorrent practice of conversion therapy, I will. Kaukab Stewart: We are absolutely committed to protecting trans people and the wider LGBTQI+ community. The Scottish Government remains committed to protecting our communities from the harm that is caused by conversion practices. That commitment includes work on the legislation that we intend to publish, as I stated, in year 1 of the next session of Parliament, should a UK bill not meet our priorities. I reiterate that we are continuing to develop and deliver non-legislative supportive measures to end conversion practices and to support survivors, and that we will work with LGBTQI+ organisations over the next 12 months as we do that.”
“We will also continue to work with stakeholders in areas such as mental health and education to develop non-legislative measures to tackle conversion practices, as well as continuing our broader work to protect and promote equality and human rights. Jamie Greene: As the minister will know, it was announced this week that all major political parties have been barred from attending this summer’s pride events across Scotland. That saddens me, but can the minister blame the organisers of those events? In its 2021 manifesto, on which it was elected, the Scottish National Party promised to introduce a bill on the issue. It is more than five years since it promised to do so, and the consultation on the bill ended more than a year ago, so the excuse that the Government has run out of time simply does not wash any more.”
“Ministers and officials regularly meet a wide range of organisations to ensure that their expertise and the voices of people with lived experience inform our work. We have continually engaged with LGBTQI+ and other stakeholders as we have developed our work on ending conversion practices. We have updated stakeholders on our intention to work with the United Kingdom Government to fully explore legislation that would cover England, Wales and Scotland, but if the UK Government’s bill does not meet our priorities or does not go far enough, we intend to publish our own bill in the first year of the next parliamentary session.”
“The initiatives that we are taking, through the Gypsy Traveller action plan, for instance, are driving positive change in tackling inequality for communities across Scotland. In partnership with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, we published our second joint action plan in September 2024, which set out concrete steps to improve outcomes for Gypsy Travellers. The voices of those communities and of key stakeholders helped to shape that plan. The plan acknowledges the improvements that have been made in many areas since the publication of the previous plan in 2019, but it recognises that more needs to be done.”
“The research must lead to an apology, because generations of families have been impacted by actions that were sanctioned by the state. My constituents have suffered. People who could have thrived have instead been shunned by local communities, racially abused and provided with inadequate, if not inhumane, housing conditions. They have endured decades of physical and mental ill health. What further action can the Scottish Government undertake to make meaningful improvements in the lives of those who have been impacted by this truly shameful period in our history? Kaukab Stewart: I thank Mark Ruskell for his supplementary question. There has been engagement with the affected communities over the past few years. I visited communities in Bobbin Mill and heard about the effects of the tinker experiment directly from them.”
“In 2023, we commissioned independent archival research to better understand historical policies and their impact on the Gypsy Traveller communities. That research is now complete and we expect to publish the report online by the end of May. Alongside the archival research report, we will release a summary of findings from our initial engagement with community members who have been impacted by those historical policies, as well as our initial response. These are complex and sensitive matters, and we are committed to getting this right to provide meaningful answers for everyone who has been affected. Mark Ruskell: I welcome the fact that more research is being done, but what the community needs is an apology.”
“One of the key principles that underpin our approach to migration is that we encourage people to come here, live here, raise their families here, contribute to the economy by working and make a positive contribution not only to our society but to our culture. Scotland will continue to actively welcome inward migration and recognise the benefits that it brings to our communities, public sector and economy. Through our online platform, Scotland’s migration service, we will continue to attract talent to Scotland and address the barriers that are faced by migrants and employers when navigating the UK’s increasingly unsuitable immigration system. The Presiding Officer: I call Tess White to ask question 2.”
“George Adam: Labour’s plan to pull up the drawbridge mimics that of Nigel Farage’s Reform rather than challenging it, and it puts Scotland’s public services at risk. Inward migration is vital for our economy and society. Will the minister assure us that our Scottish Government will reject Labour’s pandering to Farage’s politics? Does she agree that the UK Government’s stance betrays the open and welcoming nation that Scotland aspires to be? Kaukab Stewart: It is concerning that we have not heard anything from Scottish Labour on the plans, which are, frankly, designed by a Prime Minister simply to pander to Nigel Farage instead of considering any of Scotland’s demographic needs. Scotland is a welcoming nation.”
“I can confirm that the Scottish Government issued a comprehensive evidence-based proposal document to the Home Office during its development of the immigration white paper, but there has been no substantive engagement on any of the Scottish Government’s policy proposals, and the white paper completely fails to account for Scotland’s distinct demographic needs. The ban on the international recruitment of care workers must not be implemented. Scotland is a welcoming nation, and one of the key principles that underpins our approach to migration is that we encourage and enable long-term settlement in Scotland, welcoming people from across the world to Scotland to work, raise families and make a positive contribution to society.”
“George Adam: Scottish Care has warned that Labour’s plan to scrap the care workers’ visa route would be “profoundly damaging to Scotland’s social care sector and fails to recognise the country’s distinct demographic and workforce challenges” and that it would be “putting vital services at risk and directly harming those who rely on them.” Does the minister share those concerns, and can she confirm whether the Scottish Government was consulted? Or is Scotland’s demographic reality once again an afterthought for Westminster? Kaukab Stewart: I fully agree with the comments that were made by Scottish Care. The plan to end the international recruitment of care workers will be devastating for the care sector in Scotland.”
“Scotland’s public services, communities and economy all benefit from inward migration. The Scottish Government does not support the majority of the proposals in the UK Government’s immigration white paper and calls on the UK Government to reverse those deeply damaging measures. The decision to end international care worker recruitment and planned changes to the graduate visa and skilled worker visa are short- sighted and will prove damaging to sectors that necessarily rely on international talent. Scotland’s working-age population is growing only because of migration. Scotland requires a tailored approach to migration to meet our distinct demographic and economic needs.”
“As is set out in the new programme for government, we will offer enhanced support for disabled people to move into sustainable employment through specialist employability support from July 2025 onwards, and we have provided a £5 million uplift to support that.”
“Kaukab Stewart: The welfare reforms set out in the United Kingdom Government’s “Pathways to Work” green paper make it clear that the UK Government has prioritised spending cuts over the welfare of sick and disabled people across the UK. The Scottish Government, however, is clear that the chancellor should not be looking to balance the books by targeting the benefits that sick and disabled people rely on. We strongly reject the welfare proposals, and we call on the UK Government to scrap them immediately. I reaffirm that the Scottish Government aims to take a different approach to welfare, ensuring that everyone is treated with dignity, fairness and respect.”
“James Dornan: As the Westminster Government launches a green paper proposing more cuts to the financial support for disabled people, more disabled people will be forced into seeking employment without the necessary support being available to help them overcome their physical and mental barriers to that often daunting, if not impossible, process. Does the minister agree that, thanks to the poorly thought- out decisions of the Labour Government, it is clear that an already vulnerable community may now face even greater fear and alarm over their future? Will she tell me, and the local community organisations I met recently to discuss their fears and concerns about the impacts of those cuts, how the Scottish Government can further support them at this time of ever-increasing need?”
“We recognise the need for greater support for disabled people, including in employment. That is why we have committed an extra £2 million to our disability equality plan. We have also provided £5 million, through the equalities and human rights fund, to support people’s rights. Since 2018, we have invested £4.5 million through the workplace equality fund and a public social partnership to help employers tackle labour market barriers. Learning from those initiatives is being shared to ensure that employers across Scotland can access tools and guidance to implement fair work and support disabled people to secure and sustain employment.”
“Published in Edinburgh by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, EH99 1SP All documents are available on the Scottish Parliament website at: www.parliament.scot Information on non-endorsed print suppliers is available here: www.parliament.scot/documents For information on the Scottish Parliament contact Public Information on: Telephone: 0131 348 5000 Textphone: 0800 092 7100 Email: sp.info@parliament.scot”
“I appreciate that we have faced many challenges that have impacted on intergenerational connections, such as Covid-19 and the on-going cost of living crisis, but I know that, with the on-going support of Generations Working Together as a key partner, we can strive to make a positive difference to all generations. The Deputy Presiding Officer: That concludes the debate. Meeting closed at 17:44. This is the final edition of the Official Report for this meeting. It is part of the Scottish Parliament Official Report archive and has been sent for legal deposit.”
“We do recognise that many of those organisations rely on the passion of volunteers. We know that intergenerational volunteering brings many benefits, not only by reducing loneliness and isolation but by helping people make new friends, have fun and help others. Building a deeper understanding of one another through volunteering can help all generations feel valued as well as create a greater sense of belonging and help everyone improve their mental health and build their confidence. That is why the Scottish Government has published the volunteering action plan, which seeks to increase participation and reduce barriers to volunteering for all. I again thank Ms Dunbar for securing the debate and Generations Working Together for its tireless work in raising the profile of intergenerational work across the globe.”
“Therefore, many of the projects that are funded take a strong intergenerational approach by supporting older and younger people to connect through social lunches, befriending, community meals or other activities. We are, of course, proud to have supported men’s sheds since their inception in Scotland more than a decade ago, and we have provided more than three quarters of a million pounds to enable that movement to grow and flourish. Men’s sheds are a positive role model for fostering connections between generations of men to increase wellbeing, reduce stigma and make a difference to their local communities. We are also delighted to fund Befriending Networks, which provides vital support and advice to befriending organisations across the UK and is a partner of our social isolation and loneliness advisory group.”
“I am sure that all members are grateful to her for sharing the joyful tales of the activities that she has taken part in, including face painting. I am sure that she looked perfect. I return to the fact that the Scottish Government is clear about our support for intergenerational working, with older people in particular, given the impact that it has on loneliness. That is evident from the support that we provide through the social isolation and loneliness fund, which supports 53 organisations in tackling social isolation and loneliness. We will be investing £3.8 million in that work over a three-year period. As Alexander Stewart pointed out, social isolation and loneliness are public health issues that can affect anyone at any stage of life.”
“When I was a teacher, which was not that long ago, I took great pleasure—especially when I was teaching primary 7s—in making sure that, as part of our work on the topic of people and place, we reached out to local older people. We organised tea parties for them in the school, and children were able to develop their social and interpersonal skills by learning how to take turns to ask questions and listen. Everyone benefited from that. Paul Sweeney acknowledged the opportunities that intergenerational work presents and emphasised—very poignantly, I must say—the vast knowledge that is held by our older people and for which we are grateful to them. Christine Grahame highlighted the role of grandparents.”
“In its workshop, I saw multiple generations and cultures working together and building friendships. Turning to colleagues’ contributions, I was struck by Jackie Dunbar’s general belief that generations can learn from one another and her celebration of the tradition of oral history that passes on to other generations our folklore, storytelling and language—indeed, all languages, including the Doric, for which Jackie Dunbar has a great passion. I thank Alexander Stewart for recognising the progress that we have made. I accept that we face challenges, but I give him an absolute commitment that we will continue to make further progress. Inspired by Christine Grahame, as so many of us are, Emma Harper highlighted the value of education as a way of addressing ageism.”
“The Scottish Government recognises the value in bringing generations together to encourage greater understanding and respect between them and to build more cohesive and fairer communities in Scotland. As a result, we are working with a wide range of partners across the age equality spectrum, including Generations Working Together, which sits on both our older people’s strategic action forum and our social isolation and loneliness advisory group. I have seen in practice the benefits to both older and younger generations of coming together to share skills and to learn from one another. In February, I had the pleasure of visiting the men’s shed in Inverclyde—a volunteer-run grass-roots organisation that provides community spaces where people can get involved and grow.”
“Thank you, Presiding Officer, and fellow members. I am delighted to close the debate on global intergenerational week 2025, and I thank my colleague Jackie Dunbar for lodging the motion and my fellow MSPs for attending and taking part. It is important that we celebrate this global event organised by Generations Working Together, which is the nationally recognised centre of excellence supporting the development of intergenerational work across Scotland. The seven themes explored in this year’s campaign are key to my work as Minister for Equalities and align with the mission and values of the Scottish Government. Indeed, the themes include challenging ageism and social isolation and loneliness, both of which come under my portfolio.”
“I thank Jen Ang for publishing the report and Maggie Chapman for securing the debate. The Deputy Presiding Officer: That concludes the debate. Meeting closed at 18:47. This is the final edition of the Official Report for this meeting. It is part of the Scottish Parliament Official Report archive and has been sent for legal deposit. Published in Edinburgh by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, EH99 1SP All documents are available on the Scottish Parliament website at: www.parliament.scot Information on non-endorsed print suppliers is available here: www.parliament.scot/documents For information on the Scottish Parliament contact Public Information on: Telephone: 0131 348 5000 Textphone: 0800 092 7100 Email: sp.info@parliament.scot”
“I was glad to hear Tim Eagle talk about treating people with dignity, but I wonder how he feels about the hostile environment that was created under the previous Government. That somewhat undermines his statement. Evelyn Tweed, Marie McNair and other colleagues pointed out that hostile environments do not achieve the aim that they are intended to achieve. Richard Leonard made a compelling case for support, and he also challenged the Labour Government in Westminster, which could act in areas of reserved competence. I assure him that I am doing everything that I can, and it is good to see that there is cross-party support on that. Emma Roddick highlighted the limitations that are placed on the Scottish Parliament, and I refer again to the 2015 legislation. To conclude, I welcome the debate and I have listened very carefully.”
“I note her point about extending advice to public authorities, which is very welcome. She mentioned removing existing benefits from the list. If a new piece of legislation, even emergency legislation, were to be introduced to counter the extreme destitution—some people have less than £40 a week—a proactive measure by the Home Office or the UK Government would be needed to interdict that, which is unlikely. Will the minister look to test that in the near future? Kaukab Stewart: I thank Mr Sweeney for raising that point, which I will consider. I will try my best to respond to a few of the points that were raised during the debate—there were far too many to mention, which shows the interest in the debate.”
“However, the feedback has been that an understanding of the NRPF condition and eligibility is not always clear for front-line workers. Carol Mochan and other members made that point about opaqueness. As a priority, prior to the publication of the strategy, we developed migrants’ rights and entitlements guidance, in partnership with COSLA. We have updated that guidance and provided training. That guidance aims to support local authorities when making support decisions, and we want to ensure that it remains up to date and accessible for people. We will also work with Public Health Scotland, general practitioner networks and other front-line workers to improve understanding and awareness of NRPF and people’s eligibilities and to better support them. Paul Sweeney: I thank the minister for giving way—she has been very generous with her time.”
“That is why people who are subject to NRPF cannot access the Scottish welfare fund and why we cannot create a new support fund under that act while it remains on the public funds list that is defined by the UK Government. However, I reassure the member that, as I have said, we continue—I continue—to robustly lobby the UK Government to act in those areas. I will go on to our next steps. As the report highlights, more can be done. We have been working closely with COSLA, stakeholders, third sector organisations and local authorities to review the delivery of the ending destitution together strategy and develop a work plan for phase 2 of delivery. The vision and principles of the strategy are as relevant today as the day that they were published.”
“If people who are subject to NRPF in Scotland were able to access that emergency crisis cash support, that would provide an additional safety net to mitigate destitution. We will continue to call for that, and for all schemes that are created using devolved powers to have the ability to determine their own eligibility requirements. Maggie Chapman: Given that the welfare fund is currently on that list, will the minister consider exploring the setting up of a new crisis fund that has the specific aim of reaching those in destitution? Kaukab Stewart: I understand why Maggie Chapman asks for that, but I refer her to paragraph 6.2 of the UK immigration rules, which includes the words “a payment made from a welfare fund under the Welfare Funds (Scotland) Act 2015”.”
“Learning from the project showed that some people who accessed the fund could access other public funds but needed casework support to exercise their rights and access appropriate services. Building on that learning, since June 2024, we have been working with fair way Scotland on the delivery of a project that provides cash support and casework for those who are most in need. That holistic support package is assisting people to exercise their right to public funds, including in housing, emergency cash to tackle food insecurity and the ability to access culturally appropriate foods and essential needs. Since July 2024, more than 400 people have been supported out of destitution. For some time, we have been lobbying the UK Government to remove the Scottish welfare fund from the restricted public funds list.”
“We can, however, continue to deliver services, work in partnership with organisations across Scotland and continue to legislate if we have the power to do so or to raise issues with the UK Government if we do not have that power. We do that to ensure the implementation of our vision that no one in Scotland is forced into destitution and that everyone has their human rights protected, regardless of their immigration status. I will say a wee bit about financial support. Since 2021, we have invested more than £500,000 each year to support the most destitute in Scotland. Between 2021 and 2024, funding was provided to the British Red Cross to deliver the Scottish crisis fund. That pilot project provided people with emergency crisis cash support and was inclusive of people who had no recourse to public funds.”
“Far from failing to act, in 2021, the Scottish Government published our pioneering ending destitution together strategy in partnership with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities. Many colleagues have referred to that tonight. It is the first of its kind in the UK and it sets out our inclusive approach to improving and strengthening support provision and service access for people who are subject to NRPF in Scotland. Our powers are limited, however, and nationality and immigration, including the policy of no recourse to public funds, are wholly reserved to the UK Parliament. As much as we would like to, we are unable to end destitution for all overnight.”
“I thank Maggie Chapman for bringing the motion to the chamber. She started with very powerful testimonial words from those with direct experience, and I thank her for bringing their voices to the heart of the chamber tonight. She noted the recent publication of the legal briefing, “Ending Destitution in Scotland—A Road Map for Policymakers”, as do I. I welcome the breadth of the report and many of its recommendations. It is absolutely right that we continue to challenge ourselves to ensure that we are doing everything that we can to reduce destitution in Scotland. The fair way Scotland partnership has sent me a copy of the briefing, and I will respond to it in full very shortly.”
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app did not connect in time and has not registered my vote, although I was getting assistance. I would have voted no. The Presiding Officer: Thank you, Ms Stewart. We will ensure that that is recorded.”
“Although we are all breaking barriers across the generations, I absolutely recognise that there is a need to accelerate action. Meeting closed at 18:22. This is the final edition of the Official Report for this meeting. It is part of the Scottish Parliament Official Report archive and has been sent for legal deposit. Published in Edinburgh by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, EH99 1SP All documents are available on the Scottish Parliament website at: www.parliament.scot Information on non-endorsed print suppliers is available here: www.parliament.scot/documents For information on the Scottish Parliament contact Public Information on: Telephone: 0131 348 5000 Textphone: 0800 092 7100 Email: sp.info@parliament.scot”
“We are putting in place a robust cross-governmental approach to refocus and redouble our efforts to deliver those recommendations, following the pandemic. We hope that that new strategic approach will facilitate delivery of the recommendations to enable better monitoring and measuring of progress. I cannot close without referring to my good and long-standing friend, Christine Grahame, who reminded us of the stereotypes that have been used over the years with regard to education and job options for girls in particular. Speaking personally for a moment, I note that I often suffered from those stereotypes as a young Asian girl. Expectations of me achieving in education and, indeed, having a long-standing career were off the table. It was assumed that I would have an arranged marriage and that I would not be working.”
“I hope that they are reassured and pleased to hear of our long-term support for the women in conflict 1325 fellowships, which provide networking and training for women peace advocates from conflict-affected regions. Since 2017, 364 fellows from more than 40 countries and regions have taken part in the fellowship programme. In her opening speech, Audrey Nicoll said that she wants an update on the National Advisory Council for Women and Girls. That is part of how we are trying to make real progress towards gender equality. There are two key strands of work that will accelerate that action, in keeping with this year’s international women’s day theme. The first is our work with the First Minister’s NACWG. The group has made a range of ambitious and challenging recommendations that it believes will make systemic change for women and girls.”
“In the past 10 years, the number of accredited real living wage employers has increased from 14 to more than 3,700, which is five times higher than the level in the rest of the UK. That means that 68,000 workers in Scotland have had a pay rise. Those improvements are particularly felt by women and racially minoritised women, who are overrepresented in work on zero-hours contracts and in low-paid and insecure work. Although it is not good enough, the gender pay gap in Scotland remains lower than it is in the rest of the UK. In 2024, the estimated median gender pay gap for full-time employees in Scotland was 2.2 per cent, compared with a 7 per cent gap in the UK. Carole Mochan, Maggie Chapman, Pam Gosal and Beatrice Wishart all raised the plight of international women in the face of war and the impact that that has.”
“She highlighted the valuable work of trade unions in advancing women’s working rights, including enhancing maternity provisions. I would be happy to discuss that with her further. On fair work and the gender pay gap, it has been said many times that the best social programme is a job. Our “Fair Work Action Plan: Becoming a leading Fair Work Nation by 2025” helps women into properly paid work. Fair work is vital in tackling the cost of living crisis, in-work poverty and child poverty, all of which we know disproportionately affect women. Our fair work first principles include payment of at least the real living wage, action to tackle the gender pay gap and the offer of flexible family-friendly working.”
“We launched our women’s health platform on NHS Inform to give women and girls access to comprehensive and reliable information about their health. We are now working on phase 2, which includes wanting cervical cancer to be eliminated, which we think is possible in our lifetime. Ms White also raised childcare. We provide 1,140 hours of funded high-quality early learning and childcare to all three and four-year-olds and eligible two-year-olds. If families paid for that, it would cost them, on average, more than £5,500 per child per year. Supporting families through provision of high-quality, affordable and accessible childcare is critical in supporting women into work and keeping families out of poverty. I will mention the point that Mercedes Villalba raised.”
“I thank Audrey Nicoll for this debate on the theme of international women’s day: accelerate action. As I proceed through my closing remarks, I will refer to as many members as possible, as time allows. I will outline some of the actions that we have taken to improve the lives of women and girls in Scotland, while recognising that there is much more work to be done. It is right that we are being asked to go faster and further. Health was raised by Tess White. It is a key priority for the Government. In 2021, Scotland was the first country in the UK to publish an ambitious women’s health plan, which has brought real change. For example, we now have a specialist menopause service in every mainland health board and a buddy support system in place in the islands’ health boards.”
“Kaukab Stewart: —regarding health and safety— The Presiding Officer: Thank you. Kaukab Stewart: —and we will continue to— The Presiding Officer: Thank you, minister. Tess White: We have had enough! Murdo Fraser: Resign! The Presiding Officer: Thank you, minister. Let us treat one another with courtesy. I call Tess White to wind up the debate. 17:01”
“We will continue to support LGBTQI+ stakeholders in Scotland and to advance equality for the community, as well as more widely for minority groups including older people, disability organisations— Stephen Kerr: Come on! Give way! Kaukab Stewart: —and race equality organisations that we fund via the equality and human rights fund. I conclude by restating our position— The Presiding Officer: Very briefly, minister. Kaukab Stewart: The Scottish Government expects all organisations to comply with the law, including health and safety regulations that apply in workplaces. Furthermore— The Presiding Officer: You must conclude, minister. Kaukab Stewart: —the Scottish Government also expects all organisations to comply with the full range of legislation— The Presiding Officer: Thank you, minister. You must conclude.”