Stuart McMillan
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“Can the cabinet secretary provide any details about when funding will be in place to replace the Port Glasgow health centre with a new health hub? Can she advise when there will be investment to improve the fabric of Inverclyde royal hospital?”
“Will the member give way? Mark Simpson: I would love to. Stuart McMillan: Reform’s policies are about taking money out of the public sector, but Mr Simpson is now asking for more money to be spent on throughcare support. Where is that money coming from? I am genuinely interested to know.”
“Millions of people globally are impacted by climate change today, and that will also be the case for future generations, as has already been touched upon by Sanne Dijkstra-Downie.”
“It is important that they are successful in delivering the heat that we all need, but the issue of their environmental impact is also vital. District heating systems play an important role in communities up and down the country, but they come in a range of scales. Are they operating effectively?”
“I touched on the CPA a minute ago, and the issue of AI data centres has been raised time and again at both international and regional conferences. We are not the only people who are talking about the issue. Helpfully, it is on the agenda for this year’s festival of politics.”
“I look forward to the contributions from MSPs in the open debate, which I am sure will help the committee’s discussions on Thursday, when we meet for the first time, and during the rest of the parliamentary session. I will touch briefly on three items, for wider consideration.”
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“Our broader approach is focused on balancing investment across Scotland to improve access, modernise infrastructure and support high-quality care in hospital and community settings.”
“Can the cabinet secretary provide any details about when funding will be in place to replace the Port Glasgow health centre with a new health hub? Can she advise when there will be investment to improve the fabric of Inverclyde royal hospital? Angela Constance: I recognise the importance of investment in facilities such as the new Port Glasgow health centre and of improvements to Inverclyde royal hospital. Planning work on a replacement health centre continues, and I will ensure that local members are kept up to date on that. The decision that we have made on the exterior of Inverclyde royal hospital creates more flexibility in the capital programme and allows us to accelerate that work. Officials are meeting with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde on Monday to discuss how we can move that work forward at pace.”
“Quite simply, victims deserve better, and the people of Scotland deserve better.”
“Will the member give way? Mark Simpson: I would love to. Stuart McMillan: Reform’s policies are about taking money out of the public sector, but Mr Simpson is now asking for more money to be spent on throughcare support. Where is that money coming from? I am genuinely interested to know. Mark Simpson: I am sorry, but I do not think that I was calling for more money in the system; I was saying that there should be a readjusting of current budgets. A sustainable prison population will be achieved only when we stop the revolving door of prison that we have. We need to put victims first, and we need to provide meaningful punishment along with effective rehabilitation. Unfortunately, over the past 19 years, the SNP Government has failed on the issue, and it must do better.”
“There will be more to discuss and I am certainly looking forward to the discussions that we will have in the Climate Action Committee. However, fundamentally, we have made progress. It is difficult to get to where we need to get to, but we need to do it. The impact on us is one thing, but there is also the impact on some countries in Africa in particular. Sanne Dijkstra-Downie spoke about the Democratic Republic of Congo, but there are many others that I have heard about through the CPA. We have got a job to do. 16:36”
“There is technology out there that can help to improve that, but cinemas are struggling. They have not yet recovered fully from Covid, particularly when it comes to small-scale operators. That business in my constituency has one cinema in Greenock and one in Dunoon. There is a separate cinema in Falkirk that has one screen, and there are similar cinemas across the UK. Not all cinemas are part of big multinational conglomerations. That is a small example of where Government could help to move the dial somewhat. A range of issues have already been discussed and, obviously, many more will be discussed, including the marine environment, energy generation, oil and gas extraction, agriculture, transport and construction, among others.”
“It is important that they are successful in delivering the heat that we all need, but the issue of their environmental impact is also vital. District heating systems play an important role in communities up and down the country, but they come in a range of scales. Are they operating effectively? How do we create more, using efficient input, to ensure that communities can benefit from them while providing improvements for the customer and the provider? Thirdly, there is something that is a small issue in a business context, and it might be a bit niche for some—I did not know about it until yesterday when I met up with a local business. It is an issue not just for that business, but for that particular sector across the UK. The technology that cinemas utilise is actually highly power intensive.”
“I touched on the CPA a minute ago, and the issue of AI data centres has been raised time and again at both international and regional conferences. We are not the only people who are talking about the issue. Helpfully, it is on the agenda for this year’s festival of politics. I know that I am not allowed to use props, Presiding Officer, but I thought that I might get away with holding up this programme, as I am plugging a parliamentary event. There will, in fact, be two discussions about AI on 27 August, but one is about data centres. Dealing with climate emissions is already a massive challenge. We need to find a way to incorporate newer technologies into the economic, social and environmental policies that we manage. Secondly, there is the issue of heat networks.”
“I look forward to the contributions from MSPs in the open debate, which I am sure will help the committee’s discussions on Thursday, when we meet for the first time, and during the rest of the parliamentary session. I will touch briefly on three items, for wider consideration. First, there is the issue of AI data centres and their impact on the environment. A great deal has already been written about them. We all use AI— some former MSPs more than others, of course. It is not going to go back into the box. Its use is only going to increase and become more important for the economy and society. Members will be aware of the reports of plans for 24 AI data centres across the country, so we all appreciate how important the issue has become.”
“Millions of people globally are impacted by climate change today, and that will also be the case for future generations, as has already been touched upon by Sanne Dijkstra-Downie. I have also heard that on numerous occasions when I have represented the Parliament at Commonwealth Parliamentary Association conferences, both the regional and international ones, which I will come back to in a moment. Global warming is one of the biggest issues facing our planet, and strong leadership on the climate crisis has never been more important. Reaching net zero is a national challenge for Scotland, and it is one that we must win for a healthier climate, warmer homes, cleaner air and happier, more equitable and prosperous communities. The motion in the name of the cabinet secretary highlights those key criteria.”
“As the recently elected convener of the Climate Action Committee, I look forward to working with colleagues from across the chamber both in scrutinising the Scottish Government but also, I hope, through the committee, in making suggestions to help Scotland deal with the climate emergency that we all face. For clarity, I am not speaking today as convener of that committee. As some leaders trade the hope and health of future generations for short-term gains, they push back against the very idea of a climate crisis and undermine the need for urgent action. We have already heard that in the debate, and I urge the SNP Scottish Government not to yield to the climate culture wars.”
“We are very much committed to considering seriously how we can improve reliefs at the next budget, but we have to protect the small business bonus scheme to support those businesses that we know are really in need at the current time, so I give the commitment that that scheme will continue. However, we need to look more broadly at support for our businesses, which is exactly why I have set out a number of changes in that space today.”
“Can the cabinet secretary provide an assurance that the review will not include the small business bonus scheme, which is so vital for our local communities and has been touched on already in the questions? Jenny Gilruth: In the budget, we committed to maintaining the small business bonus scheme rates and thresholds for three years, to 2028-29. We estimate that more than 100,000 properties will remain eligible for the small business bonus scheme in 2026-27—which, as I set out in my statement, remains the most generous scheme of its kind in the United Kingdom.”
“The Conservative amendment is quite ridiculous; its proposals would add costs and make things even more bureaucratic for organisations. I find it strange that the Conservatives are arguing for more red tape rather than trying to reduce some of the red tape, which would allow organisations to deliver in our communities. Stephen Kerr: Will the member give way? Stuart McMillan: I am sorry, Mr Kerr, but I am just about to finish—unless the Presiding Officer will let me take the time back. I see that she will not. Fundamentally, without the third sector, our communities would look very different, and our constituents are much the richer for its existence in our communities. 16:33”
“The policy, which was introduced by Labour at Westminster, is highly destructive. It is destroying jobs and making the trading environment impossible for many good local organisations. The Conservative amendment is somewhat confusing and it would add another bureaucratic nightmare to manage. Third sector organisations obtain funding from a wide variety of sources on an annual basis; they do not get money from only the Government. In one year, an organisation might fall into whatever criteria the Conservatives are arguing for in their amendment, but, in the next year, it might fall out of that criteria because of where its funding comes from. That means that whether organisations should report could potentially fluctuate on an annual basis.”
“The pilot is the first step in mainstreaming multiyear funding agreements more widely across the third sector, which will give organisations the ability to plan and make the most of their resources. I touched on Moving On Inverclyde. The Green amendment refers to the annual £75 million that charities need to pay for their employer national insurance contribution, which is affecting organisations across the country. That is £75 million that is being spent on something that could be utilised on the front line. The decisions that will be taken to manage that extra burden will have a wider knock-on effect for communities. British Heart Foundation has announced that it will close about 150 shops across the UK and Cancer Research UK is also planning to close about 190 of its high street shops by April 2027.”
“I thought that I heard from the cabinet secretary and also earlier in the discussion that— Shirley-Anne Somerville: Will the member take an intervention? Stuart McMillan: Sure. Shirley-Anne Somerville: This is a rather strange way of addressing Stephen Kerr’s points, but I am grateful to Stuart McMillan for giving me the opportunity to say that we have already progressed fairer funding. That is why 60 per cent of grants in my portfolio are now in fairer funding, and there is a commitment to continue that progress towards fairer funding right across the Government. I hope that that helps Stuart McMillan and Mr Kerr. Stuart McMillan: Sadly, Mr Kerr is shaking his head in disagreement—not for the first time in the Parliament, as we all know.”
“That includes protecting the sector’s future and independence with fairer funding, focusing on shared goals to improve outcomes for people and communities, and providing greater opportunity to contribute to policy and service design. Stephen Kerr: I do not want to let that passage in Stuart McMillan’s speech pass without offering a correction, which is that I am not sure that the cabinet secretary made a full-on commitment to multiyear funding. She is approaching the subject very gingerly—some people might say too slowly. I do not think that there was a wholesale commitment to multiyear funding—at least, I did not hear that—but perhaps the cabinet secretary will contradict me. Stuart McMillan: Mr Kerr is accustomed to challenging members, and rightly so.”
“The public sector pivoted practically overnight in many cases; the number of people volunteering was remarkable, and the third sector pulled together like nothing I have seen before. Fundamentally, the partnership between the public and third sectors was imperative. Neither could have supported my community alone. I have given just a couple of local examples of why the third sector is absolutely crucial to the nation. On a national scale, I welcome the SNP Government’s delivery of multiyear funding and its commitment to develop an agreement with the third sector to strengthen its voice and improve lives. This third sector partnership, as the cabinet secretary touched on, will set out how the Scottish Government and the third sector can work together to enhance services.”
“Having both public and third sector organisations working together in our communities is essential. I have previously spoken in the Parliament of my involvement with Moving On Inverclyde. Over the past decade, the organisation has changed immeasurably. It is now engaging with many more people locally, has a stronger reputation locally, will be expanding into new premises in Port Glasgow and has a partnership agreement with Your Voice, which is another third sector organisation, to deliver a particular project for the Inverclyde alcohol and drug recovery service. Flexibility and improved outcomes for people who need those services are important, irrespective of who delivers them. The Covid-19 pandemic brought trauma and pain for many people. It also resulted in some remarkable activity in all our communities.”
“I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests: I am chair of Moving On Inverclyde and I am also an ambassador for Ocean Youth Trust Scotland. Long before my election to the Parliament, I had a firm belief that the state cannot fix everything. Sometimes, the state is the bearer of the problems in the first instance, so it is crucial that we have a strong third sector in our communities. The third sector can be more flexible and act more quickly in dealing with events, which often makes it more efficient. It can also take a more person-centred approach, in contrast with some public sector services, where impact is measured by how many people can be seen. Safe Harbour Inverclyde is a prime example of that person-centred approach.”
“I could say much more about Inverclyde’s economic challenges and opportunities, but I note that, in general, we are at a turning point. From the 1980s Tory decimation of the shipbuilding industry and people being forced to leave—to get on their bike—and find a job somewhere else, there is now a real economic opportunity for regeneration in Inverclyde, with the college at its heart. 16:56”
“It will ensure that Inverclyde is sustainable, assisting more people into employment and upskilling more of my constituents. A creative solution has been discussed, and those options will now go to the SFC. I fully support the college and its ambition, and I will continue my engagement with the Scottish Government on that. Successful local economies come in many guises. Creative Regeneration in my constituency is an example of a SCIO—Scottish charitable incorporated organisation—that is using the arts, culture, heritage and science to engage and educate, in addition to improving economic opportunities. Its biggest project by far is the purchase of the Glebe, a former sugar refinery, to turn into a multi-use creative space that will also be a great economic driver. That is a type of community regeneration that is ambitious but deliverable.”
“Stuart McMillan: I have already taken an intervention. Liam McArthur quite rightly touched on a point about island and rural communities, which I absolutely agree with. There are similar aspects for places such as my constituency—post- industrial towns with some villages—where there might be an expectation that we should commute to Glasgow. However, I do not think that we should all be commuters to a city. There is an economic opportunity, with the West College Scotland Greenock campus at the centre of it. Karen Adam touched on this in her comments. We have a college building that is long past its sell-by date, but there is cross-party willingness and local consensus to work together to find a solution to deliver college infrastructure to drive economic change. It is about assisting and not about the Government stepping in.”
“They put together a £14 million package to help safeguard highly skilled jobs, and they brought Diodes to the table—which also invested significantly. Those jobs remain local. The Scottish Government has also helped Ferguson Marine. Notwithstanding some of the utter nonsense that has been spoken and written about the yard, the undeniable fact is that the yard remains open, the jobs are saved, more apprenticeships are being created and the yard has a future. Those two investments alone have helped my local community and economy. Investing in our home-grown businesses is crucial, as is inward investment. That is yet another reason why it is so important for the Scottish Government to have offices in other nations. When considering investment, the easy option is to focus on cities. Craig Hoy: Will Stuart McMillan take an intervention?”
“The same can be said for EE, which left Greenock in recent years, and for the profitable Cigna Healthcare, which recently announced some job losses in Greenock and Glasgow. The galling thing about that is the fact that some of those jobs are already being advertised in other countries. Despite the two companies leaving and the information from Cigna Healthcare, the Scottish Government has helped to safeguard and create jobs in Inverclyde. That touches on the Green amendment, to which Patrick Harvie spoke, referring to Government action. When Texas Instruments announced its intention to leave its profitable Greenock site, the Scottish Government worked with its agencies and Inverclyde Council to find a buyer.”
“Within the limitations of devolution, establishing and maintaining the small business bonus scheme has been vital. FSB Scotland supports it, and 98 per cent of private sector businesses in Scotland benefit from it. I absolutely welcome the commitment that the non-domestic rates system will be realigned, with businesses such as Amazon paying their fair share and contributing to communities. Daniel Johnson made a point earlier regarding businesses and profits, and I agree with him on that. Amazon used to operate in my constituency, and I know how important the jobs were for my constituents, although I also know how the community was so badly let down by the company when it left.”
“Thanks to the sustained focus by the SNP through policies such as Techscaler, Scotland is by far the fastest- growing start-up economy in the UK and one of the fastest growing in Europe. Rachael Hamilton: Scotland actually ranks eighth in the UK for FDI. Can the member clarify whether he is referring to the number of projects being invested in, rather than the economic and financial value that is being delivered? Stuart McMillan: I am not going to stand here and do the research for Rachael Hamilton; I am sure that she can go and do the research herself. Every MSP should welcome this information and these facts. The SNP has never lacked ambition for this country, and that is why we want independence: to fully harness the opportunity and the potential.”
“Without a successful economy, we will struggle to deal with the many challenges that the country faces. Scotland currently has limited powers and, without the powers of a normal, independent nation, there will always be limitations placed on the Scottish Government. However, with the powers that we do have, the SNP Scottish Government has delivered a great deal. Since 2007, GDP and productivity growth in Scotland has outpaced that in the rest of the UK. Scotland is the top destination in the UK for foreign direct investment outside of London for the 10th year running, according to EY’s latest attractiveness study. In 2025, this city, Edinburgh, outperformed London for the first time.”
“There is an opportunity for us to continue to expand the sector and its wider, magnificent supply chain, along with associated industries such as clean transport and heat, which are expected to deliver thousands of well-paid sustainable jobs across Scotland, including in Stuart McMillan’s constituency, as well as to secure lasting benefits for communities.”
“The cabinet secretary referred to 105,000 jobs and the contribution to the economy of £10.2 billion from net zero-related industries. Does she agree that those figures are demonstrative of the renewables sector’s important role in supporting economic growth and employment while working towards net zero by 2045? Gillian Martin: I absolutely agree with Stuart McMillan. Those figures are a powerful demonstration of climate action and economic growth going hand in hand. Scotland’s vast renewable energy potential is one of our greatest economic opportunities. Many people in the rest of the world do not have the geography to harness that we do, and they do not have the hinterland of working in subsea capacities that we have.”
“That was welcomed by many in the community but, sadly, and in its own unique way, the local Labour Party turned that positive into a negative. Funding for the health centre will come through the mutual investment model. I suggest that the Scottish Government also engages with Strathclyde Pension Fund, as it is sitting on a wealth of resources.”
“First, last week, NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde issued a statement saying that, every day, it destroys medicines worth £100,000. I have already spoken to Ivan McKee about that. I am sure that everyone will acknowledge that a vast sum of money is being wasted. In addition to patients, GP practices have a role to play in reducing that amount. Constituents have told me that they have told their GP practices that they do not need part of their prescription, but that is not always taken into account. I believe that increased prescription reviews are necessary to help to reduce wastage and save money. Secondly, I was delighted that, earlier this year, the Scottish Government announced that the Port Glasgow health centre is to be replaced.”
“I welcome the new policies that will play a pivotal role in shaping healthcare delivery. They include the opening of at least five additional GP walk-in centres and setting out locations for a further 14; the development of a new national plan for hospital flow to ease pressure on A and E and address delays in discharge; the introduction of the first heart and lung health MOTs; the submission of a proposal to the UK National Screening Committee on reviewing the age for bowel cancer screening; and an improved funding solution for hospices. There are more, but I listed those five examples to show that our NHS is changing to help our constituents, and I have some suggestions to help with that. Like Bob Doris, I will get my asks in early.”
“The key information that demonstrates how the NHS under the SNP Government is turning a corner includes the number of long waits, which has gone down for 11 months in a row; the number of operations that are carried out, which is up by 7.3 per cent; the number of new out-patient waits of more than a year, which has dropped by more than 76 per cent; the fact that prescriptions are still free in Scotland, whereas they cost £9.90 in England; and the existence of the universal free eye test. Those are firm foundations to build our NHS on, and they are proof that progress has been made. During the previous parliamentary session, progress was made to help our health service to recover after the Covid-19 pandemic. However, I am under no illusion that making progress was easy. We know that it was not easy, and we still have more to do.”
“I pay tribute to my campaign team for its excellent work in delivering an SNP victory in the Inverclyde constituency and across the country. We all know that the NHS is one of the most important issues for the electorate. In my recent campaign, the four main issues that were raised with me on the doorsteps were the NHS, housing, the cost of living and independence. There are challenges in the NHS, but there are also many positives. I thank NHS staff for their dedication and hard work. They deliver for every one of us every day.”
“Deputy Presiding Officer, I welcome you to your role. I also welcome the new cabinet secretary and ministerial team and pay tribute to those who are no longer on the health brief. I will touch on two MSPs who were not returned: Jackson Carlaw and Jamie Greene. Both made hugely important contributions to the Parliament, and I wish them well as they go on with their lives. I also pay tribute to Jeremy Balfour, Roz McCall and Sarah Boyack, who I worked with on the Commonwealth Parliamentary Association. I wish them well, too. My constituency has grown as a consequence of boundary changes and, as well as being delighted to again represent constituents from Port Glasgow, Greenock, Gourock, Inverkip and Wemyss Bay, I look forward to working for my new constituents in Kilmacolm and Quarrier’s Village.”
“That is £4.1 billion of Scottish Government investment that will go in over the next four years, which shows this Government’s determination to take the housing situation exceptionally seriously and to work not only to assist those who wish to own their own home but to help others across the affordable housing supply programme and across”
“The first homes fund’s success undoubtedly goes hand in hand with the wider housing sector’s success in Scotland. Can the cabinet secretary speak more about the Scottish Government’s plans to increase our housing stock by maximising growth and investment? Shirley-Anne Somerville: As I touched on in my statement, the scheme is one part of the wider support that the Scottish Government will give the housing market. It is important that we recognise the social rented supply, which is exactly why we are making £926 million available for the affordable housing supply programme, which will help with social rent, mid-market rent and low-cost home ownership.”
“I, Stuart McMillan, do solemnly, sincerely and truly declare and affirm, that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to His Majesty King Charles, his heirs and successors, according to law.”
“Although performance is not always calculated in the same way across the nations, we can take pride in the fact that customer satisfaction with Scottish Water is consistently among the highest in the UK utilities sector. Indeed, Scottish Water was the top-rated water company in the UK customer satisfaction index last year. Performance levels are being achieved by ensuring that the average household charge in Scotland remains lower than the average charge in England and Wales. We are not complacent, though. There is a lot more to do, and I am pleased to say that every penny of profit from Scottish Water goes back into making those improvements. Transport (Edinburgh and East Lothian) 6.”
“In Scotland, public ownership means that Scottish Water is run for public benefit rather than lining shareholders’ pockets. Can the cabinet secretary provide an update on how Scottish Water’s performance as a publicly owned corporation compares with the levels of service that are provided by companies in England and Wales? The Deputy Presiding Officer: Please answer on matters within your responsibilities, cabinet secretary. Gillian Martin: I confirm that Scottish Water is performing well as a publicly owned corporation, with all profits going back into improving the service instead of going to shareholders. It matches the level of service that is provided by companies in England and Wales.”
“To ask the First Minister, following the Union Street fire in Glasgow, what discussions the Scottish Government has had with Network Rail regarding the organisation having a greater say over what types of businesses can be located in close vicinity to key transport hubs such as Glasgow Central. (S6F-04772)”
“This is the time, this is the bill, and this is the change that dying Scots desperately need us to make. I implore MSPs: have the courage of your convictions. Listen to the overwhelming majority of people across Scotland; most of all, listen to Lisa and the hundreds more like her, and back this bill. The Presiding Officer: That concludes the debate on the Assisted Dying for Terminally Ill Adults (Scotland) Bill at stage 3. Decision Time 22:00”
“I am enormously grateful for the nauseating compliments to me and my staff. At this point, however, I hope that colleagues will forgive me if I am also blunt. I simply cannot see how those who vote no this evening will not forfeit their right to step outside the chamber and tell themselves, their constituents and the wider public that they support the principles of a change in the law but not this bill, not at this time and not in this way. That is just not good enough. More importantly, it is a woefully inadequate response to the suffering and trauma that is experienced by the dying Scots and their families who are being grotesquely failed by the ban on assisted dying. As a growing number of countries and states around the world, including Jersey and the Isle of Man, are proving, there is another way. We can and must do better.”
“The bill is tightly drawn, heavily safeguarded and legally defensible. MSPs can have confidence that what they are voting for will be delivered in practice. Those who are tempted to vote no this evening need to realise that doing so will not make anyone safer but will leave ever-increasing numbers of dying Scots more at risk, isolated and vulnerable. The issue is not going away. However, by refusing to take this opportunity to act, the Parliament will simply force people to travel overseas and take decisions behind closed doors, with no safeguards, no protection and no support, or condemn them to suffer like Brian, Cath and Heather. Throughout this process, I have sought to be measured, reasonable and respectful. In my view, that is the only way to address an issue of such sensitivity.”
“Responding to the report, Professor Sir Graeme Catto, former chair of the General Medical Council, made a plea that we need to “listen carefully to … the compassionate honesty of palliative care professionals who recognise the limitations of their speciality; the trauma of bereaved relatives whose precious memories have been poisoned by the things no son, daughter, mother, father, sister, brother or partner should ever have to witness; and the fear of dying people who simply want the peace of mind that comes through having choice and control at the end of their lives.” Colleagues, Tracy Churcher has said that, when she thinks about her son Brian now, she remembers not the smiling boy on holiday but the terror of his illness and the agony that he experienced in his death. That breaks me.”
“I realise that to act otherwise now would be difficult and uncomfortable, but I ask those colleagues to measure that short-term discomfort against the enduring agony and humiliation that I have just described. Could any of us face that palliative care consultant or the family of that poor man, look them in the eye and say honestly that nothing can be done, that there is no alternative and that introducing more choice, in the way that many other states and countries have done safely and successfully over recent years, is beyond us here in Scotland?”
“However, given where we stand—given the risk that the bill may fall—that no longer seems tenable, so I will quote for the chamber—and for Sir Harry Burns—the palliative care consultant who said: “One of the most distressed patients I have ever seen in my life was a man who had had a penile cancer. His penis had been removed and he was left with a big open hole directly into his bladder. He was a very gentle person. He was so ashamed and he would cry. He was begging to have his life ended because he just hated it and he had lived for months in that condition … He was also in pain, but that was not the main thing; it was the utter degradation. I felt so helpless. We could do nothing about that.” During this debate and in the run-up to it, some colleagues have declared their opposition to the bill.”
“There was the fear of Cath Shepheard, who sat in the garden lobby back in 2023 and told me of her experience with motor neurone disease: “I … wondered if I could find some drugs so that I could overdose, but I didn’t know … how much to take to do the job properly”. Then, “the idea of stopping using my … [feeding tube] came into my head … and I literally felt my whole body relax” and “I wish I could choose something quicker, because this … may take two to three weeks”. She was right. It took Cath 17 days to die. In 2019, the “Inescapable Truth About Dying in Scotland” report was published, drawing on testimony from palliative care professionals, dying people and bereaved families. I had planned to spare the chamber the details of some of the cases that were highlighted in that report.”