Jackie Baillie
Scottish Labour · Scotland
“Is it not the case that the SNP was economical with the truth in its manifesto when it promised all those things, knowing that there was no budget to deliver any of them? Angela Constance: This Government will deliver a new hospital for the Monklands. This is not about ditching; it is about delivering.”
“I congratulate Marie McNair on bringing the motion to the chamber for debate and on her consistent championing of the cause. Asbestos was finally completely banned in 1999, the same year that the Parliament was established.”
“Today, Cape is owned by the construction engineering company Altrad, which operates around the world, and its UK arm alone made a pre-tax profit of £37.3 million in the year to August 2025.”
“Although shipbuilders and tradesmen might be the most affected, their wives and children might also have been exposed to asbestos dust, and, of course, all families are impacted by a loved one’s diagnosis.”
“I thank the cabinet secretary for the advance copy of her statement. First, there is no doubt in my mind that the people of Lanarkshire and the hard-working NHS staff at Monklands hospital will be bitterly disappointed by the cabinet secretary’s announcement. It does not sound like a reset; it sounds like an indefinite halt.”
“In 2024, the Scottish Law Commission recommended, helpfully, that the time bar be removed, but that was not legislated for in the previous parliamentary session. I hope that the Scottish Government will make such legislation an urgent priority in this parliamentary session.”
The complete record
Every one of 503 lines we hold for Jackie Baillie, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 9 of 11.
“It raises issues around a lack of a clear definition of capacity for young people, the lack of training to identify coercion, the structure of the service and the right of health professionals to opt out. Speaking to hospices more generally, I am left asking what has happened to the Scottish palliative care strategy that was promised three- and-a-half to four years ago but has not yet been delivered. Where is the funding for hospice staff so that their pay can keep pace with pay for equivalent NHS staff? Why are we not investing in palliative care and making it sustainable? I encourage the Government to make progress in that regard. We talk about choice and, at one level, I absolutely agree, but we are not yet really giving people the choice of good palliative care. I have given all the information careful consideration.”
“For example, the most recent briefing from Dr Anni Donaldson of the University of Strathclyde raised the concern that abusive men would weaponise the legislation against a terminally ill partner. Whether that is likely, it was not something that I had considered in the context of the bill. Children’s Hospices Across Scotland, which is based in Robin House in Balloch in my constituency, provides world-class respite and palliative care for children. It understandably believes that there should be a legal right to palliative care, and I welcome Miles Briggs’s work in that area. However, even with the change in age from 16 to 18, the bill still brings within scope young people who might have years of stable life left to live.”
“I worry that the medical profession is so divided and about the practical implications for the NHS— whether medical professionals can opt out or whether training will be given to those who administer end-of-life medication. I have no sense yet from the Scottish Government whether that training can practically be delivered or of the cost of that to the NHS. Too much has not yet been scrutinised. I appreciate Liam McArthur’s willingness to consider stage 2 amendments, but there is a lot to be changed that will not receive the same level of scrutiny that the bill had at stage 1. I am worried about the unintended consequences of things that we have not even begun to consider.”
“There is the emotional story of Julia from Cardross, who experienced the trauma of her husband trying to commit suicide on a number of occasions before finally succeeding, because he could not bear living any longer. There are the views of Jim Elder Woodward, who is disabled and concerned about the implications of the bill for disabled people. All those stories weigh heavily on our decision making. I understand people wanting choice and dignity and agency in their death, but I worry about the safeguards. I do not want anyone to be coerced into taking their own life. I do not want anyone to believe that they might be a burden to their family and feel a misplaced sense of duty to end their life prematurely.”
“Like most members, I have been inundated with emails, right up until minutes before the debate, from hundreds of constituents—some have emailed more than once—from many medical professionals including those who are for and those who are against, and from organisations that are in many cases neutral but wanted to share their concerns about the gaps in the bill and the need for further safeguards. Then there were the very personal stories of constituents. Michelle Moffat from Dumbarton, a former intensive care unit nurse at the Golden Jubilee hospital, booked an assisted suicide at a Dignitas clinic but later cancelled it. Now, six years later, she is in a wheelchair, but she lives a full life, surrounded by family and friends.”
“This is, without doubt, the most difficult and sensitive debate before the Parliament in the current parliamentary session. I pay tribute to Liam McArthur, because his handling of the bill, the respectful debate and the seriousness of his approach have been exemplary. We could not have picked a better advocate for trying to bring about such a fundamental societal change. I did not support the first two bills that came before Parliament, which were proposed by Margo MacDonald and Patrick Harvie. In my view, they were too wide in scope, but this bill is more focused and therefore it deserves fresh consideration. I am grateful to the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee for its report and to all the organisations that provided briefings, because they were helpful when we were assessing the various arguments.”
“The decisions and options that come through from the support package and from increased scrutiny are all about ensuring that the patient experience improves and that we see services being delivered in a more sustainable way, so that we satisfy Jackie Baillie’s concerns.”
“In April, NHS Grampian warned that the health board has too few acute hospital beds and too few staff to cope with demand in some key service areas and that it does not have enough funding or physical space to make any significant improvement. What assurances can the SNP Government give that moving to level 4 will see patients in Grampian getting the treatment that they need? Neil Gray: Jackie Baillie’s question recognises what is at the heart of the escalation, which is the improvement of services and financial sustainability in NHS Grampian with a view to improving patient services. That is why we have escalated the board to level 4.”
“To ask the First Minister when the landslip shelter on the A83 at the Rest and Be Thankful will be complete. (S6F-04067)”
“The Royal College of Psychiatrists points out that the SNP promised to invest 10 per cent of the front-line NHS budget in mental health, but it has invested only 8 per cent. Meanwhile, GP funding has fallen from 11 per cent of the health budget to 6.5 per cent. The SNP is showing us what it actually values, and it is not the NHS, nor is it social care.”
“Far be it from me to point out that the treatment time guarantee is supposed to be 12 weeks. In 2021, the SNP promised to create an NHS app; I looked forward to it. Four years on, that has been downgraded to a pilot in NHS Lanarkshire. The First Minister says that we will have a renewed focus on cancer. Well, that is not before time, as his SNP Government has failed to meet the 31-day and 62-day treatment targets, in the latter case for 13 years. He has reannounced £5 million for hospices. That is great, but they have yet to see a single penny. There is no timeline, and yet again the SNP has not delivered. He boasts about child and adolescent mental health services targets being met, but that is because the figures have been fiddled, and children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or autism have been removed.”
“Only last weekend, we learned that, days before its publication, former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon had described one of the many NHS recovery plans as “awful”. For once, I agree with her. After 18 years in charge of our NHS, there is no one else left to blame—it is entirely the responsibility of the SNP. The SNP promised to recruit 800 more GPs by 2027. That is not going to be delivered—in fact, the number of GPs has actually fallen. Today, the Royal College of Nursing Scotland published its report on “The Nursing Workforce in Scotland 2025”, in which it says that there are not enough nurses to provide safe staffing levels. The SNP promised to reduce waiting times, yet the peak of its ambition appears to be that, by March 2026, patients will be waiting only a year for treatment.”
“As a former education secretary, John Swinney should know better than to steal someone else’s homework, but that is what it has come to, because this Government has run out of ideas; nowhere is that clearer than in Scotland’s NHS. What is the SNP’s record? NHS waiting times are up, with 800,000 Scots on an NHS waiting list; thousands are stuck in hospital beds as they wait for social care packages. Patients are struggling to get appointments with their GPs, while the GPs are threatening to go on strike. Last month, the SNP published yet another NHS recovery plan— we have now had five plans in just four years. The SNP does not know what it is doing and we have the WhatsApp messages to prove it.”
“Of course, that news follows my visit there with Donald MacKinnon, Scottish Labour’s candidate—[Interruption.] I have to say that he is already—[Interruption.] The Deputy Presiding Officer: Ms Baillie, please resume your seat for a second. I do not know whether Ms Baillie was in the chamber last week when I had to mention this to another colleague in the chamber, but we are in a Parliament and we are not part of a hustings, so please proceed accordingly. Jackie Baillie: Indeed, but I was simply going to make the comment that, in that instance, we had a candidate visiting Barra alongside me and, before he has even been elected, we appear to have delivered. Next, I am going to Caithness to talk to maternity campaigners—perhaps the Government would like to intervene there, too, and restore maternity services in the area.”
“The point about delivery is key, because the SNP has had 18 years to deliver, and it has singularly failed to do so. At the right hand of two First Ministers, Alex Salmond and then Nicola Sturgeon, John Swinney was trusted to run Government and to be the keeper of its secrets—oh, how he protected those secrets, whatever the cost. However, I think that John Swinney has demonstrated over this year that he is simply not up to the job and that he has run out of ideas—so much so, that the SNP has now taken to plagiarising Scottish Labour’s plans to end 8 am waits for GP appointments and to scrap peak-time fares. I am delighted, too, with the news about the joint education and NHS facility in Barra.”
“So many broken promises, so many wasted years and so many Scots let down—that is the legacy of this SNP Government and it is a legacy that is wholly owned by John Swinney. The First Minister has been at the heart of this SNP Government for almost 18 years. As finance secretary, he cut budgets for GPs and clawed back money from health and social care partnerships, which face a deficit of £560 million. As education secretary, he downgraded the results of 125,000 working-class kids and failed to increase teacher numbers by 3,500—instead, teacher numbers are down. The SNP thinks that it can cut a budget, partially restore it and then ask us to applaud it for doing so, but the public are not fooled. We now have a recycled, rebadged programme for government with nothing new, no vision and absolutely no guarantee of delivery.”
“Will he do anything—anything at all—to protect the interests of vulnerable babies and their parents across Lanarkshire? If not, how will the SNP Government ensure that mums and babies like Monica and Alfie can stay together at the most frightening time in their lives? 18:17”
“The evidence for that devastating decision is, therefore, shaky at best, while those to whom it matters most feel left in the dark. Monica Sheen is another Lanarkshire mum. On multiple occasions, she got the call that every parent dreads: to come to the hospital to say goodbye to her premature son, Alfie. She described the five-minute journey to the hospital as “the longest of your life” and said: “I can't imagine what a three-hour journey to say goodbye would be like”. Thankfully, Alfie pulled through, but local people, clinical workers and families are all clear that the facility must be protected for the babies of the future. Will the minister therefore scrap the proposed downgrading of the neonatal intensive care unit at University hospital Wishaw? It is in the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care’s backyard.”
“She said: “They talk about keeping families together but parents have not been consulted on these plans. Mums and babies should not be separated and if there is not enough accommodation at these hospitals then that is what will happen. Parents would have to stay in hotels. Mums are often discharged before a baby and if there is nowhere for them to stay what will they do?” The “Best Start” report pledged to redesign services “using the best available evidence”, but NHS Lanarkshire was not represented in the options appraisal process, nor did the decision makers use data from the existing neonatal unit in Wishaw. They did not take account of the existing skills and knowledge in Wishaw, nor did they acknowledge the comparatively high number of premature babies being delivered in Lanarkshire.”
“It stated: “Three to five neonatal intensive care units should be developed, supported by 10 to 12 local neonatal and special care units.” Five neonatal intensive care units could easily include NHS Lanarkshire, as Scotland’s third- largest health board. It could easily include the neonatal multidisciplinary team at University hospital Wishaw, which was named the UK neonatal team of 2023. Why, therefore, did the SNP Government interpret the best start recommendation as narrowly as possible, and stop at three specialist units? The best start proposals offered a vision in which mothers and babies receive “truly family-centred ... and compassionate ... care” and noted—as Meghan Gallacher did in her speech— “The benefits of keeping mothers and babies together”. I will quote Lynne McRitchie again.”
“Innes is now six years old, and Lynne is one of the Wishaw neonatal warriors, raising her voice in concern at the Scottish National Party’s plan to downgrade the neonatal unit that saved her baby’s life. That decision is opposed by everybody, from clinical staff and local communities to the former SNP Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing, Alex Neil. It is a thoughtless centralisation of neonatal care that means that the sickest babies could be transferred to Aberdeen, a three-hour journey away, because there is insufficient capacity at Glasgow and Edinburgh. The SNP Government says that it is following expert advice, so I remind the minister what the “Best Start” report actually said.”
“I thank Meghan Gallacher for bringing the debate to chamber and I commend her for her speech. The Labour amendment is intended not to take anything away from any part of her motion, but to enhance it by talking about the Wishaw neonatal unit, which is an issue that she has addressed herself. “When you have a child in neonatal intensive care you don’t know what to expect. The family could be called in at any minute to say goodbye. What happens if their child is 200 miles away?” Those are the words of Lynne McRitchie, whose newborn son, Innes, spent four months in Wishaw’s neonatal unit, fighting off infections and sepsis. In those first anxious days, Lynne was told that Innes could die at any moment.”
“That the Parliament agrees that the Rural Affairs and Islands Committee be designated as the lead committee in consideration of the Greyhound Racing (Offences) (Scotland) Bill at stage 1. That the Parliament agrees that, under Rule 12.3.3B of Standing Orders, the Education, Children and Young People Committee can meet, if necessary, at the same time as a meeting of the Parliament from 6.15 pm on Wednesday 30 April 2025. The Presiding Officer: That concludes decision time. Neonatal Care (Best Start Model)”
“The Presiding Officer: Unless any member objects, I propose to ask a single question on four Parliamentary Bureau motions. As no member objects, the final question is, that motions S6M-17382 and S6M-17383, on approval of Scottish statutory instruments, motion S6M- 17384, on the designation of a lead committee, and motion S6M-17415, on committee meeting times, all in the name of Jamie Hepburn, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, be agreed to. Motions agreed to, That the Parliament agrees that the Environmental Authorisations (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2025 [draft] be approved. That the Parliament agrees that the Social Security Information-sharing (Scotland) Amendment Regulations 2025 [draft] be approved.”
“Motion, as amended, agreed to, That the Parliament expresses its deep concern at reports that the UK Labour administration may agree a deal on fishing with the EU that enhances access for EU fishing vessels to UK waters without consulting the Scottish Government, despite the fishing industry being of comparatively greater importance to the Scottish economy than to the UK economy as a whole; understands that the reported deal could result in a multi-year access guarantee as opposed to annual negotiations between the UK and the EU; notes the need for an agreement that delivers improvements for Scotland’s fishing communities, including access to the single market for fish and seafood and long- term stability for fishing businesses; further notes the poor record of successive UK Conservative and Labour administrations in delivering for Scotland’s coastal communities; calls on the UK Government to engage with fishing stakeholders and the Scottish Government to ensure that Trade and Cooperation Agreement renegotiations reflect the needs and priorities of the Scottish fishing industry; further calls on the UK Government to provide multi-annual funding that keeps pace with the equivalent EU funding that Scotland would have received as a member state, and that all marine funding be devolved; recognises the significant economic harm created by Brexit in reducing trade and access to labour for fishing businesses, and believes that there should be an annual debate on fisheries to highlight its importance to Scotland’s economy.”
“For 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) Callaghan, Stephanie (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) Coffey, Willie (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD) 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) Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (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) Gray, Neil (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP) Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (LD) Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP) 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) Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP) Maguire, Ruth (Cunninghame South) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Rona Mackay] Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Jamie Hepburn] McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD) 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) Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD) Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP) Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP) Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP) Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP) Swinney, John (Perthshire North) (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) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) Against Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Con) Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab) Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab) Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con) Burnett, Alexander (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Lab) Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab) Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con) Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Lab) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (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) 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) Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con) McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con) Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab) Simpson, Graham (Central Scotland) (Con) Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Smyth, Colin (South Scotland) (Lab) 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) Abstentions Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green) Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green) Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green) The Presiding Officer: The result of the division on motion S6M-17360, in the name of Tim Eagle, on protecting Scotland’s fishing industry, as amended, is: For 65, Against 45, Abstentions 6.”
“Amendment disagreed to. The Presiding Officer: The next question is, that motion S6M-17360, in the name of Tim Eagle, on protecting Scotland’s fishing industry, as amended, be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No. The Presiding Officer: There will be a division.”
“For Baillie, Jackie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Baker, Claire (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Bibby, Neil (West Scotland) (Lab) Boyack, Sarah (Lothian) (Lab) Choudhury, Foysol (Lothian) (Lab) Clark, Katy (West Scotland) (Lab) Duncan-Glancy, Pam (Glasgow) (Lab) Grant, Rhoda (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Johnson, Daniel (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Leonard, Richard (Central Scotland) (Lab) Mochan, Carol (South Scotland) (Lab) Rowley, Alex (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Sarwar, Anas (Glasgow) (Lab) Smyth, Colin (South Scotland) (Lab) Sweeney, Paul (Glasgow) (Lab) Villalba, Mercedes (North East Scotland) (Lab) Whitfield, Martin (South Scotland) (Lab) 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) Balfour, Jeremy (Lothian) (Con) Beattie, Colin (Midlothian North and Musselburgh) (SNP) Briggs, Miles (Lothian) (Con) Brown, Keith (Clackmannanshire and Dunblane) (SNP) Brown, Siobhian (Ayr) (SNP) Burnett, Alexander (Aberdeenshire West) (Con) Callaghan, Stephanie (Uddingston and Bellshill) (SNP) Carlaw, Jackson (Eastwood) (Con) Carson, Finlay (Galloway and West Dumfries) (Con) 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) Dowey, Sharon (South Scotland) (Con) Dunbar, Jackie (Aberdeen Donside) (SNP) Eagle, Tim (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Ewing, Annabelle (Cowdenbeath) (SNP) Ewing, Fergus (Inverness and Nairn) (SNP) Fairlie, Jim (Perthshire South and Kinross-shire) (SNP) FitzPatrick, Joe (Dundee City West) (SNP) Forbes, Kate (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) Fraser, Murdo (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Gallacher, Meghan (Central Scotland) (Con) Gibson, Kenneth (Cunninghame North) (SNP) Gilruth, Jenny (Mid Fife and Glenrothes) (SNP) Golden, Maurice (North East Scotland) (Con) Gosal, Pam (West Scotland) (Con) Gougeon, Mairi (Angus North and Mearns) (SNP) Gray, Neil (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP) Hamilton, Rachael (Ettrick, Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con) Harper, Emma (South Scotland) (SNP) Haughey, Clare (Rutherglen) (SNP) Hepburn, Jamie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (SNP) Hoy, Craig (South Scotland) (Con) Hyslop, Fiona (Linlithgow) (SNP) Halcro Johnston, Jamie (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Kerr, Liam (North East Scotland) (Con) Kerr, Stephen (Central Scotland) (Con) Kidd, Bill (Glasgow Anniesland) (SNP) Lochhead, Richard (Moray) (SNP) Lumsden, Douglas (North East Scotland) (Con) MacDonald, Gordon (Edinburgh Pentlands) (SNP) Mackay, Rona (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) Macpherson, Ben (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (SNP) Maguire, Ruth (Cunninghame South) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Rona Mackay] Martin, Gillian (Aberdeenshire East) (SNP) Mason, John (Glasgow Shettleston) (Ind) Matheson, Michael (Falkirk West) (SNP) McAllan, Màiri (Clydesdale) (SNP) [Proxy vote cast by Jamie Hepburn] McCall, Roz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) 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) Mountain, Edward (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Mundell, Oliver (Dumfriesshire) (Con) Nicoll, Audrey (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP) Robertson, Angus (Edinburgh Central) (SNP) Robison, Shona (Dundee City East) (SNP) Roddick, Emma (Highlands and Islands) (SNP) Ross, Douglas (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Simpson, Graham (Central Scotland) (Con) Smith, Liz (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Somerville, Shirley-Anne (Dunfermline) (SNP) Stevenson, Collette (East Kilbride) (SNP) Stewart, Alexander (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) Stewart, Kaukab (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) Stewart, Kevin (Aberdeen Central) (SNP) Sturgeon, Nicola (Glasgow Southside) (SNP) Swinney, John (Perthshire North) (SNP) Thomson, Michelle (Falkirk East) (SNP) Todd, Maree (Caithness, Sutherland and Ross) (SNP) Tweed, Evelyn (Stirling) (SNP) Webber, Sue (Lothian) (Con) Wells, Annie (Glasgow) (Con) White, Tess (North East Scotland) (Con) Whitham, Elena (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (SNP) Whittle, Brian (South Scotland) (Con) Yousaf, Humza (Glasgow Pollok) (SNP) Abstentions Burgess, Ariane (Highlands and Islands) (Green) Cole-Hamilton, Alex (Edinburgh Western) (LD) Greene, Jamie (West Scotland) (LD) Greer, Ross (West Scotland) (Green) Harvie, Patrick (Glasgow) (Green) Mackay, Gillian (Central Scotland) (Green) McArthur, Liam (Orkney Islands) (LD) Rennie, Willie (North East Fife) (LD) Ruskell, Mark (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Green) Slater, Lorna (Lothian) (Green) Wishart, Beatrice (Shetland Islands) (LD) The Presiding Officer: The result of the division on amendment S6M-17360.1, in the name of Rhoda Grant, is: For 17, Against 87, Abstentions 11.”
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. My app would not connect either. I would have voted yes. The Presiding Officer: Thank you, Ms Baillie. We will ensure that that is recorded. I can confirm that Mr Allan’s vote was recorded.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the finance secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding a different model for allocating funding to integration joint boards, in light of a recent Accounts Commission report highlighting the unsustainable gaps in their finances. (S6O-04589)”
“I hope that the Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture and all members in the chamber will encourage the BBC to make the same decision that it made in 2002: invest in Scotland’s talent and in “River City”. 13:07”
“Closing the Dumbarton studios, where programmes such as “Vigil” and “Shetland” have been filmed, is also short-sighted. What are the BBC’s network plans for drama production in Scotland for the next few years? Will the share of Scottish-produced content fall, or will the approach simply be to lift and shift drama from another part of the UK? I have to say that I fear the worst. Staff were led to believe that “River City” was closing because the site owners were selling up, but that is simply untrue. No one denies that there are challenges but, time and again, “River City” has adapted, despite the BBC changing its programme slot and despite also switching it to the BBC Scotland channel. The BBC has a choice. I hope that it will not be short-sighted and that it will reverse its decision to leave the Dumbarton studios.”
“That would not have happened without “River City”: it offers a training pipeline for the creative industry that is unlike anything anywhere else in the BBC. There has been a lot of talk from the BBC about training in the future, but there has been nothing on the scale of “River City”, and it is not proposing anything to match it. Let us be honest: we are talking not just about the closure of “River City” or the gap in the TV schedule, important though that will be to the hundreds of thousands of Scots who tune in each week. We are also talking about a blow to Scotland’s TV and film infrastructure, and about freelancers who might decide to move to Manchester or London. The BBC says that it will replace the soap with network drama, but flying in crews to occasionally film in a Scottish castle is no substitute for a home-grown industry.”
“Renton’s own Gayle Telfer-Stevens made waves in comedy, as well as playing Caitlin McLean, and there from the beginning was Shellsuit Bob, who is listening in the gallery alongside many other members of the cast. I have to say that Bob O’Hara is so much part of Scottish culture that we almost made a request for a gallery ticket in his TV name. However, it is not just about the actors. “River City” has also created opportunities for screenwriters, set designers, producers, film crew and others in the Scottish TV and film industry, not to mention the jobs that come with cleaning, maintaining and catering for a busy film studio. In the past two years, 23 screenwriters received their first screen credit on “River City” and, over a similar period, five out of six trainee directors were women.”
“Indeed, Ken MacQuarrie, BBC Scotland’s head of programming, said at the time: “What we are effectively doing here is developing a star factory, a long-running project that gives a boost to the wealth of talent that we've got here in Scotland, whether it is writing, directing, acting—and which we want to see develop and grow.” How right he was. Eric Barlow, who played Tommy Donachie, went on to star in “Taggart”, “Monarch of the Glen”, “Casualty” and “Doctors”. Gary Lamont, who played Robbie Fraser, recently featured in the hit series “Boiling Point” and “Rivals”. Sam Heughan, now the internationally recognised star of “Outlander”, described his time on the show as “incredible”.”
“I, too, thank Neil Bibby for bringing this important debate to Parliament and for his support for “River City”, and I welcome many members of the cast to the public gallery this afternoon. When “River City” was launched in 2002, no one took its success for granted. I was very proud, though, that Shieldinch was being filmed in Dumbarton. However, 23 years later, more than 11,000 people have signed a petition to save the programme. That is testament to the work of countless writers, actors and producers, who have turned it into an iconic part of Scotland’s television landscape—Scottish content for Scottish audiences, made right here in Scotland. From the start, everyone involved in “River City” was clear that it was more than just a show.”
“I assure Jackie Baillie that, across the Scottish Government and, I am sure, across the public sector, we are looking carefully not just at guidance but at policy and practice. Those matters—[Interruption.] If members on the Conservative benches will forgive me, I will be happy to take their questions in due course, once I have responded to Jackie Baillie. Once we have the timetable from the EHRC, and as we know more about what the EHRC intends to say, the Scottish Government and I will be able to move forward across the Government guidance .”
“I have listened carefully to press reports that the EHRC intends to have guidance in place by the summer, but I look forward to getting a bit more detail on that in person and to seeing how much more information the EHRC can provide at that meeting. I hope that Jackie Baillie will forgive me for saying that, of course, that will be up to the EHRC, because it is its guidance and its timetable. As I am still waiting for that meeting with the EHRC, I am not in a position to say when guidance will be updated across Government. It is important that I hear directly from the EHRC first, rather than just going on what I have read in the press. My colleague and I need to have that meeting with the EHRC on Thursday.”
“It is also important for the Scottish Government to undertake cases when we need to explain and defend our position. Once the judgments have been made, it is important that we respect them and move on. That is exactly the point that we are at. We will be able to publish the cost of the case when it is fully complete. As further costs might emerge, at this point I am unable to give Jackie Baillie a number. However, those matters will be made public—that is certainly what I have done in previous cases. I will keep the member updated on that. Jackie Baillie mentioned the guidance. In respect of the guidance, whether that is in the NHS or elsewhere, it is important that we take account of what happens on Thursday when I and the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care meet the EHRC.”
“It is also the case that the SNP Government’s track record in relation to legal action is poor, whether such action is related to aspects of the Salmond inquiry and former First Minister Nicola Sturgeon or to the Supreme Court action on an independence referendum. There have been at least 10 failed cases and this is another case for which the taxpayer is picking up the tab. Can the minister advise the Parliament how much taxpayers’ money has been spent on defending this case and all the other unsuccessful legal actions taken by the Government? Shirley-Anne Somerville: As I said earlier, the Government won cases on the matter in the inner and outer houses of the Court of Session. However, the Supreme Court is the final arbiter and, now that it has made its judgment, it is important that we respect that judgment.”
“The judgment from the Supreme Court in the case of For Women Scotland v Scottish Ministers was unanimous and clear. The term “woman” in the Equality Act 2010 relates to biological sex. The Scottish Government has, however, got itself into a position in which it encouraged practice to get ahead of the law. The Government has issued guidance to a range of public bodies, including the NHS, that now needs to be revised at considerable cost to those organisations in time and money. It is not just a matter for the EHRC. Can the minister set out the timetable for the Scottish Government producing revised guidance, and can she advise members when it will be implemented in the NHS and across the public sector?”
“It is little surprise that Colin Poolman, the director of the Royal College of Nursing Scotland, said that “nursing staff reading this will be left scratching their heads wondering just how the aspirations in the plan will be achieved in reality.” Is it not the case that the SNP Government is desperately scrambling around because it knows, as everybody else in Scotland does, that it has broken Scotland’s NHS?”
“On Monday, the Scottish National Party published yet another national health service recovery plan— that makes it five plans in just four years. I know that Biffa is suing the Government, but that is not the kind of recycling that Scots are looking for. A pledge for a digital front door was made in 2021 but have not been delivered. Fast-track cancer diagnostic centres in every health board were promised in 2021 but have not been delivered. The height of the SNP’s ambition is that patients will wait “only” a year for treatment. Does the SNP really think that that is success?”
“As ever, she did all that with her characteristic good humour—she was always smiling, always warm and, I found, always up for mischief. The passing of Christina McKelvie leaves a void in our Parliament, a void in our public life and a void in the hearts of many who knew her. As we reflect on Christina’s life, it is impossible to conclude that it was anything but a life well lived. It was a life that was dedicated to the service of others, a life full of love for her friends and family, and a life that has touched so many others and enriched our days. [Applause.] 14:18”
“As Christina’s skills became apparent to the Government, she rightly was rewarded with ministerial roles that reflected her commitment to social justice—first, as Minister for Equalities and Older People and, latterly, as Minister for Drugs and Alcohol Policy. Despite our very occasional differences of opinion, Christina was always open for debate and discussion, and she put outcomes for the people of Scotland before narrow party considerations. I respected her enormously for that. Back in 2020, when Christina was sadly diagnosed with breast cancer, she responded in characteristic fashion by continuing to raise awareness, having always supported, as we have heard, Breast Cancer Now’s wear it pink campaign, and encouraging women to regularly check their breasts and attend screening appointments.”
“I first met Christina many years ago, long before she entered front-line politics here at Holyrood, and she was fierce then, believe me. She was already dedicating her time to causes that she believed in. She worked in supported employment in the east end of Glasgow and was an active trade unionist in Unison, which is when I first met her. Standing up for working people and demanding fairness and justice for her colleagues, she was an absolute force of nature. It was no surprise that, when Christina was elected to the Parliament in 2007, she championed progressive causes. As convener of the Equal Opportunities Committee, many of her early interventions in the chamber reflected her passion for equalities, and she often reflected on her earlier career and real-life experiences of supporting vulnerable young people into adulthood.”
“On behalf of the entire Scottish Labour Party, I put on record our deepest condolences on the passing of Christina McKelvie. Christina’s death will be keenly felt by her family, particularly her sons, Lewis and Jack, and, of course, her partner of many years, Keith Brown. For her friends and SNP colleagues, the hurt will be all too present. Christina’s passing has been a cause of grief and sorrow for many people: those across the chamber; those in her community of Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse; and all who had the pleasure of working with her, including, of course, her constituency and parliamentary staff. She was a woman who dedicated her life to public service and worked to improve the lives of her fellow Scots.”
“Finally, for people with neurodevelopmental conditions, how does the minister intend to meet the Government’s recent commitment that nobody will wait longer than a year to receive treatment— or is the SNP going to let down a generation of young people? 17:22”
“No data is collected centrally on the length of waits for neurodevelopmental services. More recently, the Royal College of Psychiatrists has proposed a solution that includes a public health campaign, national self-help resources in the style of NHS Inform, working with the third sector at local level and investing in neurodevelopmental specialists. I ask the cabinet secretary—or, rather, the minister; I have just promoted her, but, if she does this, we will actually promote her. Will the minister provide a dedicated pathway for those with a neurodevelopmental condition, even if they are still waiting on an official diagnosis? We know that early intervention makes a huge difference. Will the minister commit to recording data on the length of waits, so that there is accountability for those who are experiencing unacceptable delays?”
“Psychiatrists are leaving because of burnout, and people with severe mental illnesses are not getting the specialist care that they need, while people who are trying to cope with neurodevelopmental conditions are left in limbo. That is fundamentally wrong. The SNP Government is acting as if it hopes that the issue will simply go away. We owe it to the young people and their parents to address the issue as a matter of urgency. We have already heard that the SNP promised a learning disability, autism and neurodivergence bill but it failed to announce it in the recent programme for government, and we now know that it is shelved. However, we do not need to legislate to make progress. Meanwhile, the SNP has met its target for child and adolescent mental health services only because it has stopped counting children who have ADHD or autism.”