Helen McDade
Reform UK · Scotland
“I apologise for joining the debate slightly late. I am speaking mainly on behalf of Julie MacDougall, but I have an interest in the matter because both of my grandfathers were miners and died of lung disease, although I did not know either of them, because they died so long ago.”
“If a new hospital would be too expensive but the cabinet secretary is going to deliver the many things that she set out in her statement, can she assure us not only that capital funding will be included— obviously, that will be less than the £2.1 billion— but that resource funding is already being allocated in budgets now and in the futur…”
“We cannot spend £2.1 billion— nor, indeed, more—on one project and meet all our other commitments relating to the aspirations that we all share across Scotland.”
“He was a British Labour politician who served as MP for Glenrothes from 2005 until his death. He was first elected to the House of Commons in 2001, as the MP for Central Fife.”
“I thank the cabinet secretary for her statement. She says that this is a whole-system approach, that the old approach of having a large acute hospital is not now the answer and that there will be better services that bring together acute care, community services, diagnostics and digital provision.”
“Malcolm Offord: In relation to the much- vaunted jobs in Scotland, how does the minister respond to the fact that, among all the turbines around our country, there is not a single blade made in Scotland?”
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“However, in many areas, Scotland has recovered from the pandemic less quickly than England. The number of consultations per consultant is an example of that. According to data from the think tank Enlighten, 93 per cent of Scots believe that the NHS needs to be reformed, and we in Reform are committed to that. Although we are committed to a service that is free at the point of use, we believe that a fresh approach is needed. I trained as a veterinary surgeon, so I believe in diagnosing the problem. When the cabinet secretary says that she does not support a health and social care commission, I am disappointed, because we need a good diagnosis of what is happening. We need to look at a number of different issues, including training and retention of the workforce and joining up health and social care.”
“Nevertheless, people are still waiting too long for action that will alleviate painful conditions or treat potentially fatal illnesses, including cancer. I therefore welcome the cabinet secretary’s announcement on the cancer plan. I know that the organisation Young Lives vs Cancer asked the Scottish Government to commit to a new, up-to-date national cancer strategy for children and young people, but I do not think that she mentioned that—I apologise if it was on her list. The Government often talks a good game, to use the metaphor of the moment, but it often fails to deliver. It often says that it is hampered by Westminster austerity. However, the fact is that the Scottish NHS budget has had an average 6 per cent increase every year for 25 years of this Parliament.”
“There are many reasons why Scots are often frustrated with and angry about the NHS and care services. A major one, which has been referred to already, is that of waiting lists. I was glad to hear the cabinet secretary say that there are many plans to reduce waiting lists. Of course, the Government can say that waiting lists have come down, but that does not mean that they are acceptable when what they have come down from is the record high that they reached after the Covid pandemic and they are still not anywhere near pre- Covid levels. Improvement is very welcome, and we should welcome it. A much-needed start has been made, and staff are to be congratulated on their considerable efforts.”
“Training, recruiting and retaining more qualified staff is essential, but I have met fully trained nurses who cannot get a job although locum use is high. Perhaps that is because they need flexibility in their working hours or—very likely, if they are in a rural area—they need accommodation near the hospital or surgery. In the past, there was tied accommodation for essential workers. I come from Caithness, so I know the problem of staffing Caithness maternity services, and I was glad that the cabinet secretary mentioned that issue. There are harrowing accounts of women giving birth in ambulances at the side of the road. Would the NHS owning a few houses help to solve that problem? We have to look at different actions. How have we come to think that such situations are acceptable in the name of finance?”
“However, I suspect that staff want more than is offered in the motion. They would like their jobs to be made a bit easier by their being able to help patients earlier and to say, “Yes, we have a bed for you,” or “Yes, we can give you that knee replacement soon,” or “Yes, we can help you with adequate care so that you can remain in your home.” Working conditions are certainly among the things that need to be looked at. By “delivering the best care”, do we mean staff working a 12-hour day routinely so that they are on a four-day week? I do not know, but I would like to see somebody giving the data on that. Who wants to be the patient who is attended by a doctor or nurse who is in the 12th hour of their fourth day?”
“I would never have thought that I would be using business jargon, and my family will certainly laugh, but such an approach is necessary. Plans are great, but only if they are put into practice. Of course, laughing is better than crying, which is what many sufferers and carers have done over the years when they have seen their hopes of progress on healthcare policy on difficult issues, the responsibility for which lies here, run into the sand. That leads me to the lack of ambition in the motion, although I recognise that the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Care has announced a lot of new initiatives, which are welcome. Of course, it is only right to recognise the work of the NHS and care staff. We should never forget what they did during the Covid pandemic and the legacy that that has left for the staff and the public.”
“So, it is worth remembering that everybody is looking all the time. That debate was the start of my surprising journey to being here today. At that time, a cross- party group on ME was set up, a petition was submitted to the Public Petitions Committee and a Scottish Government working group was set up. However, 20 years on, I came back to campaigning for sufferers of ME only to find that almost nothing had changed. Indeed, another petition with almost the same wording had been lodged in 2018 by a young woman who had been struck down by the disease. The Parliament cannot be just a place where important things are discussed and admirable policies are announced. There must be concrete action and identifiable, positive change in people’s lives. There need to be specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound—SMART— outcomes.”
“Perhaps members might consider how actions such as walking out of the chamber because they do not like what is being said look to the general public and how they affect the reputation of not only the whole Parliament but the individual. I remember being in the public gallery about 20 years ago, when a members’ business debate on the illness ME came up. I will come back to that later. The then cabinet secretary got up and walked out, as seems to be the custom with members’ business debates, leaving his deputy. There were many affected people and carers in the gallery who had made huge efforts to be there and who, not knowing that that was the custom, were shocked. My mother-in-law said, “I’ll never vote for him again.” Knowing my mother-in- law, I am sure that she never did.”
“They know who they are—or perhaps it is more accurate to say that those who have not been pleasant and welcoming know who they are. That is okay. Most politicians here have said, “We’ll work together with everybody, as the voters have made it clear that they want that to happen.” Some politicians seem to be struggling a bit more with that, but we in Reform have an invisible shield. We are used to being vilified by a tiny fraction of society, so a few people behaving childishly by walking out of the chamber during a member’s maiden speech or turning their backs does not really faze us. It will not stop us talking common sense and calling out nonsense. I am grateful to those who have been welcoming—which is, of course, most people in the room. There is a lot of talk just now about the reputation of politicians.”
“Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. I congratulate you on your new role, and I thank the cabinet secretary for her speech and congratulate her on her new role. As this is my first speech in the Parliament, I thank the constituents of Mid Scotland and Fife who have belief in a new approach and voted for Reform, and I thank all those who campaigned with us across Scotland. I wish to reassure all residents in the region, regardless of who they voted for, that I will do my very best to assist constituents when they need it. I would really like to thank the parliamentary staff, who have been wonderful in helping all 64 new MSPs. I also thank those members who, regardless of political differences, have been pleasant and welcoming.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what role it has in response to the incident of subsidence in Coalsnaughton Road, Tillicoultry, in which 30 houses have been evacuated—the figure is now 97 houses. (S7O-00004)”
“We need to move away from that rollercoaster and back to the sustainable energy that we generate in Scotland, which means renewable energy for the long term. Stephen Kerr: Would the member give way again?”
“Stephen Kerr: Ms Slater mentioned the evidence that was heard by the Economy and Fair Work Committee. I hope that she would agree that the tone of that evidence was that we are causing the deindustrialisation of Scotland through the imposition of levies and other market interventions on businesses. Hence, businesses are shutting down in Scotland and are offshoring to other parts of the world. We are defeating our own purposes by pursuing the policy prescription that Lorna Slater puts before the Parliament this afternoon. Lorna Slater: The member makes a few mixed points. He was a member of the committee, and I heard in evidence put before it that businesses are struggling with the costs of energy. Everyone is particularly worried about the spikes in fossil fuel prices because of geopolitical events.”
“Lorna Slater: I agree with the member that families are suffering in cold homes in Scotland, which is why we need the heat in buildings bill to ensure that everyone in Scotland has a warm, affordable home. I disagree with the point about contracts for difference, because it is important to invest in renewable energy as it becomes an established industry. It is distressing that the oil and gas industry, which is already an established industry, is still raking in public money, subsidies and tax breaks—it has not needed those for years, because it makes billions in profits. As we move to renewable energy, it makes sense, of course, that we support growing industries. That is how a just transition works. Stephen Kerr: Will the member give way now? Lorna Slater: Certainly.”
“Will the member take an intervention? Lorna Slater: Let me finish this thought. Spoilers—Rosebank et al are not climate compatible, so we need a plan. We cannot wait to find out that they are not climate compatible—they are not climate compatible. Will the Scottish Government transition using the strategy that is defined in its own draft energy strategy, or will it continue to sit on the fence? I will take the intervention. Helen McDade: I appreciate that. Does Lorna Slater accept that there are children in Scotland who are living in cold homes because of the price of energy? Does she also accept that the contracts for difference subsidy of £2.64 billion that Duncan Massey referred to has played its part in causing our energy prices, which are four times those of the US?”
“I, Helen McDade, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors, according to law. So help me”