Clare Haughey
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“I note that the Deputy First Minister has confirmed that vape shops will be excluded from eligibility for relief from 1 April 2027, and I welcome that commitment. How will that contribute to the Scottish Government’s public health commitments and build on the progress that has been made on reducing the harm that vapes can cause?”
“That is exactly why we are taking action to ensure that vape shops contribute to the high street, recognising the growth of the sector in recent years, and also to ensure that rates relief aligns with our public health commitments, to answer the member’s point.”
“In the 1970s, the then- Labour Glasgow City Council proposed demolishing the People’s Palace building to put in a motorway—a potential work of historical vandalism of epic proportions.”
“I remind members of my entry in the register of members’ interests: I hold a bank nurse contract with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. The Queen Elizabeth university hospital in Glasgow was recently ordered by Healthcare Improvement Scotland to make 26 improvements.”
“With that in mind, we always want to encourage women to access the care that they need. In my statement, I intimated that I quickly met the chief executive of NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde and, separately, Healthcare Improvement Scotland.”
“Being able to communicate your needs and have them be understood is fundamental to care. I also took the opportunity to engage with Healthcare Improvement Scotland, which confirmed the proactive leadership and ownership by the chief executive and the board.”
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“Alongside Blantyre, Cambuslang and Halfway community councils, I campaigned successfully against a proposed incinerator in Hamilton. I know that many local people welcomed the Scottish Government’s announcement of a moratorium on new incinerator sites. Can the minister update Parliament on the actions that the Government is taking to limit and reduce the amount of waste sent to existing incinerators? Alasdair Allan: We have met our target to reduce total waste in Scotland by 15 per cent against 2011 levels, and in 2022, our recycling rate in Scotland was 62.3 per cent, which is the highest since records began. The Government has made a significant investment in modernising recycling in”
“With regard to the current UK Government’s agenda of making work pay and, specifically, the Employment Rights Bill, we have been engaging closely with the UK Government and see this as an opportunity to put a lot of fair work first principles on a statutory footing. The real opportunity that community wealth building allows for is the creation of more resilient, successful and prosperous local labour markets, which creates more opportunities for high-paid jobs. The other aspect is that increasing the share of the economy that is characterised by inclusive and demographic business models such as social enterprises, co-ops and employee-owned businesses creates a significant opportunity for worker empowerment as well.”
“The Scottish Government has made strides in promoting and increasing fair work employment across Scotland, and it is vital that we keep up momentum and ensure that those who are seeking fulfilling and fair work in Scottish communities can find it. Will the minister elaborate on how the community wealth building approach can feed into the development of fair and resilient local labour markets? Tom Arthur: Fair work is one of the pillars of community wealth building. Although employment law is reserved, we have sought over a number of years to use our convening power and indeed conditionality around public sector grants to drive fair work forward.”
“Membership of the advisory board will include people with lived experience of accessing care services, unpaid carers, members of the workforce, care providers, trade unions, the national health service and local government. As I have set out a path forward that I believe that everybody is able to get behind, I expect the board to have an impact rapidly. The Presiding Officer: Question 2 was not lodged. National Health Service (Dumfries and Galloway) 3.”
“Change in social care is needed, and we must all work to secure improvement. I understand from the minister’s statement that was delivered earlier this month that a new non-statutory advisory board will be established to drive improvement in the sector. Will the minister advise when that board is expected to meet and how quickly it will be able to deliver vital reform? Maree Todd: We are moving quickly to establish a non-statutory advisory board that has lived experience at its heart. We expect the board to meet for the first time in March 2025, and it will be critical to the national care service’s efforts to drive improvement and ensure that services are consistent, fair and of high quality. Strengthening national support and oversight of the system remains our core intention.”
“Education has long been nimble in contributing to the wider tackling poverty agenda. We saw that during lockdown, when schools and nurseries rallied to support families and when colleagues worked together on the cost of the school day— and, indeed, the cost of the nursery day—by pooling and sharing sometimes small ideas that had a huge impact. The focus on education equality is linked to wider goals to eradicate child poverty, and vice versa. The cumulative impact of action across sectors by all partners in all parts of Scotland will make the difference for children and families. That starts with the decisions that we make and the priorities that we champion in the Parliament. 15:58”
“The significant expansion is making a direct contribution to reducing household costs, with families saving about £5,500 a year in childcare costs. It also gives parents greater opportunities to access training, employment and learning. We know that children and families benefit when they can access the support that they need when they need it. We must maximise the availability and consistency of key services that can have the greatest impact in eradicating poverty. A key point in this year’s programme for government was the need to continue work with local authorities to increase the uptake of early learning and childcare for eligible two-year-olds, with a particular focus on boosting uptake among families who are most at risk of poverty and connecting them to other services and resources.”
“Clare Haughey: I am not sure whether Martin Whitfield is aware of my background, but I spent about 15 years working in perinatal mental health before I came to the Parliament, so I am acutely aware of the importance not only of the months and years after a child is born but of the pre-birth era. The Scottish Government has committed to expanding childcare for younger children, but the childcare offer for three and four-year-olds is not necessarily suitable for younger children. I am sure that the work that I led when I was the minister with responsibility for that portfolio is on- going under Ms Don-Innes. The primary aim of the expansion of early learning and childcare is to secure improved outcomes for children in Scotland by providing them with skills and confidence to carry into school education.”
“The Government has massively expanded the provision of fully funded and high- quality early learning and childcare—it has provided 1,140 hours for eligible children aged two and for all three and four-year-olds. This year’s budget includes about £1 billion of investment in early years services. Martin Whitfield: The advice that we received from Save the Children, which Clare Haughey referenced, talks about the importance of a child’s first two years, but what support would she like to be provided to families in the period from minus three to two years?”
“The Scottish Government has taken many steps to make Scotland one of the best countries in which to experience the early years—the Scottish child payment, the baby box, best start grants, support services for parents and carers, investment in quality early learning and childcare—and is making every effort to ensure that those approaches are reaching and benefiting families. Investment in high-quality early years services is essential for tackling child poverty, inequality and social exclusion and for breaking intergenerational cycles. There is clear evidence that high-quality early years education and childcare is beneficial to children’s development, with the strongest effects being seen among children from disadvantaged backgrounds.”
“Children from low-income households are much less likely to score well on measures associated with readiness to thrive at school. Like many other countries, Scotland is still reckoning with the increasing developmental concerns following the pandemic, which can have knock-on effects on the rest of a child’s education. That is particularly true for children in the most deprived communities. Interventions focusing on early childhood can play a significant role in mitigating the impacts of poverty by helping families to lay strong foundations for their children’s future.”
“The First Minister declared that tackling child poverty is the national mission of this Scottish parliamentary session. Our education system, as a universal service that the vast majority of families access, is an essential component of that. In its briefing, Save the Children states: “The early years of childhood are golden, when development is rapid, vast and holistic.” All parents want the best for their children, but, without support, poverty in the early years can limit young children’s potential and entrench inequalities. The poverty-related gap in children’s outcomes opens well before they set foot in a primary school classroom. Disparities in health and development take root from early childhood, with those who grow up in poverty more likely to have poorer health, educational and economic outcomes throughout their lives.”
“We recognise the particular challenges of implementing the standards in rural and island areas and those that have been assessed as “provisional green”, but I am pleased to see that the challenges of rurality are being overcome by maximising access and choice through technology, travel and the provision of different modes of care.”
“I remind the chamber that I am employed by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde as a bank nurse. We need to ensure that care and support are available to people on the day that they ask for help, no matter where they live. Will the cabinet secretary inform me what action is being taken to drive up and ensure consistency in access to treatment across all alcohol and drug partnership areas? Neil Gray: In the national benchmarking report that was published by Public Health Scotland, 23 of the 29 ADP areas—79 per cent of them—were assessed as “fully implemented” for same-day access. In those areas, 75 per cent of people received their MAT assessment—the first date that the service offered for MAT assessment, when treatment can be initiated, if appropriate—either on the same day of initial presentation or the next day.”
“That is having a negative effect on the wider economy and will clearly have an impact on night-time industries. However, as I said, the Scottish Government is committed to supporting our night-time industries and will continue to do so. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I apologise to those members whom I was not able to call. We move to the next portfolio. Finance and Local Government 14:27”
“Does the minister share my concerns that the Labour Government’s oversight of increasing—not decreasing, as we were promised—energy bills and changes to employer national insurance contributions are placing vast cost and workforce pressures on businesses in the night-time economy in and around Glasgow? The Deputy Presiding Officer: Minister, please answer as briefly as possible. Tom Arthur: The matters that Ms Haughey has raised are echoed by numerous businesses, not just in hospitality but more widely, with which I engage. When it was running for office, the Labour Party said that energy costs would fall; however, energy costs have increased. It said that it would not increase national insurance; however, it is increasing employer national insurance contributions.”
“It is only by making such progress that we will ensure that we are making the best use of the Scottish budget to tackle the challenges that the health and social care sector faces and to improve health and wellbeing outcomes for all the people of Scotland. Finally, I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests, as I have a bank nurse contract with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I call Collette Stevenson to speak on behalf of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee. 16:12”
“Without that, it is difficult to measure the effectiveness of spending on health and social care and the extent to which any additional funding is contributing positively to the overall health and wellbeing of people in Scotland. Although it is almost impossible to cover everything in such a large portfolio during the debate, I conclude by reiterating that the increased funding packages and various commitments that are contained in the budget are most welcome. However, more must be done to measure and track the effectiveness of any additional spending and to ensure that the budget for health and social care is properly aligned with national outcomes and the NPF. The committee looks forward to seeing further progress in those areas as we look forward to scrutinising next year’s budget.”
“Given the challenges that the sector faces, I strongly encourage the Scottish Government to do more to ensure that service providers are given the utmost clarity regarding funding in a way that is conducive to long-term planning. Similarly, the committee is disappointed that, despite calls to align the budget with the national performance framework, that has not been reflected in the presentation of the budget or accompanying documents. Although the committee notes that the Government has stated that it is working to align the budget with strategic priorities, it is the committee’s view that more must be done in that area. If the NPF is to be the Scottish Government’s “north star”, it is essential that it provides a clear overview of how specific budget allocations align with progress towards corresponding national outcomes.”
“Given that substantial transfers and additions to other portfolios occur at the time of the ABR and that one could reasonably expect similar transfers in the future, that could have particular consequences for the planned increase in the health and social care budget and the extent of that increase in real terms. As highlighted as part of the committee’s pre- budget scrutiny, which focused on the financial position of integration joint boards, in-year adjustments to the 2024-25 budget have meant that a growing number of IJBs are having to rely on funding reserves to bridge the funding gap. That is having a negative impact on the long-term sustainability of budgets.”
“Despite increased investment, significant questions remain about the level of detail contained in budget documentation and the level of transparency around health spending. As highlighted by the Scottish Parliament information centre, previous responses to the committee from the Scottish Government acknowledge that “it is important that there is a clear link between spending plans and commitments.” The committee argues that that acknowledgement has yet to be reflected in the health and social care portfolio. Specifically, changes to the presentation of budget numbers this year mean that the 2024-25 baseline is now presented after the autumn budget revision.”
“Throughout the budget scrutiny process, the committee has heard extensive evidence on the current state of health and social care services. It is no secret that health and social care staff are under immense pressure across the sector, particularly as our population ages and as a result of the recent spike in flu cases and subsequent hospital admissions. Therefore, additional funding in key areas will be necessary to mitigate those challenges. However, I reiterate a core theme that has stood out throughout the budget scrutiny process and has, indeed, been echoed by my colleagues from the Finance and Public Administration Committee. Budget transparency through improving links between the budget and agreed outcomes is crucial in order to assess whether spending has been effective in the areas that it needs to be.”
“It is anticipated that much of that funding will benefit national health service board budgets. Given the on-going challenges that health and social care services face, as highlighted in the committee’s pre-budget scrutiny, that additional funding is most welcome. Similarly, the committee welcomes the planned £200 million investment to reduce waiting times and improve capacity, with the commitment that, by March 2026, nobody will wait longer than 12 months for a new out-patient appointment, or in- patient or day-case treatment. The committee also welcomes the additional support for general practitioners to address pressures that are related to waiting times and lack of prevention, as well as expansion of the hospital at home service, which will, I hope, alleviate pressure on front-line acute services.”
“I welcome the opportunity to contribute to the debate on behalf of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee. I thank the cabinet secretary, supporting officials, all the stakeholders who have engaged throughout the committee’s budget scrutiny process, and the committee clerks for supporting the committee in all its work. As members will be aware, the health and social care portfolio is, again, a budget priority. Its budget is increasing by £2 billion in cash terms, which takes overall health and social care investment to £21 billion. The committee notes that that increase reflects the Government’s commitment to pass on health-related Barnett consequentials that were received as a result of the UK October budget, which amount to an additional £1.7 billion for Scotland in 2025-26.”
“My Rutherglen constituency is home to many talented musicians, actors and other creative sector professionals. Will the cabinet secretary outline what organisations in the South Lanarkshire Council area will benefit from the very welcome announcement of multiyear funding? Angus Robertson: In South Lanarkshire, the Scottish Music Industry Association and Soundplay Projects have been successful in securing funding, and I congratulate them. Soundplay Projects has not previously received core funding from Creative Scotland. More than a third of all successful applicants, including those organisations, operate nationally, which benefits South Lanarkshire and the whole country.”
“In that way, the group is helping to improve the experience of services children and their families in Scottish schools. The group last met on 4 December 2024 and is due to meet again in March 2025. If, as Mr Whitfield has said, issues have been identified to which the group might not be alive, I would like to hear about those so that we can share them.”
“It is important that the Scottish Government hears directly from armed forces and veterans families to understand the issues that children and young people in such families face. What role can the Scottish armed forces education support group play? When did the group last meet? Graeme Dey: The group, which is chaired by the Scottish Government, is made up of a variety of stakeholders, including representatives of the navy, the army and the air force, all of whom champion the needs of services children and young people in education. The group works collaboratively to identify and mitigate issues that affect children and young people from such families, and it actively seeks out and includes the lived experiences of such children and young people in its work.”
“That is why the advisory board will play a vital part in ensuring that people across the country get the quality of service that they deserve, driven by the real experts—the voice of lived experience. Business Motion 15:43”
“It also includes a right to short breaks for unpaid carers, ensuring that we are not only providing support for carers but that their rights are protected by law. We have heard, loud and clear, that people want improvements in the management of the complaints system, as well as governance at a national level, and the outputs of that work have had a direct impact on the plans that I have outlined for the advisory board. It remains clear from the Feeley review and from engagement with thousands of people with lived experience as well as a wide range of stakeholders that enhanced national support and oversight of the way that care is delivered in Scotland is vital.”
“The Health, Social Care and Sport Committee has heard from numerous third sector organisations, stakeholders and, importantly, people who access care services about the need for radical reform of the care system. Can the minister advise how the amendments that she is proposing to the bill will ensure that their concerns are addressed? Maree Todd: The changes that I am outlining today will improve the lives of people who have been calling for reform for far too long. Putting Anne’s law into primary legislation gives it the status and protection that it deserves and that the families of care home residents have been calling for for so long. We have listened to those who have told us that sharing their story repeatedly can be frustrating and traumatic. That is why the bill improves information-sharing standards.”
“I have increased investment in community justice—between the current and the next financial year, there will be additional investment of £25 million—but we have to have the courage to follow the evidence, which tells us that, in many circumstances, robust community disposals will provide far better outcomes not only for the individual concerned, in mending their ways and paying back to the community, but for the community and keeping families and children together. We need to own that. If I convey only one thing today, it is that our accountability has to lead to action and change. As a country, we need to turn up the dial in the shift from our use of custody to the use of community justice. I very much hope to come back to Parliament in February with a Government-led debate on the next steps around our sentencing and penal reform work.”
“I welcome the cabinet secretary’s comments on shifting the balance to justice in the community and her point that that is not soft justice. Does she agree that we need to ensure that penal reform is not a political football? Does she also agree that we need grown-up and sensible debate and discussion to find the solutions to reduce our prison population and to have safe alternatives to custody in the community that sheriffs can use? Angela Constance: I am absolutely determined to do everything that I can to boost the confidence that the people of Scotland and, indeed, the judiciary have in the potential of community justice.”
“In the United Kingdom, around 3,200 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year, with more than 800 of those losing their lives. This week marks cervical cancer prevention week, which is a week-long campaign that raises awareness about cervical cancer screening and prevention, encouraging uptake of both. Will the First Minister provide an update on the success of the human papillomavirus vaccine programme in reducing cervical cancer rates in Scotland?”
“To ask the Scottish Government how it plans to support South Lanarkshire Council as part of the local government settlement for 2025-26. (S6O-04235)”
“The SNP will keep to our principled position and concrete commitment in support of the WASPI women. We will continue to hold the Labour Government to account until those women receive the justice that they deserve. 18:59”
“The fact that many of the women affected will be digesting the news while also coping with the same Government ripping away their winter fuel payment this year must only intensify their sense of injustice. They are not going anywhere, and Keir Starmer’s Government has not heard the last of the issue. The UK Government is also feeling the pressure from charities and third sector organisations. The charity director of Age UK has said that it simply “isn’t credible for the Government to contradict the Ombudsman’s painstaking report”. More than 21,000 women in South Lanarkshire have lost out on pension payments, completely upending their lives. They deserve so much better than the Labour Government’s betrayal of their trust. I am proud to be in a party that has shown them unwavering support, and that will continue to do so.”
“They have told me about the financial and emotional distress that they have suffered, how they have been forced to work past their expected retirement age or live on significantly less income than they had planned for, and how that has intersected with their family life, caring responsibilities and health and wellbeing. Labour back-bench MPs and the Scottish Labour leader are lining up to say that they are disappointed with the UK Government’s decision, but WASPI women do not need their words of disappointment—they need justice. Despite the initial shock of the UK Government’s sudden announcement, it is clear that those women who visited Parliament in December are not taking it lying down.”
“When I heard that announcement yesterday, which came out of the blue, I was absolutely flabbergasted.” Let us be clear that the UK Government has made an unprecedented political choice. It has ignored the clear recommendations of an independent watchdog, which will of course leave many asking what the point of an ombudsman is, if ministers can simply ignore decisions. However, for the WASPI campaigners who came to Parliament last month, and for the WASPI women across Scotland and the UK, it is much more than a hypothetical exercise. When I have met constituents who have been affected by changes to their pensions, they have told me deeply personal and sensitive stories.”
“Alongside Keir Starmer, the Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner, pensions secretary Liz Kendall and Scottish secretary Ian Murray, Labour MPs and MSPs had merrily posed for photographs for years, even signing WASPI pledges to state that they supported fair and fast compensation. My constituent, Anne Potter, who is the co- ordinator of WASPI Glasgow and Lanarkshire, did not mince her words when she appeared live on the BBC the day after the UK Government’s announcement. Anne said that she was “absolutely disgusted” and that the decision was “a slap in the face”. She went on to say that she felt that Labour had led WASPI women up the garden path, noting: “They signed our pledges. They showed interest.”
“Just before Christmas, dozens of WASPI women from across Scotland gathered outside Parliament in protest. I was pleased to host them when they met the First Minister, the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice, and numerous MSPs. That meeting took place only two days after the shock announcement that the UK Labour Government was to ignore the PHSO’s recommendations and fail to provide them with compensation. In my Rutherglen constituency, alarm bells started to ring at the end of the summer when it was revealed that our local MP, a UK Government minister, had written to a constituent to say that he did not believe that universal compensation would be right. He was one of the scores of Labour MPs and Labour parliamentary candidates right across the country who appeared to support the WASPI Scotland campaign before the general election.”
“My constituent Bayile Adeoti is the founder and managing director of the social enterprise Dechomai Ltd, which recently published a report, funded by the Scottish Government’s ecosystem fund, that looked at key barriers that prevent ethnic minority social entrepreneurs, including women, from accessing investment. What consideration has the Scottish Government given to the report’s recommendations? Kate Forbes: We welcome the 2024 “Access Report” and its recommendations, and the Minister for Employment and Investment met Dechomai last year to discuss the report. The social enterprise action plan, which was published in November, makes clear our commitment to support a review of current social enterprise funding and investment mechanisms. The action plan is clear that that should build on the work that was involved in Dechomai’s report.”
“When the First Minister and I visited the safer drug consumption facility on Friday, I was able to speak to bereaved families who were part of the process of establishing it. I also spoke to people with lived experience who have helped to design the facility—the way that it looks and feels—and have been part of the interview panel for recruiting staff, to ensure that the cultural aspects of who is employed and how they approach their work are informed by lived experience. That is absolutely critical to the community’s and service users’ confidence in the facility, and it is critical to the endeavours through which we seek to address harm reduction and the number of deaths. I am grateful to all those with lived experience, as well as service users and bereaved families, for the input that they have given to get the Thistle to this point.”
“I remind members that I am employed as a bank nurse by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde. Every death related to drug use is one too many and is utterly devastating for the loved ones who are left behind. Although the facility is not a silver bullet, I am proud of the significant step that has been taken to reduce harms and deaths in one of Scotland’s most impacted cities. Can the cabinet secretary speak to how the Scottish Government has engaged with those with lived experience and their families to ensure that the facility meets the needs and best supports service users? Neil Gray: I absolutely agree with Clare Haughey that one life lost to a drug dependency is one life too many.”
“To ask the First Minister, in light of recent freezing temperatures, whether he will provide an update on what steps the Scottish Government is taking to support low-income households with their energy bills. (S6F-03687)”
“Decisions taken in council chambers across Scotland, for better or worse, will have a direct impact on families’ pockets and on the trajectory of children’s lives. We should all be putting the case, in all spheres of government, to tackle child poverty. 16:24”
“However, the Labour administration of South Lanarkshire Council has made some extremely short-sighted decisions: imposing huge price rises on grass- roots sports, pricing out families and children’s participation; cutting and closing library services, despite being warned about digital exclusion and problems with early literacy; and slashing school bus services, directly hitting families in their pockets. Constituents who have come to see me about those issues are very angry about the direct impact on their pockets, which was not fully explored or understood by the council. Yesterday, the First Minister called on all parties in the chamber to come together and support the Scottish budget, and to agree to take further steps in eradicating poverty.”
“Labour members need to put their money where their mouth is and back a budget, rather than abstaining, to put money directly in families’ pockets and to fund wider services that support them—actions that we agree are only part of the story. South Lanarkshire Council was previously praised for its work in sharing best practice on reducing the cost of the school day. On a recent visit to St Bride’s primary in Cambuslang, I saw how hard staff were working to ensure that every child was included in every activity in their busy festive calendar, with practical, sensitive support being provided where required.”
“Beyond the statistics on how the payment is lifting children out of poverty, we can see that it is making a real difference in people’s day-to-day lives. I urge members to look at the changing realities project and to read Lisa’s story about the real difference that the payment has made for her and her young son, allowing them to live with more dignity and self-respect. Yesterday, Anas Sarwar got very cagey when he was pressed on his previous ambitions for the Scottish child payment, and he made vague noises about “new directions”. That sounds eerily familiar from Labour: promising change without disclosing that it will be change for the worse.”
“Experiencing poverty in childhood is not just about families’ immediate financial security; it is about longer-term damage. It brings a loss of human potential and an increase in demand for public services. Taking action to tackle poverty is not a zero-sum game; it is about Scotland’s collective prosperity and wellbeing. The Scottish Government’s budget is unwavering in its resolve to tackle child poverty head on. It drives forward investment in a range of activities to support three key drivers of poverty reduction: increasing income from social security and benefits in kind, increasing income from employment and reducing the cost of living. To take just one of those measures as an example, the Scottish child payment puts money directly into families’ pockets.”
“In his speeches both yesterday and today, the First Minister could not have been clearer: there are too many children in Scotland living in poverty. The continuing effects of Westminster austerity, UK inflation, the pandemic and the economic fallout from Brexit mean that too many families are facing acute challenges. Since 2010, UK Government welfare reform has been characterised by cuts. Any concept of a UK safety net has been systematically unravelled, and it is threadbare. In South Lanarkshire, where my Rutherglen constituency is situated, the community planning partnership has noted sharp increases in cost of living costs, which have meant that more families sought help from their money advice service last year, more sought food bank referrals, and more faced homelessness.”