Jamie Hepburn
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“We have a full week left next week. The committee could request that witnesses give evidence on a day when it does not normally sit— that is entirely possible. Jamie Hepburn: I was going to come on to that. I recognise that point, and it was considered, given Ms Hamilton’s concerns.”
“The member will appreciate that the Government cannot compel a committee to undertake scrutiny that it does not want to undertake, and I do not think that Parliament would want the Government to do that.”
“The timing of the bill’s introduction—it was after the Scottish Parliament elections and during the period of Government formation—was always going to be challenging, but that has been compounded by the lack of prior engagement from the UK Government, despite its intent to expedite the passage of the Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill…”
“I recognise that it is regrettable that I must stand before Parliament today and ask that it suspend standing orders to allow the first motion on legislative consent in this parliamentary session to come straight to the chamber. By way of background, the UK Government introduced the Steel Industry (Nationalisation) Bill on 14 May 2026.”
“I believe that all of us in public life strive for that and that we have all been motivated to enter politics for those reasons. Maybe that is a reminder of the point that David Linden made about the common ground that exists between us all.”
“We should recognise the challenges that we face, but Adam Harley made an important point: that the general experience of being involved in politics is a good one. Just as he spoke of, I like nothing more than to engage with the constituents I represent in Cumbernauld and Kilsyth. By and large, that is a positive experience.”
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“The refreshed cyber resilient Scotland framework for 2025 to 2030 is an important step. Of course, that has to be matched by investment and practical support, particularly for smaller businesses, charities and community organisations, which might lack in-house expertise. There is also a broader question about whether our legal frameworks are keeping pace with the realities of cybercrime, particularly in relation to stolen data. The harm that is caused by data breaches can be repeated and prolonged, affecting victims long after the initial attack. Cybercrime sits at the intersection of criminal justice, economic security, national resilience and democratic trust. It is driven by organised crime, enabled by rapid technological change and, increasingly, exploited by hostile states that seek to undermine open societies.”
“She may be about to make this point, but I will make my point and then hear hers. We will have to consider the issue through the committee’s budget scrutiny of the evidence that has been provided to us thus far. Audrey Nicoll: On the point that Jamie Hepburn has eloquently set out about how organisations or individuals respond, one point that came out in committee was the narration by Arnold Clark of how it responded to a unique, unusual, significant and serious event, and what should be done, particularly when a ransom is demanded. That is an important part of the overall resilience strategy. Jamie Hepburn: I agree. That speaks to the need for us to ensure that Scotland continues to build its own cyber resilience. The elements that Audrey Nicoll laid out must be part of that.”
“That is why co-ordination and partnership are critical. Effective responses to cyberthreats, whether criminal or state sponsored, depend on close co-operation between Police Scotland, UK agencies, international partners and the private sector. I therefore welcome the continued engagement with the National Cyber Security Centre and the work of the CyberScotland partnership and the Scottish cyber co-ordination centre. Liam McArthur is probably right that there has been too much emphasis on the headline figures for police officer numbers. We should be turning our attention to whether the police force and other parts of the system are properly equipped to respond to the threats that we face. Audrey Nicoll rose— Jamie Hepburn: I see that the convener wants to intervene.”
“Attacks on public institutions, democratic processes and critical infrastructure demonstrate that cyberactivity has, sadly, become a normalised instrument of hostile state power, and Scotland is not insulated from those dynamics. Our public services, universities, research institutions and digital infrastructure are part of a wider international system. Hostile cyberactivity may not always target Scotland directly, but it can still have direct effects here through attacks on UK-wide systems and supply chains, or through disinformation, which I believe is one of the greatest challenges of our age. Such activity is designed to undermine trust in democratic institutions. The overlap between state-sponsored cyberactivity and organised criminal methods, including ransomware and data theft, further complicates detection and response.”
“Cyberattacks on local authorities, public bodies and supply chains can interrupt education, social care, food distribution and transport. In an increasingly interconnected digital environment, disruption in one system can quickly cascade into many others. I believe that that reality should concern us all, because it speaks directly to societal results. It is important to recognise—this has been touched on in the debate—that not all cyberthreats originate from criminal networks that are motivated solely by financial gain. We now operate in a global context in which hostile state actors routinely use cyber capabilities as tools of influence, espionage and destabilisation.”
“That imbalance is one of the challenges that we need to consider as we move forward. The committee heard evidence from businesses such as Arnold Clark that demonstrated that even well-resourced organisations can be brought to a standstill by a single successful attack. The consequences were not limited to data loss or financial costs; individuals were affected as well— customers were stranded, staff were unable to work and essential services were disrupted. We should bear in mind that when a business is impacted, individuals are also impacted. Cybercrime should therefore not be understood only as theft but as a form of disruption with tangible human and economic consequences. That same point applies in the public sector and has been made about the substantial attack on SEPA.”
“The fact that a significant proportion of victims do not report those crimes should concern us deeply. Prevention, education and accessible reporting mechanisms are therefore essential. We should recognise that cybercrime does not affect all people or organisations equally. Larger institutions, such as banks, have the means and ability to invest heavily in sophisticated cyberdefences. The evidence from the financial sector illustrated the scale of the attacks that it faces and the scale of the resource that is required to defend against them. I do not denigrate the seriousness of the impact on our financial institutions, but, by comparison, small businesses, charities and individuals simply do not have their capacity, yet are also exposed to the threat of cybercrime.”
“As Police Scotland told the committee, it estimates that cybercrime constitutes around 5 per cent of all recorded crime. Cyber-enabled offending now makes up a substantial proportion of fraud, sexual crime and threats and extortion, so its impact is very real and significant. Even then, those figures tell only part of the story, because, as Sharon Dowey mentioned, many cybercrimes go unreported, particularly when victims feel embarrassed, uncertain or powerless—something that we know is often a feature of someone’s experience when they have been caught out by a scam. The evidence from Age Scotland was particularly striking in highlighting the impact of cybercrime on older people. AI-enabled scams, impersonation and increasingly convincing fraudulent communications are eroding confidence and causing real distress.”
“I welcome the opportunity to speak in this debate on the very short report that the Criminal Justice Committee has published on cybercrime and cybersecurity in Scotland. Unlike Liam McArthur, who is a former member of the committee, I am current member of the committee, but I was not a member at the time that it undertook the activity or its report. I commend the convener and my colleagues for the work that they undertook. The report makes it clear that cybercrime is no longer a marginal or technical issue. It is now a central challenge for justice, for economic security and for democratic resilience. Although the most recent figures show a reduction in recorded cybercrime compared with the previous year, as Katy Clark set out, levels remain significantly higher now than they were before the pandemic.”
“This debate—for which I am grateful; I thank Rona Mackay once again—gives Parliament, as an institution, the opportunity to send a clear message: that we recognise the challenges of aphasia, and that we value the contribution of those who are championing the issue and thank them for their campaigning activity. I am glad to have been able to take part in the debate to help do so. 18:33”
“Improving outcomes for people with aphasia requires more than goodwill; it requires informed systems, NHS boards and public services. Those of us who are policy makers must better understand the condition and embed that understanding in service design and delivery, and in our deliberations in Parliament. Rehabilitation and supported self-management must be accessible, consistent and person centred. Ultimately, it is about dignity, inclusion and fairness. People who are living with aphasia deserve to be heard, respected and supported to participate fully in our society.”
“Accessing services, returning to work or even carrying out routine tasks can present barriers. When society fails to adapt, stigma and negative treatment can follow. That is why awareness and understanding should not be viewed as some form of optional extra; they are absolutely essential to better supporting people who are impacted by aphasia. In that context, I very much welcome the outstanding work of Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland—the organisation has been mentioned a number of times, but I will mention it again. For a long time, CHSS has been a trusted partner, providing practical support, advocacy and community-based services for people who are living with stroke-related conditions, and I am very grateful to it for the work that it undertakes.”
“Language shapes how we participate in society—it underpins our relationships, our sense of identity and our ability to advocate for ourselves. When aphasia disrupts speech, understanding, reading or writing, it can profoundly affect a person’s independence and confidence. Anyone can see how that that could lead to isolation, loneliness and real challenges to mental health. Those are not abstract harms; they are daily realities for people and their families. Just yesterday, I was speaking to a constituent about the impact that the after-effects of multiple strokes have had on his wife, and the impact on him as a carer. I recognise the impact that aphasia can have on relationships and social participation. Conversations that once flowed easily can become exhausting or frustrating.”
“It is important, therefore, that we have this opportunity to highlight the impact of aphasia. I have to confess that I was very surprised to learn that this is the first occasion in the entire history of the Parliament’s 26-year existence on which we have had a debate dedicated to the subject matter. As Roz McCall suggested, aphasia is a subject to which we have not paid enough attention. Indeed, before this debate, I did a search—I should say that it was fairly rudimentary, so I would not accept this as absolute gospel— and I could find only five mentions of aphasia recorded in the Official Report across all the debates that we have had in the chamber since 1999. It is, therefore, very much to Rona Mackay’s credit that she has brought the debate to the chamber.”
“I am pleased to speak in support of Rona Mackay’s motion. I thank her for securing the debate and for shining a light on aphasia and on the realities that are faced by many people who are impacted by the condition across the country. I join others in welcoming those in the gallery who have come to watch the debate. As others have said, aphasia is not by any means a rare or marginal condition among stroke survivors. As has also been said, it can impact those with other neurological conditions or those with experience of head injury. Despite its prevalence, we know that it is a condition that remains poorly understood. Too often, it is misinterpreted as a lack of intelligence or engagement, when in fact it is a disorder of language and not of thought.”
“Another refrain that we often hear is about common sense—that is the rhetoric that we often hear from Mr Findlay, as if it is not common sense to invest in supporting disabled people into employment and in keeping young people out of poverty.”
“We might take the Tories a bit more seriously if, within the past day, a report had not emerged that shows that there was £10.9 billion-worth of fraud during the period of Covid under their watch. That figure dwarfs the £5.3 billion for the Scottish Government’s social security spend. I am very proud of the Scottish Government’s record in utilising its social security powers and in implementing a pension-age disability payment and the adult disability payment, which the Resolution Foundation has said “is proving to be a more claimant-centred and dignified” process. I am proud of the Scottish child payment, which we know is keeping young people out of poverty.”
“[Interruption.] The Deputy Presiding Officer: Mr Hepburn, could you perhaps get to the meat of your contribution? Jamie Hepburn: I am getting to the point, Presiding Officer. The point that I am making is that today’s debate is, again, designed to be just rhetoric. We heard it quite clearly from Mr Stewart. There is an attack on social security—that it is not about getting people into work. As we have heard already, we know that many of those who are in receipt of benefits—be they reserved or devolved—are already in work, and it is dangerous and cynical to stand up in this chamber and suggest otherwise. However, that is clearly what is being done when members say that the preference should be to get people into work—we know that people in receipt of benefits are often already in employment. Mr Stewart talks about fraud.”
“I am grateful for the opportunity to take part in today’s debate, although it follows a recurrent theme from the Conservatives in terms of their increasing use of depressing, screeching rhetoric. We hear various refrains from them. Liz Smith: Will the member give way? Jamie Hepburn: I have just started. I will get on with identifying some of that screeching rhetoric. I see that Mr Lumsden is sitting up at the back of the chamber. He is keen to constantly go on about “mega-monster pylons” or the “woke elite”— he has been watching Fox News far too often. Then there was Craig Hoy’s recent dog-whistle— or perhaps foghorn—debate on illegal immigration and housing. The refrain that we heard from Mr Stewart today was about the collective “left-wing consensus”—he, too, has been watching too much Fox News.”
“He is absolutely right to reflect that GME campuses for those aged three to 18 are transformational, because all the data and evidence indicate that, when a child is educated in an entirely Gaelic- medium area from the age of three to 18, the outcomes are stronger. OBR Economic Forecasts 7.”
“Pupils are being provided with an excellent Gaelic-medium education in my constituency— which is outwith the Gaelic heartlands—in Condorrat primary school and Greenfaulds high school, but there is a desire among the community for a dedicated GME campus for those aged three to 18. Does the Deputy First Minister agree that, even where there is already provision, local authorities should be open to considering new requests to further enhance such education, particularly in areas outwith the Gàidhealtachd? Kate Forbes: I commend the work that goes on at Condorrat primary school and Greenfaulds high school, and I share Jamie Hepburn’s aspiration for enhancing Gaelic-medium education.”
“A lot of the newer institutions are doing some of the heavier lifting in that regard, notwithstanding the fine work that is being done by the University of St Andrews, as Mr Rennie mentioned, although I was not entirely clear whether he was really welcoming Glaswegians into the town of St Andrews—we can discuss that later. We know that there is more to be done and that the journey must be continued. I know that the Government is committed to that, and I look forward to hearing from the minister at the end of the debate about how we will hit that target come 2030. 15:55”
“As the commissioner said to the committee, it is important that we do not view colleges just as a pipeline to universities, because they do important activity in their own right. However, they are an important pathway into higher education and the university sector. I was very pleased to see the committee highlight an example in my constituency of the innovative partnership working between New College Lanarkshire and the University of the West of Scotland. It is important to reflect that, as much as we have seen progress, we know that it is uneven and that some institutions need to go further than others. The University of the West of Scotland, in particular, must be commended for the activity that it has undertaken.”
“Jamie Hepburn: With great respect, I think that the member is misremembering. When I was minister, I appeared before his committee on only one occasion. I was doing such a great job that he required me to turn up to his committee only once, and it was not to discuss that matter. There are, inevitably, complexities in drawing down data, because it exists across a range of sources, and sometimes it is about trying to pull that together. I absolutely agree that we should be doing everything that we can about that, but there can be challenges. I do not have much time left, but I commend the contribution of colleges, which are making a fantastic contribution to this endeavour.”
“Mr Rennie has talked about progress stalling but, if we look at the figure as it existed when we began this journey, we have made significant progress. Yes—there has been a bit of a bump from 2021-22, but the most recent figures show that we are moving in the right direction again. Stephen Kerr: Will the member take an intervention? Jamie Hepburn: Briefly. Stephen Kerr: Briefly, Jamie Hepburn will remember that, when he was minister, he and I exchanged words in the committee about the paucity of data—for example, we could not tell how many had commenced a course versus how many had completed it. That is still the situation now, some years after Jamie Hepburn was the minister. As a former minister, what is his analysis now of why the information is so hard to collect?”
“Willie Rennie: I can attest that John McKendrick is a good addition to the team. Can Mr Hepburn tell us why he did not progress the unique learner number? What was his insight into the issue? Jamie Hepburn: Beyond being able to stand up and say that I appointed John McKendrick as the commissioner for fair access, I think that I need to leave my deep and dark secrets in the ministerial office. I cannot say too much about it, but I know that the issue has been considered. There would, inevitably, be complexities in taking the policy forward. There is some merit in the case and in the argument. I understand the rationale for the unique learner number, and perhaps the minister will be able to say more about the Government’s current position. We should reflect that there has been progress.”
“From interacting with people in the area that I represent, I know that that would have the same effect on many young people now. Having benefited from free education, I am proud, as a member of this Parliament, to have supported its reintroduction for Scottish higher education. Widening access is an important area of activity and it was important over a long period when I was the minister with responsibility for higher and further education, so I was pleased to see the progress that has been made. I was involved in the appointment of John McKendrick as the commissioner for fair access. He took over from Peter Scott, who did a fantastic job in setting up and taking forward the widening access activity. I know that John McKendrick is continuing that activity, and I thank both of them for the work that they have done.”
“I was not quite as adventurous as Miles Briggs, who grew up in Perthshire, if I remember correctly, and decided to make the journey up the road to Robert Gordon University. I grew up in Glasgow and went to the University of Glasgow, as many other members in this Parliament did. I had the time of my life there, and it laid a great foundation for the life that I have lived. Ensuring that more people from a greater range of backgrounds are able to have that life-changing experience is important to me. Free education is not the only part of the equation, but it is part of it. By no stretch of the imagination could I say that I came from a deprived background, but, if tuition fees had been in place at the time that I was studying, it would at least have given me pause for thought as to whether it was a course that I wanted to take.”
“I am grateful for the chance to take part in today’s debate. I am not a member of the Education, Children and Young People Committee, but I am grateful to the committee for the work that it has undertaken in this area. It is an important area to look at and scrutinise. The report is comprehensive. It is a good piece of work. Ensuring that we widen access to higher education is of the utmost importance. It speaks to creating a fairer society and ensuring that we have a more inclusive economy. Pam Duncan-Glancy used the word “potential” and, if we are to ensure that every person in our society has the opportunity to reach their full potential, ensuring that we have greater equity of access to higher education is an essential part of the equation. I was able to experience and enjoy higher education when I was younger.”
“We are seeing investment in new schools with funding from the Scottish Government. Funding is also coming from the Scottish Government to help to build much-needed new social housing. We are seeing new families come to live in Cumbernauld, including the Syrian refugees who came to the town a decade ago and settled happily, and who are now a vital part of our community. All that is a sign that Cumbernauld new town is not just here to stay; it is here to thrive. To those who call Cumbernauld home, I say many happy returns to our 70-year-old new town. 12:56”
“Cumbernauld and Kilsyth Care—I should declare that my wife helped to form it—provides people who might require it with assistance including their children. I could go on. There are many such organisations, but those organisations and the people who are involved represent the real spirit of Cumbernauld. I am glad that steps are finally being taken to renovate the town centre to ensure that we have a space that befits the wonderful character of the town. Some might mourn the loss of the brutalist architecture of the 1960s, but most local residents welcome the coming investment and, if anything, are frustrated that it has taken so long and might yet take a while to come to fruition. That investment is a salient reminder that, as we mark the past 70 years of Cumberland as a new town, the community continues to evolve, adapt and grow.”
“Cumbernauld is blessed with an enormous sense of community spirit and an outstanding range of community organisations. Cumbernauld Poverty Action offers advice on social security to residents. This year, Cumbernauld YMCA-YWCA celebrated 65 years of operation. Cumbernauld and Carbrain community hub offers a range of different services to the community. Cumbernauld Action for Care of the Elderly supports many of our oldest residents. Cumbernauld Environmental Society and Cumbernauld Living Landscape projects do so much to maintain our green spaces. Cumbernauld FM is our dedicated local radio station. Cumbernauld theatre has served as a cultural hub for 60 years, and its future must be secured.”
“Everybody knows the town as the film location for the much-loved Bill Forsyth coming-of-age comedy, “Gregory’s Girl”, and, today, it is the location of Wardpark Studios, where the “Outlander” series is produced. Of course, we are also home to AG Barr, the manufacturer of Scotland’s other national drink. Cumbernauld is not without its detractors, although I often find that many of them have never even set foot in the town, let alone have any real knowledge of it. Much of that criticism is predicated on the condition of our town centre. What was once a cutting-edge, state-of-the-art indoor shopping mall—the United Kingdom’s first such shopping mall—has suffered from decades of chronic underinvestment, to the point of dilapidation. However, a town is more than its centre.”
“Since the first bricks were laid in the Kildrum area of the town in 1956, Cumbernauld has grown to be a thriving community of more than 50,000 people, making it one of our country’s larger settlements, with an abundance of green space and—despite what Mr McHarg said—plenty of trees. Those of us who live there are blessed with a wonderful environment to reside in and enjoy. Cumbernauld’s status as—in my humble opinion—Scotland’s best new town is underlined by the fact that, along with the Beatles’ performance of “All You Need Is Love”, it featured as part of the first live multinational and multisatellite television production, “Our World”. Broadcast on 25 June 1967, it featured the dulcet tones of Magnus Magnusson, no less, speaking about the new town.”
“Our erstwhile colleague Andy Wightman happened to notice that the debate was to take place, and he contacted me somewhat out of the blue to direct my attention to the biography of the late Scottish landscape architect Ian McHarg, who was dispatched to scope out Cumbernauld as a site for a new town. Ian McHarg wrote: “I spoke to several farmers whose opinions were united. It was a miserable place, wetter than most, with intractable mud, poor soil, a high water table, few trees, and those wind-pruned.” It was not the greatest endorsement of the location, but I am pleased to say that Mr McHarg’s pessimism was misplaced.”
“I could speak at length about the area’s links to Roman times, to the wars of independence and to Mary, Queen of Scots. I recognise that every town in South Scotland and Central Scotland could lay claim to being linked to Mary, Queen of Scots. Fiona Hyslop could certainly speak about Linlithgow’s links to her. Although I lack the time to explore the town’s history, I mention it briefly to place the 70th anniversary in its wider context. The new town is part of the wider history and the wider story of Cumbernauld, but there is no denying that Cumbernauld is best known as a new town. It was on 9 December 1955 that Cumbernauld was designated as Scotland’s third new town, following East Kilbride and Glenrothes.”
“It is important that I put that on the record. On the topic of anniversaries, today’s date also represents an important one for a Cumbernauld institution. It is 25 years to the day since the Village Gentry was opened. I mention that because I thought that the proprietor, Michael Macpherson, might enjoy it, although, in the interests of even-handedness, I should make it clear that other barbers are available in the town. I could say a great deal about my home town today, but time is limited, so I can only scratch the surface. I remind members that Cumbernauld is a long-standing settlement. There has been an established community in the area for hundreds of centuries. Its name derives from the Gaelic Comar nan Allt, which means the meeting place of the streams—those streams being the Bog Stank and the Red Burn.”
“It has been the best part of 13 years since I last brought a members’ business debate to the chamber, and I am delighted that my first effort in more than a decade marks an important milestone in the life of Cumbernauld, a town that I am proud not only to represent but to live in. However, I am not the first Scottish National Party parliamentarian to represent Cumbernauld. Indeed, part of the new town’s story is that one of the first of the 11 SNP members of Parliament to be elected in October 1974 was Maggie Bain, as she was then, who became Maggie Ewing. She was a much-loved representative of East Dunbartonshire and, of course, was a much-loved member of the Deputy Presiding Officer’s family. She is very fondly remembered by SNP members of a certain vintage in Cumbernauld and is still highly regarded by my constituents.”
“I begin by thanking the many members who supported my motion and enabled it to be debated today, and I look forward to hearing from those who will contribute to the debate. Without picking any favourites, especially as I have not heard from anyone yet, I particularly look forward to hearing from my friend and colleague Gordon MacDonald who, before he came on a pilgrimage to Edinburgh, grew up in Cumbernauld. I also look forward to finding out who will be first to use the refrain “What’s it called?” from a certain 1980s advertising campaign developed by the Cumbernauld Development Corporation to promote the town, although I realise that, in mentioning it, I have probably pipped everyone to the post.”
“The views of local government will inform any future changes to local government structure or governance arrangements, in line with our commitment to respecting the democratic mandate of local government as part of the Verity house agreement. United Kingdom Government Budget 4.”
“My question is in a similar vein to Paul Sweeney’s. In implementing the Scottish Government’s legislative plans, might the Deputy First Minister consider enabling the city region to look at the establishment of a directly elected council or assembly to ensure better democratic oversight and governance for the region? Kate Forbes: We will work with regional partnerships to establish governance structures that work for them. I know that this is outside Jamie Hepburn’s area, but I would point out as an illustration that some regional partnerships are already aligned with a single local authority, which makes it easier to match the governance structure with the regional partnership. That might look different in areas such as Glasgow, and, as I said in my original answer, it does not necessarily mean appointing mayors.”
“In contrast to the practical impact of the migration policy—and to the Reform UK-lite rhetoric that we are now hearing from the Labour Party and the harder rhetoric that we might hear from the Conservative Party on these matters—the Government’s amendment recognises the enormous value of our international workforce and references the challenges that are being posed to the sector through the increase in national insurance contributions. The amendment is worthy of support for those reasons. I am glad that we have had this debate. Although I recognise that there are challenges, I reject some of the siren calls that we have heard about the crisis in the sector. I will support the Government’s amendment. The Deputy Presiding Officer: We move to the wind-up speeches. 15:43”
“Although it has been interesting to hear that problem diminished by some Opposition members, it is a problem—we have heard that very clearly from Donald Macaskill, and it has already been articulated in the debate. I reflect on the fact that, if someone is a migrant who has come here to work in social care, how can they feel that they are a valued care worker if they are unsure whether they continue to be welcome in this country?”
“On that point, Labour has been consistently silent. Jackie Baillie: Will the member give way? Jamie Hepburn: I am afraid that four minutes is not enough time for me to be able to do so. By contrast, the Scottish Government has taken an approach that has ensured that the living wage, as a minimum, is in place for social care staff, delivering a real and affordable uplift for tens of thousands of workers. I very much support the Government’s amendment. It rightly highlights the severe harm that has been caused by the UK Government’s restrictive migration policy, which has resulted in a drastic fall in health and social care visas and has placed real strain on recruitment.”
“Jamie Hepburn: I am afraid that I am not able to give Mr Gulhane the time—I have only four minutes. We all recognise that there are pressures on the sector; we know that there are recruitment challenges, demographic change and rising complexity. However, ignoring the sustained efforts that have already been made, including the investment to ensure that social care workers are paid at least the real living wage, does not help us find solutions. Jackie Baillie reiterated the call that we have heard from her previously for a £15-an-hour minimum wage for social care workers, although I could not help but notice that her motion is silent on that matter. We can all understand and recognise the aspiration for higher pay—who could not? However, aspirations must be matched by costed and credible funding plans.”
“Across Scotland, social care staff assist people with an array of complex needs, providing vital daily support and helping to prevent unnecessary admissions to hospital. They sustain independence in the community and strengthen our health system by easing pressures on acute care. That is an important area for us, and it is right that we debate it. I express some reservations about the motion that the Labour Party has lodged, which asserts that the Government has failed to prioritise social care and is fuelling a crisis. I cannot accept those charges. The 2025-26 budget provides £21 billion for health and social care, £15 billion for local government—both record levels of funding—and £2.2 billion for social care integration, which the cabinet secretary has already mentioned. Sandesh Gulhane: Will the member take an intervention?”
“I very much welcome the opportunity to speak in the debate in support of those who rely on Scotland’s social care services and—just as crucially—those who work in the sector. These matters are important to those we represent. Indeed, just last weekend, when I was out and about doing my usual canvassing, I met a constituent who told me about the quality of the social care provision that her mother receives, but who also expressed concern about the support that social care workers receive. It is right that we reflect on such matters. We are fortunate to have a social care workforce that is made up of dedicated, skilled individuals who support people to live with independence, dignity and security. Their contribution towards a fully functioning society is essential.”
“At Croy railway station, which is in my area, we have had a historical problem with congestion—that word again—in the car park. The problem dissipated during Covid-19 but it has re-emerged, and I am engaging with ScotRail to see whether we can improve capacity there. We need improved bus services. The Transport (Scotland) Act 2019—which I was very proud of and pleased to vote for—gives powers to local authorities to improve bus services in my area. I am pleased that Strathclyde Partnership for Transport is exploring that, and we should welcome that. Stagecoach, which operates in my area, has talked about exploring the use of hard shoulder running on the M80 between my area and Glasgow. We should explore that possibility, too. There are other means by which we can tackle the issue, and those should be considered. 13:01”
“We should remind ourselves that the proposal is being explored and there is no firm commitment to it yet, but I recognise the concerns. I will not repeat what Jackson Carlaw said about Glasgow Chamber of Commerce’s remarks, but its points were well made about public services that people have no choice but to go into Glasgow to access, such as the national health service. My constituents and I live in the NHS Lanarkshire area but, because of the historical relationships between Cumbernauld and Kilsyth and other areas, more often than not, people access services in Glasgow, such as at the Glasgow Royal infirmary and Queen Elizabeth university hospital. Those concerns have to be heard. I have some suggestions about improvements that could be made to public transport to alleviate some of the congestion.”
“This is probably too big a subject for me to linger on it in this debate, but I happened to notice that Mr Sweeney, whom I look forward to hearing from in a few moments, has lodged a motion on the restoration of a well at Glasgow cathedral, and I was taken by a point that he makes in that motion about the emergence of the metropolitan city of Glasgow. We have the city region and the city region cabinet, but there is a question about whether we really have proper metropolitan governance in the city region. That is a much wider debate and probably not a matter for discussion today, but there is something to be said for us considering what that might look like in the context of properly resourcing assets across the entire city region.”