Carol Mochan
Scottish Labour · Scotland
“I think that we could take a different approach in that area. A number of older people have been convicted of terrible crimes, but their risk to the general population is much lower than it used to be because of their age and circumstances.”
“Industrial conditions such as those that my constituents were exposed to show what the approach of big business and the insurance giants has been.”
“I am interested in the point about upstream measures, and I am particularly interested in women, because we know that they should not always enter the criminal justice system and prisons in particular. Perhaps there is more that the cabinet secretary could do in that area, because there is a lot of research on it.”
“Those who were members during the previous session of Parliament will know not only that Richard Leonard was a passionate and committed campaigner but that his speeches were also very passionate—as passionate as his beliefs. I thank him for his time in the Parliament, for his guidance and for his commitment to economic justice.”
“I support the Cape must pay campaign, which calls on the former asbestos manufacturer Cape plc, now Altrad, to donate £10 million to mesothelioma research. As my colleague Jackie Baillie said, that is a small amount to expect. Such companies and the state owe a great deal to individuals, families and communities.”
“For a number of years, I was a director of Turning Point Scotland, which is Scotland’s biggest social welfare charity, although I am not any more. Fifteen years ago, we commenced an initiative called housing first, which is primarily a way of dealing with homelessness.”
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“However, we know from the scoping exercise that not all NHS boards routinely or equitably—even across individual boards—provide the same service for patients, which is an important point. Perhaps in the minister’s closing speech we could get an idea of how that might be monitored, so that we can progress it. We should keep a tight look at the framework as we go forward. Every case of miscarriage or stillbirth is a devastating tragedy for the parents and the wider family. We know that people face many unfair and avoidable inequalities when attempting to access health services, due to financial or geographic differences, which can significantly impact on pregnancy and infant mortality.”
“I am sure that, like me, other members from across the chamber hear from patients time and again about the care that they receive in the NHS. In the brief look that I have had at the document, I see actions around supporting staff, which is extremely welcome. My party welcomes the recommendations from The Lancet’s miscarriage matters series and supports the staff who continue to work on improving miscarriage care across Scotland following those publications. We welcome the progesterone pathway and, of course, support the graded model of care. We must ensure that the “Delivery Framework for Miscarriage Care in Scotland” can be fully implemented across all NHS health boards to improve the pathway for women. I have seen the goals in the framework.”
“Let me, like other members, acknowledge the deep emotional toll that miscarriage and stillbirth take on individuals and their families. It is a grief that is often unspoken, and it is crucial that we recognise the profound impact that it has on the many women and families who, sadly, require access to such services. Although I hope that stigma around miscarriage has reduced, let us not forget that it persists. To address that, we in the Parliament must do our part to talk about it, as the minister and Brian Whittle said, and to work out a way to rectify and improve the care pathway for women who have to travel it. Therefore, I thank all the members who will speak in the debate or who have stayed in the chamber to listen. I express my gratitude to all NHS staff. We know that the kindness and expertise of staff is at the heart of our NHS.”
“I am pleased to open the debate on behalf of Scottish Labour to discuss an issue that touches the lives of many families across Scotland. It is vital that we look at what more can be done to improve miscarriage and stillbirth care, so that the next generation does not suffer the same dismissal that perhaps many women have suffered before. I thank the minister and her officials for the collective way in which they formed the motion. We all want to support and progress the issue to ensure that the care that women receive only improves over the coming years. At this stage, I welcome the framework, but I am sure that the minister will expect there to be scrutiny from members on how actions are delivered. It is fair to say that some elements of care are delayed, and we need to treat the situation with some urgency.”
“I welcome the steps, such as minimum unit pricing, that the Government has taken to address alcohol harm. However, does the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs agree that we need to do some cross-portfolio work on this matter? I have asked the Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health for an update on the delivery of alcohol market reform. If we work together on those issues, we might see beneficial outcomes. I am aware of the time, so I will close there. I thank members for their contributions, and I particularly thank Elena Whitham for securing this important debate today. 13:09”
“I hope that the cabinet secretary will agree that some of its positive approaches, which we have heard about, are useful. Intervening in that way would not only improve the health and lives of the individuals affected; it has the potential to reduce reoffending rates, thus helping to alleviate the immense pressures that we feel across Scotland and in the justice system. Economic and social disparities are also prevalent factors in an individual’s choice with regard to alcohol, as I and others have mentioned. We know that the risk of alcohol-related harm is greater for those who are most disadvantaged in our society. It is important to make the point that they are often the people who are very hard to support; they do not readily come forward to services, and therefore we have a responsibility to go to them and see what we can provide.”
“The report also highlights findings from the 2019 Scottish prison survey, which found that 40 per cent of prisoners who were surveyed “reported being drunk at the time of their offence”. The link between harmful drinking and criminal behaviour is clear. I emphasise that we must work together not only to provide better support for those who are suffering from alcohol problems, but to tackle the root causes of alcohol dependency and alcohol use disorders. It is important that we take that public health approach. By offering treatment and support to people who come into contact with the criminal justice system, we can do some of that work and provide individuals with the opportunity to recognise and address alcohol use disorder. I have heard a little about the Glasgow alcohol court, which I hope to visit at some point.”
“It affects us all, so it is the responsibility of all of us to do something. We are here today because, as we have heard, there is a strong link between alcohol and criminal behaviour. The “Alcohol (In)justice” report, which we are discussing today, expertly highlights that and provides crucial insight into the extent to which alcohol can fuel violence and criminality, and how we can respond to that. As we have heard, the number of people with alcohol use disorders is disproportionately high in the Scottish justice system, compared with the rest of the population. A reported 63 per cent of people in prison have an alcohol use disorder, and almost half of those people are possibly dependent on alcohol.”
“Office for National Statistics figures released only yesterday reveal that alcohol-specific deaths in Scotland have reached a 15-year high and that our country continues to have the highest rate of alcohol deaths in the United Kingdom. As we have heard from Elena Whitham, inequality is embedded in Scotland, so some of the problems with alcohol feel almost built into the lives that people are going to have. We have to be honest about that and seek to change that direction. Although rates have remained steady compared with 2022, Scotland still has some of the highest rates of alcohol-related harm in Europe. Not only does harmful drinking impact people’s physical and mental health, but, as we have heard, it has a profound antisocial impact and can be detrimental to individual and societal wellbeing.”
“I thank Elena Whitham for securing this important debate and congratulate her on her speech, which sets out the direction that we should all support in Scotland. I am very supportive of the motion, and I welcome SHAAP to the public gallery. Excessive drinking of alcohol poses a significant public health challenge globally. However, the Scottish culture of high alcohol consumption levels and binge drinking has created what can only be described as a crisis. We need to be honest about that if we hope to reverse the current trajectory and help people, families and communities. It is our responsibility in this Parliament to do what we can to support those communities.”
“We have rehearsed and discussed some of the issues that are driving that, including the hospital occupancy and delayed discharge issues that Oliver Mundell and Emma Harper have referenced. This morning, I met Colin Pullman, the executive director of the Royal College of Nursing, to discuss the RCN’s report on corridor care, and I committed to exploring further how we can, consistently, have a greater sense of what the picture looks like and, therefore, how we can address it. Budget 2025-26 (Hospice Care) 4.”
“The rate of patients being seen within four hours at accident and emergency departments in Dumfries and Galloway is the worst on record. Although we understand the immense pressure that NHS staff are under, lack of capacity has led to treatment taking place in areas that are unsafe, inappropriate and undignified. Last week, I asked the cabinet secretary whether the Government would commit to publishing regular data on the care that is taking place in inappropriate settings, but he failed to address the issue of data altogether. I ask him again: does the Government intend to publish regular data on corridor care? Neil Gray: I accept the situation that Carol Mochan has set out with regard to the four-hour standard.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what it will do to address any difficulties with recruitment and retention in local government due to the reported declining value of pay. (S6O-04291)”
“Neil Gray: Carol Mochan will recognise that we have increased investment in the Scottish Ambulance Service, which has resulted in an increased number of paramedics being employed by the service. As I said in answer to Kevin Stewart, the provisions that we are setting out in the budget will allow the Scottish Ambulance Service to continue that investment and maintain capacity. I would be more than happy to engage further with the member on the points that she has raised on training. Budget (Scotland) (No 4) Bill: Stage 1”
“In Ayrshire and Arran, ambulances have had to wait more than five hours before patients can be admitted, due to lack of capacity. Insufficient workforce planning has meant that NHS services have been unable to cope with high pressures and demand. That clearly links to the mental health pressures that have been placed on ambulance crews. Despite that, newly qualified paramedics are being forced to relocate, due to a shortage of job opportunities in Scotland. Surely the Government recognises that better workforce planning would alleviate some of the pressure that is felt by the Scottish Ambulance Service. What steps is the cabinet secretary taking to ensure that Scotland fully benefits from the investment that has been made in paramedic education and training?”
“To ask the Scottish Government when it last discussed plans to reduce corridor care and the use of temporary escalation spaces with national health service boards. (S6O-04267)”
“One in six Scots are on an NHS waiting list; more than 5 million bed days have been lost to delayed discharge in the past decade; and Scotland has the worst life expectancy rates across the UK, and one of the worst rates in western Europe—”
“Broken promises, missed targets, poor delivery and lack of ambition—that is the truth of the SNP NHS. Ask any constituent—they all have a story about the dedication of NHS staff and the dismal failure of the SNP Government. The SNP Government has fallen short on so many national commitments that it is simply too hard to keep track of all its failures. Today, I, along with many other Scots, feel what can only be described as frustration over the Government’s inability to deliver many of its pledges and develop an NHS that is fit for our future and for our patients and staff. The Government cannot argue with the facts.”
“I recognise the steps that the cabinet secretary has described today, and I welcome the cross- Government approach. Is the Government monitoring the approach that has been taken on pandemic preparedness in other countries, which will help to promote understanding and ensure that Scotland gathers the best evidence base for developing its own future response? Neil Gray: Absolutely. In the interests of brevity, I will just say that we are monitoring that domestically, within the four nations’ responses— and we are considering how we can collaborate on that—as well as looking to international evidence. Delayed Discharge (Highlands and Islands) 4.”
“I hope that the motion will be supported across the Parliament and that we can work together to get these women the compensation that they deserve. 16:08”
“We can all recognise the economic disaster that the UK Government has to deal with, but, given the decades-long fight that these women have had to wage in order to expose Government failings, an apology is not going to suffice in rectifying the situation. In a country where the gender pension gap is sitting at 39 per cent, we need to do more to heal the deep wounds of the past. The current decision by the UK Government is simply not acceptable to WASPI women and their families, who have provided so much to our communities and to the wider economy. From the Age Scotland briefing, we know that women are far less likely to feel confident about being comfortable in retirement. That is deeply worrying. Much more needs to be done, so I am pleased that my party will support the motion tonight.”
“This situation has serious mental health implications, which the WASPI women have fought repeatedly to expose in their campaign. It has led to serious struggles for these women to afford the necessities of life while also experiencing anger and disappointment—quite rightly—in a system that does not seem to value their contribution and does not work for them. Although appropriate, the acknowledgment and apology from the UK Government does not do enough for these women, who have been left short and turned away throughout their lives. It is important that the apology was made but, in the case of those most adversely affected, the lack of any compensation is ultimately life changing. We must recognise that.”
“Those affected have had to adapt rapidly and, in many cases, to completely change their plans for the future to make up for that financial loss in anticipating what their retirement will look like. As the motion states, in March 2024, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman revealed the Tory Government’s failings and said that these women deserve compensation. Therefore, the refusal that we have seen thus far from the UK Government to provide any compensation is unacceptable, as we have heard from members across the chamber. Without the ability to properly plan for their future, the emotional impact has taken a concerning toll on these women, as many have said in telling their stories. For some, that has become insurmountable.”
“Scottish Labour recognises that WASPI women will be disappointed that no compensation will be offered and that an apology from the Government is not enough. The pension changes that were introduced by the Pensions Act 1995 and the Pensions Act 2011 were not only poorly communicated but handled with no respect for the women affected. Women who were just years away from retirement suddenly found that they had to work longer, which caused financial and emotional distress. As we know, over 300,000 women in Scotland have been impacted by this scandal. We have a responsibility to those women, including, where possible, a responsibility to speak for them, and I hope that we can do so tonight. The decision to bring forward the age change across the UK in the 2011 act brought financial and emotional distress to women across Scotland.”
“Now, at the end of their working lives, they are told that their efforts have not been recognised in the way that they would have been for a man of the same age. As other members have said, it is likely that those women started their careers prior to the Equal Pay Act 1970. That was a time when they would have had to leave work when they got married or had children. Those women have now been disadvantaged further through serious mismanagement by the state when communicating how they would receive their pension. The ombudsman determined that the DWP’s decision making between 2005 and 2007 led to a 28-month delay in its starting to send letters about state pension age changes to women who were born in the 1950s, and that those delays were maladministration and led to injustice.”
“When I have met the WASPI women, I have heard their stories and their fears about the serious impact that the process has had and will continue to have on their lives Their stories have moved us all, and it would not be right for me to hide from comments that I have made in the past. Therefore, I have chosen to speak in this debate, as I have done in previous debates on this subject in the Parliament. Having spoken in the debate last week, I might be repeating some of the points that I made then, but I believe it is important to set the scene for this generation. It is impossible to argue that women born between 1950 and 1960 have not had to fight their whole lives for equality. Many of those women started their working lives at a time when workplaces were not structured to support or welcome them.”
“I say without hesitation that the WASPI women deserve compensation and that, where an injustice such as this has occurred, it is the job of Government to rectify it. I thought that many years ago, when the problem first arose, and I continue to think it now. I value the work of the WASPI women in my region and across Scotland, and I thank them for their determination in the fight for compensation. I am glad that the UK Government has apologised for this injustice. I recognise that as an important step towards a resolution that reflects the scale of the damage done. However, that is simply not enough. As my colleagues have stated, we will continue to urge our party in Westminster to look again at the ombudsman’s report. I am pleased that we will vote for the Government's motion tonight.”
“The association absolutely sees the benefits of such initiatives, but the work on education needs to come together in order to make them happen. In the interests of time, I will leave it there. I know that the cabinet secretary and his team understand the issues; it is about how we get some of the work over the line. I thank members for their contributions to the debate. 18:03”
“I want to mention apprenticeships and the opportunity to introduce tailored and flexible approaches to education and training. As I have said before in debates about the NHS, I strongly urge the Government to consider those opportunities and to move them forward, because I know that they have been discussed. Professional bodies want to engage with apprenticeships as they see the benefit for both patients and staff. Does the cabinet secretary have an update on that, with particular regard to allied health professionals? I met the British Dietetic Association, a professional organisation that is keen to support work on that, which understands the importance of having people in remote areas. Those sorts of initiatives would also create good quality jobs for people.”
“The Government must work with trade unions, professional bodies, training providers and NHS boards to discuss opportunities to improve the flexibility and delivery of training. Neil Gray: That is what we are trying to achieve with the nursing and midwifery task force, which I hope that the member recognises. Its recommendations and findings are due to be published and we will seek to deliver on them as quickly as possible. Carol Mochan: I recognise that we have discussed that before in the chamber. I suppose that some of my frustration is about the urgency. We have a lot of the evidence, and we need to move on to delivery. Some of the initiatives that Brian Whittle mentioned about the delivery of training would be very helpful.”
“The intentions of the national centre for remote and rural health and care are very welcome, but I do not think that the initiative is widely understood by boards, clinicians and patients. If we want to maximise what the centre could do, we need to do some work on that. I turn to the healthcare workforce. As another member said, the Health, Sport and Social Care Committee’s inquiry into remote and rural healthcare highlighted the critical importance of the local availability of suitably trained staff and of development opportunities to support the recruitment and retention of the healthcare workforce. That applies across the board but is particularly important for some of our professional workforce, such as nurses, allied health professionals, consultants and GPs.”
“As a South Scotland MSP, I am no stranger to the harsh realities that people who access health services in rural areas face, and like other members, I receive lots of correspondence on the issue. Living in remote and rural communities should not limit people’s access to basic and specialist care, but we know that it does. I was going to cover maternity services, but other members have spoken about that very well. We need to understand patients’ wishes about local models of care, in particular for maternity services, because we all agree that women having to deliver babies in lay-bys is not safe. The pretence that we are doing something to make something else safer does not hold true in those circumstances. I will move on to the other points that I want to raise.”
“As she will know, it is really important that the Scottish Covid inquiry be entirely independent of Government, so it would not be appropriate for me to determine or to guide the areas that it chooses to explore. However, I imagine that the issues that she has identified will inevitably be explored, because they are of such importance to our understanding of the impact through the inquiry.”
“I welcome the four-nations approach that is being taken. For lessons to be learned, a collaborative approach is vital. As the Deputy First Minister said, during the pandemic, certain groups in our society were particularly vulnerable, and Covid only exacerbated pre-existing inequalities. More work must be done on that. Can she assure Parliament that the Scottish Covid inquiry will investigate the issues around inequalities and bring to light the injustices that were felt by some of the most vulnerable in our communities? What timescale can we expect for that work? Kate Forbes: If I heard the member correctly, she asked for reassurance on what the Scottish Covid inquiry would do.”
“NHS Dumfries and Galloway (Delayed Discharge) 5.”
“Neil Gray: I will continue to work with alcohol and drug partnerships to ensure that, as Carol Mochan asks, the services are available to provide support for addressing both alcohol and drug use. We are also taking action this year with Public Health Scotland to provide an evidence-based picture of what further preventative actions we can take on alcohol advertising. When the report comes back from Public Health Scotland, we will consider what further preventative measures we can take on that. Through the interventions that we are making with alcohol and drug partnerships, the work that we are doing on minimum unit pricing and the work that we are doing to reduce the impact that alcohol advertising has, we are taking as many steps as possible. If Carol Mochan wishes to suggest further work, I am more than happy to engage with her on that.”
“The Audit Scotland report that was published towards the end of last year states, in its findings, that the “Government’s increased focus on drug harm through its National Mission programme is shifting the balance of attention from, and effort on, tackling alcohol harm.” The Government has said that this is a twin public health emergency, and we accept that. However, sometimes the Government tends to set out a semi-complete list of disjointed actions relating to alcohol harm prevention. We need clearer actions and more urgency. Through its 2025-26 budget, is the Scottish Government considering ring fencing funding for improving access to alcohol treatment services?”
“In a country in which the pension age gap sits at 39 per cent, the Government’s response is simply not acceptable to WASPI women, who have provided so much to our communities and economy. Christine Grahame: I commend Carol Mochan and Katy Clark, because I know that it is very difficult to be so principled in your contribution when your party has taken a view. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Always speak through the chair. Carol Mochan: I thank Christine Grahame for her intervention, and I know that my colleague Katy Clark and other members who support the WASPI women in this injustice will welcome it, too. It is really important to have such a good debate and to hear good points from across the chamber. More needs to be done, compensation needs to be provided and we all need to stand with the WASPI women until it is secured. 18:46”
“There are numerous knock-on effects on the quality of life that the women are able to lead now, including serious struggles to afford the necessities of life while experiencing anger and disappointment at a system that does not seem to value their contribution at all—a system that does not work for people. Although they are appropriate, the acknowledgement and the apology from the UK Government do nothing for the women who have been left short and turned away throughout their lives. We all recognise the economic disaster that the Government must deal with, but, given the decades-long fight that those women have had to put up in order to expose Government failings, an apology is not acceptable—it does not rectify such an injustice.”
“In March 2024, as we have heard, the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman revealed the Government’s failing and said that the women “deserve compensation”. Therefore, I think that we all agree that the refusal by Governments to provide any compensation thus far is absolutely unacceptable. Without the ability to plan for the future properly, the emotional impact on those women has taken a concerning toll that, for some, can become insurmountable. That has serious mental health impacts, which WASPI campaigners have fought repeatedly to expose.”
“As they started their careers, it is likely that they were employed prior to the Equal Pay Act 1970, at a time when many would have been expected to leave work when they got married or had children. Those women have now been disadvantaged further through serious mismanagement in communications about how they would receive their state pension. That is clear. As we have heard, more than 300,000 women in Scotland have been impacted by the scandal. The decision to increase the age in the Pensions Act 2011 affected 2.6 million women across the UK, and it led to financial and emotional distress for women throughout Scotland. Those affected have had to adapt rapidly and, in many cases, to completely change their plans for their future retirement and make up for any financial losses, if they could anticipate what that would mean.”
“This is an important debate, which brings an essential issue to the chamber. It recognises that, clearly and simply, the WASPI women deserve compensation. I welcome the WASPI women who are in the public gallery. When meeting WASPI women directly, I have heard their stories and their fears about the serious impact that their disadvantage will have on their lives. Their stories have moved us all, and it would not be right for me to hide from the commitments that I have made in the past. It is impossible to argue that women who were born between 1950 and 1960 have not had to fight for equality their whole lives. Many of those women started their working lives at a time when workplaces were not structured to support or welcome them.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to prevent the spread of avian influenza, following the outbreak in Kirriemuir. (S6T-02277)”
“The stark figures show that, for many, the reality is that where they were born unfairly lays out their future, particularly when it comes to health and health outcomes. Technology can play its part in tackling health inequalities. So, as we fight for those technologies to become part of mainstream care, I want us all to reflect on the availability of and access to medical care, treatment and technology. Let us ensure that technology in diabetes care is at the forefront of reducing health inequalities and that it helps to improve the lives of many of our constituents. 17:54”
“There are many elements that we could bring to tonight’s debate, including diabetes diagnosis, treatment and life with diabetes in general, but this short debate gives us the chance to raise only one or two issues. In the time that I have left, I want to talk a little bit about tackling the inequalities around diabetes care, particularly the link between inequality and diabetes outcomes. From years of research on the realities of living with diabetes, particularly for those who come from a more deprived background, we know that those who live in the most deprived homes are up to twice as likely to develop complications from diabetes as those who live in the least deprived homes.”
“Other members have mentioned the research that is being done at Stanford University, and we understand that people who have diabetes make about 180 more decisions each day about their care and health than those without it. Access to diabetes technology can and will help to reduce that burden. If we want people to live full lives, we have a responsibility to use the technology. Foysol Choudhury explained that eloquently when he shared Jane’s story. Managing lifelong conditions can take its toll on individuals and their families, so it is important that, as parliamentarians, we acknowledge our role in fighting for services and for having every possible advantage made available to people as quickly as possible, so that they get maximum benefit—and, of course, for those services being made accessible to all.”
“It changed the lives of many millions of people by ensuring that the diagnosis of type 1 diabetes was no longer a death sentence and by enabling them to have a life worth living. I still think about our responsibility to make life all that it can be for people and how, as medical technology advances, we must make sure that it works for those who need it most. As we have heard from members, and in the words of the motion, the Parliament recognises “the vital importance of medical technology”. Tonight, we are focusing on real-time continuous glucose monitoring and how it can transform the lives of those who use insulin and help them to manage their condition.”
“Diabetes is a condition that patients manage and live with, and I learned much about the adaptability, resilience and humour of people following the diagnosis of such a life- changing condition. The work also gave me a lifelong admiration for the dedication of NHS staff in building up relationships with patients who have enormous hurdles to overcome in their many years of treatment. I would like to give a big shout out to all those staff, including those who work in the background in research and medicine development and, as we are discussing tonight, medical technology. In a previous debate, we spoke about insulin and its relationship to diabetes and we all agreed that it is one of the greatest medical breakthroughs in history.”
“I thank Foysol Choudhury for bringing the debate to the chamber. I was really interested to see it on the agenda and to hear from members tonight. We have spoken previously in the chamber about diabetes and diabetes care, so I know that there is enthusiasm among members for advancing the issue, and I know that some members bring expertise to the debate. I hope that Emma Harper knows that I have great respect for the work that she has done on the cross-party group and the way in which she tells her stories. From a previous role, I, too, have some experience of working with people who have diabetes. I spent many years working as a dietician in the NHS and, in my early career, I covered diabetic clinics along with a specialist diabetic nurse and other members of a multidisciplinary team.”
“I remind the Parliament that poverty and inequality are everyone’s business. I ask members to reflect on working together on all the elements that can be used to change the direction of child poverty in Scotland. 16:10”