Paul Sweeney
Scottish Labour · Scotland
“The single point of contact pilots that we have embarked on are making a significant difference in ensuring that people get the ability to discuss their treatment anxieties and their support. We have invested £2.5 million to expand the reach of that programme across Scotland.”
“As a member of the Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee, I welcome the news on the proposed legislation, which is very welcome. Indeed, it is something that has been long hoped for.”
“It is more precise than conventional radiotherapy, and the team behind the trial in England has begun the process of establishing it in Scotland.”
“I thank Mesothelioma UK for continuing to raise awareness each year through action mesothelioma day. On 3 July, the Scottish Government will proudly show our support by lighting up in blue St Andrew’s house and Victoria Quay in Edinburgh to get behind the go blue for meso campaign.”
“There is an awful lot to be recognised in terms of holding people to account, which has been a feature of this campaign over time. The Scottish Government confirms its commitment to continue to stand alongside those who are affected by mesothelioma, to ensure that they receive the compassionate care and treatment that they require at ever…”
“The fact that there are such abandoned factories and that the people who enter them—whether for urban exploration or whatever else—do not understand the risks that they are exposing themselves to is a difficulty that we must overcome.”
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“I know that there are existing groups and I would welcome greater levels of organisation that would allow practitioners to speak with one voice and help to support safer standards. The Scottish Government would certainly be happy to work with such a body. All the issues that have been raised this afternoon have been carefully considered. I will examine further the comments that have been made and the recommendations that were made by the committee. I reiterate that I am happy to work with members on potential amendments that could strengthen the bill and I look forward to doing so. On the principles of part 1 of the bill, I return to the committee’s report. Intervention to regulate a growing and changing sector is not easy and I am committed to doing the work to make the right decisions in the coming weeks.”
“Yesterday afternoon, I met a group of practitioners from rural constituencies. I will consider their concerns and suggestions and I am happy to discuss the issue further with members. Dr Gulhane referred to the capacity of Healthcare Improvement Scotland to take on new areas of work. My view remains that HIS is the correct regulator for these procedures, building on its experience to date of regulating independent healthcare. I am sure that HIS staff will have taken note of the comments about capacity and current working practices. As Stuart McMillan noted, I am committed to working with HIS to ensure that it can meet all our expectations. I turn to Colin Beattie’s suggestion for a new professional body in the sector.”
“I note the points that were made about implementing a route map and about a public information campaign. I am content to review those further. Many members highlighted the issue of penalties. Following the committee’s report, I understand why people are looking at that issue. For the time being, I reassure members that that message has been heard clearly. I will consider how we can go further and I would welcome any specific recommendations on an appropriate level of penalty. Stuart McMillan commented on rural businesses. As an MSP for a rural constituency, I recognise very well the particular challenges for businesses in rural areas. On the other hand, it is important that we have balance to ensure that people in rural areas are as well protected as their urban counterparts.”
“I am committed to the principle that, as well as the provisions in the bill, we need to have standards for training and to set expectations for the oversight and supervision of procedures. Training standards will be established following consultation with those who have to meet them, with experts and training providers and with the UK Government, so that we can take a consistent approach. The Scottish Government has met many healthcare professionals and non-healthcare aesthetic practitioners and has listened to their views, including on training standards. We know that there are existing training options for practitioners, which we will consider carefully. As Colin Beattie noted, I have written to my counterparts in the UK Government to secure formal agreement to co-operate on some of those matters.”
“In response to Maurice Golden’s points, I note that there are some skilled non-medical practitioners who are trained in this space. However, in order to ensure safety, those skills need to be complemented by the skills that healthcare professionals bring. I have asked my officials to consider the HIS regulation of independent clinics and to ensure that the existing requirements are not disproportionate. That brings me to the issue of training and supervision. The importance of training and of the requirements for supervision in a setting were clear from the contribution of the convener of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, and in the contributions of Carol Mochan and others. In evidence to the committee, I set out why we were not able to put such provisions in the bill.”
“A further public consultation that was undertaken in early 2025 showed broad support for action to make the sector safer; it allowed us to refine our proposals, the result of which is included in the bill. A number of members made the point that the public think that non-surgical procedures are already regulated in some way, and what Katy Clark, Clare Haughey and other members said about ensuring that we get information out there about that is incredibly important. Throughout the bill process, we have worked with a range of stakeholders, including business owners, beauty industry representatives, healthcare professionals, environmental health officers—that is really important—and professional regulators, to develop and refine our process.”
“However, I cannot support any measures that would dilute the key safety measures of the bill, and I remain mindful of the support that the bill has received so far and of the feedback from some stakeholders that we should go further. I want to be clear: the bill will make procedures safer for everyone. It will ensure that procedures take place in appropriate and hygienic settings where healthcare professionals are involved in the provision or management of services and can assist if there are complications. The bill followed a consultation that was carried out in 2020, which found that 98 per cent of respondents supported the principle of further regulation of procedures that are led by those who are not qualified healthcare professionals.”
“I will respond to a few of the points that have been made in the debate and, assuming that we get support for the bill at decision time, I would like to continue these discussions in the lead-up to stage 2. I am grateful to everyone who raised the issue of the impact on businesses, and I hope that it was clear from my earlier comments that I do not take the impact lightly. I am very happy to explore ways in which businesses can access help to adapt their models before the bill comes into force. I repeat what I said to the committee: I currently propose to commence the offences in the bill in September 2027, giving a reasonable lead-in time to all concerned.”
“However, ultimately, patient safety must come first. For those reasons, it is vital that we support the general principles of the bill at stage 1 and look to make amendments to improve it at stage 2. 16:51 Jenni Minto: I thank colleagues hugely for their constructive comments on part 1 of the bill. I truly believe that this debate shows how the Parliament can work. I am also grateful for the suggestions for improvements to the bill that members have made, and I reiterate the request that I made at the beginning of the debate to members who have suggestions. My door remains open and I will work collaboratively with them. The bill was born from cross-chamber concerns, and it should benefit from cross-chamber input from all parties.”
“The point that I will make in response is that, if the costs going up a little bit means that people are seen in clean rooms in which they are unlikely to get an infection, if it means that the person who they see has insurance and is regulated, if it means that they get legitimate medication, and if it means that records are kept and data is sent about complications, that just has to be part of the business model from now on, because those elements are vital. Carol Mochan was right in saying that we must ensure that HIS is strengthened and has adequate capacity. Stuart McMillan spoke about ensuring that HIS receives enough money so that it can perform the duties that it needs to perform. Alex Cole-Hamilton and Maurice Golden raised the matter of unintended consequences, which we have discussed; it is important that those are looked at.”
“In a hospital, if I were to remove a lesion, I would send it off to histology to be looked at. If a dermatologist says that a lesion is not cancer, you can be pretty confident that it is not cancer, because a dermatologist is an expert in that field. However, in the business that we took evidence from, there is no expert in the field looking at lesions before they are taken out and they are not sent to histology, so how do the people involved know that they are not removing cancers without adequate training? Gillian Mackay made a point about costs going up.”
“Sandesh Gulhane: That goes back to what I said at the start about the debate resting on where the regulation sits and how we can regulate the industry. The industry is here to stay—there is no question of banning it, so it is about where the regulation sits and how we proportionately regulate while allowing people to continue legitimate businesses. We took evidence from legitimate businesses, and a big, perfectly legitimate, business came to give evidence. That business does a lot of good, but one of the things that it does is to remove skin lesions from people’s bodies. I asked: “How do you ensure that there is no cancer?”—[Official Report, Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, 2 December 2025; c 6.] The response did not fill me with confidence.”
“I could not think of a worse way of going about doing medical procedures. We are seeing people having procedures done in garden sheds and in bedrooms. I was told that people were having butt lifts done in Edinburgh hotel rooms. The levels of cleanliness and safety are just unacceptable. That is not a place that we can be in. Alex Cole-Hamilton: I do not want to interrupt the member’s vivid description of some of the practices that are taking place, but does he recognise that, so long as the medication, implements and skills exist, the practice will happen, whether we like it or not? We need to regulate it, but overregulating it would risk driving it underground and out of the light, where we cannot see it.”
“We all agree that we should have a ban on under-18s undergoing such procedures. Where anyone is under 18 and requires, for medical reasons, to undergo any form of procedure, that procedure will be covered by the NHS and carried out by NHS practitioners. Maurice Golden is right when he said that the status quo is not acceptable. Ultimately, we, as members, are all in the same place, but the debate—as is shown by the contributions of Alex Cole-Hamilton and Maurice Golden—is about where we draw the line for where the regulation sits. Stuart McMillan spoke about Jill Best, who campaigned to improve safety and is sitting up in the public gallery today. I thank her for the work that she has put in. Worrying things are happening in Scotland right now. There are fizz and filler parties where people are drinking alcohol and being injected.”
“However, it is clear that regulation is needed now so that patients can be assured of their safety, so that staff are safe and well trained, and so that Scottish practitioners can lead the world by developing best practice. For all those reasons, Labour is happy to support the bill. 16:47 Sandesh Gulhane: The bill is ultimately about patient safety. Right now, that safety is far too variable. Let us be honest: the bill is not perfect, and the Conservatives will seek amendments to improve it. For example, as Paul Sweeney mentioned, the fines do not seem to be adequate; they will be seen as the cost of business, and people will just keep paying them. Like many others across the chamber, we are not sure what the specifics are around supervision. That certainly needs to be tightened up.”
“Today, we have heard from across the Parliament about why non-cosmetic surgery needs to be brought under regulations. Although it is a relatively new industry, it is expanding rapidly, and it is only right that we intervene via legislation to create the necessary changes and improvements that will let it thrive in a manner that is conducive to public and patient safety. The bill will not solve everything. Much is happening in Scotland that is already illegal. However, without proper enforcement, many surgical abuses will continue. As it stands, there are very real concerns about how support will be given to the industry to meet the new standards. That is a real concern that we need to look at more.”
“That does not mean that Labour believes that the bill is perfect. We share concerns about the need to ensure that the necessary regulations are accompanied by proper support and guidance for practitioners, who will need to develop their practice to meet the new standards. We heard some concerns raised about that in the committee. We do not want people to lose their livelihoods as a result of this; we want to guide them towards the standards that will help them to reach their potential. The purpose of the bill should therefore not be to remove from the industry those who lack certain qualifications if they are willing to learn and to improve their practice. This should be an opportunity to improve the general common weal rather than just reduce consumer choice.”
“Regulation should help to level the playing field between those who, on one hand, choose to cut corners on patient and staff safety in order to maximise profit and those who, on the other hand, are already investing in training and health and safety in order to develop a thriving business that is patient-centric and ethical in nature. Creating that level playing field is key so that customers have confidence that they are guaranteed to get good-quality treatment and so that practitioners are given the opportunity to grow through training opportunities and to access appropriate facilities that, rather than being prohibitively expensive, could be developed in a co-operative way. We should look to drive that, because Scotland’s reputation for safety in patient care is paramount.”
“Clare Haughey: I do not necessarily disagree with anything that Mr Sweeney has said, but does he also agree that we absolutely need a public information programme so that people understand the risks of what might be seen as a simple procedure or as something quite harmless? Paul Sweeney: I do. That is an area that we want to develop further in the next stages of the bill. It is also important to demonstrate best practice for people who might want to enter the industry and develop their skills. We want to promote best practice and discourage unhelpful practice. That cycle should drive innovation. We should not be an enemy of progress; we should just try to guide it towards the public good.”
“We must be clear that it is not for Parliament to determine a person’s choice about how they wish to present themselves to the world, but it is imperative that any new and emerging industry has the necessary protections and regulations in place to ensure public safety. We know that many providers keep to high standards but also know that many, sadly, do not. That is the point of having a regulatory floor. Just as we require the highest standards in the national health service, from clinicians in private practice and from our factories and service industries, the safety of patients, consumers and staff must always be maintained. That is why Labour supports the bill in principle.”
“I think that everyone here today recognises that the world of non- surgical cosmetic procedures has been transformed. Something that was once the realm of celebrities and the super-rich, or that we might watch on the Discovery channel, is increasingly ubiquitous in society. We see discounted Botox, chemical peels and other non-surgical cosmetic procedures and it seems that there is a story almost every other week about an alcohol-fuelled Botox party or a non-surgical cosmetic procedure gone wrong. We have heard some horror stories in speeches today and the committee even heard of hotel rooms and garden sheds being used as places where people could go to have such procedures. That worrying situation is in desperate need of state regulation.”
“This has been an interesting debate and the speeches that we have heard today have made the rationale for the bill clear. On a point of historical interest, it feels to me as if we have imperceptibly shifted and are going back to the era of the barber surgeon and of insufficient regulation. It is important to note that the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh was originally called the Edinburgh Guild of Barbers and Surgeons. We moved away from that sort of back-street practice for good reason, but if we do not recognise the shifts in medical and clinical trends, we are in danger of a slippage in patient and public safety. That is why the legislation is welcome. One of the basic rules of good governance is that, when society changes, our laws and regulations must be kept up to date to reflect that.”
“However, as a regional MSP, I can take a bit of credit on behalf of both places. Rutherglen has also been associated with brilliant comic talent closer to home, including Janet Brown. She is well known for her unforgettable impression of Margaret Thatcher. I promise to take that in the good-humoured spirit in which it was intended, even as a proud Tory. All of that reflects a town that nurtures ambition, resilience and a strong sense of belonging. As we mark this remarkable anniversary, it is clear that Rutherglen’s story is not only one of history but one of on-going contribution, pride and potential. I wish the town a happy 900-year anniversary. 13:02”
“That connection with Stan Laurel shows the closeness between Ruglonians and Glaswegians. Stan Laurel cut his teeth on the boards of the Britannia Panopticon music hall in Glasgow’s Trongate. From the original construction of Glasgow cathedral to the shared relationship between our transport systems, or even the 21-year experiment that Rutherglen had as part of Glasgow District Council, there is an indelible link between the city of Glasgow and Rutherglen. Long may that flourish, particularly through projects such as the Clyde gateway. Annie Wells: Rutherglen and Glasgow have joint connectivity. We are not that far away from each other, and it is good that we can work together on certain projects. We have heard that Glasgow is 850 years old this year, so Rutherglen has beaten us by 50 years.”
“It is a culture that looks inwards and that treats politics as a game of insider and outsider, in which the concerns of the insider happen to be more important than the people they are meant to serve. That cuts to the core of every aspect of what has gone wrong in the Queen Elizabeth university hospital.”
“It is a cultural problem in our country that has crept in slowly and almost imperceptibly over many years. Our country often tries to pride itself on being open and transparent. The Parliament was founded on those principles, and we created legislation such as the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 to cast a light on the workings of Government. In recent years, however, it has increasingly felt as though we are dealing with a clique or a closed shop. There seems to be a system of self- preservation for those at the top, whether in the Government or in the bureaucracy, that does not apply to those who are elected to serve in our democracy.”
“Having listened to speeches in this debate, particularly from the Government’s side, it seems clear to me that the Government lives in fear of the cost of truth to our country, when it ought to be thinking about what the cost to our country is of lies and defence of misinformation. Every family and every citizen of this country, when they are faced with the horrible circumstance of a relative, a friend or perhaps themselves being admitted to hospital in a crisis, wants some degree of certainty that the health service is equipped to meet their needs and save their lives. I cannot imagine the horror of realising not only that a child or relative has died, but that they died because of a system of failure, and because of lies and a lack of accountability. That situation applies not only in the health service but across Government.”
“Amendment 4 disagreed to. Section 11—Scottish Natural Heritage representation on advisory panels Amendment 5 moved—[Edward Mountain]. The Deputy Presiding Officer: The question is, that amendment 5 be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No. The Deputy Presiding Officer: There will be a division. The vote is closed.”
“For Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con) Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (Ind) Findlay, Russell (West Scotland) (Con) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con) Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con) Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con) Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Regan, Ash (Edinburgh Eastern) (Ind) Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con) Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con) White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con) Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con) Against Adam, George (Paisley) (SNP) Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP) Allan, Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire South) (SNP) Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab) Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP) Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP) Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Callaghan, Stephanie (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green) Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Ind) Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab) Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD) Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP) Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP) Don-Innes, Natalie (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP) Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP) Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP) Gougeon, Mairi (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP) Grahame, Christine (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Gray, Neil (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP) Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (LD) Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP) Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green) Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen) (SNP) Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP) Hyslop, Fiona (Linlithgow) (SNP) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP) MacDonald, Gordon (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP) MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green) Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP) Maguire, Ruth (Cunninghame South) (SNP) Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab) Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP) McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP) McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP) McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab) Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab) Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD) Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP) Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Russell, Davy (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (Lab) Simpson, Graham (Central Scotland) (Reform) Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP) Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) Thomson, Michelle (Falkirk East) (SNP) Todd, Maree (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP) Torrance, David (Kirkcaldy) (SNP) Tweed, Evelyn (Stirling) (SNP) Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab) Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab) Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) The Deputy Presiding Officer: The result of the division is: For 26, Against 85, Abstentions 0.”
“Amendment 2 disagreed to. 17:30 Amendment 3 moved—[Edward Mountain]— and agreed to. Amendment 4 moved—[Edward Mountain]. The Deputy Presiding Officer: The question is, that amendment 4 be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No. The Deputy Presiding Officer: There will be a division.”
“For Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab) Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con) Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Ind) Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab) Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (Ind) Findlay, Russell (West Scotland) (Con) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con) Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con) Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con) Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con) O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab) Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Russell, Davy (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (Lab) Simpson, Graham (Central Scotland) (Reform) Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab) Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con) Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con) White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con) Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab) Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con) Against Adam, George (Paisley) (SNP) Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) Allan, Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire South) (SNP) Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP) Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP) Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Callaghan, Stephanie (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green) Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD) Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP) Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP) Don-Innes, Natalie (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP) Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP) Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP) Gougeon, Mairi (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP) Grahame, Christine (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) Gray, Neil (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP) Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (LD) Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green) Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP) Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green) Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen) (SNP) Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP) Hyslop, Fiona (Linlithgow) (SNP) Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP) MacDonald, Gordon (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP) MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green) Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP) Maguire, Ruth (Cunninghame South) (SNP) Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP) McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP) McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP) Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD) Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP) Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP) Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP) Thomson, Michelle (Falkirk East) (SNP) Todd, Maree (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP) Torrance, David (Kirkcaldy) (SNP) Tweed, Evelyn (Stirling) (SNP) Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) The Deputy Presiding Officer: The result of the division is: For 43, Against 66, Abstentions 0.”
“Amendment 1 disagreed to. Amendment 2 moved—[Edward Mountain]. The Deputy Presiding Officer: The question is, that amendment 2 be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No. The Deputy Presiding Officer: There will be a division.”
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I would have voted yes. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Thank you, Mr Sweeney. I will make sure that that is recorded. For Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab) Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con) Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Ind) Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab) Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (Ind) Findlay, Russell (West Scotland) (Con) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con) Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con) Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con) Marra, Michael (North East Scotland) (Lab) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) McNeill, Pauline (Glasgow) (Lab) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con) O’Kane, Paul (West Scotland) (Lab) Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Russell, Davy (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (Lab) Simpson, Graham (Central Scotland) (Reform) Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab) Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con) Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con) White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con) Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab) Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con) Against Adam, George (Paisley) (SNP) Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP) Allan, Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire South) (SNP) Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP) Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP) Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Callaghan, Stephanie (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green) Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD) Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP) Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP) Don-Innes, Natalie (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP) Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP) Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP) Gougeon, Mairi (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP) Grahame, Christine (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) Gray, Neil (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP) Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (LD) Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green) Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP) Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green) Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen) (SNP) Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP) Hyslop, Fiona (Linlithgow) (SNP) Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP) MacDonald, Gordon (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP) MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green) Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP) Maguire, Ruth (Cunninghame South) (SNP) Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP) McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP) McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP) Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD) Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP) Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP) Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP) Thomson, Michelle (Falkirk East) (SNP) Todd, Maree (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP) Torrance, David (Kirkcaldy) (SNP) Tweed, Evelyn (Stirling) (SNP) Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) The Deputy Presiding Officer: The result of the division is: For 43, Against 67, Abstentions 0.”
“The additional investment for the health and social care portfolio that is contained in the budget is most welcome, particularly in the light of the immense challenges that the sector faces. However, it remains of paramount importance that we can efficiently track spending in those areas. It is the view of the committee and, I believe, across the chamber that there is more to do to improve transparency in spending decisions. It is only by making such progress that we can make the best use of the budget to ultimately improve the health and wellbeing of the people of Scotland. 15:48”
“The importance of physical activity has been a common theme throughout the committee’s work during this session of Parliament, and I cannot overstate the positive impact that it has on individuals of all age groups, from both a physical health and a mental health point of view. That said, the committee seeks reassurance as to whether those levels of spending will be maintained in 2026-27. With major sporting events happening this year, such as Glasgow hosting the Commonwealth games and Scotland reaching the men’s FIFA world cup finals, it is vital that we harness the momentum that the events will bring and ensure that there continues to be adequate funding for sport and physical activity for future generations.”
“Similarly, the committee argued in its pre-budget report that there needs to be a clearer definition of what constitutes preventative spend and that the level of resources that are currently assigned to preventative activities needs to be identified. Although that information has not been provided, the committee nonetheless welcomes the response from the Government and the references to on-going work in that area to tag spending and enable tracking, and looks forward to seeing the initial outputs of that work. On preventative spend, the committee welcomes the strong uplift for sportscotland and the active, healthy lives budget line, with planned spending in those areas set to double in 2026-27.”
“There is some clarity on future budgets for health boards, but the same multiyear planning is not set out for social care, which the committee and stakeholders have been highlighting as an issue for some time. Jackie Baillie: Does the member accept that the £400 million-plus figure that she quoted for social care will be spent entirely on salaries, and that there is very little for services? COSLA has estimated that it needs £750 million to ensure that social care continues to be provided in our communities. Clare Haughey: I wish that the member had been as vociferous in her complaints about the increases to employer national insurance contributions that her Westminster colleagues have imposed on social care providers, which have caused huge issues across health and social care.”
“Another interesting point that was raised during the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee’s inquiry was the tension between revenue and capital. However, how preventative spend could better achieve goals might be another factor that the Government considers when trying to balance the challenges on expenditure. Clare Haughey: Mr Sweeney must have been reading my speech, because I am about to come on to the issue of preventative spend. There are also similar challenges in relation to the social care budget. Although the committee welcomes the additional funding of £471 million that is identified in the budget, it remains difficult to get an overall picture of planned social care spending for 2026-27.”
“Therefore, you could perhaps use your influence with your colleagues at Westminster to improve visa access for dental therapists coming to Scotland and the exams that international dentists have to sit to allow them to practice in Scotland. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I remind the minister to always speak through the chair. I also ask for slightly more brevity in her responses so that we can get through the supplementary questions. ADHD and Autism Task Force (Integrated Care) 4.”
“As someone who cares for all of Scotland and who wants to ensure that everyone in Scotland gets good access to dental services, I am really focused on them. Through a number of areas in the draft Scottish budget, we have increased the dental spend to more than £500 million. It would be helpful if the member’s party would support that budget, to ensure that we can make that investment. We are also increasing the number of dental students in Scotland by 7 per cent this year, to ensure that we have that throughput and pipeline of dentists. As I indicated in my response to Alasdair Allan, there are certain things that the Scottish Government relies on the UK Government to change.”
“We have seen residents of Bute having to travel by ferry to Paisley to access NHS dentists due to a lack of capacity on that island, and we have seen dental practices in Oban being unable to take on new patients due to staff shortages caused by a lack of housing. This is a holistic issue—it is about housing, transport and healthcare—and it is leading to a situation in which many people are unable to see an NHS dentist. Does the Government agree that the lack of capacity is a systemic issue? Can salaried posts be created in such places? Will the minister engage with the royal colleges to offer a licensed dental surgery course for international practitioners to convert in Scotland? Jenni Minto: Paul Sweeney mentioned my constituency in his question, and I recognise the issues.”
“In an area such as Dennistoun, which has a dense tenement grid right next to Tennent’s brewery, which is a major heat generator, and the Hovis bakery, where the famous Mothers Pride loaves are made, there is already a heat generation network that could be integrated with local housing and could reduce energy costs for the whole community, as well as providing a good public facility. We need to recognise that it is not just about investment in another leisure facility but about a potential massive investment in the public health of Glasgow and many other examples across the country. We need to let people swim again and build that national resilience. 17:28”
“We need to commit to innovative thinking about municipal pools. We often focus on their running costs, but we are not thinking about the way in which they could be integrated with district heating systems, for example. We could certify Whitehill to Passivhaus standards, as we have seen being done with the recent investment in Blairgowrie leisure centre, which is Scotland’s first Passivhaus swimming pool, cutting energy costs by up to 80 per cent. That is a huge opportunity.”
“Although Glasgow Life has at times recommended the demolition or mothballing of the building, it recently retracted that position following continued community pressure. The setback is now well into its third year, but it cannot become permanent. The closure of the pool has displaced swimmers to distant alternatives, disrupted learn-to-swim programmes and left a void in local leisure provision at a time when Glasgow Life is investing in and upgrading other facilities in the city ahead of the Commonwealth games. For example, in the summer, Tollcross international swimming centre received significant investment, as did Springburn leisure centre, where I first learned to swim at primary school. Whitehill should not be left as the outlier and the only major pool that is not benefiting from that wave of investment.”
“Since my election to the Scottish Parliament in 2021, I have continued with cross-party working, supporting local councillors Elaine McDougall and Anthony Carroll, and standing alongside the save Whitehill pool campaign, which is led tirelessly by dedicated champions such as Bill Stark, the chair of the Whitehill swimming club, and Alwyn Poulter, who pressed Glasgow Life for new investment. We have had hard-won victories, including a commitment to refurbishment works, but, unfortunately, the discovery of RAAC in the building in December 2023 has forced its indefinite closure—a devastating blow to the community. We know that it was not foreseen, but the presence of RAAC has been compounded by other structural issues, and repair costs are indicated to be £20 million.”
“Such facilities are not mere amenities—they are public health interventions and should be calculated as such. Generations of local families have used that pool to learn to swim and as a hub for fostering social cohesion in Dennistoun and beyond. I have been involved in the campaign for many years. As the previous member of Parliament for Glasgow North East, I joined local residents in opposing proposed council cuts that threatened the pool’s closure, finally getting a commitment from the council to reinvest.”
“I urge the Scottish Government to work with Glasgow City Council and Glasgow Life to secure its future. That pool is one of the older ones. As mentioned, the average age of pools in Scotland is significantly higher than those across the rest of the UK usually are. The Whitehill pool opened in 1978, so it is approaching half a century old. It has served as an essential community asset in one of Glasgow’s most deprived areas, providing affordable access to swimming lessons, fitness classes and recreational activities that are crucial for tackling health inequalities, promoting physical activity and supporting mental wellbeing in a district of Glasgow where obesity rates remain stubbornly high and life expectancy lags behind the national average.”
“Happy new year to you, Deputy Presiding Officer, and to colleagues across the chamber. I commend the Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee for lodging the motion for debate, which I was pleased to sign. I extend my thanks and congratulations to the petitioners, led by Helen Plank, on behalf of Scottish Swimming, and to all those who have signed and supported the petition to highlight the critical value of public swimming pools across Scotland. The debate provides a timely opportunity to focus on the urgent need for continued investment in these municipal facilities. Many such examples have been cited by members. I join my colleague from Glasgow, Patrick Harvie, in recognising Whitehill pool in Dennistoun, which is a vital asset for the communities of Glasgow’s east end.”
“The Deputy Presiding Officer: I advise members that we are already running a little behind schedule, so I will have to keep members to their speaking time allocations. 16:35”
“The committee is persuaded that the amplitude and seriousness of the situation demand much more than business-as-usual “engagement” between stakeholders and a treading-water “commitment” to working together. The Deputy Presiding Officer: You need to conclude. Jackson Carlaw: They demand a clear plan for the whole of Scotland and action to implement such a plan. In the absence of support, swimming pools across the country will find themselves in deeper water. If they do, keeping their heads above it may well become impossible. That is the challenge that we all have to rise to, face and meet. I move, That the Parliament notes public petition PE2018 on helping to keep swimming pools and leisure centres open by providing financial investment for pools.”