Contents
- Portfolio Question Time
- Point of Order
- Education
- National Health Service Waiting Times
- Business Motions
- Decision Time
- HMP Kilmarnock
Business Motions
The next item of business is consideration of business motion S6M-11887, in the name of George Adam, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, setting out a business programme.
Motion moved,
That the Parliament agrees—
(a) the following programme of business—
Tuesday 23 January 2024
2.00 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Topical Questions (if selected)
followed by Scottish Government Debate: Celebrating and Supporting Breastfeeding in Scotland
followed by Committee Announcements
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Wednesday 24 January 2024
2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.00 pm Portfolio Questions:
Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands;
NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care
followed by Scottish Government Debate: Investing in Scotland’s Green Economy
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Approval of SSIs (if required)
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 25 January 2024
11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
11.40 am General Questions
12.00 pm First Minister's Questions
followed by Members’ Business
2.30 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.30 pm Portfolio Questions:
Social Justice
followed by Scottish Government Debate: Scotland as a Technology Nation
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
Tuesday 30 January 2024
2.00 pm Time for Reflection
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Topical Questions (if selected)
followed by Scottish Government Business
followed by Committee Announcements
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.00 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Wednesday 31 January 2024
2.00 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.00 pm Portfolio Questions:
External Affairs and Culture;
Justice and Home Affairs
followed by Scottish Conservative and Unionist Party Business
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
followed by Approval of SSIs (if required)
5.10 pm Decision Time
followed by Members’ Business
Thursday 1 February 2024
11.40 am Parliamentary Bureau Motions
11.40 am General Questions
12.00 pm First Minister's Questions
followed by Members’ Business
2.30 pm Parliamentary Bureau Motions
2.30 pm Portfolio Questions:
Education and Skills
followed by Finance and Public Administration Committee Debate: Scottish Budget 2024-25
followed by Business Motions
followed by Parliamentary Bureau Motions
5.15 pm Decision Time
(b) that, for the purposes of Portfolio Questions in the week beginning 22 January 2024, in rule 13.7.3, after the word “except” the words “to the extent to which the Presiding Officer considers that the questions are on the same or similar subject matter or” are inserted.—[George Adam]
Motion agreed to.
The next item of business is consideration of business motion S6M-11888, in the name of George Adam, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, on the stage 1 timetable for a bill.
Motion moved,
That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill at stage 1 be completed by 1 March 2024.—[George Adam]
17:08
I draw members’ attention to my entry in the register of members’ interests, which shows that I am a practising national health service general practitioner.
The Scottish Parliament’s Health, Social Care and Sport Committee has discussed the Scottish National Party’s befuddled plan to create a national care service in 21 meetings since June 2022. In May last year, at meeting number 15, the perplexed minister, Maree Todd, told us that it was hard for her to get her “head around” the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill. The SNP’s flagship £2 billion policy has been completely changed by Humza Yousaf—it is being rewritten as we speak—but the SNP will not let us see the actual wording of the policy before the stage 1 vote, almost certainly due to time pressure.
We agree that the bill needs to be further delayed, but why not decide when the changes to the bill can realistically be completed and then create a realistic timetable? That would allow us to vote on a bill that we can read, not one that we need to guess at. Today, just as Maree Todd said in May, nobody can get their head around the bill. The Government should create a realistic and fair timetable for the Parliament.
17:09
I am wondering whether the Conservatives are really suggesting that we should not proceed with the change that is so urgently needed in the sector. We all know that the case for change has been made unequivocally through the independent review of adult social care, through our on-going co-design discussions with people who have lived experience, and through almost every exchange that I have had with those who work in and those who receive services from the social work and social care sector. The case for change in social care is unassailable, and everyone agrees that it is necessary.
The bill is milestone legislation. It represents the most ambitious reform of public services in Scotland since devolution. The change is necessary to deliver the consistency and quality of care and support across Scotland that people deserve. It is also necessary to reinforce our commitment to Scotland’s people to take long-term action to change our society and make Scotland a fairer place to live in.
We remain committed to delivering a national care service to improve quality, fairness and consistency of provision that meets individuals’ needs. We know that the social care system in Scotland needs to change and that our partners across the public sector, including local government and the national health service, agree. We are working with people with lived experience and people who work in social care to provide what is needed. That is essential for a task of such a magnitude.
We revisited our approach last year to further engage with people who have lived experience, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities and the NHS. We worked really hard in discussion with numerous stakeholders through numerous regional events and meetings over the second half of 2023.
Given that the Scottish Government is delaying the process, will it seek the opportunity to put in place an external advisory board to help to shape the revised legislation?
I think that we have a clear idea of the legislation going forward, and I am more than happy to articulate that case to the Parliament right now.
There has been weekly engagement between the Scottish Government, COSLA and the NHS since last summer. Those weekly talks have been built on the shared accountability consensus that was reached on 30 June last year, and they have created a collaborative proposal for a revised version of the national care service.
Subject to the will of the Scottish Parliament, the Scottish Government proposes to make amendments to the bill at stage 2 in response to evidence that was taken at stage 1 and on-going feedback from stakeholders. I believe that our proposals for changing the bill at stage 2 are a highly reasonable and balanced proposition. As far as possible, they accommodate the various stakeholders’ positions while ensuring that we can still effect the real change and improvements that people who use social care services today require and deserve.
The Health, Social Care and Sport Committee and the Finance and Public Administration Committee asked for further information, which I provided in early December, before Christmas. I also provided a substantial and robust package of material, including an updated financial memorandum and an updated business case. We are committed to working with the parliamentary committees. I have already committed to the lead committee to provide information on the Scottish Government’s proposed amendments in a timescale that enables it to consider that information to the level that is needed.
Will the member take an intervention?
I am just closing.
We are providing as much information as we can, as is appropriate in the parliamentary process, and we will continue to do so.
The question is, that motion S6M-11888, in the name of George Adam, be agreed to.
Motion agreed to,
That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the National Care Service (Scotland) Bill at stage 1 be completed by 1 March 2024.
The next item of business is consideration of business motions S6M-11889, on a stage 1 timetable for a bill, and S6M-11890, on a stage 2 timetable for a bill.
Motions moved,
That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Gender Representation on Public Boards (Amendment) (Scotland) Bill at stage 1 be completed by 29 March 2024.
That the Parliament agrees that consideration of the Wildlife Management and Muirburn (Scotland) Bill at stage 2 be completed by 9 February 2024.—[George Adam]
Motions agreed to.
Next
Decision Time