Sandesh Gulhane
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party · Scotland
“It has been a privilege to be here in the Scottish Parliament for the past five years. I came into politics to stand up for patients and our hard- working national health service staff, who do extraordinary work in the face of immense pressure, and I am proud to declare that I am a practising NHS general practitioner.”
“Neil Gray: I do not think that we can—and nor should we—seek to draw a correlation between NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde officials and the SNP. I do not know the politics of the leadership of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, and we should be careful to draw a distinction in that regard.”
“On Skye House, the Minister for Social Care and Mental Wellbeing gave a statement to Parliament just days ago setting out the Government’s actions and how we are seeking to respond, working with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, to ensure that improvements are made.”
“I say that as someone who shares some of those internal tensions—as a practising Hindu, I wrestle with the philosophical, ethical and spiritual aspects of my faith when I consider legislation such as this. These are not abstract ideas to me; they are part of my own moral framework. However, this Parliament is not a theocracy.”
“Jenni Minto: I am grateful to Dr Gulhane for his comments. The healthcare exception exists to ensure that the bill will not regulate procedures that are provided by regulated healthcare professionals for a healthcare purpose— specifically, for the purpose of preventing, diagnosing or treating illness.”
“I want to be clear that many practitioners who work in the sector take their responsibilities extremely seriously. They operate from clean, sterile environments, follow proper consent procedures and understand how to recognise complications. I have every sympathy with those practitioners.”
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“Amendment 61 is also fully supported by the British Association of Social Workers. Manuscript amendment 61A, in my name, is a technical amendment. We will support all the amendments in the group. Given that the biggest part of the bill is Anne’s law, we need to make it as robust and effective as possible, especially as it has taken us three years to get here.”
“Amendment 56 is fully supported by the British Association of Social Workers Amendment 61, in my name, would ensure transparent reporting on the suspension of care home visits. It would establish a duty on the Care Inspectorate to share that data and analysis and to make recommendations on changes to the code. Such monitoring would ensure that any suspensions to care home visits would be applied proportionately. The minister surely agrees that denying care home residents access to visits has significant consequences. Regular reporting would allow any disproportionate use of the power to become evident, which would enable changes to the code to be made when they are needed. As I mentioned, it is vital that we do all that we can to ensure that Anne’s law is as robust as it can be for those affected.”
“I declare an interest as a practising NHS GP. Amendment 56, in my name, seeks to ensure that there is a clear process of recourse in Anne’s law for those who are affected. It is essential that there is an explicit route of recourse that creates clear accountability for complaints and a clear process for dispute resolution. Stakeholders have been clear that they want proportionate oversight for Anne’s law. The minister has argued that a framework is already in place for social care complaints. However, it is clear that outlining in the code a specific process for Anne’s law would provide clarity and transparency for all who are involved. Anne’s law is a key element of what is left of the bill, and we must take the opportunity to strengthen it as far as we can in order to protect care home residents, their families and care supporters.”
“ScotRail is owned by the Scottish Government, yet it has chosen to use an artificial intelligence voice instead of employing a Scottish voice actor. Is that how the Scottish Government supports actors—”
“Although this is a moment to look back and celebrate 50 years of progress, it is also a time to look forward. I support the energy and dedication of those in Summerston who continue to build something better, and I hope that, in 50 years’ time, people across Scotland will be looking at many more communities with stories like this one. 17:23”
“Despite good intentions, those developments lacked the sustainable approach to community planning that Summerston seems to have had from the outset. Now, as Scotland continues to face a housing crisis, there is an urgent need for both planners and politicians to ask the right questions. How do we build not just houses but homes? How do we create places where people not only live but thrive? In Summerston, we have a working model of what can be achieved when community is treated not as an afterthought but as a central pillar. We need more Summerstons— developments with green space and primary schools like St Blane’s, Parkview and Caldercuilt at their heart. We need real local engagement and active community groups that help to bind people together.”
“Not only has the group led real, practical improvements to the area; it has done so in a way that brings people together. The 50th anniversary lantern parade, which was led by a piper and involved local schoolchildren, was more than a celebration; it was a statement of unity and a demonstration of the pride that people feel in where they live. We should not take that success for granted. Over the decades, Glasgow has seen many large- scale housing projects, some of which, unfortunately, did not foster the same sense of stability or identity. We have only to think of places such as the Red Road flats, which have now been demolished, or the long struggle to regenerate parts of Sighthill and the Gorbals.”
“I was delighted to be invited by teachers at John Paul academy to speak to a modern studies class last year. As ever on such occasions, I was very pleased to hear from the younger generation and to answer their questions. Another well-regarded facility in the Summerston community is the Glasgow Riding for the Disabled Association’s centre, which is based at Caldercuilt Road. Every year, hundreds of children and adults living with disabilities learn to ride and enjoy the benefits of equine therapy. I also pay tribute to Billy Souter, who is mentioned in the motion. His passing is a real loss to the community. From what I have read and heard, he was central to the life of the community and his legacy lives on in the vibrancy of the neighbourhood today. The work of the Summerston Community and Environmental Group has been exceptional.”
“I congratulate Bob Doris on securing the debate, and I am pleased to speak in support of the motion. I also congratulate the community of Summerston on reaching its 50th anniversary. That is a remarkable milestone that speaks not only to the resilience of the people who have, over the decades, made Summerston their home—as Bob Doris has—but to the power of strong grass- roots community building. In 1974, Summerston welcomed its first residents as part of Glasgow’s wider response to housing needs. What was notable was not just the physical development but the social fabric that quickly grew from it. In the half century since, Summerston has become the embodiment of what a successful housing estate can look like: civic minded, environmentally aware and, above all, community driven.”
“I move amendment S6M-17670.2, to insert at end: “; believes that years of Scottish National Party (SNP) administration mismanagement have led to over 3,000 children and young people waiting to start mental health treatment; acknowledges that the Scottish Government pledged £55.5 million in 2023-24 to improve neurodevelopmental and mental health services, but that inconsistent referral processes and widespread delays remain; recognises that some NHS boards, such as NHS Tayside, have stopped all new referrals for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and autism child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS) due to increased demand for assessments; notes that children and adults alike have faced waits of up to 201 weeks for autism and ADHD assessments, with regions like Grampian and Tayside reporting delays of four years or more; understands that thousands of children last year waited for neurodevelopmental assessments, with 7,650 children in Greater Glasgow and Clyde alone waiting to be screened; agrees with the Royal College of Psychiatrists, which said that the growing demand for neurodevelopmental conditions services in Scotland poses a systemic risk to the sustainability of mental health services, and acknowledges that waiting times for neurodevelopmental assessments in Scotland are at risk of exceeding 10 years within the next few years if urgent reforms are not made by the Scottish Government.” 16:16”
“Shared care arrangements should be reinstated where appropriate so that people who are diagnosed privately are not abandoned by the NHS. We want schools to be equipped to support neurodivergent pupils from the start, not only after problems escalate. We need to stop managing crisis and start delivering early joined-up care that gives children the best chance to thrive and parents the reassurance that the system is on their side, not working against them.”
“In my Glasgow region, East Park school has delivered outstanding specialist education for the most challenging children with special needs on the same Glasgow site for more than 150 years, but its £1.3 million grant is ending, throwing the school into crisis. As for mainstream schools, they are expected to do more with less while more than 40 per cent of pupils now have additional support needs. The SNP also quietly shelved its proposed learning disabilities, autism and neurodiversity bill. We in the Scottish Conservatives believe that all that must change—and that it must do so urgently. We want there to be clear national pathways for assessment and treatment, proper investment in CAMHS and local neurodevelopmental teams.”
“Children are now waiting up to four years for assessments; a 12- year-old will be assessed when he sits his national 5s. We also know that, in some health board, services have simply shut their doors to new referrals. I do not need to tell anyone here what that does to families. Parents are left feeling ignored, and young people lose confidence, fall behind in school and, in too many cases, develop more serious mental health issues as a result. The SNP says that it is investing in mental health, but we have got a postcode lottery for services—and behind every postcode is a child, a parent, a family, a teacher and a GP trying to hold things together without the right tools. The number of special teachers has gone down, and special schools have been shut.”
“The Scottish Conservatives support the motion and will vote for it. As a clinician, I have seen first hand the growing numbers of families that are coming through my door worried sick about their children’s development or mental health. They are exhausted from hitting brick walls when they try to get help. They are not asking for miracles; they are asking for assessments that do not take years, for teachers who understand their child’s needs and for support that actually shows up when it is needed, not an age after the crisis has already hit. We are absolutely in a mental health emergency, and the lack of effective support for neurodevelopmental conditions such as ADHD and autism is making it worse. Covid accelerated demand, but let us be honest: these cracks were there before the pandemic.”
“I move, That the Parliament recognises the scale of the mental health emergency in Scotland; notes with concern the lack of adequate provision for neurodevelopmental conditions, particularly in the context of a sharp rise in demand for neurodiversity assessments and treatment for adults and children following the COVID-19 pandemic; further notes the additional pressure on services caused by the global shortage of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication, which has led to the closure of titration clinics in some areas and significantly impacted waiting times and access to care; recognises the profound distress and disruption this causes for individuals and families who are left without timely diagnosis or support; acknowledges the knock-on effects on child and adolescent mental health services (CAMHS), as well as the wider economic consequences of rising levels of economic inactivity linked to unmet mental health needs; notes the pressure that this puts on GPs and primary care; further notes with concern the widespread removal of shared care arrangements where patients who obtained a private diagnosis could receive ongoing care and medication through the Scottish NHS; expresses disappointment at the Scottish Government’s failure to meet its commitment to allocate 10% of NHS spending to mental health and 1% to CAMHS; calls on the Scottish Government to work urgently with NHS boards and local authorities to devise a robust protocol on the use of shared care arrangements to allow for their use where appropriate, and further calls on the Scottish Government to create neurodevelopmental pathways and stepped care models, as recommended by the National Autism Implementation Team and Royal College of Psychiatrists in the 2021 National Clinical ADHD Pathway Feasibility Study.”
“It is a crisis for learning, mental health, work and families. It affects attainment in our schools, productivity in our economy and the wellbeing of tens of thousands of our constituents. That is why the Lib Dems have brought the debate to the chamber today. We are demanding urgent action from the Government. Today, we are calling for those robust protocols on shared care. We are calling for the creation of a national stepped pathway for autism and ADHD diagnosis; for titration clinics to remain open; for the delivery of the promised 10 per cent of the NHS budget for mental health; and for the recruitment of the GPs, psychiatrists and support workers we need. This is not just about cutting waiting times. It is about building a system that meets the needs of people where they are.”
“I declare an interest as a practising NHS GP. When patients come to see me, they are often desperate, and they come with a private diagnosis. There is nothing that I can do for them. Does the member agree that that is absolutely destroying the morale of medical professionals? Alex Cole-Hamilton: I think that we all know— we have heard about it in several debates in the chamber—about the pressure that our hard- working GPs are under. I pay credit to Sandesh Gulhane for his work at the front line. His testimony speaks volumes and adds to the debate. Ministers will also not acknowledge their failure to keep the pledge to allocate 10 per cent of NHS spending to mental health—a hard-won pledge that has now disappeared—and 1 per cent to child and adolescent mental health services. It was a promise made and a promise broken. This is a crisis.”
“We have invested in general practice through the budget and provided increased support to GP practices for recruitment and retention. However, I recognise that, given some of the challenges that Dr Gulhane has rehearsed, challenges remain when it comes to the recruitment and retention of GPs. That is why we continue to work with the Royal College of General Practitioners and the BMA in order to ensure that greater resource goes into general practice, so that it can recruit more GPs and wider practice staff and continue to provide the incredible service for our communities that it does.”
“I declare an interest as a practising national health service GP. The RCGP report discloses that “adding one GP for 10,000 people equates to an estimated reduction” of more than £82,000. Eighty to 90 per cent of patient contact is in primary care, but GPs have only 7 per cent of the NHS budget. GPs are the cheapest form of healthcare, yet GP practices are in trouble. They have been neglected by this Scottish National Party Government and are struggling to stay afloat, and Labour’s national insurance rise is killing practices. What is the Scottish Government doing to protect GP practices from going under? Neil Gray: We continue to work with the Royal College of General Practitioners and the BMA’s general practitioners committee.”
“It is also outrageous for him to suggest that anyone—just anyone—can be trained to work in social care. That is completely untrue. If he were to engage with the social care sector, he would understand that better. His Holiness the Dalai Lama 4.”
“I ask again why the Government is not willing to look at training some of our 125,000 unemployed Scots, who are desperate for jobs in our care sector. Maree Todd: I make the point again that Sandesh Gulhane has just illustrated—that he has absolutely no understanding of the rural communities that I represent nor of the challenges that we face with respect to our demography. All over Scotland, the population is growing only because of immigration but, if we look closely at the rural areas in the Highlands, the challenge is immense. I am surrounded by schools that are closing. The ageing demographic is hitting us hard and it is hitting us first. It is simply outrageous for Dr Gulhane to suggest that there are lots and lots of young people in the communities that I represent who are hanging around unemployed and doing nothing.”
“I declare my interest as a practising general practitioner in the national health service. During last week’s ministerial statement on the care sector, I made the point that we should be training more people here to work in our care sector rather than relying on immigration. The minister, Maree Todd, responded: “To suggest that there are in the villages and communities that I represent young people who are fit, healthy and able to train in the skilled jobs that social care requires is a very challenging point to make.”—[Official Report, 14 May 2025; c 27.] I found that response to show a shocking attitude from the minister and to be a disservice to young people, who, I believe, are capable and smart enough to be trained, despite what the minister thinks.”
“To ask the First Minister what steps the Scottish Government is taking to address the performance of NHS 24, in light of reports that nearly one in five calls to the service went unanswered last year. (S6F-04075)”
“I said to the Parliament very clearly at the tail end of last year that the ENICs proposal was likely an existential challenge for the social care sector; we now face the blow on immigration.”
“To suggest that there are in the villages and communities that I represent young people who are fit, healthy and able to train in the skilled jobs that social care requires is a very challenging point to make. On our support for social care, the member will be well aware that, in Scotland, our offer to individuals who seek social care is more generous than that in the rest of the UK. We provide more financial support through personal and nursing care payments, and we also pay our social care staff more. In fact, in Scotland, social care is a regulated profession, unlike in England. We have been investing in social care for a great deal of time. I am saying to the Parliament today that there has been a sequence of appalling blows.”
“Maree Todd: That underestimates our social care workers, and the member’s suggestion does him, as a doctor in our NHS, a disservice— [Interruption.] The Deputy Presiding Officer: Minister, could you please resume your seat for a second? We will get through the questions only if the questioners ask the question and allow the minister to respond. Maree Todd: Yes, we are offering training for our social care service. To be fair, the member’s comment revealed a somewhat central belt focus. Some parts of our country—I represent one of them—absolutely do not have enough people. Immigration is relied on for more than 80 per cent of the workforce.”
“It has also wasted £30 million— equivalent to the salaries of 1,200 care workers— on its failed national care service, and it has the brass neck to exalt its cobbled-together Care Reform (Scotland) Bill. Social care staff are caring and compassionate; Scots are caring and compassionate. Why can the SNP not use some of the 125,000 unemployed Scots who are desperate for jobs to plug the gap, instead of relying on immigration? Maree Todd: I will respond to Dr Gulhane’s last point. Our social care staff are highly skilled, are regulated and have qualifications. It is somewhat insulting to suggest that people can come off unemployment benefit and straight into a social care job— Sandesh Gulhane: Train them, then.”
“I declare an interest as a practising national health service general practitioner. This is yet another SNP statement that passes the buck, never accepting any responsibility. Labour’s national insurance hike has financially devastated charities such as Scottish Action for Mental Health and Scottish Huntington’s Association, which support the care sector, and has directly plunged GPs, pharmacies and care homes into chaos. However, the SNP has failed the care sector for almost two decades, with a lack of workforce planning, a lack of proper investment and a failure to end delayed discharge. In fact, compared with a decade ago, we have fewer adult care homes, as 250 have closed under this SNP Government.”
“I make a declaration of interests, in that I am a practising NHS GP, and I chaired the medical advisory group on the bill. I thank Liam McArthur for being brave enough to introduce the bill. Today we face a fundamental question: should the Parliament agree in principle to the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill? Should we allow it to proceed to committee for full and detailed scrutiny? All of us here are autonomous in our decision making about all aspects of our life, except for our birth, SNP taxes and, at the moment, our death.”
“To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on progress made to improve access to and reduce waiting times for breast reconstruction surgery following cancer treatment. (S6O-04618)”
“Meanwhile, waiting lists grow, staff morale plummets, and the public pay the price. This is not just the situation in health; it is the same story in education, transport and the economy. We have a Government that overpromises, underdelivers and never takes responsibility. In fact, on BBC Scotland’s “Debate Night”, Fulton MacGregor spoke about how the Government is as honest as it can be. The SNP’s record is not one of government; it is one of managed decline. Scotland deserves so much better. We do not need another year of slogans; we need competence, urgency and leadership that puts people before party. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I call Neil Gray to wind up the debate. 16:51”
“We now discover that the then First Minister, Nicola Sturgeon, agreed with us and said on WhatsApp: “I’m reading a revised draft of the recovery plan and still feeling need to translate parts of into acceptable English— and that is before I reach any substance.” She went on to say: “My specific concern is that it’s awful”. John Swinney stood up and clapped that recovery plan. Where was John Swinney when it came to improving our NHS then? He was at the heart of Government, destroying the NHS. The programme for government is hypocrisy on steroids. The WhatsApp messages about this statement are likely to make for wonderful reading in the future. Ultimately, that is the SNP in a nutshell: there is floundering, incompetence and infighting, and then half-baked ideas are foisted on the people of Scotland.”
“Douglas Lumsden reminded us that the SNP is devastating the north-east of our country by destroying our oil and gas industry. We need an affordable transition, and the Scottish Government is not being honest with Scots about the fact that the average person will be paying for the SNP’s failed transition. Our NHS is on life support. Patients wait longer, staff are exhausted, and services are crumbling under pressure. We know that that is not new—it is the result of 18 years of SNP failure. Now, the First Minister heralds a year of delivery—what staggering self-delusion. We have all seen SNP plans before, including Humza Yousaf’s shameful, flimsy NHS recovery plan, which was supported by John Swinney and the entire SNP front bench. At the time, we called it out as being useless and not fit for purpose.”
“Multiple members have told us that the war on car drivers continues. We have higher parking fees in my city of Glasgow, imposed by the SNP, more potholes and no progress on fully dualling the A9, which is yet another broken promise. I agree with Jackie Baillie, who said that the RCN has said that there are not enough nurses to deliver safe care. Imagine that—not enough nurses to deliver safe care. The SNP has fiddled CAMHS figures, and SNP members have talked about the issue with such pride. Tim Eagle spoke of how the rural budget has been cut. Rural housing funding went to Edinburgh to build Edinburgh housing. There is no crofting bill yet, meaning failure after failure after failure for the people of rural Scotland.”
“The illness runs deeper: in education, where the attainment gap persists and the curriculum fails our young people; in transport, where projects are delayed, over budget and unreliable; and in the economy, where small businesses are stifled by red tape and uncertainty. Everything that this Government touches ends up weaker, sicker and more fragile. This programme for government should have been a treatment plan—focused, urgent and effective. Instead, it is the same tired prescription of central control, poor planning and even worse delivery. When it comes to SNP outcomes, it is Scotland that suffers. Rachael Hamilton told us that, after 18 years, this SNP Government is out of ideas. The SNP grandstands with laudable targets but never achieves them, never delivers and never has a clue how to achieve its targets.”
“I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests: I am a practising general practitioner. As a GP, I know what it means to deliver care under pressure. The pressure that we face today is not a passing crisis, but the result of 18 years of SNP mismanagement. Scotland’s health is deteriorating. Waiting lists are longer, GP and mental health access is harder, and our NHS staff are stretched beyond reason. The so-called 8 am GP lottery is just one symptom of a broken system. John Swinney says that he will fix it but, based on his record, we know what that probably means: 9 am lotteries, more excuses, more blame and no accountability. This is not just an NHS problem.”
“Minister.” I say again that the matter is for the Government, and, as I said previously, the ministerial code is a matter for the First Minister in the first instance. Topical Question Time 14:12 Equalities and Human Rights Commission Interim Update (United Kingdom Supreme Court Judgment) 1.”
“I ask that the cabinet secretary apologise to the students, parents and teachers for a failure to answer those questions. Will the Presiding Officer be able to investigate the circumstances surrounding Jenny Gilruth’s feeling that stabbings in schools are not important enough for her to appear before the Parliament? What recourse does the Presiding Officer have to address the issue? The Presiding Officer: Thank you, Dr Gulhane. As Presiding Officer, it is my role to enforce the standing orders of the Parliament. With regard to the particular instance to which the member refers, rule 13.7.1 advises that “oral questions may be answered by any member of the Scottish Government or a junior ...”
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. The business of Parliament is to look after our citizens, including, most importantly, our children. Last week, during education portfolio questions, I asked what support is available to teachers who face violence—a vital question, following the stabbing of a 12-year-old girl. Students across the country—not just in Aberdeen—were shocked and terrified, as were parents, yet, at about that time, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills chose to attend a Scottish National Party photo call rather than attend the chamber to answer questions. That was not a diary clash but a deliberate choice. Violence in schools is rising; pupils and staff are scared; and that deserves the full attention of the education secretary.”
“Nevertheless, I recognise that, when there is an incident such as the one that happened today, the issue is very much at the forefront of colleagues’ thoughts. I can only offer Sandesh Gulhane the reassurance that the cabinet secretary is very much on the case. She has given a commitment to return to Parliament—I think that, with the agreement of the Parliamentary Bureau, that will be in the first part of May—to update Parliament and to provide another opportunity for Parliament to explore the issue of behaviour and violence in schools. Rural Early Learning and Childcare 2.”
“Children, like staff, should be able to be safe at all times when they go to school. My thoughts are very much with the child concerned, her family, the staff and the pupils at the school, particularly those who witnessed that unacceptable incident. I want to be clear that violence in schools is totally unacceptable. We are absolutely clear on that, as I know members of Parliament are, too. The Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills wrote to directors of education to emphasise the need for local action plans to ensure the delivery of the overall strategy that is in place. I absolutely recognise the concerns that have been shared by members and the trade unions, which Sandesh Gulhane has referred to. I can stand here and say that violence in schools is not a Scotland-specific issue—and it is not.”
“It is no wonder that that is the case given the reports of knives in schools. Stress-related absences are soaring, and many teachers are leaving the profession altogether. Those who stay often face insecure teaching contracts. Some 94 per cent of teachers who were surveyed by Scottish Teachers for Permanence know a colleague who is struggling to find a permanent job and 84 per cent have witnessed high staff turnover. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Question? Sandesh Gulhane: Given that stark evidence, can the minister explain how the Scottish Government will address what is clearly a crisis in Scottish education? Graeme Dey: I begin by saying how utterly concerned I am by the reports of the incident at Hazlehead academy in Aberdeen this morning in which a 12-year-old girl was assaulted.”
“However, since October 2020, the Scottish Government has invested more than £2 million in national support for the educational workforce. That support includes the provision of free wellbeing coaching for education staff and funding for the Association of Directors of Education in Scotland to consider how best practice and resources can be shared across local authorities. Sandesh Gulhane: It is not just teachers— there are terrible reports of a pupil being stabbed in Aberdeen just today. A recent survey shows that 83 per cent of NASUWT members have seen increased physical violence and verbal abuse from pupils—and the abuse of classroom assistants is not even recorded. The Educational Institute of Scotland reports that 72 per cent of its members feel stressed frequently or all the time.”
“To ask the Scottish Government whether it will provide an update on what support is available to teachers who experience physical violence or verbal abuse in schools. (S6O-04568) The Minister for Higher and Further Education; and Minister for Veterans (Graeme Dey): The Scottish Government is clear that physical violence and verbal abuse directed at teachers is unacceptable. That is why, last year, we published our relationships and behaviour in schools national action plan, which contains a number of actions to reduce violence and disruptive behaviours in schools. Local authorities, as the employers of teachers, are responsible for providing support that meets their employees’ needs when physical violence or verbal abuse occurs. Therefore, the support that is available to individual teachers will depend on local provision.”
“The point of making today’s statement is, as I said, to try to quicken the pace, which I think we will do through the single open call process and through the remediation part. We have taken action on the single building assessment and also through the cladding act, which has pushed us towards that. I will continue to engage with Mr Gulhane on that particular point. I cannot give specifics on where the single building assessment is at, what is highlighted and the remediation work that is carried out. However, I give Mr Gulhane the assurance that I will continue to engage with him and his constituents on that particular issue.”
“Implementation of the cladding remediation programme has been plagued by shifting criteria, long waits and a lack of clarity. A classic example of that concerns my Glasgow constituent Park Property Management. For affected property owners, every delay means more uncertainty, more financial strain and more stress. The statement does not provide a clear timeline, but another drawn-out process, leaving residents trapped in uncertainty and fear. When—with a timescale, please—will my constituents see action? Paul McLennan: As Mr Gulhane knows, we have been engaging in a particular discussion around about his constituents. He knows that individual cases are different in terms of single building assessments and the remediation work that is carried out. I will continue to engage with Mr Gulhane on that.”
“Unfortunately, providing that stability and certainty is made all the more difficult as a result of having no multiyear budget allocation support from the UK Government. We have already had to act urgently on a number of occasions—including the outbreak of war in Ukraine, which, among other things, has significantly affected energy prices and the availability of some key commodities. With the industry, we set up a short-life task force and implemented its recommendations to increase the resilience of the sector. We in the Government strengthened our relationships with key partners around the world, recognising that food security is a global issue that we cannot address alone.”
“Our food and drink sector, perhaps more than other sectors, faces the pressures of rising costs that are caused by Brexit and on-going conflicts across the world, the complexities of climate change and the ever- evolving demands of consumers. Importantly, that brings me to food security. Until recently, it is fair to say, we all took food security for granted, thanks to the stability of the global system of trade. In recent years, things have become more volatile, which means that we are putting more of our efforts into ensuring food security in Scotland. That includes providing continued support to help our primary producers manage that volatility and produce food sustainably.”
“We look forward to publishing our first national good food nation plan later this year. It will set out our high-level aspirations for a good food nation and outline how we plan to embed long-term strategic transformation into decision making about food policy. There is much to be positive about when it comes to growth in the sector. However, all of that is in spite of some of the key challenges that industry has faced—not least Brexit, which has been an unmitigated disaster for our food and drink businesses. Very few days pass without a Brexit-related challenge being highlighted to me, from a lack of labour to impacts on exports. The Government remains firmly committed to a future within the European Union single market and the benefits that would come from that for our producers and consumers.”
“Given that the ambition is for everyone to be able to have good food, when is that going to come into the national health service? Mairi Gougeon: The work of health is, of course, integral to the work on the good food nation, and that is really what the plan is about. It is about us publishing that plan and setting out, as a Scottish Government, how we are not working in silos, because we know that food policy touches all those critical areas, and how we are trying to address some of the key challenges that we face. The Good Food Nation (Scotland) Act 2022 provides the framework for our future food strategy. It places duties on Scottish ministers, local authorities and health boards to produce plans of their policies in relation to food and set out what they will do to make those plans real.”