Sharon Dowey
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party · Scotland
“There should be an outright ban, across the whole country, on phones in schools, with no exceptions, exemptions or compromise. The Scottish Government has said that headteachers have the power to impose a ban in any case, but we must go further and give them our full support.”
“Ayr diving club has been in existence since 1964 and uses one of only four diving facilities in the whole of Scotland. It is the only one on the west coast, with the other three being on the east coast.”
“This extremely important subject is more pressing than many of the things that we debate in Parliament, and I thank Pam Gosal for bringing it to the chamber. We know that schools, and the teachers and pupils in them, face a range of challenges, which we also know are not exclusive to Scotland.”
“The position should be obvious to us all: phones in schools fuel distraction and conflict, pose nightmare scenarios for teachers and inflict harm in almost every area of the school, from classrooms and corridors to the playground. That is not the children’s fault, nor is it exclusive to them.”
“As a parent, I instinctively know that the concerns relating to smart phones are completely legitimate. Anyone with eyes and ears can see the harm and distractions that those devices cause for young people, and there is also hard evidence.”
“They go back to having a life that is not lived on the tiny screen in front of them. From the minute a pupil walks into a school, there should be no mobile phones in sight. That is what the teachers want and what the children need. That is why I am delighted to give this motion my full and unequivocal support.”
The complete record
Every one of 344 lines we hold for Sharon Dowey, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 3 of 7.
“That includes £6 million specifically for tackling cybercrime. She has cited cybercrime as a major problem, while the Scottish Police Federation has said that the response to cybercrime is being weakened by a lack of cash. When she delivers her budget in the new year, the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Local Government must give the police every penny that they need. That money is important, because it has been proven that, when the justice authorities are supported, they can make an impact. The banking protocol, whereby police work with bank staff to spot potential fraud in customer transactions, helped to save Scots £750,000 in the first three months of this year.”
“Even if not a single person in Scotland was guilty of a cybercrime, the problem facing ordinary Scots from international threats would still be considerable. My contribution to the debate is therefore intended to be entirely constructive. The police do great work in this area, but they need more support. The difficulties that the force faces when it comes to officer numbers and resources—not to mention the impossible environment in which the police work—have been well documented in the chamber. They have a specific ask on this topic, which I urge the Scottish Government to deliver in full. Chief Constable Jo Farrell has said that Police Scotland needs £105 million just to stand still, in effect, when it comes to officer numbers, and that a further £33 million would enable her to strengthen the workforce.”
“This is a global problem, of course, but even the statistics for Scotland paint a grim story. According to official recorded crime data, there were an estimated 7,710 cybercrimes in Scotland in 2019- 20. By 2024-25, the figure had almost doubled to 14,120. That equates to 38 incidents a day, which cover everything from fraud and extortion to sexual abuse and exploitation. We know that many such crimes are never reported, so the true picture is likely to be far worse. The question that MSPs face is what to do about that. In the first instance, we must look to Police Scotland and the Scottish Government. I do not believe that this hugely complicated and difficult subject should be the source of an intense political blame game.”
“I welcome this opportunity to discuss cybercrime and the devastating impact that it can have on people and businesses. I thank the Criminal Justice Committee clerks for all their work to arrange the evidence sessions and compile the committee’s report. As was made clear throughout the evidence sessions, this problem is not going away—in fact, it is getting worse all the time, and more people are doing it. The technology that they are using is becoming more advanced. The criminals have more resources behind them—either from serious organised crime gangs, which always get themselves involved when they think that there is easy money to be made, or because of the increasing role that bad states such as Russia, Iran and North Korea are playing in this area.”
“That has come as a direct result of engagement with victims and from listening to their experiences on records retention. I know the distress and trauma that records being destroyed has caused to victims. It is imperative that that behaviour does not happen in any of our organisations that are involved in protecting children and young people. What has been set out today further strengthens that approach, but it has already been taken via the Scottish child abuse inquiry.”
“The cabinet secretary has acknowledged the importance of preserving records and information that are relevant to the review, yet instructions to review and retain documents are being issued only today. Given the concerns about the loss of evidence in historical abuse cases that have been raised repeatedly by victims, experts and the Parliament, why were those safeguards not put in place at the outset of the process? What assurance can the cabinet secretary give that relevant records have not already been lost during the delay? Jenny Gilruth: As I understand it, the Scottish child abuse inquiry put in place a number of requirements in that regard many years ago. Today, we have supplemented and strengthened the approach via communication in that regard from the director general for education and justice.”
“I will find out the detailed answer to the question that Sharon Dowey has put to me, and I will write to her accordingly.”
“I condemn the horrific antisemitic attack on the Jewish community at Bondi beach, in Australia. England uses a digital general practitioner marker in firearms licensing, which means that doctors get an automatic flag if a patient with a mental health illness has access to firearms. Can the First Minister explain why Scotland does not currently have an equivalent digital system, and can he say whether that has been considered? The First Minister: I do not know the specific answer to that question, but I will find it out. We have very significant constraints in relation to access to firearms, and we have very restrictive licensing arrangements in that respect. However, that does not exclude the possibility of firearms getting into the hands of individuals who do not handle them responsibly or appropriately.”
“First, will you accept a motion without notice for the First Minister to be able to update Parliament on whether he still has confidence in his justice secretary, and whether she has offered her resignation to him? Secondly, Presiding Officer, can you confirm that if there has been no update to the Official Report, as requested in Sharon Dowey’s question, that is a breach of the code of conduct for MSPs, given that MSPs must update the Official Report with any corrections as soon as they are made aware of their error? The Presiding Officer: Thank you. I am sure that all members are aware of the mechanisms that exist to correct the Official Report. With regard to Mr Ross’s other point, we will proceed with business as scheduled this afternoon. There will be other opportunities to discuss these matters. Business Motions”
“Has the Official Report been corrected yet? If it has not, why not? The Presiding Officer: I must remind members that there is a substantive question in the Business Bulletin, and it is important that subsequent questions refer to that question. If the minister wishes, she can respond in that regard. Natalie Don-Innes: I have taken the steps that I felt to be appropriate. I have come to the chamber today and, as I said, I have been very open and transparent around the confusion and the mix-up that have taken place. The information has now been provided in full and, as I said, I would now like to focus my attention on the serious matters at hand and the steps that we are taking to combat them. The Presiding Officer: That concludes the urgent question. Douglas Ross: On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I have two points to raise.”
“There are 14 days in which those who are involved in the tribunal can appeal, so I caution us all against rushing to judgment while the process is still under way.”
“This case is a prime example of the Scottish National Party’s flawed self-identification guidance having gone wrong. It has been nearly eight months since the Supreme Court ruled that, when it comes to equalities legislation, the definition of “sex” is based on biology, yet public bodies under the direction of the Scottish Government have still not implemented that judgment. Will the Scottish Government finally commit to ensuring that all public bodies follow the judgment? Neil Gray: I have already given the Government’s position on the Supreme Court, in answer to Jackie Baillie. Again, I will provide context on where we are when it comes to the tribunal ruling. The tribunal has still to proceed to a remedy. The remedy hearing is still to take place.”
“Our boards are doing what they can to provide drop-in clinics and peer-to-peer vaccinations. Vaccination is the best way for people to protect themselves, their colleagues and their loved ones at this time of year. I encourage anyone—regardless of whether they are staff in health and social care or members of the public—who is eligible for a vaccine to take the opportunity to have it as soon as possible. Salmon Farming (Mortality Figures) 2.”
“It is alarming that our hospitals are so stretched that, because they are petrified of a routine winter flu taking them beyond breaking point, they are having to deprive people of family visits at their time of need. What assessments have been made of whether flu vaccination uptake by NHS staff is sufficient? What additional steps will be taken to strengthen resilience across all NHS boards this winter? Neil Gray: The decisions to restrict visiting that Sharon Dowey mentioned are not taken lightly and are not unprecedented, either. Local teams need to carry out a difficult balancing act around risk and the potential impact that restrictions can have on families and loved ones, which everybody will be well aware of. On the vaccination programme, as I have already set out, there is more work to do, particularly among our staff groups.”
“On the matter of grooming gangs, the group lacks transparency, it lacks leadership and it has given us no reason to believe that it can tackle this sensitive issue head on. We certainly do not have any assurance about the review. We were challenged to find evidence; we did. We asked for openness; we were blocked. We looked for seriousness; we found errors. We sought ministerial accountability; ministers did not turn up. We do not have confidence in the strategic group or the review to deliver full justice for victims. We need a national inquiry. 16:44”
“Clearly, ministerial engagement is poor, but we did not realise how bad it was until we submitted parliamentary questions about ministerial involvement with the group. Shockingly, we discovered that no relevant minister had attended any of the key meetings of the strategic group—not the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs, not the Minister for Victims and Community Safety and not the Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise. Given the collapse of the inquiry in England and the recent harrowing testimony of victims, it is astonishing that ministers did not think it necessary to attend any meetings of the strategic group to ensure proper oversight. If ministers are not in the room, victims are not represented—it is as simple as that.”
“That is right—marine planning was in official Scottish Government documentation about grooming gangs. That was clearly a lazy copy-and-paste job: a poor, sloppy reason that demonstrates that the Government has still not learned the lessons of the Salmond inquiry. It is continuing the same patterns of excessive secrecy, casual errors and careless redactions. Victims need transparency. What the Government has been producing is not good enough. The concerns about the group go beyond its scope or the secrecy. They also touch on ministerial oversight, which is probably the most concerning aspect. We saw that the cabinet secretary had to be corrected on vital information that she presented to the Parliament about the views of members of the group.”
“Our recent freedom of information request on the strategic group and its work on grooming gangs was met with a response that had sweeping redactions and vast sections that were blanked out. Those sections included material that would have shown whether the group ever meaningfully considered grooming gangs and whether it understood how to track them. Under the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, when the Government chooses to withhold important material from the public, it is legally required to provide a clear and compelling rationale for doing so, especially when there is a strong public interest in disclosure. What was the Government’s strong justification for withholding key information on its strategic group? It was the impact on marine planning.”
“The Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs has repeatedly stated in the chamber that there is no need for an inquiry because the national child sexual abuse and exploitation strategic group delivers the necessary coverage and oversight. Today’s announcement shows that, in its current format, the strategic group is not up to the job and never was. The Government announced that Alexis Jay will lead a review of complaints—essentially, what we asked for in our amendment that the Government voted down. We need a fresh start. We need a full public inquiry, independent of the Government and of that group. Frankly, we do not believe that anything related to that group will achieve justice for victims.”
“This is a subject of considerable importance. When the Government voted down our amendment to the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill that would have introduced a grooming gangs inquiry, the cabinet secretary told us that, if we believed that an inquiry into grooming gangs was necessary, we should “go and make the case for one”. We did exactly what she asked. We gathered what evidence we could, and what we found was deeply troubling. In recent days, the Scottish Information Commissioner has ordered the Scottish Government to release vast amounts of material that it wrongly withheld in relation to the Salmond inquiry. Clearly, the Government has learned nothing from that and is continuing to make the same mistakes—only, now, they touch on the sensitive matter of child sexual exploitation and grooming gangs.”
“The Supreme Court ruling was clear, and men should not be in women’s prisons. Will the cabinet secretary outline what review mechanisms are in place once an individual is transferred into the female estate? In particular, how are any emerging risks identified and acted on? What criteria would trigger any reassessment or removal from the women’s estate? Angela Constance: As I have intimated, the SPS has formal risk management processes with partners. It utilises its experience of managing risk when placing a transgender person, and known factors such as convictions and behaviours—past, present and pending—are all assessed. When the SPS does not feel that it has received sufficient information about a transgender individual’s history or past behaviours, that is also taken into consideration to inform appropriate placement.”
“It could properly resource a justice system that gets tough on perpetrators, punishes and then rehabilitates properly, and serves up a robust deterrent to would-be and repeat criminals. Only then will the women and girls of Scotland really believe that this Government is on their side. 16:09”
“Women and girls across Scotland are frightened for their safety. Domestic abuse is on a constant increasing trajectory and we know that it is females who bear the brunt of that. They are also usually the victims when it comes to rape— another crime that is on an alarmingly rising trend. In the current session of Parliament alone, 39 women in Scotland have lost their lives to male violence. There are so many things that our Government could be embarking upon to help to turn the tide on this. It could back my colleague and friend Pam Gosal’s Prevention of Domestic Abuse (Scotland) Bill, which would create a domestic abuse register. It could get serious about misogyny laws.”
“They are rightly described as being among the most vulnerable females in society and we know that, far from being feared and notorious criminals, many of them are victims of crime and abuse themselves. Despite all of that, however, the SNP is refusing to change its policy of allowing dangerous male criminals who happen to just think or say that they are females to be housed in women’s prisons. We know that those men do that because they are arrogant and abusive, because they want to pose a threat to women and because they think that they will have an easier life than they would have in a male prison. They are taking the system for a ride. The Supreme Court’s ruling on sex was abundantly clear and it is a disgrace that the Scottish Government has not heeded it. There should be no men in women’s prisons. It really is as simple as that.”
“Victims and members of the wider public will find it incredible that, on the one hand, the SNP cites the group as evidence of its tough response to child exploitation yet, on the other hand, no senior minister has seen fit to even show up to the meetings. The continued refusal of this Government to hold a grooming gangs inquiry is a national disgrace. There is evidence of grooming in every part of Scotland, yet every part of the Government would rather close its eyes and pretend that it has not happened. It is a blinkered and shameful approach and it must change now. We often hear ministers lament the number of women who are incarcerated in Scotland’s prisons.”
“That was clearly a mistake at Scottish Government headquarters, but that sloppiness and negligence summed up rather well the SNP’s attitude to the matter. What is more, further research by my colleague Liam Kerr found a complete absence of interest in the strategic group. We should remember that the Scottish Government claims that the establishment of the group negates the need for an inquiry, so we would think that attending its meetings would be rather important for senior Government ministers, yet the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs has never been, the Minister for Victims and Community Safety has not turned up either, and even the Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise has yet to grace a meeting with her presence.”
“Victims in other parts of the UK are finally getting the chance of justice and answers, but in Scotland—yet again—things just have to be different. On the Conservatives’ side of the chamber, we have tried for quite some time to persuade the Scottish Government to change its mind, but attempt after attempt has been thwarted. When the Scottish Conservatives recently tried to put in a freedom of information request to find out more about the mysterious national child sexual abuse and exploitation strategic group, we were met with a bizarre rejection. In obstructing the publication of information, the response used policy language about marine planning as justification for the secrecy—marine planning, on the matter of grooming gangs!”
“A clearer picture can be seen in the Government’s refusal to launch an inquiry into grooming gangs in Scotland, in the on-going and disgraceful situation relating to males being housed in women’s prisons and even in the shocking lack of action on everything from domestic abuse to the shocking year-on-year increases in rape and sexual assault. If SNP ministers were genuinely serious about ending violence towards women and girls in Scotland, they would do more than just offering warm words in this chamber. Victims of child grooming gangs in Scotland cannot enjoy even warm words from this Scottish Government. From the First Minister down, senior ministers have repeatedly refused this much- needed investigation.”
“I am glad that the Scottish Government has brought to the chamber this debate on the importance of tackling violence against women and girls. Like other females across Scotland, I hope the fact that it has done so signals a new SNP approach to protecting the rights of women and girls, because, up to this point, there has been precious little evidence that the issue is anywhere near the top of the agenda. In fact, the Scottish Government’s attitude to the protection of women and girls is not at all fairly represented in the text of its motion today.”
“FGM is illegal in this country, so it is highly possible that the procedure was performed overseas. National Timber Group (Administration) 2.”
“The figures from Glasgow alone are shocking—1,247 women were treated for FGM in just five and a half years, and there have been 57 deinfibulation surgeries, with seven more already having been carried out this year. Those figures apply to one health board only, but we know that women across Scotland are affected by the issue. Will the minister tell Parliament how many women have required FGM treatment nationally over the same period and whether the figure is increasing? Kaukab Stewart: I am afraid that I do not have those figures to hand, but I will take the opportunity to reiterate that the article in The Herald misleadingly suggests that 1,200 women were subjected to FGM in Glasgow. That figure represents those who received treatment for FGM in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde between 2019 and June 2025.”
“I would not want the Government to give any impression that it has something to hide, and therefore I look forward to its support for the revised amendment. I move amendment 2.”
“So, here I am with a revised amendment that removes any compulsory element, but which still enables and invites the Auditor General to examine what went wrong, whether internal controls were adequate, how information was communicated to ministers and whether action was taken promptly enough, given that £400 million of taxpayers’ money is potentially on the line. I believe that this revised amendment is proportionate and workable. It respects the Auditor General’s independence while ensuring that Parliament can, in time, receive an objective account of the failures that led to the bill. It also allows the bill to proceed as the Government intends, as there is no reasonable basis on which to oppose it.”
“Amendment 1 disagreed to. The Presiding Officer: We move to group 2, on an independent review by the Auditor General for Scotland. Amendment 2, in the name of Craig Hoy, is the only amendment in the group. Craig Hoy: I believe that, if Parliament and the public are to learn anything from this failure, an independent review remains essential. At stage 2, I proposed a mandatory review by the Auditor General. I thank Richard Leonard for pointing out that my amendment was deficient, and I apologise to Stephen Boyle, the Auditor General, for the nature of it. However, I still believe that a review by the Auditor General would be an important part of learning lessons and of ensuring that the same thing does not occur again.”
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I would have voted yes. The Presiding Officer: Thank you, Ms Dowey. For Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Ind) Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab) Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab) Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con) Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Ind) Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab) Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD) Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con) Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Lab) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Findlay, Russell (West Scotland) (Con) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con) Gosal, Pam (West Scotland) (Con) Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (LD) Griffin, Mark (Central Scotland) (Lab) Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con) Lennon, Monica (Central Scotland) (Lab) Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con) McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con) Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Russell, Davy (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (Lab) Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab) Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con) Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con) White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con) Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab) Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) Against Adam, George (Paisley) (SNP) Adam, Karen (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) Adamson, Clare (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP) Allan, Alasdair (Na h-Eileanan an Iar) (SNP) Arthur, Tom (Renfrewshire South) (SNP) Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP) Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP) Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Callaghan, Stephanie (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) Chapman, Maggie (North East Scotland) (Green) Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) Constance, Angela (Almond Valley) (SNP) Dey, Graeme (Angus South) (SNP) Don-Innes, Natalie (Renfrewshire North and West) (SNP) Doris, Bob (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) Dornan, James (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) Ewing, Annabelle (Cowdenbeath) (SNP) Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP) Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP) Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP) Gougeon, Mairi (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP) Grahame, Christine (Midlothian South, Tweeddale and Lauderdale) (SNP) Gray, Neil (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP) Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green) Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP) Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green) Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen) (SNP) Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP) Hyslop, Fiona (Linlithgow) (SNP) Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP) MacDonald, Gordon (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP) MacGregor, Fulton (Coatbridge and Chryston) (SNP) Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green) [Proxy vote cast by Ross Greer] Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP) Maguire, Ruth (Cunninghame South) (SNP) Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) McKee, Ivan (Glasgow Provan) (SNP) McLennan, Paul (East Lothian) (SNP) McMillan, Stuart (Greenock and Inverclyde) (SNP) McNair, Marie (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP) Minto, Jenni (Argyll and Bute) (SNP) Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) [Proxy vote cast by Lorna Slater] Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Fulton MacGregor] Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) Thomson, Michelle (Falkirk East) (SNP) Todd, Maree (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP) Torrance, David (Kirkcaldy) (SNP) Tweed, Evelyn (Stirling) (SNP) Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) The Presiding Officer: The result of the division is: For 47, Against 63, Abstentions 0.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to reduce the number of repeat shoplifting offenders, in light of reports that 10 individuals have accumulated over 1,500 charges in the last four years. (S6O-05176)”
“I fully support the motion that Finlay Carson has lodged, and I hope that those SNP members who have turned up today take the messages from the debate back to their Government ministers, whose time for acting is fast running out. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I now call Christine Grahame. 18:08”
“The SNP promised to scrap dental charges for everyone, but it has failed to deliver, and now 40 per cent of people in the most deprived areas in Ayrshire have had no contact with a dentist in two years, and one in four primary 7 pupils are suffering from tooth decay. Instead of focusing on things that could make people’s lives better, nationalist ministers have obsessed about independence to the cost of everything else. The evidence is on show in almost every debate that the Parliament has. Rural Scotland might be more remote, and might happen to be in less accessible places, but it is a vital part of the country, and it deserves as much attention as everywhere else.”
“Shockingly, more than 11,000 people in Ayrshire have been waiting more than a year for an out- patient appointment—that is the second-highest number in any health board. That includes almost 2,800 people who need general surgery. NHS Ayrshire and Arran also had the longest waits for an audiology appointment, with people waiting 62 weeks on average for an appointment and 115 weeks to actually get hearing aids fitted. People are waiting on average 26 weeks for orthopaedic treatment, with one in 10 waiting more than 72 weeks. That is on top of the trouble that people have in accessing a dental appointment.”
“Scotland’s public sector watchdog said that the challenges facing NHS Ayrshire and Arran were “unprecedented” and that there did not seem to be any plan to get out of the situation. The Scottish Government needs to ask itself how things have got that bad. NHS Ayrshire and Arran is not the only health board, nor indeed the only public sector organisation, that is facing dire financial challenges, as Rhoda Grant mentioned. It is difficult to see how things will get better, especially as parts of Ayrshire have the fastest- growing elderly population in the country, which will only place additional pressure on health and social care. The SNP Government has promised the people of Ayrshire many things, but it has delivered few. I will give members a few facts on Ayrshire.”
“That project was supposed to upgrade significantly the level of care for patients across Ayrshire and Arran and provide staff with a far better environment in which to work. However, two years ago, it was decided to hit pause on the scheme, even though around £5 million had been spent on it. The building now sits lifeless, contributing nothing, and yet sucking out millions of pounds that could have been invested elsewhere. It would have been better if the Scottish Government had come good on its pledge to complete the project—by now, the centre would be up and running, and serving the local community well. However, the problems in NHS Ayrshire and Arran go much further than that. The organisation is tens of millions of pounds in debt and needs huge loans simply to break even.”
“The challenges that my colleague Finlay Carson has laid out are moving and troubling, and illustrate the experience of an area that faces a number of problems through no fault of its own. However, those challenges will be painfully familiar to people in other parts of rural Scotland, too. Further north, in Ayrshire, we can empathise with all those issues, and I am sure that colleagues across the chamber who represent other areas of the country will say the same. The bottom line is this: small towns and villages have been neglected by the SNP Government, and that has been the case for almost two decades now. Few cases sum up the issue better than the fate of the Carrick Glen national treatment centre.”
“Daniel Johnson: Again, I ask the very specific question: has the Government sought the advice of Professor Jay as to whether an independent review of child abuse cases is required in Scotland? Was that specific question put to Professor Jay? Yes or no? Natalie Don-Innes: I have given a specific answer to that question. Yes, advice has been sought from Professor Jay via the national CSAES group. The Presiding Officer: That concludes the urgent question. Business Motions 17:27”
“Professor Alexis Jay’s comments on the grooming gang inquiries were misrepresented. Presumably, she was keen to ensure that the cabinet secretary was aware of that as soon as possible. Will the minister set out or disclose to us what communications on that were passed between the professor and the Scottish Government and when? Natalie Don-Innes: I am sorry, but I do not have that information specifically to hand. I am more than happy to provide that information if it is available. However, as I have been very clear, those comments were clarified at the most recent meeting of the national child sexual abuse and exploitation strategic group. As I said, I am happy to provide that further information.”
“That shows that we very much recognise the importance of diverting as much funding as possible to front-line services, and that is what we will continue to do. The Deputy Presiding Officer: That concludes portfolio questions on finance and local government. There will be a short pause to allow everybody to be in position for the next item of business. Urgent Question 14:46 Scottish Men’s National Football Team (World Cup Qualification)”
“Although I welcome any funding for those vital upgrades, we have just learned that the Scottish Government has increased its own staffing costs by £53 million in 2024-25. Can the cabinet secretary tell communities from Maybole to Cairnryan why Government bureaucracy costs can rise by tens of millions of pounds a year, yet the A77 still receives nowhere near the focused investment that is needed to make it safe? Shona Robison: I have just set out the investments that are being made in the A77, and major investments are happening in other parts of the trunk road network. I am sure that the member will be aware that the financial sustainability delivery plan, which was published in June alongside the public service reform strategy, set out a very clear direction of travel for reducing staffing numbers, particularly in corporate costs.”
“The Scottish Government protects the right to peaceful public assembly and freedom of expression, which are important rights that the Scottish Government is committed to upholding.”
“Retailers and members of the public are telling us that they cannot get a response to 999 calls, even when they are threatened with violence. However, when a women’s rights group tried to peacefully protest, instead of the person who tried to disrupt the protest being removed, we ended up with the ridiculous spectacle of brollygate. Does the minister accept that, under this Government, police officers are being told to chase down so- called brolly assaulters and record non-criminal hate incidents, instead of focusing on keeping communities safe and upholding the right to peaceful protest? Siobhian Brown: As I have just said, it is an operational issue for Police Scotland.”
“We have heard from the Government over many years that female prisoners are among the most vulnerable women in society. They are often victims of terrible crime and abuse and are very likely to have suffered domestic violence. Given that, why on earth does the Government see fit for them to be housed alongside male-bodied inmates, some of whom are convicted rapists? Angela Constance: Without commenting on live proceedings, I remind members of the evidence that was given to the Criminal Justice Committee some time ago with respect to the SPS trans policy, which states that no transgender woman with a history of violence against women and girls and who presents a risk of harm should be placed in the female estate.”
“The First Minister: I assure Sharon Dowey that the Government will focus intently on implementing the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill. It has been legislated for by the Parliament and we are taking it forward, as we do with other legislation that is approved by the Parliament. The Presiding Officer: We move to constituency and general supplementary questions. I suggest that members be concise. Nuclear Waste (Dounreay)”