Pam Duncan-Glancy
Independent · Scotland
“I know that because I have been all the people I have described. They live in fear every single day, worrying about what new limit someone else will put on their life and what little power they will have to change it. They live every single day without choice at all.”
“It is the lack of support, and the lack of options, that makes me feel like I cannot go on. Disabled people do not have real choices in life. There will be countless disabled people in our constituencies tonight who have not had the choice to have a shower in weeks.”
“During the pandemic, my husband and I were so scared of other people’s power over our lives— lives that we could see others devaluing daily— that we wrote letters to each other making it clear that we wanted to be resuscitated.”
“From fighting to go to the same nursery as my sister to delaying university for two years because I could not get a care package, and from fighting to be allowed to travel on the same bus as my husband to fighting to get a bathroom adapted so that I could have a shower, absolutely everything that I have has been a fight.”
“The bill will not only put sick and disabled people at a risk that cannot be mitigated in one bill or by one policy, including the risk from coercion, but will serve to reinforce the internalised ableism that we live with every day of our lives, and legitimise the view that a life such as ours—a life of dependence and, often, pain—is not…”
“I, too, thank Liam McArthur for the way in which he has engaged on the bill and with me. Last week, we considered the specifics of what the bill would mean in real life. For 25 hours, we heard personal reflections and experiences as well as some of the difficulties in the detail.”
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“Let me address the specific point in Sue Webber’s motion about face coverings— The Deputy Presiding Officer: Very briefly, minister. Siobhian Brown: Of course, if anyone feels threatened or unsafe in public places, they should contact the police. We have sought views from Police Scotland on whether further powers might be required in relation to the criminal use of face coverings, and we have been advised that, at this time, additional powers are not needed. However, we will keep the legislation under review. In closing, I thank members for their contributions. I commit to ensuring that the issues that have been raised are discussed with the SPA and Police Scotland, and to engaging with members as we address this challenge and maintain our collective focus on keeping people safe. The Deputy Presiding Officer: That concludes the debate.”
“That is why we continue to invest in the cashback for communities programme, which has provided crucial early intervention to more than 15,000 young people. I am aware that I am running out of time, so I will move on to the key issue of product safety. As many members will know, many of the most dangerous e-bikes entering the market are imported; they are high-powered models that do not comply with UK standards, and my officials are working with the Office for Product Safety and Standards as it implements the new Product Regulation and Metrology Act 2025 and strengthens controls. Although the Scottish and UK Governments differ on some issues—for example, licensing for off-road vehicles—there is significant common ground, and I want to work constructively on this shared challenge where we can.”
“I should say that we have just done that, and we are waiting for them to get back to us about having a meeting with them. In any case, companies operating in Scotland are expected to play their part in keeping our streets and communities safe. As members will know, the Government has undertaken national communication activities to complement local efforts, and statutory local antisocial behaviour strategies, which are the responsibility of councils and Police Scotland, can encompass tackling e-bike and e-scooter misuse, too, as well as preventative work. Members will agree that investment in prevention can help to address the underlying causes of the behaviours that members have described.”
“Therefore, I think that it would be worth members looking into that and encouraging their constituents to sign up to be part of that process. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Minister, I can give you some of that time back. Siobhian Brown: Thank you, Presiding Officer, and I thank Clare Adamson for highlighting that aspect. It is something that we could all be doing in our constituencies and our regions. As I was saying, beyond policing, members will recognise that this is a complex challenge, so we are acting in other areas, too. For example, with regard to delivery platforms, several members have raised legitimate concerns about the behaviour of some riders in the food economy. Jim Fairlie and I have reached out to the major delivery companies to discuss expectations with regard to safety, compliance and responsible conduct.”
“Clare Adamson: I thank the minister very much for taking my intervention. I know that Mr Stewart has mentioned Crimestoppers, but my local police have been working with Neighbourhood Watch Scotland, too. I know that that will bring back images from the 1970s, of curtain twitching and so on, but, like everything else, that initiative has gone online. It has the neighbourhood alert system, which not only alerts those who have signed up about incidents that are happening in their area, but provides a point for reporting such incidents. That gives the police the data to map some of the hotspots and the times at which these things happen. I know that Neighbourhood Watch is sharing that information with my local police force, but I am not sure about the situation across the rest of the country.”
“I reassure members that I and Mr Fairlie will continue to ensure that Police Scotland and the Scottish Police Authority are fully aware of the concerns being brought to Parliament. Members have expressed a desire for a robust policing approach across Scotland that will reduce unwarranted variation. That expectation is entirely reasonable; indeed, ministers are reflecting it in discussions with both the SPA and Police Scotland. Beyond policing, members will recognise that this is a complex challenge, and I can say that we are acting in other areas, too. Clare Adamson: Will the minister give way? Siobhian Brown: I am just conscious that I am coming up to the seven-minute mark, Presiding Officer. Will I get this time back? The Deputy Presiding Officer: I can give you the time back.”
“Christine Grahame: I might have misheard, but I think that the minister referred to off-road vehicles. E-bikes are, of course, on-road forms of transport. Siobhian Brown: It is a complex issue. We are looking at all off-road and on-road vehicles, anyone using these vehicles in parks or on roads, and delivery drivers, too. Police Scotland is carrying out work on its vehicle seizure and disposal powers, including the retention period that I know that members have raised in our on-going meetings, and we are working closely with key stakeholders to understand the current landscape. That work will build on changes that the Home Office is exploring with regard to reserved legislation on vehicle seizure. Indeed, I think that a consultation on that has recently finished.”
“We also discussed officers’ work with colleagues at the Royal hospital for sick children, which has seen a significant increase in injuries relating to antisocial use of these vehicles. I and Mr Fairlie will meet the chief inspector again in the new year to get a deeper understanding of work that is happening on the ground. With regard to members’ comments on Police Scotland’s powers, throughout the year we have had discussions with the police, in which they have advised that the current powers under the Road Traffic Act 1988 and the Antisocial Behaviour etc (Scotland) Act 2004 are sufficient to respond to the misuse of off-road vehicles. However, the Government remains committed to doing all that we can to support enforcement, and we are open to further legislation action, if required.”
“After all, I do not believe that this is a matter just for Police Scotland; there has to be a joined-up approach, and I think that some learning can definitely be taken from what the City of Edinburgh Council did last week. I just want to mention a few examples that members have highlighted today. When I and the Minister for Agriculture and Connectivity met His Majesty’s chief inspector of constabulary on the antisocial use of vehicles several weeks ago, we discussed HMICS’s recent review of roads policing, as well as the powers that Police Scotland officers have in relation to the antisocial use of e-bikes and other vehicles. I was pleased to note that a planned review of community policing is to take place next year, and I encourage anyone who might have useful evidence to engage with the inspector on that.”
“I was going to get to that issue, but I will raise it now. I think that it was raised during general question time last week. The issue is really complex. It is about deciding how we should approach it, because the situation is different in rural areas and in cities such as Glasgow and Edinburgh. For example, City of Edinburgh Council has led the way with a multi-agency approach, although I believe that the focus was more on the use of quad bikes and motorbikes in parks and green spaces. The approach taken elsewhere could be very different, and there will be variations in what different councils can do, but that council could be leading the way with that example of a multi- agency approach.”
“At the end of last week, a constituent spoke to me about the fact that cameras had been removed from lights in the Hyndland area of Glasgow. He feels that that is a danger to road users because police are less often able to see what is going on. Is the minister is aware of that issue, and would she like to work with me to address it? Siobhian Brown: We have on-going conversations with Police Scotland. That specific issue has not been highlighted to me, but I will be happy to discuss it with Pam Duncan-Glancy as we take this forward. Sue Webber: In exchanges in the chamber last week, we discussed an initiative whereby City of Edinburgh Council is looking to deploy mobile closed-circuit television cameras in hotspots. Does the minister agree that that approach might be ramped up and brought out nationally? Siobhian Brown: Yes.”
“Rhetoric on widening access rings hollow if people cannot stay on and get on; it rings hollow if the very institutions that we need to deliver it are not a priority for their Government; and it rings hollow if the significant challenges that students, including disabled students and care leavers, face go unaddressed any longer. There is a way to go before the class, glass and step ceiling that is in the way of opportunity in Scottish education is gone. This Government has had 18 years, but too many people are still locked out. I fundamentally believe that, in May, the public will see that and will not afford it more time to make the same mistakes again. 15:35”
“In 2023, the Institute for Fiscal Studies set out that the cost of living support that students can access in Scotland has “become less generous over time, with total support for the poorest students cut by 16% ... in real terms between 2013–14 and 2022–23.” Although students in Scotland have been able to borrow more per year for living costs, in the absence of more maintenance support, that leaves poorer students with more debt. The average student debt stood at £17,990 in 2023-24 compared to only £6,090 in 2007, when the Scottish National Party pledged to scrap student debt.”
“Finally, I will speak about what a widening access agenda seeks to deliver. It cannot just be about getting into university or college; it has to be about staying there, graduating and then getting a good job. That is why the wider context matters, too. As National Union of Students Scotland has said, education might be free—and rightly, we agree—but studying and delivering it is not. Experts across Scotland told the committee that Scottish tertiary education is in crisis. Over the past decade, higher education funding has plummeted by 20 per cent in real terms per student. In further education, Audit Scotland has reported that Scottish Government funding for colleges has fallen by 20 per cent in the past five years. That is having a real-life impact on the life chances of the students who are furthest from access to education.”
“I thank all the organisations that, ahead of the debate, sent briefings on the work that they are doing in that area. Seventy-one per cent of Open University students in Scotland—73 per cent in Glasgow— are in employment, with 30 per cent of students sharing the fact that they have a disability. Thirty- two per cent of University of the West of Scotland students are from SIMD 1 areas, and, for 11 years in a row, the university has been ranked as the best at widening access in Scotland. As we have heard, Robert Gordon University is also doing a great deal of work, including through its northern lights initiative and its work with colleges, to open up access to its courses. I put on record my thanks to all universities and colleges across Scotland. Scottish Labour and I will always be on their side.”
“The minister has not been able to update us on that issue today, but I would like him to do so in due course, because it is a serious issue that is locking many people out of further and higher education. Part-time students were included in the Government review, which the committee and my party hugely welcomed. The needs of part-time students must be addressed, especially because we know that the trend is towards more flexible study options, such as those offered by the Open University. The review, which has concluded, was to consider the impact on and support for part-time students. I would welcome an update on that from the Government sooner rather than later. Amid our challenging environment, our universities and colleges in Scotland are doing incredible work to widen access.”
“That the recommendations from the most recent review of disabled student support, which was completed years ago, have not been actioned not only is a failure of responsibility on the part of the Government, but is having a real-life impact on students in Scotland and their ability to get into higher education and stay there. It is leaving lives on hold. For that reason, during the inquiry, I pressed the Scottish Government for a commitment to review again the support that is available for disabled students. I asked it to build on the previous review, so that it did not put student support services in colleges and universities—and, indeed, students—under further pressure to repeat themselves. I asked for the actions in the review to build on the recommendations in the previous one.”
“Missing it is not just about numbers, though. Our constituents are losing out on lives, opportunities and their futures. The committee also looked at factors other than socioeconomic factors that can lock people out of opportunity, and we found that many are interlinked. We heard about the significant barriers that disabled students and care leavers face. Disabled students—particularly visually impaired students—are still not getting the support that they need to access the same opportunities as their non-disabled peers. We took seriously compelling evidence on that, which I ask the minister to consider carefully. As a former disabled student, I know that that fact will be, at best, intensely disappointing to disabled students and, at worst, the difference between being able to go to university and not being able to do so.”
“The Scottish Government’s own “Equality and Fairer Scotland Budget Statement 2024-25”, which accompanied the 2024-25 budget, said: “There is a significant risk that the reduction in the HE resource budget will increase competition for remaining university places, which could disadvantage learners from socio-economically disadvantaged areas with lower prior attainment.” According to what we heard in committee, that is, sadly, the case. Progress towards the next target—18 per cent of entrants from the most deprived areas getting into university by 2026—has stalled. Data shows that, in 2023, fewer applications were accepted from people from disadvantaged backgrounds than was the case in 2022. The target is meant to be met in 2026. That is right around the corner, and, as the committee acknowledged, it is unlikely to be met.”
“To start, I thank my colleagues on the Education, Children and Young People Committee, the clerks who supported us and all those who gave evidence in this important inquiry. Widening access to education is crucial if we are to open opportunities for everyone in Scotland to live up to their potential. That is why this inquiry was so important. It is not about only a theoretical policy intent; it is about lives and changing them. For that to happen, we need a tertiary education system that is match fit. Sadly, in Scotland, we face significant challenges. While universities and colleges are working their socks off to support all to have the grades to get there, they are doing that against a tide of cuts and a lack of priority for that work from their Government.”
“We all think of those percentages and that wider summary of the national picture, but we will all have met many individuals in our constituencies who have managed to go to university—often via college—despite perhaps not considering that route before and who are now making a difference in certain professions or in growing sectors in our economy. Those stories are important, because they amplify the necessity of making sure that people are aware of the opportunities that are there for them in their communities.”
“I welcome that progress, but can the minister set out when he will be in a position to respond to the consultation on support for disabled students and part-time students? Ben Macpherson: I will be happy to update the member on that in due course, but I am not able to provide an answer at this juncture. I thank her for raising the point—I appreciate the importance of the issue and will get back to her on it. There is more to do, but, as I was saying, there has been progress. The proportion of black and minority ethnic Scotland-domiciled entrants from the 20 per cent most deprived areas entering Scottish universities has grown from 24.2 per cent in 2016-17 to 28 per cent in 2023-24. Both the convener in his speech and the report emphasised the need for further progress, but we must also acknowledge the difference that has been made.”
“I look forward to some of those apprentices coming from the fishing industry. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I call Willie Rennie. Very briefly, please.”
“In her question, however, the member quoted out of context aspects of a letter that I sent in good faith to the committee to update it on the implementation process, should the bill be the will of Parliament and passed. I am working hard with members across the chamber, including with the member herself, and she has put forward some constructive ideas, despite the unfair negativity in her question. I am looking forward to working on the bill ahead of stage 3. This is not about diverting resource from skills provision, but about how we readjust the skills system in Scotland to meet the needs of the next part of the 21st century, when we will have to be more agile and efficient and to provide opportunities. We are providing a record number of modern apprenticeships, and we know that there is unmet demand that we want to meet.”
“Instead, the Government is legislating to kick the can down the road and diverting millions of pounds from opportunities in the process. When will the minister take this decision? How much longer will staff, employers, colleges and learners in the north-east have to wait to find out what their future looks like? Is he just going to accept the inevitable—that this Government’s plans are unworkable and that he should go back to the drawing board? Ben Macpherson: We had significant discussion on the bill that the member mentioned at during its stage 2 consideration both yesterday and last week. I must say that I find the Scottish Labour Party’s approach to the whole issue quite perplexing. On the one hand, it states that it wants to increase opportunities for young people and to be a constructive part of that process.”
“The fishing industry in the north-east of Scotland will, of course, have to rely on the existence of apprenticeships and skills, but the Government is systematically failing in that respect. The minister has now written to the Education, Children and Young People Committee to say that crucial decisions in relation to the Government’s Tertiary Education and Training (Funding and Governance) (Scotland) Bill, which contains its only proposals on skills, have not yet been taken. The letter gives as one option Skills Development Scotland delivering “a managed service”, because the due diligence to make the change that the Government has proposed has not yet been done. The Government’s woefully low ambition in simply rejigging quangos—which will fail many in the north-east fishing industry—is not even that now.”
“That was the shared ambition on independent living that the SNP Government signed up to in 2009. Where are we now, 16 years later? We are deep amidst the social care crisis, and our Government’s contribution to recognising that is an amendment that, as usual, denies reality and blames someone else. That is a disgrace. I have no doubt at all that the SNP Government will take no responsibility for the policies that have led to this crisis. I wrote a speech on social care that was almost exactly the same as this one, back when that ambition was signed up to in 2009. Nothing has changed; in fact, things have got worse. The SNP has had nearly two decades, and it has failed the people who needed it the most. It does not deserve more time, and I am pretty sure that, in May next year, the people of Scotland will not give it more time. 15:34”
“When she finally got care in place, she was told that the council would charge her more than £100 a week from her wages to pay for it. Her mum said: “If we had this kind of expendable income, we most certainly wouldn’t be living here. I seriously don’t know how we can meet this bill.” It is not right that disabled people should have to fight for care to live, and it is certainly not right that they should have to pay for essential care—care that means that they can work. Taking wages from disabled people to pay for their care is asking them to do the same job as a non-disabled person for less money. In other spheres, that is called an equal pay claim. This Government said that it would end those charges, yet my constituent is left facing them. Good social care can help people contribute to society and lead ordinary lives.”
“Good social care systems are critical to the realisation of equality and human rights for disabled people, yet today, on international disabled people’s day, countless disabled people are left fighting for the basics. For example, a woman from the north of Glasgow has not had a shower in weeks because she does not get allocated enough care. I say to the Government that providing so little funding, leading to only a meagre 30-minute visit, certainly does not make caring an attractive job to apply for. It is that and the Government’s choices that are driving the workforce crisis—a fact that, sadly, is entirely ignored in the SNP’s amendment. Another example is the young woman who lives with her mum, who works part time and who fought tooth and nail for care to be able to do so.”
“It is the SNP that has cut £38 million that was meant to deliver fair work in social care and that wasted £30 million on its botched national care service plan. All the while, this crisis, which is of the SNP’s making, leaves a yawning gap in funding for social care. In Glasgow alone, that gap in the integration joint board’s resource is £42 million, and it is triggering cuts, increased charges and, possibly, 145 job losses. Investing in social care is not a cost—it is an investment. Good social care systems support people into employment and help users sustain jobs; at the same time, they also deliver for carers—who, predominantly, are women.”
“I say to them on the record today, “Thank you, from the bottom of my heart, for your service.” However, we do that together not because of the social care system but in spite of it. The social care system has been plunged into crisis as a result of years of mismanagement and neglect under the SNP, and it is a crisis that leaves tens of thousands of people fighting for their care, only to end up without the care that they need. It sees unfair charging policies that leave working-age people in households with very little income, masks unmet need and causes significant financial hardship. It sees social care staff fighting day in, day out for better wages. Despite what its wildly out-of-touch amendment says, it is the SNP that has presided over the workforce crisis because it refused to deliver a wage of £15 per hour.”
“It is a pleasure to speak on an issue that is close to my heart. If it was not for the incredible women who work with me, I would not be here today. Most days, members see them racing around this place doing their job brilliantly. What members do not see, though, is that, on top of all of that, they get out of their bed hours before I do, to help me get out of mine, and they go to their bed hours after me, because they had to help me get into mine first. They help me to the toilet, put my clothes on, do my hair and put on earrings; they give me pain relief, cook, clean, fix my wheelchair and help with shopping—the list goes on. Then, they attend the Parliament. Like the almost 200,000 other people who work in care in Scotland, they work their socks off and, in the process, I am empowered to work my socks off too.”
“I move amendment S6M-19977.1, to leave out from “Scottish Government’s” to end and insert: “UK Government must reverse its hostile and damaging migration policies, which have led to a 77% drop in the number of Health and Social Care visas granted, which in turn is having a devastating impact on the social care sector across Scotland; welcomes the valuable contribution that international workers make to Scotland’s care sector, communities and economy, and notes that the Scottish social care sector has called for the reversal of these harmful policies; reiterates that Scotland is a welcoming nation and that the Scottish Government must continue to ensure that those who have chosen to make Scotland their home can continue to do so; calls for a reversal of the increase in employer national insurance contributions, which has placed an additional £84 million pressure on the sector; recognises that the 2025-26 Budget includes over £15 billion for the local government settlement, including almost £2.2 billion for social care integration, but agrees that the Scottish Government must continue to work closely with partners across the sector, including funding local government and the third sector, to continue making improvements for the social care workforce, and all of those who they support.” The Deputy Presiding Officer: I discourage members on the front benches from carrying on a conversation while someone else is on their feet.”
“[Made a request to intervene.] Neil Gray: I think that I need to conclude. Scotland has many talented and compassionate social care workers who have settled here and who call our communities home. We are determined that they will be allowed to remain in Scotland, making a difference in the lives of our most vulnerable.”
“The Deputy Presiding Officer: We move to the open debate. 17:16”
“Secondly, I have hope because there are incredible disabled people in Scotland, who are innovative by design—for some, even just getting out of bed needs innovation. It will be that innovation that delivers our emancipation. Lastly, I have hope because—as this year’s theme highlights—when societies work together and remove barriers and create equal opportunities, everyone benefits. That is demonstrated by the tremendous contribution that disabled people make to Scotland—to our communities, our economy, our culture and our public life, every day—and it is embodied in the work that they do. For that, and because I believe that we all feel the weight of responsibility to leave the world a better place, I believe that we can, and will, advance social progress for disabled people, together.”
“The cross-party group on arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions is working hard to address that. It is clear that there is still a long way to go to ensure that disabled people are able to realise our human rights, but—I say to you, Presiding Officer; to colleagues; and to friends and visitors in the gallery—that I have hope, for three reasons. First, I have hope because there are the disabled people’s organisations, advocacy groups and charities across Scotland that campaign for equality and human rights. I say to them: thank you—the impact of your work cannot be overestimated. I will take a moment to mention a giant of that movement, Etienne d’Aboville, whom we lost in October. Etienne was a force of nature: a passionate and diligent campaigner who changed my life and that of thousands of others. I, and many others, miss him.”
“Many buildings remain inaccessible and— worryingly—some accessible toilets are still frequently kept locked to the public, leaving disabled people having to find someone and ask permission to use the toilet. As we know, thousands of disabled people are stuck on social care and NHS waiting lists. That includes those with arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions, which affect around 1.7 million people in Scotland. Those conditions are among the biggest causes of persistent pain, disability and working days lost, and will remain so over the next 20 years, yet essential forms of healthcare such as hip and knee replacements account for nearly a third of all waits for planned operations, and there is no discernible plan that is dedicated to addressing this.”
“There are also barriers in getting to work or school, or indeed anywhere at all. For so many disabled people, that can be really difficult. Glasgow’s subway, for example, remains largely inaccessible. My husband and I cannot travel together by bus, because most services accommodate only one wheelchair, which I think could be a bit of a policy choice rather than a design choice, given the contrast with some other countries, where more than one person in a wheelchair can travel. When disabled people try to use accessible taxis to get around, we face long waits because there are very few taxis available, as a result of some policy decisions that can make it difficult for taxi drivers to remain in business.”
“The programme supports disabled people to unlock their potential and has an 88 per cent success rate for getting people into employment. I challenge anyone in government to show us a programme that replicates that level of success, and I would welcome to Glasgow any member who wants to see it in action. The employment gap must close, but in order for that to happen, we need action not only in employability but in other areas such as education. While many people, including me, support the presumption of mainstreaming, the reality is that the policy is not being implemented as intended, and that is leaving young people in school without the support that they need. We cannot let that go on—we must restore support, and thus restore faith, in mainstream provision to deliver the ambition of inclusion in deeds, not just in words.”
“In 2024, only 51 per cent of disabled people— that is just over half—were in employment, in comparison with 83 per cent of non-disabled people. Being locked out of work does not happen overnight; it is the consequence of being presented with systemic barriers over a lifetime. While some disabled people are unable to work, we know that, with the right support and structures in place, many can thrive in—and want to be in— the workplace and can contribute significantly to Scotland, our communities and our economy. Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living’s equality academy is an incredible example of helping to make that happen. The organisation, which is in my region of Glasgow, runs an internship programme that provides placements for disabled graduates, mainly in the national health service in Scotland.”
“The summit will be held on 21 February and, in order to keep it future focused, while a group of cross- party MSPs will co-chair each session, those sessions will be jointly co-chaired with young disabled people from across Scotland—young leaders who do incredible work. Those young people have joined us tonight in the public gallery. To them, I say this: I welcome you to your Parliament. When I was your age, the idea that this place could be for people like us felt like a pipe dream, yet here I am—here we are. This place is for you; this place is for people like us. However, while there is much to celebrate—and celebrate we will—there is much still to do. Significant challenges remain. Tens of thousands of people continue to face barriers across every aspect of life—in employment, education, transport and access to public services.”
“One way in which we in the chamber can ensure that is to empower the next generation of disabled people and—as the theme for this year’s international day says—to foster disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress. In our own way, in the chamber and in Scotland, we have advanced social progress during the current session of Parliament. One way in which we have done that is that, for the first time ever, the Presiding Officer, on behalf of Parliament, hosted a summit for disabled people to mark international day. I thank her for that leadership. Today, our Parliament has announced that we will do that again, this time with a future focus. Next year’s summit will provide an opportunity for disabled people to set out what action they want to be taken in the next session of Parliament.”
“Since then, significant progress has been made, with many countries bringing positive changes through laws, policies and actions in numerous areas, including accessibility in public spaces, public transport and buildings; enhanced digital accessibility; inclusive education and workplace practices; and greater representation of disabled people in public life— including among legislators—recognising that there should be nothing about disabled people without disabled people. On that last point, I should say that, while I may be the first permanent wheelchair user elected to this place, it is incumbent on me and on us all to ensure that I am not the last.”
“I am honoured to open this members’ business debate, which provides an opportunity for members to come together to mark the international day of disabled people, which takes place tomorrow, 3 December. I welcome members’ support for the motion and I look forward to hearing all the contributions. The international day of disabled people is a global day of observance that was first proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1992 to promote the rights and wellbeing of disabled people across all aspects of life.”
“They should also work more closely with local communities, authorities and others to produce legislation that enables them to take buses into public ownership and run them for the needs and wants of the people, not profit. The expansion of bus networks and improvements in accessible and affordable travel must be prioritised before such charges are even considered. If we want to get people out of cars, we must give them viable alternatives instead of unfairly penalising them. Attempting to build instead of punishing is the only way in which we can successfully deliver climate action and social justice together, and that is what I urge the Government to do. 13:21”
“Glasgow needs greater acknowledgement from the Scottish Government of the footfall that our city attracts; that footfall should be reflected in greater and fairer funding settlements so that Glasgow City Council can properly maintain and build city infrastructure and services without penalising Glaswegians. For the past 18 years, local government has been cut to the bone by the SNP. As a result, SNP councils are starting a boundary charge war, which can only end with other councils implementing their own boundary charges and the people of Scotland as a whole being less connected and worse off. I urge SNP ministers to talk to their SNP colleagues in Glasgow City Council about the investment that they need to maintain and build thriving local services.”
“That means that those who are least able to change how they travel and those who are most disadvantaged will be hit first. In addition, the charge will have a major impact on businesses. Glasgow Chamber of Commerce has warned that firms might relocate unless huge improvements are made first of all to public transport. At a time when workers and businesses are already dealing with price rises caused by international events outwith their control, the implementation of this policy risks creating more of a burden, forcing out customers and businesses. The premium that Glasgow already pays to maintain infrastructure used by people from across Scotland is not fair, and trying to balance an unjust allocation of money with an unjust charge would be correcting a wrong with another wrong.”
“Even if one’s car is electric and emits no fumes, the congestion charge is spin at best and patronising at worst. That those residents and others in the north of the city who want to use the Clyde tunnel to get to the Queen Elizabeth university hospital either to work or visit their ill relatives might have to pay another additional charge is a very sorry state for the city’s residents to be in. I, and many Glaswegians, could not function day in, day out without people who live outside our city boundaries, but under these plans, some of the support workers who work with me and my husband every day would have to pay to come to work in the city that they are proud to call home. Many commuters rely on private transport because public transport options are unreliable, costly and sometimes simply not available or accessible.”