Annie Wells
Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party · Scotland
“If we are serious about supporting our town centres and our high streets, restoring pride in our communities and ensuring that no one is left behind, access to basic banking services must be part of the conversation. There also needs to be a broader rethink of how we protect access to cash.”
“There is a real sense of identity, pride and community spirit, and local services such as banks are part of that fabric. When they disappear, something much bigger is lost.”
“I, too, thank Clare Haughey for bringing this important debate the chamber. Decisions to close Bank of Scotland branches, including the one in Rutherglen, have a profound impact on communities, as Ms Haughey explained very well.”
“I recognise the commercial realities that banks face, but we cannot ignore the social consequences of these decisions. Clare Haughey: I agree with all that Annie Wells has said about the impact on the community.”
“It also risks isolating those who are already vulnerable and sending a message that towns such as Rutherglen and places such as Springburn can be left behind. That cannot be acceptable. I urge Lloyds Banking Group to reconsider its decision before the closure in the summer.”
“Amendment 85 agreed to. The Presiding Officer: We have had detailed consideration of amendments, and members have noted the manner and spirit in which our proceedings have been conducted. That ends our consideration of stage 3 amendments.”
The complete record
Every one of 158 lines we hold for Annie Wells, in date order, each linked to its source. Free to read, in full, without an account. Page 3 of 4.
“This is what I want Scotland to be. I want to see a Scotland where we invest in residential rehab, community-based recovery, aftercare, jobs and purpose. That is what changes lives. I think back to my friend’s funeral all those years ago, and I wonder, if she had been offered real recovery, would she still be here today? That is a question that drives me. It is a question that should drive every single one of us in the chamber. Behind every statistic is a name, a face and a family. If we truly believe in compassion, in dignity and in second chances, we need to act like it. I urge the minister yet again to look at this issue in a different light and to think about what we can do at stage 2. How can we get this bill to the point that we can have a further discussion? People do not just deserve to survive; they deserve to live.”
“It breaks my heart to hear that, because that community has already faced a lot of hardship, and it deserves better than to be treated as a testing ground. I see the same pattern where I live in Springburn—the same thing that I spoke about nine years ago. I see the faces of the same people walking down the road to get the same national health service-prescribed methadone that they have been on for 30 years. That is 30 years of the same cycle and 30 years without real support to get better. That is why this bill matters so deeply. It says to those people, to the ones who believe that they have been written off, that we have not forgotten them. It says that recovery is not a privilege but a right, and it says that every person deserves the chance to get well and not to be parked on methadone for decades or ushered into a facility.”
“How can a so-called safer consumption space be called a success and how can we consider rolling it out to other cities if it does not get anyone into recovery? I was told that not everyone’s recovery journey is the same, and I absolutely agree with that, but more than 460 people have used the Thistle, and if everyone’s journey is not the same, why is nobody’s journey leading to recovery? When the Parliament voted to support the Thistle, it was under the impression that it would help more people into recovery—I voted for that. That was a promise, but the people of Calton and the people of the rest of Scotland feel as if it was just for show. A grandma whose family has lived in Calton for more than 150 years says that she does not let her grandkids play outside anymore, and residents feel as though heroin has been decriminalised in Calton.”
“One man, an addict, who spoke to the media, said that he desperately wants to be in recovery but putting the Thistle centre there has made things worse for him. He said: “There’s no hope. I have tried to get treatment and I just get sent away, put on methadone or on to an extra script.” He, like many others, is asking: “Why am I being left behind?” That question should haunt members. A few months ago, I put in a freedom of information request to the Thistle, and the answer that I got was devastating. Not one single person has been put into recovery from the Thistle—not one. Last week in committee, I hoped that things might have changed, but again I was told that not a single person has been put on to a recovery pathway. I was then told that that is not one of the measures of the Thistle’s success. How can we accept that?”
“My neighbours have also lost loved ones, and unfortunately, many people in Glasgow can relate to that experience. When I speak to people in the community, they ask me the same question over and over again: why do we not do something to get them into recovery? Instead, what we see is a Government that is content to manage addiction rather than help them live again. Right now, it feels as though we are putting a plaster over a wound that needs surgery. We are treating people as lost causes instead of fighting for their futures. In Calton, where I went to school, people feel forgotten. Residents who have spoken to me have cited that the Thistle centre’s presence has brought more drug dealers into the area.”
“Once again, I send my apologies for not being in the chamber in person today. Nine years ago, in my maiden speech, I spoke about Scotland’s drug crisis— about the lives lost, the families broken and the communities left behind. When I addressed the chamber back in 2016, the number of drug deaths annually was 868, but in 2024 the number was 1,017. Nine years on, I stand here again, heartbroken that the situation has drastically worsened. For me, this is not just policy; it is personal. I lost a friend to drugs when I was very young. I remember standing at her funeral on Christmas Eve, when my son was still little, and thinking, “How can this be happening? How can someone so full of life and so loved be gone so soon?”. Over the years, I have lost family members, too.”
“As I touched on earlier, over the past five years, we have provided £160 million for community-based mental health services.”
“Glasgow families have been left deeply concerned by the closure of the Notre Dame children’s centre earlier this year. That service supported some of the city’s most vulnerable young people. How can the minister claim real progress when trusted community-based services such as that centre are closing their doors due to funding pressures? It leaves children without the help that they desperately need. Tom Arthur: I recognise the importance of the issue that Annie Wells has raised. Other members will have concerns with regard to locally made decisions that are taken under the existing statutory frameworks. The Government is committed to ensuring that we engage constructively with partners. This year, we have allocated record funding for our health boards and local government.”
“I pay tribute to the campaigners, charities and families who have worked tirelessly to break the silence around FASD. Their voices have been instrumental in driving change and reminding us all that, with the right support, people who are living with FASD can achieve so much. Today, let us recommit to spreading awareness, supporting families and ensuring that no one who is affected by FASD feels invisible or left behind. Together, we can make sure that Scotland leads the way in tackling the issue with compassion, understanding and action. 18:19”
“Many people go through life undiagnosed or misunderstood, or misdiagnosed with other conditions. That is why awareness is so important. Awareness helps to prevent new cases by making sure that expectant mothers have clear and accessible information about the risks of drinking alcohol during pregnancy. Awareness also drives understanding, so that children and adults who are already living with FASD are met with compassion, not judgment, and receive the tailored support that they need to thrive. To affected individuals, families and carers, I say: you are not alone—your struggles matter, and your voices deserve to be heard. To every health professional, teacher, social worker and MSP, I say that the duty before us is to act with compassion, evidence and urgency. I know that I am coming to the end of my time, Deputy Presiding Officer.”
“It is entirely caused by alcohol exposure in the womb, yet many expectant mothers do not know the full risk. In the UK, more than a quarter of women are unaware of advice to avoid alcohol during pregnancy. As we heard, that is the only way to stop FASD, and we need to encourage and educate younger women in that regard. Like Rona Mackay, when I had my baby, I was told, “Cut down—go and get a wee half of Guinness for your iron,” or something like that. However, we now know that the only way to stop FASD is to say to women that it should be “No” from the start. I also want to highlight that FASD is often invisible. More than 90 per cent of people with FASD show no facial abnormalities, which means that diagnosis may rely on understanding brain function, behaviour and history.”
“A study by the University of Glasgow suggests that the prevalence of FASD could be higher than previously thought, with 42 per cent of babies having been exposed to alcohol in pregnancy and 15 per cent showing signs of exposure to frequent high consumption. Those are not just numbers on a page; they represent lives with real challenges. People who are affected by FASD may face difficulties with memory, attention, behaviour, executive functioning, social judgment and emotional regulation. Many also live with physical health conditions that affect their heart, kidneys, eyes or hearing. Without timely support, people with FASD are at a higher risk of secondary harms, including, as we heard, mental health problems, addiction, involvement with the justice system and even premature mortality. However, I make it clear that FASD is preventable.”
“I thank Rona Mackay for once again bringing this important issue to the chamber. It is an issue that does not always get the attention that it deserves, but it affects thousands of people across Scotland. Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, or FASD, is a lifelong condition that is caused by alcohol exposure during pregnancy. It is more common than many realise—in fact, research suggests that it may be one of the most prevalent neurodevelopmental conditions in the country—yet far too often it goes undiagnosed, misunderstood or unsupported. It is estimated that up to 5 per cent of people in Scotland are living with FASD, which is, as we heard from Rona Mackay, a lifelong but preventable condition. That is higher than the average prevalence of autism in Scotland, and we talk about autism quite a lot.”
“We recognise that we have a distance to go, but with the leadership that we have in the Scottish Government, the cross-party support, and we should not forget the amazing support of the women’s health champion Professor Anna Glasier, we are making a difference. We have been very clear about ensuring that we are bringing women of all ages into the work on the next phase of the plan, and I hope that Annie Wells can welcome it when it is launched in January next year, as I do. Spinal Injuries (Support) 5.”
“Earlier this year, 1,200 women were asked about the impact of the “Women’s Health Plan” and 90 per cent still had concerns about accessing comprehensive health screening for conditions such as diabetes, heart disease and female-specific issues. Many expressed the fear that there is just not enough help for people suffering from menopause. What will be different about the next phase of the plan that will mean that it will ensure that the concerns of women, including those of my constituents in Glasgow, are addressed? Jenni Minto: I welcome Annie Wells to her shadow portfolio on women’s health and to the group where we have been sharing progress in that area. It is important to recognise that Scotland was the first of the four nations to produce a women’s health plan.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what measures it is taking to improve night-time public transport connections between city centres and suburban areas, including support for late-night bus and rail services to improve affordability, safety and service reliability. (S6O-04991)”
“Perhaps she can also persuade the front bench of her party to stop arguing for cutting social security, because doing that would undermine the availability of the support that she wants me to ensure. The Conservatives cannot have their cake and eat it. If we want to have support for carers, we have to be prepared to vote for it in the budget. The Presiding Officer: We move to constituency and general supplementary questions. If all members are concise, we will be able to involve more members. Journalism (Job Losses)”
“Dementia affects not just those who are diagnosed, but the hundreds of unpaid carers across Glasgow and Scotland who provide them with vital support. What urgent steps is the Scottish Government taking to ensure that those carers get the financial, emotional and respite support that they need as dementia cases continue to rise? The First Minister: Support is available for carers in Scotland that is not available in other parts of the United Kingdom. That is because of the investment that the Government makes in our social security system. I welcome Annie Wells’s support for the social security measures that the Government is taking, and I look forward to her supporting the Government’s budget as we protect those measures in the forthcoming period.”
“To ask the Scottish Government, in relation to its policies on land reform and land use, what discussions the rural affairs secretary has had with ministerial colleagues regarding any action that can be taken to address concerns about derelict land and vacant buildings in urban areas, including Glasgow. (S6O-04905)”
“Ms Wells will be aware that concerns have been voiced about the bill’s approach. At the Scottish Drugs Forum conference last week, the member who is leading on the bill acknowledged that there are concerns about its proposals. However, we are all agreed on the need to respect rights. Although there might be concern about whether the bill would deliver the stated outcomes, we all support those outcomes. I look forward to reading the parliamentary report. The Deputy Presiding Officer: We will listen respectfully not just to the questions but to the responses. We will also have slightly briefer questions and responses.”
“Since it opened its doors in January, 56 medical emergencies have happened at the facility. Those 56 people might well have died had they been injecting elsewhere. The Thistle pilot is funded as an additional resource. It does not reduce or replace investment in abstinence-based rehabilitation or community recovery pathways. [Interruption.] The primary focus is harm reduction—keeping people alive through a compassionate, health-led, non- judgmental approach that is centred on dignity and safety. [Interruption.] It is part of a balanced response. On the Right to Addiction Recovery (Scotland) Bill, the Government is looking carefully at the evidence that has been given during the parliamentary process. We are also talking to and hearing from stakeholders, including those with lived and living experience.”
“If the Government is serious about reducing deaths, it must back the Right to Addiction Recovery (Scotland) Bill, which would guarantee access to residential rehab and life- saving treatment. In light of that, can the minister explain why the Government continues down the path of failed schemes such as the Thistle, instead of delivering real recovery services that people across Scotland desperately need? Maree Todd: I recognise the fears and concerns that Ms Wells raises from people who live around the Thistle, but I assure her that the facility is saving lives. There have been more than 4,000 injection episodes in the Thistle since it opened its doors, which means that 4,000 fewer needles, syringes, spoons and other paraphernalia have been on the streets in the area around it.”
“I have visited the area many times and have seen that the £5,000 that was spent on two needle bins has achieved nothing. Meanwhile, people and families are still crying out for access to real recovery services. According to the most recent data that I received in response to a freedom of information request made to the Thistle, not one person has been put on to a recovery pathway. If the minister has updated information on that, I would like her to tell me how many people have been put on to such a pathway—not one for help with housing or finance, but an actual recovery treatment pathway. Given the lack of data gathered from the Thistle, the facility cannot be considered a success and the pilot certainly cannot be rolled out in Edinburgh.”
“I thank the minister for advance sight of her statement. It is a tragedy that Scotland remains the drug death capital of Europe. Although the minister will speak about the fall in the number of drug deaths, experts predict that they will rise again this year and will hit the most deprived communities the hardest. We need to remember that there are still 1,017 empty seats at dinner tables, that 1,017 birthday parties have been missed, and that the lives of 1,017 mums, dads, brothers and sisters have been lost. In Glasgow, the Thistle was held up as the flagship pilot—a model that would supposedly transform lives. However, in the time that it has been open, families in the Calton area have seen nothing but discarded needles and overgrown spaces.”
“If she wants to write to me with the details, I will be more than happy to see what can be done in the short term.”
“We are working on the two documents in collaboration with the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, in recognition of the fact that, in many ways, local authorities are our delivery agents in such settings, along with our health and social care partnerships. We have invested in an increased level of support for our local authority partners, which should also mean an increased level of support for our health and social care partnerships, but I recognise that, at the moment, people still need to make difficult decisions. The two documents set out the frameworks for how we can shift the balance of care and how we can shift where resource goes to support those more interventionist actions and early intervention priorities, such as the one that Annie Wells sets out.”
“The Government says that it wants to prioritise community-based preventative care but, right now, Glasgow’s Huntington’s disease specialist service is facing closure. It consists of front-line professionals who prevent hospital admissions and support families in crisis. Will the cabinet secretary act to protect those essential services before more vulnerable families are left behind? Neil Gray: I recognise the issue that Annie Wells has posed and the seriousness with which the proposed closure will be regarded by the community in Glasgow that receives support with Huntington’s disease.”
“It could increase mental health spending to 10 per cent of the front-line NHS budget; it could ensure that there is sufficient capacity in education for pupils with complex needs; and it could better support teachers to identify and help pupils with conditions such as ADHD and autism. Those measures would make a real difference to those suffering on the ground. If mental health and physical health are, indeed, to have parity of esteem, those commitments would be a good place to start. 16:38”
“Only last year, I had a Glasgow family in my office in tears because they could not access special school provision for their child who has severe autism. They were terrified about what life would look like for him in a mainstream school, but because of Government and local government policy, they had no choice but to go with it. The statistics bear that out, too. Hundreds of special schools across the country have been lost since 2007, and with them have gone hundreds more specialist, experienced and skilled teachers. Kids are waiting years for testing in relation to autism and ADHD. Professional psychiatry bodies have said that, by failing to help those young people now, we are merely storing up even more problems for the future. There are things that the Government could do now to help.”
“It is, however, very much a reflection on the Scottish Government, which has underfunded and undervalued mental health care for nearly 20 years of its being in power. Since 2007, mental health has been under the sole control of the SNP Government. It is entirely devolved, and the Scottish Government has no one to blame but itself for the current state of affairs. Education is also devolved, and the Scottish Government’s desire to mainstream as many children as possible is visibly backfiring. We have heard countless reports—shared in the chamber and beyond—of how so many young people are being forced into environments to which they are clearly unsuited. It ruins their learning and development, and it jeopardises the experience and education of those around them.”
“However, no one working in the system, or who has had to navigate their way through it from outside, really believes that that has ever happened. Today’s debate focuses on a number of areas relating to neurodevelopmental conditions and the provision—or lack thereof—to help people cope with them. Those shortages affect people of all ages, but their impact on children is causing the most distress across society. Services are so chaotic and disjoined, and the waiting times so unbearably long, that many young people will not even be children any more by the time that the NHS gets round to seeing them. That is not a reflection on the dedicated and hard-working staff, many of whom constantly go the extra mile just to keep their services above water.”
“I am pleased to take part in this important debate and I thank Alex Cole-Hamilton and the Liberal Democrats for bringing it to the chamber. This is not the first time that we have debated the mental health emergency in Scotland and I, for one, do not believe that it will be the last time. It is hard to think of a topic that has been discussed so widely in Holyrood and yet on which so little progress has been made. On many fronts, Scotland’s mental health crisis appears only to be getting worse. It is getting worse for the kids in school, for their teachers and parents, and for adults who are battling a range of problems for which treatment seems virtually impossible to access. Most political parties have agreed, at one point or another, that mental health should have parity of esteem with physical health within Government and the NHS.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what its response is to the latest Public Health Scotland statistics on delayed discharges in NHS Scotland, which show that the average length of delay for March 2025 was 27 days. (S6O-04657)”
“Doing that shows us that, year on year, the number of people waiting for assessments is going down. However, I know that that is of no comfort to the people who are waiting for assessments, and I am determined to improve that performance.”
“Almost 6,500 people across Scotland are waiting for a social care assessment—a number that represents real lives and real families. The Scottish Government says that it is investing money in care services, but what does that mean for people who are waiting for those assessments? When will people receive the care that they desperately need? Maree Todd: As I understand it, the number of people waiting for a care assessment has gone down year on year. I am more than happy to provide information on that. The situation is different, of course, if we pick certain months— particularly if we pick months in which we have faced a challenge. However, when we look at statistics because we want to learn about what is happening, we tend to look at the same point in each year and compare.”
“Although he was not able to deliver his full blessing himself, he still appeared in Rome to wish us all a happy Easter just two days ago, showing astounding dedication to public service even when gravely ill. He demonstrated how all of us can continue to make a difference right until the end, and he left us with the words “May the principle of humanity never fail to be the hallmark of our daily actions”, reminding us of the value of every human life and the importance of loving our neighbour. Pope Francis was a pope who reached out to people across the world, who gave the church a human face and personal touch, and who focused on humanity as well as divinity. His passing will be mourned for a long time by those of many different faiths, but his legacy can be celebrated as one of compassion and peace. 14:13”
“His famous words “Who am I to judge?” marked the start of a shift in how the Catholic church approached homosexuality, but they also perfectly captured Pope Francis’s humility and compassion for others. That message meant so much to me, as a gay woman, and many others. However, Pope Francis was not just a champion for those of Catholic faith. His message was one of acceptance and solidarity between people of all faiths. Right up until the final days of his life, he was preaching that message of acceptance and peace and praying for an end to conflicts around the globe, including in his Easter blessing on Sunday, just the day before his death.”
“As the world mourns His Holiness Pope Francis, I am honoured to have the opportunity to pay tribute to him here today. Pope Francis was a champion of compassion within the church. He was elected to the papacy at a time of huge challenges and controversy for the Catholic faith. Ultimately, however, his time was marked not by those difficulties but by the true love of humanity, with all its flaws and strengths, that he brought to his office. Pope Francis stood for the downtrodden, the vulnerable, the poor and all those who, for a long time, were not sure whether they were really welcome in church. His accepting, generous spirit reached out to Catholics like me around the world.”
“On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I do not know whether my vote went through. The screen disappeared. I would have voted yes. The Presiding Officer: I can confirm that your vote was recorded, Ms Wells. Thank you.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what community safety measures it plans to prevent antisocial behaviour, including improper needle disposal, in the area surrounding the Thistle drug consumption facility. (S6O-04451)”
“It would immediately put a vulnerable individual whose life has been wrecked by drugs on to a positive path. It would allow them to hope—possibly for the first time—that they can have a future without drugs. In contrast, the Scottish Government’s policies are designed to take away hope and to regard those individuals as people who are, and always will be, caught in the scourge of addiction. The panel was clear in its verdict: the Scottish Government simply has not done enough. It seems that SNP ministers will not listen to Opposition politicians; they will not listen to the very best campaigners in the field; and they will not listen to vulnerable users. That being the case, I urge the Government at least to listen to the damning verdicts of the people’s panel report. 15:57”
“For context, the positive rate of those who were breathalysed for drink driving was closer to one in 20, and drug driving eclipses drink driving by three to one in Scotland. Given how high profile and correctly reviled drink driving is, that shows the extent to which Scotland’s drug problems run right through society. I was pleased that, during First Minister’s question time today, the First Minister committed to look at how we can ensure that we focus more on drug driving, as we did with drink driving many years ago. One action that the Scottish Government could take right now is to back the Scottish Conservatives’ Right to Addiction Recovery (Scotland) Bill. The bill would achieve a number of things but, crucially, it would enshrine in law an individual’s right to access the treatment and care that they need.”
“Will the Scottish Government start listening to those people, their families and the communities that they come from? The scourge of drug use throughout our society runs deep. Understandably, we focus much of our attention on drug deaths and those who are in the most desperate of circumstances socially, financially and emotionally. However, in a report in The Scottish Sun this week, we learned that drugs are infiltrating other areas, too. Last year, the police found that more than 3,000 drivers had drugs in their system. The most astonishing part of that was that the police tested only 6,000 people. More than half of those who were suspected of drug driving were committing that selfish and dangerous crime. They need help and support, too.”
“There is too much pressure on people to remain on methadone instead of being supported towards true recovery, and far too little effort is being put into tackling root causes in the environments where drugs take hold, including areas such as Springburn, where I come from, and the streets in poverty-stricken communities across Scotland. People do not just need treatment; they need opportunities, hope and a real way out. The families that I speak to who have lost loved ones to drugs or who are supporting loved ones through drug dependency want support to allow them to help the people who mean so much to them. Families and communities across Scotland feel let down by the Government and feel that they are not being listened to.”
“One theme running through the panel’s report is that people who have a harmful relationship with drugs should be listened to, that they should help to guide future policy and that they should be involved in new projects and support schemes. I gather that the Scottish Government agrees that that is a worthy objective. The panel made it clear that those people should be involved in designing new projects and support systems, yet I am approached by former drug users all the time who all tell me that more needs to be invested in drug rehabilitation.”
“The most powerful evidence of all is the figure of 1,172 drug deaths—all of those people a loved one—in Scotland in 2023, which reaffirmed our shameful position at the top of the international league table of drug deaths. Scotland has sat at the top of that table since 2018. Since the SNP came to power in 2007, the annual drug deaths total has increased by 158 per cent, and it seems that nothing is getting better. The panel stated: “the same conversations keep happening, with the same actions being agreed but not enough has been implemented.” It also stated: “There is no stability for service providers and users and no consistency of approach.” The panel was severely critical of the Scottish Government for failing to keep up with the speed with which drug trends are evolving and changing.”
“That is eating away at the justice system, not least Police Scotland, which is tasked with keeping drugs off our streets and out of our communities. It is therefore little wonder that the people’s panel on reducing drug harm and deaths was so critical of the Scottish Government and its record on the topic. The panel, which was representative of Scottish society and featured participants of varying ages and backgrounds, was shocked at the Scottish National Party’s lack of urgency in dealing with the drug deaths crisis. It said that the SNP Government, which, let us not forget, has been in charge for the best part of 18 years, has not acted despite being well aware of the evidence.”
“Across nearly a decade in the Parliament representing Scotland’s largest city, I have spoken to many people with a harmful relationship with drugs, and to their families, and almost every time, the message is the same—they just want to stop. They want to end their harmful relationship with drugs, rebuild their lives, contribute positively to society and have a meaningful life once again. Those people want that more than anything, but much of Scottish Government policy seems to go against that ambition. Everything is geared to making it easier to take drugs, lessen the consequences for those who do and strip away resources from the people who are there to help them, which means fewer opportunities for rehabilitation.”
“To ask the Scottish Government what recent assessment it has made of the feasibility of its target to achieve net zero emissions by 2045. (S6O-04403)”
“To ask the First Minister what plans the Scottish Government has to tackle the reported rising number of cases of drug driving. (S6F-03870)”