Rona Mackay
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“Màiri McAllan: I express the Government’s sympathy with those who are wrestling with dramatically increased oil prices, which will have come as a very unwelcome shock to households.”
“Our islands cost crisis emergency fund will continue into the 2026-27 financial year, with an additional £1 million allocation. This year, we have also invested a further £5.5 million in the Scottish welfare fund, which provides vital support in difficult times. Rona Mackay: I thank the cabinet secretary for that welcome response.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking through its fuel poverty programmes to support low-income rural and off- grid households that are unable to heat their homes due to the recent increase in heating oil prices.”
“I was pleased to see that the Scottish Prison Service has piloted non-pain-inducing control and restraint techniques that reduce the risk of injury to staff and prisoners. Can the First Minister assure me that the pilot approach will be rolled out across the prison estate, with staff being given the appropriate training?”
“The other two that I want to mention are the much-missed Christina McKelvie and Jeane Freeman. What a privilege to have known and worked with those freedom fighters. They fought for equality, fairness and, of course, independence. What a legacy they leave. I know that they will always be in our hearts.”
“I am pleased to speak in today’s important debate for many reasons. First, I want to acknowledge the legendary Christine Grahame and her passionate dedication to the cause of animal welfare. There are not many people we can call a legend, but I think that Christine qualifies.”
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“In the context of our society, where experts are often debased, I regret very much that my actions have brought an expert into the spotlight, when the spotlight should always be on politicians.”
“As a politician and a minister of some years’ standing, I have always valued independent experts and the role that they play, particularly experts such as Alexis Jay, who is a leader in her field and who has spent a career and a lifetime working to protect our children and improve measures to ensure that more of our children are safe. There is nothing more important to me and, I suspect, to the Parliament, than the protection of our children in this ever-changing world, where the harms are ever evolving. What I regret, among many things, is any inconvenience to Professor Jay in any way. I very much regret the fact that she had to write to me in the first place to clarify her position.”
“The cabinet secretary breached the code in not having an official with her during the telephone call that she held with Alexis Jay on 1 December. Can she explain her intention behind that call? Angela Constance: As I said, the intention behind my call to Professor Jay was to apologise to her when the focus was on remarks that I had made in the chamber, as opposed to the substance of the very grave issues that we are all contending with. I was apologetic for any inconvenience or intrusion that she had had as a result of my actions, inactions or comments.”
“That contained what can be gold-standard homelessness prevention duties, which we have developed alongside experts such as Crisis. To ensure that the duties can have the effect that we know that they can, we are investing an additional £4 million this year in pilots to work out exactly how the prevention duties can best function and can best begin supporting people to avoid homelessness.”
“We will continue to support people, including in East Dunbartonshire, through those funds. Rona Mackay: East Dunbartonshire Council is working hard to reduce the use of temporary accommodation, but prevention is the key. Will the cabinet secretary outline how the temporary accommodation standards group is specifically helping local authorities to prepare for their new prevention duties under the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025, to ensure that families are supported before they reach crisis point? Màiri McAllan: Rona Mackay is absolutely right to mention the new prevention duties. I have focused a lot of my answers on the work of the housing emergency action plan, which was published at the start of September, and, of course, the Parliament passed the Housing (Scotland) Act 2025 at the end of September.”
“To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting local authorities, such as East Dunbartonshire Council, to reduce the use of temporary accommodation and prevent homelessness. (S6O-05320) The Cabinet Secretary for Housing (Màiri McAllan): The best way to reduce the need for temporary accommodation is to help people to stay in their homes in the first place; namely, to prevent homelessness in the first place. I have mentioned a number of times the multi-annual funding and the major affordable homes delivery programme that we have launched for the coming four years. I mentioned in response to Paul Sweeney that we are investing more than £100 million in discretionary housing payments, helping to mitigate the local housing allowance freeze and the bedroom tax in Scotland.”
“The threat is now.”—[Official Report, Criminal Justice Committee, 5 November 2025; c 26.] That is a fitting remark to end with. The threat is now, and we must continue to innovate to find ways to combat it. 16:33”
“He said: “At the time of the incident, we had well over 200 members of staff in IT, with a multimillion-pound budget and 12 members of staff who were dedicated to cybersecurity, but that still was not enough to protect us.” He went on: “Ultimately, a cybercriminal has to be lucky only once, but we have to be lucky against every single attack.”— [Official Report, Criminal Justice Committee, 14 May 2025; c 5, 7.] That was a very well-made point. In her oral evidence to the committee, the chief constable of Police Scotland, Jo Farrell, said: “Poverty, geopolitics, cybercrime and civil unrest are driving a high level of demand, and the challenge for policing is evolving rapidly. That is illustrated by the increase in online harm and threat and in violence associated with organised crime, as well as a high level of protests.”
“Mr Keenan said: “In the days immediately after the attack on Arnold Clark, when we were unable to operate our systems for a period, more than 4,000 customers were expecting to come and make use of our services. More than 700 people who had bought a car were expecting to take delivery of that vehicle. Some 2,000 people who either had their car in for a service or had booked in to have their car serviced were unable to have that work done. We were unable to provide our rental service to more than 1,500 people who had planned to make use of it, many of whom were holidaymakers who were travelling from abroad ... That was the direct impact on customers.” He went on to say that the cyberattack also had a major impact on the wellbeing of staff of Arnold Clark and their ability to do their job.”
“In the past, organised crime groups would operate in networks of people who knew one another, but we need to be alive to the fact that people now often operate in networks where they have only seen someone through a screen.” David Keenan, chief information officer with Arnold Clark, who was mentioned earlier, spoke to the committee about the impact of a major cyberattack that happened to the business in December 2022. It was a ransomware attack in which a large amount of sensitive customer and corporate employee data was stolen. The criminals deliberately planned the timing of the attack over the Christmas period, when staffing levels in the organisation would be reduced and it would take longer for staff to detect and respond to the attack.”
“Collaboration is at the heart of the SNP Government’s strategy, because no Government can tackle cyber challenges alone—Scotland is no exception. Speaking about the challenges of investigating cybercrime, Assistant Chief Constable Stuart Houston of Police Scotland told the committee: “these crimes are often borderless and are, on occasion, perpetrated outwith the UK.” He went on: “Quite often, a network of people are involved in the larger ransomware attacks.”
“That includes continued engagement with the UK Government and the National Cyber Security Centre on reserved security matters, alongside our European partners. That is why the Scottish cyber co-ordination centre promotes effective detection and response processes with a strategic framework. The framework details actions and supports to help people, businesses and organisations across Scotland to recognise and prepare for the inevitable cyberthreats. In addition, the centre’s cyber observatory, in particular, will be vital in alerting organisations to potential threats. The centre aims to improve incident response, recovery and intelligence sharing, and to get a much better understanding of cybersecurity.”
“Major systemic vulnerabilities often have roots in legacy technologies and outdated practices, so wider digital and cultural transformation is often required to tackle the underlying cause. For other risks, making the best use of the systems and services that are already in place is often more effective and better value for money than buying in advanced security solutions. On the plus side, there is no doubt that the digital economy is driving Scotland’s economic growth and shaping our future, and that it brings great opportunities. The Scottish Government’s approach is built on strong partnerships across sectors, reinforcing the point that collective effort is critical if we are to safeguard people and unlock the economic potential of our secure digital future.”
“I am pleased to hear about the many Scottish Government initiatives that the cabinet secretary outlined. Cyberthreats are evolving rapidly, technology is ever-changing and becoming more sophisticated, and it is our shared responsibility to meet the challenges that Scotland faces. That is why I was pleased that the Criminal Justice Committee took such valuable evidence to allow us to produce a report on cybercrime, which is about where we are now and where we must go in the future. We listened to fascinating but sometimes chilling evidence from banks, charities, retailers, Police Scotland and organised crime experts about the toll that combating this ever-growing scourge is taking on them. We learned that some cyberthreats cannot realistically be fully mitigated, regardless of how much preventative spending takes place.”
“We are all potential victims of cybercrime—and the sad fact is that thousands of people in Scotland have been. Since 2019, the annual number of recorded cybercrimes has doubled from 7,710 to just over 14,000. That is probably the tip of the iceberg, because those are only the numbers that are recorded. We all rely on websites, apps, systems and data in our daily lives. Although they bring great benefits, the convenience comes at a cost. Cyberoffending, coupled with online harm, is increasing, whether that is people who are seeking to exploit the vulnerable or using online activities as a vehicle for offending behaviour. It is, indeed, the growing crime of our times, which is why cyber resilience and digital safety are more important than ever.”
“That national review is not just about gathering information and providing the scrutiny to which I have spoken; it is also about experienced professionals identifying and recommending improvements that will protect our children. Findings from the review will be responded to as they come to light, and updates will be provided to the Parliament on how the review supports the protection of Scotland’s children. As I intimated in my statement, I intend to return to the Parliament in February to provide further updates to that end.”
“I am pleased to hear more detail about the national review and that phases will be concurrent. I do not underestimate the important work that the inspectorates will carry out. Does the cabinet secretary agree that it is now time to allow the professionals involved the space to undertake their vital contribution and for MSPs to focus on how that will support the work to protect children? Jenny Gilruth: It is important to emphasise that Police Scotland is already undertaking work to review child sexual abuse and exploitation cases, and the national review, which is being led by the inspectorates, will be starting rapidly.”
“The number of long waits over 52 weeks has reduced for five consecutive months, and we performed more operations, the number of which has been at its highest level since January 2020. That is thanks to the tireless work of our outstanding NHS staff. We are also delivering thousands more appointments and procedures this year, and there are downward trends across nearly all waiting list indicators. Health is at the heart of our budget, which provided record funding of £21.7 billion to health and social care in 2025-26. To protect the NHS’s long-term future sustainability, we plan to invest in a range of reforms, including shifting care from acute to community settings, investing an additional £531 million in general practice over three years and expanding hospital at home capacity to 2,000 beds—to give just three examples.”
“I am sure that Mr Whittle recognises that asking for sustainability in our NHS means voting for it. He and his colleagues did not vote for the record funding that the Scottish National Party Scottish Government delivered for our health and social care system in 2025-26. Will the cabinet secretary join me in calling on the Tories to recognise the profound positive impact that the more than £21 billion of funding for health and social care has delivered for the people of Scotland this year alone while the Tories sat on their hands? Neil Gray: I agree. We are making good progress in transforming Scotland’s health services. Last year we delivered a record number of hip and knee operations.”
“Their needs may have changed, but they are the same people, loved by family and friends, as they were before having the condition, and we must support them to live as comfortably and as well as possible. The Deputy Presiding Officer: We move to the open debate. 18:15”
“That vision is supported by the Government’s strategy, “Rehabilitation and Recovery: A Once for Scotland Person-Centred Approach to Rehabilitation in a Post-COVID Era”, and it received cross-party support at the 2021 elections. I welcomed the response by the Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health to the claim from CHSS that that aim has not yet been achieved. There is much to say about the subject, but I see that I am rapidly running out of time, so I will cut to the end. In conclusion, let us hope that this historic debate shines a light on what can be done to understand and raise awareness of this debilitating condition. People who are living with aphasia deserve nothing less.”
“Richard showed them how to do a voice record if they couldn’t do that, and now a few of them are using that. These are the hints that you don’t realise are useful until you are with people who cannot do what they used to do.” So, what has been done to help people with aphasia, and what more needs to be done? The Scottish Government’s document, “A Progressive Stroke Pathway”, states: “People who are identified as having a communication disorder after a stroke should be assessed by a speech and language therapist and provided with an individualised rehabilitation programme”. The Government has set out the aim that, by 2025, all adults will receive rehabilitation when and where they need it.”
“Despite working for more than a decade as a paramedic, Richard admits that he knew little about stroke or aphasia. He said, “I knew enough about stroke to get someone to A and E safely, but aphasia is not something we learned about in the ambulance service. I knew nothing about it until it happened to me, then I felt as though I’d been cut off from the world because I couldn’t communicate the way I used to. In the self-management group we spent a lot of time laughing about the things we struggle with or ended up saying. We were all in the same boat so it was good to be able to laugh at ourselves.” Richard’s wife, Mo, watched as his confidence grew over the weeks that he attended. She said, “The group set up a WhatsApp with everyone who was on the course and it was a way that they could communicate.”
“I want to tell you what it has done to me, but I cannot do it on my own. Aphasia means I struggle to speak and write and express myself clearly and quickly. I used to love maths but now I can’t figure out numbers at all. This is what aphasia does to me every day. Every day is difficult. Even shopping is a challenge—I have to write little notes and hand them over sometimes. My husband David deals with a lot of things—I don’t know what I’d do without him, because not being able to talk easily or express yourself the way you want to is incredibly frustrating and scary.” Richard Fisher, aged 50, was an air wing paramedic with the Scottish Ambulance Service. He had a stroke in April 2024 that left him with aphasia. As part of his recovery, Richard participated in the CHSS aphasia self- management course in Stirling earlier this year.”
“A lack of awareness of the impact of aphasia and of how it presents plays a part in that. Given the way in which ignorance of the condition and a complete lack of understanding can contribute to stigma, it is clear that awareness raising and education are vital. Worryingly, a third of stroke survivors who had experienced stigma said that it made them less likely to seek help. I would like to give members an insight into what it is like to live with aphasia. Eileen Smith of Newton Mearns and Richard Fisher from Stirlingshire have kindly allowed me to highlight their cases. Eileen said: “In 2018 I had a stroke because of an aneurysm. One lasting outcome of the stroke is that I had to leave the physiotherapist job I loved, but the most devastating effect is that I now live with aphasia, a language and communication disorder.”
“Two thirds of people with aphasia—that is 69 per cent—said that their condition affected their ability to communicate with others. When people cannot express their wishes or needs, it can lead to people feeling as though they do not have control of their lives any more. It can also change relationship dynamics and the ability to participate in hobbies, social events and wider life that we all take for granted. A total of 52 per cent of people with aphasia who were surveyed said that their condition affected their mental health, and nearly half the group had experienced loneliness. I spoke earlier about stigma: 38 per cent of people with aphasia who were surveyed reported being treated negatively because of their condition, and some were even accused of being drunk when they attempted to speak.”
“In that regard, CHSS is calling for a rehab guarantee to provide an assessment for rehab and support on diagnosis or discharge in order to help ensure that a person’s needs are met. CHSS’s new aphasia framework details how it will continue to support people in Scotland who are living with the condition, and that includes raising awareness. People with aphasia can have difficulty with some or all forms of communication: reading, listening, speaking, writing and texting. It can affect their ability to use and understand numbers, and they may also have problems with thinking, memory and planning. As with most conditions, however, living with aphasia is different for everyone. It is crucial to realise that aphasia itself does not affect intelligence. People with aphasia still know what they want to say; they just struggle to express it.”
“It currently offers a range of support measures, including its newly piloted “Living well with aphasia” self-management course and other community support services. Getting through the day can be a struggle for people with aphasia as they try to do things that most of us take for granted. Aphasia has a significant impact on people’s lives. Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s “No Life Half Lived: 1 in 5 Aphasia Report” found that the condition impacts a person’s mental health, their independence and their ability to work. Stigma is another challenge for people to bear; I will return to that later in my speech. Those with aphasia also need increased access to rehabilitation and support services.”
“I really hope, therefore, that tonight’s debate can raise awareness and understanding of the condition. I recognise the amazing work that Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland does to support people who are affected by aphasia, and their families, every day. Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland is Scotland’s largest health charity supporting people who are living with chest, heart or stroke conditions or with long Covid, including people with aphasia. I thank the organisation for presenting me with the lovely scarf that I am wearing—the pink stripe symbolises the one in three people who are likely to develop aphasia after a stroke. In the past year, CHSS has supported more than 600 people with aphasia, and their loved ones, through its various services. Over the past three years, the charity has supported more than 2,650 people living with aphasia.”
“This is the Parliament’s first debate on aphasia, and it is a historic moment for those who are living with the condition and for their loved ones. I am delighted to welcome to the public gallery members of Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland’s aphasia reference group, who have helped to make today’s debate possible by sharing their experience. Their presence tonight makes the debate all the more special. What is aphasia? It is a language and speech disorder that happens when the language centres of the brain are damaged. It is estimated that, in Scotland alone, more than 40,000 people are living with aphasia. Around one in three people who have a stroke are likely to develop aphasia, and approximately 11,000 people in Scotland have a stroke each year.”
“To ask the Scottish Government, in light of the recent attack on the Jewish community at Bondi beach, in Australia, what steps are being taken to ensure community safety in Scotland. (S6T-02815)”
“I am conscious that we have additional time this afternoon, so I will get the other speakers in, but they will need to be brief, as will the cabinet secretary’s responses.”
“If the UK Government was serious about supporting Grangemouth and Mossmorran, it could put the full financial heft of the Treasury behind supporting the transition. It has been done in other industrial towns in England and Wales, and I support that. However, the UK Government must also address the root causes. There is never usually a silver bullet in such situations, but the energy industry and the supply chain have been saying for months and months that, if there is anything close to a silver bullet, it is repeal or reform of the energy profits levy, which is having a direct effect on job losses in Scotland. The Deputy Presiding Officer: We are over time for the statement and questions.”
“Despite election promises to save jobs at the refinery, the Labour UK Government failed to intervene to prevent its closure. Does the cabinet secretary share my concern that the Treasury’s full financial weight is not being put behind saving industrial sites in Scotland in the same way as it has been elsewhere in the UK? Gillian Martin: I do. Notwithstanding that we have been collaborating very closely on the issues with Grangemouth, we need to look at the interventions that have been made in other parts of the UK. It is not just on the SNP benches that there has been some criticism of that. There has even been criticism of it from the Labour benches at Westminster, to be fair to the representatives who have made that point in the same way as Rona Mackay has done.”
“It is important that we press ahead with our further reforms to the curriculum and our qualifications system, towards the longer-term vision of a globally respected, empowered education system.”
“We have seen the proportion of primary pupils achieving the expected curriculum for excellence levels in literacy increase to the highest level to date. How do you reflect on what that achievement tells us about Scotland’s education system? The Presiding Officer: Always speak through the chair. Jenny Gilruth: It is worth celebrating that improvement in relation to literacy in particular, as the level is at its highest to date, as the member has set out. We are seeing clear improvements in areas such as literacy in relatively short order, and that tells us that the education system is on the right track. That is being supported by the investment through the teaching workforce, which was mentioned previously, as well as the Scottish attainment challenge and the key national programmes on literacy and numeracy.”
“Rona Mackay: Surely we should be working together to eradicate this vile crime and gather much-needed evidence, rather than squabbling and scoring political points. I look forward to hearing about the progress of the independent review and its vital work to protect children. The Deputy Presiding Officer: I advise members that we have a little bit of time in hand, so I can be a wee bit generous with members’ times. I call Liam Kerr to close the debate on behalf of the Scottish Conservatives. You have around four minutes, Mr Kerr. 16:49”
“As we know, Liam Kerr lodged an amendment to the Victims, Witnesses, and Justice Reform (Scotland) Bill that provided for the victims and witnesses commissioner to carry out research into group-based child sexual exploitation. He likened the proposed research to the Casey review and said that it would help to build a national picture of what is known about grooming gangs in Scotland. Our rejection of that particular ask has been portrayed by the Conservatives as a vote by my party against tackling grooming gangs. That misinformation has been incredibly troubling to all of us who care about the welfare of children. Nothing could be further from the truth, and I really regret the extent to which the issue has been politicised. Surely we should be working together—[Interruption.] The Deputy Presiding Officer: Members.”
“The Conservative amendment makes an outright call for an inquiry, but it has not outlined what shape or form such an inquiry should take. To be clear, the UK Government is not carrying out a national inquiry into grooming gangs; rather, it is undertaking a targeted regional inquiry, in which five local investigations are being conducted into areas of concern. In February, the UK Government established the national audit on group-based child sexual exploitation and abuse— the Baroness Casey review—to evaluate the scale, nature and drivers of exploitation. It reported in June 2025, and that led to the UK Government announcing an independent commission on grooming gangs. The commission has not yet been established, and a chair has not yet been appointed.”
“The group is already working at pace to identify abuse, to understand its prevalence and to improve data collection and the co-ordination of responses by all agencies to this abhorrent crime. The First Minister, the Cabinet Secretary for Justice and Home Affairs, the Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills, and the Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise have met Police Scotland regularly, and the NCSAE group, to discuss the prevalence of these issues in Scotland. I was pleased to receive an invitation from the education secretary, along with members of the Criminal Justice Committee and the Education, Children and Young People Committee, to meet Professor Jay and Police Scotland in the new year. The Labour motion calls for us to clarify our position on grooming gangs, and I hope that it now has that clarification.”
“That work, which extends across all areas, includes the on-going work of the statutory Scottish child abuse inquiry, which is considering the abuse of children in care in Scotland. Russell Findlay: Will the member take an intervention? Rona Mackay: No, thank you. That is a hugely important piece of work for many people, despite what Russell Findlay says. It is always important to recognise the independence of Police Scotland and the chief constable in dealing with operational matters, as that can often get lost in the narrative. The crucial information and data that is being gathered by members of the strategic group is necessary to ensure that informed, evidence- based decisions are taken on the need for further independent inquiries following the review that we are now committed to.”
“The issue of grooming gangs is very complex, but I am very pleased that the Scottish Government has committed to an independent review of the handling of complaints, which is to be chaired by Professor Alexis Jay. The Scottish Government’s on-going approach is absolutely informed by data and evidence. The intensive work of Police Scotland and the national child sexual abuse and exploitation strategic group will help to inform the Scottish Government’s approach and, of course, the review. I was sorry to hear the Tories running down the experts in that group, who have done so much work. A vast amount of work is being done to combat the scourge of child sexual exploitation and abuse.”
“I thank the Labour Party for securing this important and topical debate. At any level, sexual exploitation of children is one of the most abhorrent crimes that can be committed. It is a complex and insidious form of child abuse that involves manipulating and coercing children to participate in criminal activities, and it creates lifelong trauma for victims. That is why I am reassured that protecting children from harm is an absolute priority for the Scottish Government. As someone who has been convener of the cross-party group on violence against women and children since my election in 2016, I find the reports of increased exploitation incredibly troubling, as, I know, do all members.”
“To ask the Scottish Government how it supports cultural initiatives in East Dunbartonshire, such as Acorn Shed Music, to expand opportunities for participation in the arts across all age groups. (S6O-05232)”
“We are pleased to support Scotland house in the centre of the city, which will bring together national and international businesses to forge new connections. There are growing international links between Scotland and India, and they are already very strong in a number of sectors. The UK-India trade deal offers us opportunities in that space. It will be a central part of the Government’s agenda to ensure that the economic opportunities are maximised for Glasgow and Scotland as well as for Gujarat and”
“All eyes will be on Glasgow as the games get under way and huge numbers of visitors and athletes are drawn to the city. The cabinet secretary touched on this in his statement, but can he say more about the expected economic impact on Glasgow and how the Scottish Government is working to ensure that the maximum benefit is delivered for local businesses and the regional economy? Neil Gray: The Commonwealth games will bring significant economic opportunities to Glasgow and the wider region, as well as to the whole of Scotland. Major international events of that scale typically generate substantial benefits through increased tourism, hospitality and spending in local businesses. The games are expected to bring more than £150 million of economic benefit to Glasgow and Scotland, supporting local businesses and jobs.”
“We have set out, for the first time, multi-annual projections of up to £4.9 billion of spend in the coming four years, which we think can deliver 36,000 affordable homes. The Deputy Presiding Officer: In calling Mr Kidd to ask question 5, I invite him to apologise for being late, albeit marginally compared with other lateness today. Heating Bills (Support for Pensioners) 5.”
“The Scottish National Party Government has delivered more than 100,000 homes that are specifically available for social rent, which, per head of population, is 47 per cent more than Mr Rowley’s colleagues in Labour-run England and 73 per cent more than Labour-run Wales. Will the cabinet secretary speak to the Scottish Government’s success in delivering record amounts of social housing? How will she build on that through the ambitious housing emergency action plan? Màiri McAllan: Rona Mackay is right that we have a strong track record. We remain focused on continuing that work, reflecting the considerable strain of demand outstripping supply for social housing in Scotland. We have done that in our 2025-26 budget, which increased that budget to £808 million. That is about enough to deliver 8,000 affordable homes this year.”
“It is crucial that more staff are trained to work in specialist services, including those that want to be able to deliver gender-affirming care, and GPs should also be involved. Four years ago, when the Scottish Government committed £9 million in funding and the strategic action framework was established, the situation was poor, but it was better than it is now. Trans and non-binary people in all our constituencies and regions deserve to have access to healthcare, but currently they are in a situation in which they are likely to die before they receive it. There could not be a more powerful message to come from tonight’s debate, and I urge health boards and the Government to reflect on that. 19:24”
“Although they are important, clinics such as those in Lothian and Highland have updated their service models to incorporate more multidisciplinary ways of working, and they have had far greater success in reducing their waiting times to some of the shortest in the UK. That was evidenced in the report, “Evaluation of the Impact of Scottish Government Funding: Gender Identity Healthcare”, which showed that services that had used Government funding from the strategic action framework to diversify their staff teams and hire healthcare professionals such as nurses and general practitioners were able to shorten their waiting times. One of the commitments in the strategic action framework was to fund new pilot services in Scotland, but that was not achieved—I do not know the reasons for that.”