Ash Regan
Independent · Scotland
“To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the Scottish Police Authority’s recent quarterly policing performance report showing that sexual crimes have continued to increase, with recorded rape at the highest level since comparable records began, and with domestic abuse also continuing to rise, what its response is to concerns that its e…”
“To ask the Scottish Government what actions it is taking to reduce journey times and congestion for commuters travelling to and from Edinburgh and East Lothian, including measures to progress with the delayed upgrade of Sheriffhall roundabout and to improve transport reliability across the region. (S6O-05677)”
“They seek to define that role by reference to a qualification threshold, which I know that the Government mentioned in earlier stages of the bill’s progression. Amendments 12 and 15 would allow ministers to establish by regulation a licensing scheme for non-healthcare premises.”
“Whatever we think of that, I cannot see it declining over the next few years. New innovations come through every few months, and the number of first-time clients is growing. Therefore, Scotland needs to get this area right. Eighty per cent of the providers in this space are non-medical.”
“The level 7 qualification also required more than a year of structured study covering facial anatomy, complications management, clinical assessment and patient safety. She also maintains level 3 first aid, including anaphylaxis training. She told me, in her own words: “My clinic operates as a fully licensed premises.”
“From the reading that I have done so far on the subject, it appears that the Government does not know how many women, like the constituent I mentioned, it will be putting out of business or out of a job. I wonder whether the minister can cover that issue when she next gets to her feet.”
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“Say that a school did not want a reputation for having a problem with misogyny, so it put an incident down as a generic incident of difficult pupil behaviour. That makes it harder for us to get a grip on the problem. That is still a lingering issue; reporting has improved, but the issue has not been entirely resolved. I want to talk about one area in which I think we have made progress, regarding mental health support and counselling in schools. Although the challenges with CAMHS have certainly not been tackled, we have seen a significant increase in access to mental health support for young people in school. The recent six-monthly reports that we get showed that 10,000 young people were accessing that support, then 12,000 and then 14,000. The service is meeting a level of demand that was always there.”
“Bill Kidd got it absolutely right when he said that pupils feel more “respected” when their views are taken on board. They feel more like they are part of the school community. Co-design results in better learning and better behaviour, and it is better for staff as well. Edward Mountain made an important point highlighting the rise in incidents of violence in schools in the Highlands—I think that he mentioned a 500-ish per cent increase. That is in large part a real increase, but it is also in part an increase in the reporting of a level of violence that was always there but previously went underreported or misreported. Parliament has previously taken evidence on schools not accurately recording such incidents because they wanted to protect their reputation.”
“Young people want to help to solve this; we heard that in the Education, Children and Young People Committee this morning. If areas such as sex and relationship education and PSE overall are co-designed by young people, they can be kept up to date with the challenges that young people face. The issue with this part of the curriculum has so often been that it becomes outdated very quickly and that teachers in classrooms simply do not have the time to keep on top of it. We need to seriously consider subject specialism in this area. There are a few schools in Scotland that deliver PSE through subject specialists, as opposed to teachers from other areas taking either one period per day or a couple of periods per week to deliver it.”
“15:40 Ross Greer: In closing, I will round off the points that I made earlier on the importance of personal and social education in tackling violence against women and girls and on co-design by young people themselves, which is absolutely essential. Teachers have given us clear feedback that that is what they need. In many cases, they are not on the same social media platforms as their pupils, and, if they are, the algorithm shows them something completely different, so they are simply not aware of what young men and boys in particular are seeing online. Most PSE is not delivered by subject specialists. It is not fair for us to expect a geography teacher or a biology teacher who is trying to keep on top of their own specialism to also keep on top of areas such as developments in the manosphere and the new wave of misogyny.”
“We know that smoking, drugs and alcohol cause harm, and I believe that we are approaching the point at which we understand that the use—or overuse, I should say—of mobile phones and social media is also harmful to our young people and to their mental health. We did not leave the smoking ban up to the discretion of venue managers, and neither should we leave the issue of mobile phones in classrooms up to individual schools. A nationwide ban is now necessary, and it should be brought forward as quickly as possible to safeguard the learning and wellbeing of our children. The Government needs to step up; its suggestion of a task force is just not going to cut it. The Deputy Presiding Officer: We now move to closing speeches.”
“Yet I feel that many schools have been left ill-equipped to address the challenges that they are facing, which the pandemic has exacerbated. I must be very clear with the Government that empowering headteachers without providing robust national support to underpin that empowerment is—I am sorry to say—not leadership but passing the buck. We have to ensure that our schools have clear policies and protection and that we are enforcing consistent behavioural standards. Mobile phones are rightly being discussed—they are clearly having an impact on our young people’s mental health and we need to focus more on them.”
“Our schools must be places where our children can thrive and where our teachers can excel. Too many classrooms are undermined by disruption and sometimes even by violence. I fear that they are lacking clear, decisive policy that is backed up by strong leadership. The wellbeing of pupils and teachers alike is sometimes at risk, and that must change. Strong leadership begins here, with all of us in the Parliament—that is a theme that has developed over the debate—and with our taking responsibility for the safety and success of our schools. Schools are our children’s first independent communities; they teach children things about respect, conflict management and the shared values that underpin our society.”
“The UK Government must be held accountable, and proper support for Scotland’s WASPI women must be delivered. The ombudsman found that, in the light of UK Government failures, the women should be given compensation, saying that the UK Government must “do the right thing”—and so it should. We had excuses and delays from the Tories, and we now have more broken promises from the Labour Party. The UK Government must do the right thing. I am very glad that, this evening, this Parliament is sending out that message loud and clear. 18:55”
“Too many women were left unaware, unprepared and unsupported as they faced years of financial hardship. Now, when those women seek justice, they are met with excuses and delays. The failure to properly inform WASPI women has had real and lasting consequences. It has forced many to work longer than they had planned to work, to struggle financially and, in too many cases, to suffer alone in silence. The issue that we debate tonight is not only about pensions; it is an issue of fairness. It is about ensuring that Governments do not change the rules without warning, that people are treated with dignity and that those who have been affected by the changes in question receive the recognition and the compensation that they deserve. Scotland cannot stand idly by while our mothers, grandmothers and sisters are treated with such contempt.”
“I commend Mr Gibson for bringing this important debate to the chamber, and I, too, welcome the WASPI campaigners to the gallery. Tonight, we debate another injustice that has been inflicted on women in our country—the betrayal of WASPI women. This is an injustice that has been inflicted not by accident but as a result of deliberate Government failure. The women whom we are talking about, who were born in the 1950s, worked hard and did everything right—they planned for their retirement and they contributed to our society in every way. Their resilience in the face of injustice is truly inspiring. This issue is not a matter of policy; it is, of course, a matter of principle. When Governments make decisions that affect millions of lives, they have a duty to communicate them clearly, fairly and in good time. That did not happen.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what strategy it plans to implement to grow the Scottish economy at a level that is in line with countries with similarly sized populations, such as Norway. (S6O-04190)”
“This is just one part of the wide suite of investments that we are making to reduce the number of drug deaths, and I look forward to seeing an improving picture, as I know Ash Regan does, too.”
“We can see localised numbers in the drug death statistics, which will clearly demonstrate over time what the pattern is and whether a new pattern is emerging as a result of the measure. I reiterate that this is just one measure, and the second part of Ash Regan’s question is instructive. This is one part of our national mission that goes alongside the naloxone programme, the expansion of residential rehab, the community and voluntary sector funding that we provide through the Corra Foundation, and a range of other elements, including drug-checking facilities—which Paul Sweeney raised, but I did not address—on which our engagement with the Home Office continues.”
“I know that the minister has already been asked this question, but he did not put any specifics on the record. Specifically, what metrics will be used to assess the success of the Thistle? In addition, what lessons will the Government draw from global examples such as analysis by Stanford University’s Professor Humphreys to ensure that safer consumption rooms are part of a balanced and recovery-focused strategy to tackle drug deaths? Neil Gray: As I set out in response to Douglas Ross, the success of the pilot will be based on the harm reduction and the reduction in the number of drug-related deaths in the vicinity. I am, quite rightly, regularly held accountable for the national picture.”
“We should also continue to invest in the Edinburgh tram line. It is not simply a novelty; over the past few years, it has become a reliable lifeline for many residents across our city and tourists by linking the airport to the heart of our capital city and, I hope, beyond. Extending and upgrading that system would make our capital city more accessible and more dynamic, and it would appeal to investors when they decide where to land their next venture. The Edinburgh tram line can be a model for sustainable, integrated city transport.”
“Removing administrative barriers showcases Scotland as an open and outward-looking nation that is ready to seize global opportunities. However, ambition alone will not suffice, and we need to ensure that access to Edinburgh airport remains unimpeded. Currently, congestion at certain times can bring parts of our capital city to a standstill, which risks our losing out on the benefits of growth. When people cannot reliably get to and from the airport, that is a problem. We need the second access point via Gogar, which is essential not just as transport infrastructure but as a statement about our forward-thinking approach to planning— planning that accommodates the needs of residents who live in that area, businesses and visitors, and that provides a solid foundation for the next generation of Scots to build on.”
“I am delighted to announce to members that this is my party’s first members’ business debate. I have chosen to use it to address the future of our great nation’s connectivity by air, rail, sea and road. When we enhance our connections within Scotland and outwardly to the world, we secure economic empowerment and the prospect of opportunity for all, with no community left behind. I will begin with the skies. Edinburgh airport is one of our key gateways to the world, and it has set its sights on obtaining US preclearance status. That is more than just a stamp on a piece of paper; securing preclearance would put Scotland on a par with some of the world’s most advanced travel hubs and smooth international departures while sparing travellers the delays and uncertainties that can stifle tourism and business growth.”
“Is the Government confident that there has been no such cover up here? Natalie Don-Innes: Although I have set out what the Government is doing to tackle this, I have been very clear today that I am aware that there is still a way to go to fully provide the support needed and to eradicate such behaviour. As I said, the working group has been set up, the inquiry is on-going, and actions are being taken that will help with the situation. If the member would like to discuss any specific matters with me, such as other things that we could be doing to help with this, I would be more than happy to pick those up with her. The Presiding Officer: My apologies to those members whose questions we have not been able to reach. That concludes topical questions. Health and Social Care Response to Winter”
“There are, of course, parallels with other areas of child safeguarding failures, whereby whistleblowers have been vilified, intimidated and shut down. A civilised society must not rely on the bravery of a small number of whistleblowers. It is the Government’s role to make sure that the system supports people such as the police, social workers and care home staff to do the right thing. Those girls were failed at every turn by a system that was meant to protect them—even, in some cases, criminalised for their own abuse, which is sickening. My unbuyable bill would allow for a debate and a vote on commercial sexual exploitation, placing the shame where it belongs— on the perpetrator. Can the Scottish Government give assurances that such a failure has not happened, and is not happening, in Scotland?”