Paul O'Kane
Scottish Labour · Scotland
“It is clear that any ban on phones will have to involve young people. They will have to help to co-design it and they will have to be at the heart of how we implement it—we should not forget that in the debate. There are already myriad discussions about how we might do that.”
“That is why we have advocated for a national charter on behaviour and standards and national leadership on discipline in schools, to empower headteachers to set out consequences, look at the issue of community partners such as campus cops and restore the relationships that now do not exist in many local authorities.”
“I am pleased to contribute to the debate, and in doing so, I thank Pam Gosal for bringing the issue to the chamber, and I wish her well. Pam was one of the first MSPs I met when I was elected to this place; we were in the same little group on the first day.”
“I am sure that many of us who watched the first day of proceedings in 1999 never thought that we would sit in the chamber and help to form the next part of the story of the Scottish Parliament.”
“Her work with me and others across committees on drug deaths and drug harms was very important. I hope that we will all continue to focus on that in the next session of Parliament. She can be assured that her contribution in that space is very valued. I also pay tribute to you, Deputy Presiding Officer.”
“Given that it is the last day of the parliamentary session and that we are about to enter an election period, colleagues will expect some politics from me. It is clear that the Government has failed to grip these issues during this session.”
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“The Supreme Court has made a judgment on that guidance. It is important that we reflect on that, and it is important that the EHRC updates its guidance as well. That is exactly the basis of the case that we brought forward. Having said that, I accept the Supreme Court’s judgment, and we will move forward with that basis of implementation.”
“Given this point of reflection, and given the number of legal cases that have now been lost by the Government, will she consider reviewing how legal advice is sought by the Government and how it is delivered and acted on? Shirley-Anne Somerville: Paul O’Kane is absolutely right to talk about respecting the court ruling and discussing it in the right manner, as Lord Hodge said. I thank Paul O’Kane for the basis of his question. When we talk about this particular case, it is important to recognise—I make no apology for restating this, Presiding Officer—that the Supreme Court said in its judgment that, at all times, the Scottish Government followed the guidance of the EHRC when developing its own guidance. I would have thought that that is what stakeholders and Opposition members would like us to do.”
“It is important that the court’s ruling and the court itself are respected. We should also reflect, as the cabinet secretary did, on the words of Lord Hodge: the judgment must not be read as “a triumph of one or more groups ... at the expense of another”. I return to the issue of the legal advice that the Government receives. As has already been raised, this is not the first case that the Scottish Government has lost. It joins a long line of court cases that the Government has lost on not just this subject matter but many others. Does the cabinet secretary have confidence in the legal advice that ministers receive from the legal directorate?”
“Fundamentally, this afternoon’s debate has been about ensuring that people have access to justice. A number of important comments have been made about the review of legal aid and the need to make legal aid more available and accessible. I appreciate that the Government is doing work on that—I am sure that the minister will have something to say about that in his winding-up speech—but the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee is working on the issue, too. The issue of environmental courts is one of many that I will not have time to get into, but it is clear that we need to have a wider debate on it. I am grateful to have had the opportunity to take part in this afternoon’s debate. It is clear that more action is needed. The Government needs to hear that message, and it needs to respond accordingly. 17:10”
“Over the years, there have been lots of advisory groups and support for the Government on human rights—the First Minister’s advisory group on human rights leadership in 2018, the national task force for human rights leadership in 2021 and the environmental improvement plan in 2023—all of which pointed out the real and significant challenges that exist. However, very little action has come from that. In fact, in many respects, what we have seen is a move backwards. All of us would recognise that the stalling of the proposed human rights bill and action in that space represents a significant challenge, which is to be long-grassed into the next session of Parliament. Every time the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee takes evidence, that is pointed to as a significant challenge.”
“In his contribution, Douglas Lumsden referred to the Government as “letting down rural Scotland”. That is correct, but we heard from Michael Matheson and others that it is not just rural Scotland that is being let down; it is our urban communities as well. People are encountering significant problems, such as with poor health and wellbeing, because they cannot access nature and green space in their community. We know—and we have rehearsed the arguments this afternoon—about the failure over many years to achieve compliance with the convention and about the many missed deadlines.”
“Although there is a need for accountability and for access to justice in relation to public agencies, given the amount of private landownership in Scotland, it is also about holding private companies to account. Paul O’Kane: I recognise the need to hold those private interests to account. I commend Mr Macpherson for his speech and for his championing of the port of Leith and the community interests in relation to it. I recognise such interests in my region, on the west coast, as well. Access to justice is at the core of the matter, which is why the work of the committees is so important. We heard compelling evidence that, when people are denied that justice, there is a real detriment to communities and to their sense of place. The lack of action is frustrating.”
“Several other colleagues touched on that as well. We heard about the frustration and disappointment of so many people at our failure to comply with the convention. I pay tribute to the two committees that raised the debate: the evidence that we have heard in those committees has been overwhelming. It has included the frustration and anger that I spoke about, the challenges that exist, and how much more we have to do to protect our natural environment and to give communities and individuals the rights to protect that environment and access to it. I pay tribute to the conveners, Karen Adam and Edward Mountain. Ben Macpherson: Does the member agree that, to realise those rights, we must hold both private interests and private landowners to account?”
“I am pleased to close on behalf of the Scottish Labour Party in this debate on the Aarhus convention. It has been an important and wide-ranging debate in which people have brought different perspectives from across Scotland and have helped to put on the agenda the importance of the Aarhus convention and our desire to see faster progress on compliance with it. My colleague Sarah Boyack put things in context when she spoke about the rights that we should all enjoy in Scotland: rights to clean water, open space and access to nature. Our nature is envied around the world—we live in a country that has so much potential. We also heard about some of the significant challenges that we have experienced in Scotland. My colleague Monica Lennon spoke about nature depletion and the concerns about what is happening to our natural environment.”
“I think that the member would be justified in saying what he did if, despite the lengthy consultation and all the issues that had been raised on fuel poverty, I had come to the chamber today with a bill that was unchanged from what was initially consulted on and took no account of the question of how much burden could possibly be put on an individual householder. Having said all that, I think that we all have to recognise—I am keen to point this out at every opportunity—that the task ahead of us of decarbonising housing in Scotland over the next 20 years is not one that can be borne by the Government alone or by all householders alone. It is a collective effort that we will all have to work towards, but we have to get started on it in a way that commands public support. I believe that the bill that we are proposing does that.”
“The principles in the heat in buildings bill were almost the only thing that the Climate Change Committee praised the SNP Government for in what was a damning indictment of the lack of progress on net zero. There is still much risk in the bill and much detail that needs to be understood. Indeed, the minister said that what the bill establishes is not a prohibition but a target. Much remains to be seen with regard to that. Given that the Government has failed to deliver on its climate change targets and literally broke its own legislation on them, how can the people and industries of Scotland have faith that it will deliver on and meet its heat in buildings targets? Alasdair Allan: The Scottish Parliament endorsed the legislation to which the member refers.”
“We are keen to continue to work with the Department for Work and Pensions and, in particular, with job centres to ensure that young people who might be eligible for job start payment are made aware of it and of the timeframe. Members have a responsibility and the opportunity to raise awareness of that important benefit. House Building 5.”
“It is an important part of our social security work to support young people into employment. The uptake issue is a challenging one. I am sure that Paul O’Kane will be aware that the statutory underpinning of job start payment means that it is very different from the rest of our social security payments. We had to undertake specific work with the Department for Work and Pensions to allow us to have the job start payment at all. The situation is exceptionally difficult, because if we want to make changes to the eligibility criteria, they must be allowed by the UK Government. That makes it challenging to increase uptake by, for example, making it simpler to apply for the benefit or making the eligibility criteria simpler so that the benefit can be accessed by more people.”
“An important part of the effectiveness of Social Security Scotland is the uptake of Scottish benefits. As the cabinet secretary knows, around 84,000 young Scots—around 15 per cent of them—are not in work, education or training, and we know that that can have lifelong effects on people. The Scottish Government’s job start payment is designed to support people between the ages of 16 and 24 who are out of work and receiving low-income benefit for six months prior to finding employment. It has an uptake rate of just 21 per cent, according to the latest statistics. How confident is the cabinet secretary that that payment, which Social Security Scotland is operating, is being targeted to support people into employment and is as effective as we need it to be? Shirley-Anne Somerville: Paul O’Kane is right to point to job start payment.”
“There is a consensus on the importance of reform generally in the social security system to get more people into work. That is where proposals in the green paper that have been long called for, including £1 billion of employment support and giving people the right to attempt work without risking losing their benefits, are right. That is important, and it is also important that anyone who needs support gets it and that we ensure that we protect those people who do need support.”
“I do not think that we have heard anything serious from members on the Government benches about how that should be paid for. I gently suggest to the Government— [Interruption.] If it cares to listen, I gently suggest to the Government that, at such a dangerous time, a policy of unilateral nuclear disarmament is deeply unserious. It does not recognise the real challenge in Ukraine and the issues therein. That is before we mention the impact that it would have on jobs and the economy in my West Scotland region and in my colleague Jackie Baillie’s constituency. I acknowledge that concern has been raised about some elements of the spring statement relating to social security reforms. It is important that people have the chance to engage in full with the green paper that has been published by the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions.”
“That budget also confirmed no cut to the Scottish budget, and affirmed a game-changing rise of £5.2 billion to be spent here in Scotland through the largest block grant in the history of devolution. There was also a large-scale package of capital investment in infrastructure across the UK, including here in Scotland, through a renewable future as a result of mechanisms such as Great British Energy. The confirmation in last week’s spring statement that Labour will invest in the Scottish shipbuilding industry through a boost in defence spending was vital, at a time when the SNP is sending Scottish shipbuilding jobs abroad. I note that, in the cabinet secretary’s statement, she welcomed an increase in defence spending, although, as usual, it is clear that there has been a complete rejection of all the ways to pay for that.”
“Stuart McMillan: I do not disagree that putting money into people’s pockets is the right thing to do—I welcome that, and I am sure that many constituents in Paul O’Kane’s West Scotland region and in my constituency will welcome it, too—but does Mr O’Kane acknowledge that taking money out of the pockets of people who are disabled is not the right thing to do? Paul O’Kane: Mr McMillan makes a good point about the importance of work. I have said in the chamber a number of times that there are too many barriers to people wanting to secure work so that they can continue to progress. We must ensure that we break those barriers down; indeed, I will come on to talk about that more widely later in my speech.”
“The uplift in the national minimum wage yesterday—the highest uplift in the minimum wage since it was created by the last Labour Government—delivered a pay rise to 200,000 of the lowest-paid Scots. That sits alongside a generational change to the rights of workers to ensure that work is secure and that it supports people who are undertaking it; to end the use of fire and rehire practices and exploitative zero- hours contracts; and to secure rights from day 1. I do not think that that is something to be ashamed of, as the Conservatives seem to think. The UK Government has prioritised that, because it is the right thing to do to ensure that people in work have the right support.”
“Actually, there has been a deliberate attempt to take a very pragmatic approach. Here in Scotland, we need to be equally calm, pragmatic and realistic about all the factors and what they will mean for our finances and to consider the impact on the wider UK finances. That is the context in which the Chancellor of the Exchequer’s spring statement took place last week, and it would serve us all well in this debate to remember that. I am pleased that, despite those factors and the significant challenges, which are a worry to many, the chancellor has protected last autumn’s transformational budget. In the past few days, we have seen policies come into place that will make a genuine difference to the lives of many people in Scotland.”
“I do not believe that there is anyone on the Government benches who does not recognise how much those events will impact on our national finances, regardless of whether carve- outs are secured or what the scale of the tariffs might be. All of that is coupled with an urgent need to spend significantly more on defence in the UK and right across Europe so that we can undertake a programme of rapid rearmament. Those are decisions that have to be made and realities that we must face up to. I welcome the Prime Minister’s comments at lunchtime that the UK will take a “calm, pragmatic approach”, whereby we will engage in “constructive talks” with partners and be “prepared for all eventualities”. Therefore, it is not fair to say that no cognisance has been taken of the situation.”
“These are deeply serious global times. Already, some contributions this afternoon have acknowledged the changing nature of the western alliance and the global economic and political consensus on which so much has rested for so long. That has been fundamentally shaken. Even today, as we await the imposition of universal tariffs by the world’s largest economy on friends and foe alike, the world continues to move at pace in ways that nobody wanted to see and which often do not make rational sense. Such factors have been referenced increasingly by parliamentarians of all parties in debates and statements over the past few weeks. That degree of seriousness, which is required in debates such as these, is welcome.”
“Of course, as colleagues opposite would expect, she tried very hard to convince me of the merits of Scottish independence. We agreed to disagree on that one. However, that is how I will remember Christina McKelvie: on that sunny day in Edinburgh, full of joy, love and energy, on a march for the equalities and human rights of people she stood with for so long. That was the measure of her life. [Applause.] 14:40”
“The book of Wisdom would say of those bonds: “Coming to perfection in so short a while, she achieved long life”. I did not know Christina for as long as so many others in the Parliament, but I found a photograph last week of the Edinburgh pride march in 2022, which was led by Alex Cole-Hamilton, Maggie Chapman, me and Christina. She brought her two nieces that day, and she was so proud to be showing them the importance of allyship, standing with others and standing up for equality in Scotland, so much of which she helped to build. We had a great chat that day on what was a long march around Edinburgh. We spoke about everything from our shared admiration for James Connolly to who could whistle the loudest when passing people who were objecting to the pride march.”
“The book of Wisdom in the Old Testament says: “Length of days is not what makes age honourable, nor number of years the true measure of life; understanding, this is grey hairs, untarnished life, this is ripe old age.” Even if you are not a person of faith, I think that that poetry speaks to all of us. Our colleague has gone too soon but, today and in the days to come, we have an opportunity to measure her life, her love, her contribution in this place and the contributions that she made to so many people. That includes her constituents, and many of the stories of how she helped them we will never know, but we do know of the countless people she would have helped with her kindness, compassion and dedication. We can measure her life and love for Keith, for Lewis, for Jack and for all her family and friends.”
“That needs action, not just warm words, and the Government has a responsibility to do that quickly to ensure that no one is left waiting, or fighting, for the support that they deserve. 17:31”
“Families are left with nowhere to turn when services fail to meet their needs, and responsibility is blurred across multiple agencies. That is why there is a growing call for stronger oversight, whether that is through a dedicated commissioner or commission or through another model. We recognise that there is not yet consensus, but we know that we need action and a mechanism with teeth to deliver the rights of this group of people. We need that action to bring people together and to drive real and lasting change. We often say in the chamber that we want Scotland to be the best place in the world to grow up in. In order for that to be true, it has to be the case for every child, and we have the responsibility to make it so.”
“To deliver for all young people, everything in it— from support for staff and pupils to the design of school buildings—needs to change. All the stories that we have shared today tell us—and we hear repeatedly—that the current system is failing people with learning disabilities and neurodivergence, as my colleague Paul O’Kane just highlighted. All too often, support comes only when families are already in crisis. The proposed learning disabilities, autism and neurodivergence bill was a chance to address those challenges, and the fact that there is no bill is, of course, a huge disappointment. The families we represent deserve better—they deserve clarity on timescales, and interim steps must be taken now to improve outcomes while we await the bill. We also know that the current approach to accountability is not fit for purpose.”
“My friend Pam Duncan-Glancy is making a very compelling case. Does she agree that, in addition to the learning disability health checks, issues such as the “Coming Home Implementation” report, too many people being in long-stay institutions, inaction by the Government on human rights and, indeed, the outcome of her Disabled Children and Young People (Transitions to Adulthood) (Scotland) Bill have all represented failure? Does she also agree that people with a learning disability would say that they feel failed by the whole system? Pam Duncan-Glancy: I thank the member for that intervention, and I whole-heartedly agree that people with learning disabilities and others will absolutely feel entirely failed. The education system is under untold pressure.”
“As I have mentioned, the Scottish Government is attempting to undo some of that impact as best we can. I come back to the statistics that I mentioned in my statement. The efforts that the Scottish Government and the wider Scottish body politic are making to bring down fuel poverty are having beneficial effects, but they cannot outweigh a lack of action at the UK level to deal with the fundamental cause, which is the cost of energy.”
“Secondly, in previous years, the Government has also cut energy efficiency budgets and massively underspent the £1.3 billion that it intended to spend over the reporting period. Has the Government done any analysis of that and of how many people would not be experiencing fuel poverty if the Government had lived up to its commitments? Alasdair Allan: As I said a moment ago, I would not attempt to take away from the important international events to which the member refers, not least the illegal full-scale invasion of Ukraine. However, not very long ago, the member’s party told us that fuel bills would be coming down by £300. The member asks what the impact on poorer groups would be, and it is relevant to say that the impacts are aggravated by the winter fuel payments situation that pensioners have faced.”
“The minister might wish to face both ways, but we cannot ignore the positive steps that the UK Labour Government is taking today to raise the national income wage, for example, to give a pay rise to 200,000 of the lowest-paid Scots to deal with the low pay that he speaks about in his statement. The Scottish Government has more to do against the global challenges. It was the Scottish Government that ended the fuel insecurity fund at short notice in the middle of the reporting period, removing critical support from those who are most at risk of fuel poverty. Has the Government done any analysis of that and of how many people would not be experiencing fuel poverty if the fund had not been cut?”
“I thank the minister for advance sight of his statement. The update follows the debate that we had on the issue just a few weeks ago. What came out of that debate was a solemn realisation across all parties of the stark and numerous pressures and changes that we have seen across the globe. Indeed, the minister acknowledged global events in his statement to some extent, but we have seen the war in Ukraine, wider inflationary pressures and now the challenges of a changing global economic order, not least in the United States in the past five months. Although the minister’s modelling seems to want to wish those things away, we cannot escape the reality of those five months.”
“On Paul O’Kane’s third point—I am sorry, can he remind me what it was? Paul O’Kane: It was about families’ concerns. Angela Constance: I point to the installation of a 24-hour concern line for families to be able to contact the Prison Service, and the work to explore and expand the use of in-cell telephony and the ways in which that can enable loved ones to contact external agencies or other support within the prison. The Deputy Presiding Officer: That was an acceptable intervention from a sedentary position,”
“The acknowledgement that the anti-bullying policy, think twice, has not been effective was clearly outlined in the FAI—the cabinet secretary has referred to that. A new strategy is welcome, but will she say more about exactly who will be involved in shaping it? How will families who want to be involved in the process be included and heard? What assurances can she give right now that families’ loved ones are safe when they are in custody? Angela Constance: I hope that it is of some reassurance that there is an acknowledgement that the anti-bullying strategy also needs to be overhauled. I can say that there will be a new strategy this year and that it will be informed by independent expert advice. The point that Paul O’Kane makes about the involvement of families is crucial, and I am deeply mindful of it.”
“It might seem very simple to all of us, but it is all about the added thought process that must go into that sort of thing when someone is a young carer. I thank all the young carers in the gallery today and the young carers across Scotland for all the effort that they put into supporting family members, friends and those whom they care for, and for playing a vital role in ensuring that we have more resilient and stronger communities. We must all resolve to do all that we can, across the chamber and across party political lines, to support young carers. I hope that that is what we will hear in this debate. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Thank you, Mr O’Kane. We now move to the open debate, with back-bench speeches of up to four minutes. 12:58”
“The young carers festival in Scotland, for example, has been so beneficial to so many carers over the past 18 years. I know that many colleagues in the chamber will have attended it, engaged with young people there and seen all the fun activities that go on. As I have said, there are examples of organisations and projects across all our regions and constituencies that are providing support to young carers so that they can have that break. It could be as simple as having a protected evening for young people to come together, to share time with other young carers or friends to talk about their similar experiences, or even to switch off. In East Renfrewshire, having a pizza, being able to watch a film with friends or just hanging out is very valuable.”
“Fifty-two per cent always or usually feel stressed because of being a young carer or a young adult carer; 25 per cent either never or do not often feel that they are getting enough sleep; 43 per cent of young carers or young adult carers have said that caring always or usually affects how much time they spend with their friends; and more than half of young carers or young adult carers always or usually feel worried about their future. It is very clear from those stark statistics on the views of young carers that they need a break. They need time to enjoy hobbies; they need to spend time with friends and take time for themselves for their own health and wellbeing. I want to sum up by recognising the work done by Carers Trust and the myriad other organisations in Scotland to provide opportunities for young people for that break.”
“She might also mention what guidance is available to schools and teachers on how to engage with young carers to ensure that they are not inadvertently adding to the weight on their shoulders. I know that the minister is answering today, but I appreciate, too, that it will take a cross-Government response. Indeed, I am keen to see such engagement across Government, because it is vital that everyone takes responsibility for supporting young carers. Beyond education, young carers in general need respite, as I have said. Again, the evidence on the pressure that they are under is clear from the 2023 Carers Trust survey.”
“Forty- seven per cent of student carers said that attending classes was challenging; 49 per cent said that they are never, or not often, getting help at school, college or university to balance caring with their education; and 87 per cent said that concentration on assignments and work at home was challenging. Support in education is vital not just for lightening the load of caring duties in that moment, but also for the young person’s longer- term future and ensuring that life opportunities are not permanently stunted during a critical phase of any young person’s life. In closing, the minister could perhaps say something about support in schools and putting in place training for teachers to be able to properly identify and deal with young carers in a safe and comforting way.”
“That could be by offering young carers more support at school, in recognition of the fact they often feel overwhelmed from having to juggle their caring responsibilities at home with coursework, exams or just being present on school days. In that vein, just yesterday, I was contacted by a constituent in my village of Neilston, who asked about the support available to young carers in schools. I think that that constituent is in the gallery today, so I am glad to be able to raise the issue. The evidence from young carers on their struggles at school is clear and compelling.”
“Young carers have so much responsibility on their shoulders that they often have little time for themselves and are at serious risk of burnout. They need a break, and we know that young carers are significantly more likely to report severe psychological distress than their peers without a caring role. The need for time out from their caring responsibilities to rest, recharge and focus on themselves, be it through a hobby or just spending time with friends or other people their own age, is so important. The “give me a break” theme also speaks to young carers’ need for education professionals and employers to recognise their caring responsibilities and to give them a break in life.”
“Young carers who provide support for their family, friends and other members of their extended network due to illness, disability, mental health problems, addiction or any other number of challenges have to deal with so much additional responsibility over and above the education, training or work that they might be in. They also need time to simply enjoy being a young person and doing all the things that young people should do. Often, they take on burdens that no young person should have to take on at their age, with consequences for their own health, both mental and physical, and for their ability to get the most out of the opportunities that are afforded to young people, most notably education and training. That is why the theme of this year’s young carers action day is “geezabreak”.”
“In today’s debate, there will be a number of asks for the minister to respond to, and I know that she will be listening acutely to the many views that will be expressed by colleagues across the chamber and by the young people themselves. I will kick off by asking how confident the Scottish Government is in its estimates, what the barriers are to getting an accurate understanding of the number of young carers in Scotland and what has been done to address the challenges that exist in the data. The first step in providing all the support that young carers need and deserve is to have an accurate picture of who they are and where they are, so it is critical that we get identification data correct.”
“I know that many young carers have often said that they feel invisible; they feel that they are not seen, heard or talked to, particularly by politicians. That is why it is important that so many young carers are here today, in their Parliament, to hear their representatives fronting up to the challenges that they face, listening to their views and saying what we can do about it. The Scottish Government estimates that, across Scotland, there are at least 30,000 carers under the age of 18. That is probably a significant underestimate, as other studies have suggested that there could be as many as 100,000 young carers in Scotland.”
“I am very pleased to bring this motion to allow the Parliament to recognise young carers action day 2025 and to pay tribute to the many thousands of young unpaid carers across Scotland. I am delighted, as I am sure everyone across the chamber is, that we are joined in the gallery by so many young carers from across Scotland. [Applause.] Our Thursday sessions are always long because of First Minister’s question time, so I appreciate that some folk might have popped out for a comfort break and will join us again, but it is great to see the gallery so full. I also offer huge thanks to all those at Carers Trust Scotland for co-ordinating this young carers action day and getting all the young people here today, and for all the work that they do year round to support young carers.”
“The guidance and leadership are important. That is what has come through in the debate this afternoon. We will continue to have such debates in a grown-up and measured way that ensures that we can balance the rights and protections of everyone who lives in Scotland. 16:53”
“A lot of the concerns that we have heard this afternoon about girls, and which have been raised by staff and parents, mean that we need better provision and better guidance to tackle violence in schools, and we need far better education of boys and young men so that they recognise that it is often our behaviours and attitudes that are the problem. There is a range of issues of which the Government needs to take cognisance. This afternoon, we have heard a call for better guidance from the Scottish Government on the public sector and single-sex provisions. We need guidance that is clear and which means that public authorities know that they can be supported in the decisions that they take, and are able to justify their decisions and ensure that everyone is treated with dignity and respect and that their rights are protected.”
“We need to build a picture and to understand what better protections might be required. Our amendment also speaks about provision of toilets in schools and other public spaces. We have heard quite a lot about school settings this afternoon. I note the speeches that were made by Pam Gosal, Roz McCall and others about the challenges in schools. Pam Gosal described some examples of horrendous acts that have been carried out by boys and young men. I recognise the need for separate facilities alongside wider access to provision in our schools, on which our amendment reflects.”
“The reason for making the point about the reports and FOI requests about serious sexual assault and rape in our hospitals is that we must ensure that we have a debate about how we get more data and information on the horrendous crimes that are being perpetrated in our hospitals. Everyone who has used a hospital would acknowledge that people are often at their most vulnerable there, and that they are in the care of others very directly. If anyone is being subjected to those horrendous crimes, we need to know exactly what is happening, who is perpetrating the crimes, how they are being perpetrated and what reporting to police has been carried out. That is all vital, as was highlighted in the speeches by Claire Baker and others. It should be of concern to us all that we do not know enough about what is happening in our hospitals.”