Maree Todd
Scottish National Party · Scotland
“Is the minister willing to consider a cross-Government approach with local authorities, because the piece-by-piece approach of the 32 local authorities currently is not working?”
“Local authorities, which manage the majority of burial grounds in Scotland, must also comply with the Equality Act 2010, including the public sector equality duty, which requires them to have regard to religious needs when delivering services, including bereavement services.”
“The Scottish Government recognises the importance of ensuring that burial provision reflects the diverse religious and cultural needs of all communities.”
“Many local authorities charge a lower fee for residents, partly to recognise their indirect contributions to the provision and upkeep of burial grounds through the council tax system. Mr Linden has identified a challenging area for his constituents.”
“CAMHS is a specialist service for children and young people who have acute mental health needs, and referrals are based on clinical judgment. Although referrals are sometimes not accepted, that does not mean that support is not available.”
“We want people to be able to access thrombectomy treatment across Scotland, no matter where they live. That is why, in our election manifesto, we committed to providing a further £25 million, on top of the more than £51 million that we have already invested, to deliver a 24/7 thrombectomy service with national coverage.”
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“Members should cast their votes now. The vote is closed.”
“By agreeing to the amendments, we will improve the integration of health and social care information with digital records, and drag ourselves into—are we in the 21st century?— whatever century we are in. The Presiding Officer: I remind members to use full names. I call Brian Whittle to wind up and to press or withdraw amendment 2A. Brian Whittle: I press amendment 2A. Amendment 2A agreed to. Amendment 2B moved—[Brian Whittle]. The Presiding Officer: The question is, that amendment 2B be agreed to. Are we agreed? Members: No. The Presiding Officer: There will be a division. As this is the first division of the stage, I suspend for around five minutes to allow members to access the digital voting system. 14:48 Meeting suspended. 14:53 On resuming— The Presiding Officer: We move to the vote on amendment 2B.”
“In summary, I support and welcome Jackie Baillie’s amendment 2 and the connected amendments 2A, 4 and 9. I urge members to support my amendments 3, 5, 6, 7 and 8 and to reject Brian Whittle’s amendments 2B, 2C and 52 and Mark Ruskell’s amendment 53. The Presiding Officer: I call Jackie Baillie to wind up on amendment 2. Jackie Baillie: I will be quick. This is an important series of amendments, and I urge members to support amendments 2, 4 and 9 in my name and the amendments in the minister’s name. Although I might be more relaxed than the minister about Brian Whittle’s amendments, I suspect that my suggesting that we support them might not do Brian any favours. I note that Mark Ruskell does not wish to move amendment 53.”
“Amendment 3 is simply to make it clear that regulations under section 36, which establish an information-sharing scheme, can lay down the acceptable uses for the information that is shared through the scheme. Amendment 7 expands the range of persons who can be made subject to information standards to cover various NHS contractors, such as general practitioners. The purpose of setting information standards under section 37 is to ensure that health and social care information is handled securely and in a consistent way. Given the criticality of the information that is held by those who provide services under contract to the NHS, it is important that the standards can be applied to them. Amendments 5, 6 and 8 are minor drafting changes in consequence of amendment 7.”
“I am grateful to Mr Ruskell for highlighting the importance of individuals having a say in who accesses information in their records and of ensuring that health and social care information is accessible. Jackie Baillie’s amendment 2 already recognises that in a way that is within Parliament’s competence. I assure Mr Ruskell that, even without that statutory encouragement, those considerations are very much at the forefront of our minds. On the basis that it is unnecessary and jeopardises the lawfulness of the whole bill, I invite Mr Ruskell not to move amendment 53. 14:45 Finally, I turn to my amendments in the group. I will be brief, because they are technical.”
“If amendment 52 were also to be agreed to, it would create an implication in law that ministers must use the section 36 power for a purpose over and above what amendment 2 requires, and it is not clear what that purpose would be. I therefore invite Mr Whittle to support Jackie Baillie’s amendment 2 and not move amendment 52. I am sympathetic to the principles behind Mark Ruskell’s amendment 53, but I cannot support it. The way in which the amendment is framed would bring the bill into the reserved subject matter of data protection, and I cannot support any amendment that would risk putting the bill outside the legislative competence of the Scottish Parliament.”
“I am afraid that I will not support Mr Whittle’s amendment 52, which would turn the power in section 36 to make regulations for an information- sharing scheme into a duty to do so. As we have discussed, Jackie Baillie’s amendment 2 will place a duty on ministers to use the powers in part 2 of the bill, including the section 36 power, to ensure that there can be a digital care record for everyone. Amendment 2, which I support, will place a duty on ministers to use the section 36 power for that purpose. If the intention is to require ministers to use the section 36 power for the purpose that is covered by amendment 2, amendment 2 is all that is needed.”
“Amendment 2 sets the scope of the ambition and appropriately leaves the detail to be worked out through co-design with stakeholders, including members of the public. Requiring that a digital care record must include health records or social care records, for example, as amendment 2C sets out, could cause confusion, as a digital care record is the person’s record. Jackie Baillie’s amendments 4 and 9 will extend the definition of health and social care information in amendment 2 for the purposes of all sections in part 2 of the bill. Amendment 2C would therefore be harmful in the context of section 37A because of the definition that it would set. I expect that that was not Mr Whittle’s intention.”
“I am, after all, still a registered pharmacist—I refer members to my entry in the register of members’ interests. If we put a term into law, it is really important that it has a legal definition and that there is a common understanding of what it means. There is neither for the term that Mr Whittle wishes to include in the bill. However, I believe that the aim of Mr Whittle’s amendments has been achieved by the bill that we are voting on today. As I said, I cannot support amendment 2C, which would add a list of things that were to be treated as health and social care information. In the context of amendment 2, there is no need for a non-exhaustive list of what is to go into a digital care record.”
“Ultimately, the point of setting information standards is to ensure a certain degree of consistency in how data is used in order to achieve the integration to which Mr Whittle’s amendment 2A refers. I cannot support amendment 2C, which would add a list of things that are to be treated as health and social care information. In the context of amendment 2, there is no need for a non- exhaustive list of what is to go into a digital care record. Brian Whittle: The minister talked about her pharmacy colleagues. Does she recognise that amendments 2A, 2B and 2C have the support of the Royal Pharmaceutical Society and Community Pharmacy Scotland? Maree Todd: I recognise that Brian Whittle has worked with pharmacy colleagues, but I am sure that they will understand what I am saying, because they will be as pedantic about this as I am.”
“It is really straightforward and simple, and I do not understand why on earth we would produce a platform that did not do that. Maree Todd: A simple google would show that there are different interpretations of the term’s meaning. In particular, the term “technology- agnostic” could cause confusion, because there is neither a legal definition of it nor a common understanding of what it means. The bill’s provisions on information standards exist in order to achieve the interoperability that Mr Whittle is seeking through amendment 2B and that my pharmacy colleagues are seeking, too. The provisions, which will also apply to providers of information technology products and services, will allow ministers to ensure that interoperability is a necessity when supplying to health and care providers.”
“I recognise that the spirit of the amendment is to underline the need for integrated care, so I am happy to support it. However, I cannot support amendment 2B, which would add the words “technology-agnostic interoperable solution” to amendment 2. As a matter of law, it is not clear what that phrase means. Although it is right that we should be aiming for a flexible digital infrastructure in health and care, and I agree with the intent, I am concerned about putting something that is so unclear into law. Brian Whittle: I really appreciated the minister taking the time to have the conversation that we had yesterday, but the phrase in amendment 2B just means that the technology solutions across the care sector, whatever they might be, must speak to one another.”
“I am pleased to begin today on a note of consensus. I welcome Jackie Baillie’s amendment 2, which places a duty on ministers to ensure that everyone who receives healthcare or social care in Scotland can have a digital care record. As members will be aware, the integration of health and social care records is a long-term ambition of the Scottish Government, which the powers in part 2 of the bill were always intended to support. Amendment 2 enshrines that ambition in law, recognising that a digital care record would improve outcomes for the workforce and individuals throughout Scotland. Brian Whittle has proposed three amendments to Jackie Baillie’s amendment 2. Amendment 2A would change the label from “digital care record” to “digital integrated care record”.”
“I move amendment S6M-17670.3, to leave out from “of the mental” to end and insert: “and urgency of unmet need in both mental health and neurodevelopmental support, particularly in the context of a sharp rise in demand for neurodiversity assessments and treatment for adults and children following the COVID-19 pandemic; notes the additional pressure on services caused by the global shortage of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) medication, which has led to the closure of titration clinics in some areas and significantly impacted waiting times and access to care; recognises the profound distress and disruption this causes for individuals and families who are left without timely diagnosis or support; acknowledges the knock-on effects on the health service, as well as the wider economic consequences of rising levels of economic inactivity linked to unmet neurodevelopmental and mental health needs; notes with concern the widespread removal of shared care arrangements where patients who obtained a private diagnosis could receive ongoing care and medication through the Scottish NHS; calls on the Scottish Government to work urgently with NHS boards and local authorities on their shared care arrangement protocols, but understands that decisions around the best course of treatment for patients are for individual clinicians; further calls on the Scottish Government to expand and create adult neurodevelopmental pathways and stepped care models, as recommended by the National Autism Implementation Team and Royal College of Psychiatrists in the 2021 National Clinical ADHD Pathway Feasibility Study; notes the four pilots that the Scottish Government funded following these recommendations, the establishment of a neuro-affirming community of practice and ongoing scoping work on demand and capacity for adult neurodevelopmental services, including work with NHS boards and local authorities on local neurodevelopmental data; calls on the Scottish Government to convene a cross- party summit on addressing waits for neurodevelopmental support and mental health capacity to avert a crisis for individuals and families waiting too long; recognises the progress made towards the Scottish Government’s commitment to allocate 10% of NHS spending to mental health and 1% to CAMHS by the end of the current parliamentary session, and thanks the dedicated NHS and wider workforce for its hard work in providing neurodevelopmental and mental health services in this time of increased demand.” 16:13”
“The chief pharmaceutical officer wrote to NHS boards in January to provide further background on medicine shortages more generally and how those are managed and to clarify the current position on ADHD prescribing. I look forward to hearing from colleagues and to responding to more specific issues in my closing speech.”
“Some NHS boards have shared care policies, but it always remains at the clinical discretion of each individual GP to decide the best course of action for their patients. My officials have written to all health boards, seeking information on the adult neurodevelopmental services and support that are offered locally, including protocols for patients with a private diagnosis. However, I highlight that any local protocols cannot require GPs to enter shared care agreements. GPs are independent contractors and are not obliged to enter into agreements as a consequence of their contracts with local NHS boards. I also know that an issue of concern to many people with ADHD and their families is shortages of medication for ADHD.”
“Building on our previous investment of more than £1 million, we provided nearly £250,000 in 2024-25 to fund a range of individual projects that are aimed at improving assessment and support for children and young people. In partnership with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, we have undertaken a review of the implementation of the national neurodevelopmental specification. The review offers an opportunity to reflect on learning and progress, and it will inform improvements to support health boards and local authorities to deliver the specification. I will provide a further update on that to the Parliament in due course. I know that many people are concerned about the issue of private diagnosis and shared care policies.”
“We also fund the national autism implementation team to support NHS boards to develop, enhance and redesign local neurodevelopmental services for adults. Through our adult autism support fund, we invest £1 million a year to provide support to autistic adults. That fund has supported 1,800 autistic people and 470 families, and a formal diagnosis is not required to access the support that is provided. Training and development for the workforce is also key to improving services and getting better at meeting demand. That is why we have commissioned NHS Education for Scotland and the NAIT to develop a range of professional learning on neurodevelopmental conditions. As I said recently in the chamber, we are also taking action to support young people with neurodevelopmental needs.”
“For the first time ever, national performance has met the 18- week child and adolescent mental health services standard, with 90.6 per cent of children and young people starting treatment within 18 weeks of referral. The budgets for direct mental health programmes have also more than doubled in the past five years. Collectively with NHS boards, we spend more than £1.5 billion in this area each year, and we expect more than £1.5 billion to be spent in the current year. Health boards continue to make good progress towards their target of spending 10 per cent of their front-line spend on mental health and 1 per cent on CAMHS. A range of work is under way to improve support for neurodivergent adults. We have accepted the recommendations from the adult neurodevelopmental pathways pilot and we are working with partners to implement them.”
“I also want to address the issue raised in the motion of the unmet need for mental health support. Alex Cole-Hamilton: Does the minister recognise that, although she is right that a diagnosis is not necessary just for support, it is definitely necessary for medication? In some cases, particularly with ADHD, medication can really manage symptoms. Maree Todd: Certainly. As a prescriber, I recognise the role of medication in the treatment of ADHD. It is not the only treatment, and neither is it the first-line treatment. There are a number of steps to go through before medication is prescribed for ADHD, but I recognise that medication can be life changing for people with that diagnosis. I put on record the fact that we have a higher number of staff delivering more care to a larger number of people than ever before.”
“I thank the Liberal Democrats for lodging the motion, which highlights the need to improve neurodevelopmental support. I acknowledge that the increase in the number of people—children and adults—seeking neurodevelopmental support and assessment in Scotland is creating challenges for services right across Scotland. Figures on the number of people seeking a diagnosis for a neurodevelopmental condition are not currently nationally reported or published. We are working with health boards and local authorities to improve our understanding of how many people are seeking support and how that data can be used to deliver improvements. It is important that I acknowledge that a diagnosis can be important to an individual’s health and wellbeing, but I must stress that a diagnosis is not required to access support.”
“However, I must point out that, although the Scottish Government has overall responsibility for health and social care policy in Scotland, it is appropriately for IJBs to ensure that social care support services are in place, and that decisions on how best to deliver services to local communities are ultimately and appropriately for integration authorities and locally elected representatives to make. The Edinburgh IJB is in the process of updating its strategic plan, in which prevention and early intervention feature prominently. IJB officials have engaged in extensive consultations with third sector representatives, and I understand that further decisions on savings have been delayed to allow for additional engagement.”
“I would therefore be grateful if the Scottish Government could continue its efforts and use its convening power to help find solutions to ensure that meaningful engagement and partnership take place and that services that are at risk of cancellation are given the reassurance that they require and are able to continue doing their important work. Maree Todd: I absolutely recognise the concern of the sector in Edinburgh, and I thank Ben Macpherson for raising those issues with us in the chamber.”
“Ben Macpherson: As the minister and her colleagues will be aware from First Minister’s question time on 8 May and other correspondence before and since then, there is deep concern in our capital city among many charities and third sector organisations, including in my constituency, over the review of contracts and service level agreements by the integration joint board and the Edinburgh health and social care partnership. The proposed cost savings from the review could lead to a loss of early intervention and prevention services, which we all know are important, particularly given the demographic pressure in the capital.”
“I, along with ministerial colleagues and Government officials, regularly meet with Edinburgh colleagues. In those meetings with local partners, the Scottish Government continues to stress the paramount importance of putting outcomes for people at the centre of all decision making. I am aware of the agreed and proposed actions that are contained in the Edinburgh integration joint board’s savings plan for 2025-26 and am confident that every effort is being made to ensure that all stakeholders, including service users, are properly consulted and that services continue to provide essential support.”
“We also plan to launch an innovative new training package that will support international dentists to join the NHS Scotland workforce, and we will work with NHS boards to refine the financial incentives to support dentists to move to work in more rural areas—those “golden hellos” that we have mentioned several times in the chamber. First Minister’s Question Time 12:01 Knife Crime (Young People) 1.”
“I contacted 24 dental practices in the area, and not a single one is currently accepting new NHS patients. What is the point of having free dental care if people cannot access it? What is the minister doing to fix that? Has the Government increased the number of funded university places for dentistry? What concrete steps is the Government taking to ensure that patients can access the free, high-quality NHS dentistry that they were promised? Maree Todd: The programme for government sets out key actions to improve the NHS dental workforce, backed by £3 million of funding in 2025-26. We will expand domestic dental student numbers by 7 per cent from September 2025, supporting our annual dental workforce pipeline.”
“Our significant investment in national health service dental payment reform in November 2023 provided the sector with a stable platform from which to move forward. Official statistics show that NHS dental practices and dental services are performing well under the new system, with more than 4.1 million courses of treatment delivered to patients in 2024. We have been clear that payment reform must be only the first step in ensuring the sustainability of our dental services, which is why our programme for government sets out a number of actions to improve the NHS dental workforce now and in the future. Sharon Dowey: The Scottish National Party promised to abolish NHS dental charges. However, patients in Ayrshire cannot register with NHS practices and are being forced to go private.”
“The UK Government’s plans to end the recruitment of care workers are short-sighted and will be devastating for the care sector in Scotland, which relies on international talent—in particular, as I have emphasised, in rural and island communities. Migrants make a huge contribution to Scotland. We need a migration system that meets Scotland’s distinct needs, yet the white paper completely fails to account for them. Dental Practices (Support) 7.”
“Marie McNair: The chief executive of Scottish Care, Donald Macaskill, has described the move as “deeply concerning and disturbing for the Scottish care sector.” He is right. The UK Government’s efforts to go to the right of Farage on immigration policy will be extremely damaging to the care sector. Does the minister agree that this is further evidence that Scotland needs the full powers of independence, to maximise the capacity and skills of our social care workforce? Maree Todd: I agree whole-heartedly. Scottish Care estimates that there are 15,000 to 20,000 international care workers in Scotland.”
“Our initial assessment is damning. Plans to end the international recruitment of care workers are short- sighted and will be devastating for the care sector in Scotland, which relies on international talent, particularly in rural and island communities. The number of health and care worker visa applications has already fallen since the 2023 restrictions on bringing dependants, and Labour now wants to reduce that number further. Workers from overseas have filled and will continue to fill vital roles in the sector. The UK Government’s immigration white paper completely fails to account for Scotland’s distinct demographic needs, demonstrating why Scotland needs a tailored approach to migration.”
“Maree Todd: A key strand of the Scottish Government’s migration strategy is to engage with the UK Government and to highlight the urgent need for an immigration system that meets Scotland’s demographic and economic needs. The Scottish Government issued comprehensive, evidence-based proposals to the Home Office during the development of its immigration white paper, including proposals for tailored migration routes to Scotland, such as a rural visa pilot and a Scottish graduate visa. None of those proposals was included in the white paper. We continue to engage with stakeholders and will ensure that their requirements are reflected in on-going engagement with the”
“Michelle Thomson: I absolutely echo the sentiment that the minister has expressed regarding the quite demeaning and utterly disrespectful characterisation by the Prime Minister of social care work as being low skilled. Nigel Farage’s Labour Party policy of ending skilled visa routes for social care workers is short- sighted and irresponsible and will have a disproportionate impact on Scotland, where social care vacancies are rising and we face distinct demographic challenges. To that end, what further representation will the Scottish Government make to the United Kingdom Government regarding the development of a separate pathway for overseas workers to move to Scotland and contribute to our society?”
“The Scottish Government greatly values all in our health and social care sector and recognises that they all have the skills that are required to undertake their individual roles in the workforce. Their knowledge, compassion and dedication are essential to delivering safe and effective care, and their contribution is vital to our public services. I agree with the Coalition of Care and Support Providers in Scotland and I reject the notion that our social care staff in particular are low-skilled workers. That term is demeaning and disrespectful, given that they provide critical and complex care to some of the most vulnerable people in Scotland.”
“I thank Mr Briggs for lodging his motion, which calls for a review of additional support for learning and the implementation of mainstreaming. I confirm that we will vote for the motion and the amendments as we are keen to seek a collaborative effort from members across the chamber to try to solve some of these challenging problems. I have visited the Yard and I assure members that it is well worth a visit.”
“I still intend to allow around 20 minutes for questions, after which we will need to move to the next item of business. I invite members who have not pressed their request-to- speak buttons but who want to ask a question to do so now.”
“We will always work collaboratively, constructively and proactively to support the social care sector in the face of substantial risk. There is only so much that we can do. Without swift action from the UK Government, I fully anticipate that more care services will close and that there will be areas of Scotland that do not have access to social care. That might mean that some have difficulty in securing a care home placement or individuals being cared for many miles from their friends, family and community. That is not a future that I want to see, and that is why I find it heartbreaking that the UK Labour Government is prepared to accept that. The Deputy Presiding Officer: Thank you. I remind members that we are tight for time across the afternoon. It is unfortunate that the statement has slightly overrun.”
“Once again, I urge the UK Government to rethink, to fully fund the cost of the national insurance changes to social care and to work with us to deliver an immigration system that works for Scotland. To quote Scottish Care again: “It’s like the UK government decided to make social care provision as hard as possible. National insurance is a nightmare, immigration changes are awful, disability changes will increase demand.” These decisions cannot wait. In just the past month, we have been notified of five adult social care services that are closing, where the increases in national insurance were a major contributing factor. Those closures alone will result in the loss of more than 80 care home beds. Quite simply, we cannot stand by and allow the social care sector to be sacrificed.”
“The group has been meeting weekly since February and working at pace to identify the proactive steps that can be taken to mitigate the impact of increasing financial pressures, to protect services and to support people who are in receipt of care. That work is on- going, but we remain committed to exploring options and solutions in a collaborative way. The new national care service advisory board will also work openly and collaboratively with integration joint boards, local authorities, health boards and organisations across community health, social work and social care in Scotland. It will have a vital role in strengthening transparency around spend and considering how effective spending on integrated health and social care has been.”
“While we will continue to demand that the UK Government changes course on national insurance, it is becoming more and more apparent that Labour is perfectly content to balance the books on the backs of the most vulnerable. That is why we have wasted no time in working with local government and the sector to understand the impact of these changes, and explore what might be possible to help address the pressures. We have provided targeted support through our collaborative response and assurance group, and the cabinet secretary has hosted monthly round- table sessions with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, provider representatives and local leaders. We have established a joint financial viability response group with COSLA to engage with key partners.”
“We are providing an additional £125 million in order to make that happen, and we have invested an extra £5.9 million in the Care Inspectorate and an extra £13.4 million in our independent living fund. I am also pleased that the partners that are involved in the national care home contract were able to reach an agreement that delivers an additional 5.8 per cent for nursing care and 6.8 per cent for residential care, incorporating some of the increase in employer national insurance contributions, pay rises and inflation. However, despite substantial funding increases, we know that the national insurance increase remains a significant concern for the sector.”
“In an extremely difficult financial environment, the Scottish Government has responded as best it can by increasing investment into both health and social care. This year’s budget sees a record £21.7 billion going into health and social care, which exceeds front-line Barnett consequentials. The investment will deliver reform and improvement across our services, driving efficiency and delivering the quality and access to services that people have a right to expect. We have provided almost £2.2 billion for social care and integration, which is almost £350 million more than was set out in our previous commitment to increase social care funding by 25 per cent over the parliamentary session. We are uplifting pay to a minimum of £12.60 per hour for adult social care workers, reflecting the real living wage.”
“Despite that, in its autumn statement, the UK Labour Government took the decision to increase employer national insurance contributions and lower the threshold at which employers start to pay them. That reckless decision has placed a heavy and entirely avoidable financial pressure on our social care sector. My officials have estimated that Labour’s decision will cost adult social care alone more than £84 million. When you factor in the costs for directly employed, contracted and commissioned services across health and social care, the figure increases to over £300 million. At every opportunity, the Scottish Government has vehemently opposed that disastrous decision. We have made our view very clear to the UK Government and called for additional support to fund those costs. That, sadly, has fallen on deaf ears.”
“Shamefully, to date there has been no substantive engagement from the Home Office on any of the policy proposals that we contributed. The UK Government’s complete failure to engage with the Scottish Government underlines, once again, that Scotland is barely an afterthought for Labour. Now, more than ever, it is clear that Scotland needs full powers over immigration in order to properly support our public services. However, we know that this is not the only challenge facing the sector. Over recent years, the social care sector has been hit by a whole host of issues: Brexit, Covid, increasing demand, the cost of living crisis and workforce challenges. Those have increased the risk to the continuity and quality of care and support for people across all communities in Scotland.”
“I echo the views of the Coalition of Care and Support Providers in Scotland and reject the notion that social care staff are “lower skilled workers”. They are staff who provide critical and complex care to the most vulnerable people in our country, and for them to be labelled “lower skilled” is demeaning and disrespectful. The immigration white paper represented a clear opportunity to redress the imbalances in the current system, and, through meaningful engagement, create a system that is flexible, forward thinking and well placed to promote economic growth across the UK. We have consistently made the case for tailored migration routes within a single UK immigration system, and in March, we provided a set of policy proposals to the Home Office to feed into the white paper’s development.”
“It would put lives, services, and whole communities at risk.” Providers in the independent and third sectors, who are grappling with the last round of visa changes, have now had the rug pulled from under them. A number of providers are reliant on international workers to fill critical vacancies. Already, Home Office statistics show that, since March 2024, when the callous and cruel ban on visas for dependants of care workers was brought in, there have been 81 per cent fewer applicants for health and care visas. Now, shockingly, Labour wants to reduce the number even further. We are clear that migration is vital for supporting sustainable communities, our economy and public services in Scotland. Scotland needs talented and committed people from across the world to work here without excessive barriers.”
“We have also continued to invest in social care, having increased spending on adult social care by 69 per cent between 2011 and 2024. However, that progress is under threat from the decisions of a UK Government that is intent on delivering blow after blow to social care. The latest of those falls from the devastating and needless proposal to end new visas for those working in social care. For workers, for the many vital social care services and for the people in receipt of care, there is no other way to describe that than as catastrophic. Scottish Care has said that the policy “would not only be irresponsible, but it would also be reckless.”
“First, I thank the dedicated and hard-working staff who work in social care. I am incredibly grateful for the work that they do. My statement will focus on the far-reaching impacts of recent decisions by the UK Labour Government. However, before that, I would like to take a moment to reflect on how far we have come. Under this Scottish National Party Government, we have introduced free personal nursing care for every person over the age of 65; we are making strides towards effective sectoral bargaining with our trade union partners; and, rather than kicking the can down the road on social care reform, as we have seen from successive UK Governments, we are implementing changes through our Care Reform (Scotland) Bill, which will improve the life of every person who is in receipt of care.”
“The direct programme budget for mental health has more than doubled, and I am grateful for the opportunity to draw attention to that today. I thank everyone who took part in the debate. Meeting closed at 17:55. This is the final edition of the Official Report for this meeting. It is part of the Scottish Parliament Official Report archive and has been sent for legal deposit. Published in Edinburgh by the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body, the Scottish Parliament, Edinburgh, EH99 1SP All documents are available on the Scottish Parliament website at: www.parliament.scot Information on non-endorsed print suppliers is available here: www.parliament.scot/documents For information on the Scottish Parliament contact Public Information on: Telephone: 0131 348 5000 Textphone: 0800 092 7100 Email: sp.info@parliament.scot”
“Sometimes, mental health interventions do not look like mental health interventions, and the Daily Mile is one of them. I am glad that a number of people mentioned the social determinants of ill health. The rise in mental ill health comes on the back of 15 years of austerity, a pandemic, geopolitical forces, war, discussion about tariffs and an immense cost of living crisis. We must recognise the social determinants of mental ill health, and I am proud to be part of a Government that is tackling child poverty, which will have a lasting benefit for the mental wellbeing of our population. I emphasise that improving mental health and wellbeing remains a priority for the Government, even in the context of the past few difficult financial years.”