The final item of business is a members’ business debate on motion S6M-19557, in the name of Pam Duncan-Glancy, on the international day of persons with disabilities. The debate will be concluded without any question being put.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament recognises 3 December 2025 as the International Day of Persons with Disabilities, which is a day that has been established by the UN to promote the rights and wellbeing of disabled people in all aspects of life; acknowledges that this year’s theme is ‘Fostering disability inclusive societies for advancing social progress’, which highlights that, when societies remove barriers and create equal opportunities, everyone benefits; commends the contributions that disabled people make to Scotland’s communities, economy, culture and public life; recognises the continuing barriers that they face, including in employment, education, transport and access to public services; supports the work of disabled people’s organisations, advocacy groups and charities across Scotland that campaign for equality and human rights, and notes the Parliament’s commitment to building a fairer, more inclusive Scotland, in which everyone can participate fully and thrive, including through events such as the upcoming Disability Summit, which is set to take place at the Parliament, and online, on 21 February 2026.
17:08
I am honoured to open this members’ business debate, which provides an opportunity for members to come together to mark the international day of disabled people, which takes place tomorrow, 3 December. I welcome members’ support for the motion and I look forward to hearing all the contributions.
The international day of disabled people is a global day of observance that was first proclaimed by the United Nations General Assembly in 1992 to promote the rights and wellbeing of disabled people across all aspects of life. Since then, significant progress has been made, with many countries bringing positive changes through laws, policies and actions in numerous areas, including accessibility in public spaces, public transport and buildings; enhanced digital accessibility; inclusive education and workplace practices; and greater representation of disabled people in public life—including among legislators—recognising that there should be nothing about disabled people without disabled people.
On that last point, I should say that, while I may be the first permanent wheelchair user elected to this place, it is incumbent on me and on us all to ensure that I am not the last. One way in which we in the chamber can ensure that is to empower the next generation of disabled people and—as the theme for this year’s international day says—to foster disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress.
In our own way, in the chamber and in Scotland, we have advanced social progress during the current session of Parliament. One way in which we have done that is that, for the first time ever, the Presiding Officer, on behalf of Parliament, hosted a summit for disabled people to mark international day. I thank her for that leadership.
Today, our Parliament has announced that we will do that again, this time with a future focus. Next year’s summit will provide an opportunity for disabled people to set out what action they want to be taken in the next session of Parliament. The summit will be held on 21 February and, in order to keep it future focused, while a group of cross-party MSPs will co-chair each session, those sessions will be jointly co-chaired with young disabled people from across Scotland—young leaders who do incredible work.
Those young people have joined us tonight in the public gallery. To them, I say this: I welcome you to your Parliament. When I was your age, the idea that this place could be for people like us felt like a pipe dream, yet here I am—here we are. This place is for you; this place is for people like us.
However, while there is much to celebrate—and celebrate we will—there is much still to do. Significant challenges remain. Tens of thousands of people continue to face barriers across every aspect of life—in employment, education, transport and access to public services.
In 2024, only 51 per cent of disabled people—that is just over half—were in employment, in comparison with 83 per cent of non-disabled people. Being locked out of work does not happen overnight; it is the consequence of being presented with systemic barriers over a lifetime. While some disabled people are unable to work, we know that, with the right support and structures in place, many can thrive in—and want to be in—the workplace and can contribute significantly to Scotland, our communities and our economy.
Glasgow Centre for Inclusive Living’s equality academy is an incredible example of helping to make that happen. The organisation, which is in my region of Glasgow, runs an internship programme that provides placements for disabled graduates, mainly in the national health service in Scotland. The programme supports disabled people to unlock their potential and has an 88 per cent success rate for getting people into employment. I challenge anyone in government to show us a programme that replicates that level of success, and I would welcome to Glasgow any member who wants to see it in action.
The employment gap must close, but in order for that to happen, we need action not only in employability but in other areas such as education. While many people, including me, support the presumption of mainstreaming, the reality is that the policy is not being implemented as intended, and that is leaving young people in school without the support that they need. We cannot let that go on—we must restore support, and thus restore faith, in mainstream provision to deliver the ambition of inclusion in deeds, not just in words.
There are also barriers in getting to work or school, or indeed anywhere at all. For so many disabled people, that can be really difficult. Glasgow’s subway, for example, remains largely inaccessible. My husband and I cannot travel together by bus, because most services accommodate only one wheelchair, which I think could be a bit of a policy choice rather than a design choice, given the contrast with some other countries, where more than one person in a wheelchair can travel. When disabled people try to use accessible taxis to get around, we face long waits because there are very few taxis available, as a result of some policy decisions that can make it difficult for taxi drivers to remain in business. Many buildings remain inaccessible and—worryingly—some accessible toilets are still frequently kept locked to the public, leaving disabled people having to find someone and ask permission to use the toilet.
As we know, thousands of disabled people are stuck on social care and NHS waiting lists. That includes those with arthritis and other musculoskeletal conditions, which affect around 1.7 million people in Scotland. Those conditions are among the biggest causes of persistent pain, disability and working days lost, and will remain so over the next 20 years, yet essential forms of healthcare such as hip and knee replacements account for nearly a third of all waits for planned operations, and there is no discernible plan that is dedicated to addressing this. The cross-party group on arthritis and musculoskeletal conditions is working hard to address that.
It is clear that there is still a long way to go to ensure that disabled people are able to realise our human rights, but—I say to you, Presiding Officer; to colleagues; and to friends and visitors in the gallery—that I have hope, for three reasons. First, I have hope because there are the disabled people’s organisations, advocacy groups and charities across Scotland that campaign for equality and human rights. I say to them: thank you—the impact of your work cannot be overestimated.
I will take a moment to mention a giant of that movement, Etienne d’Aboville, whom we lost in October. Etienne was a force of nature: a passionate and diligent campaigner who changed my life and that of thousands of others. I, and many others, miss him.
Secondly, I have hope because there are incredible disabled people in Scotland, who are innovative by design—for some, even just getting out of bed needs innovation. It will be that innovation that delivers our emancipation.
Lastly, I have hope because—as this year’s theme highlights—when societies work together and remove barriers and create equal opportunities, everyone benefits. That is demonstrated by the tremendous contribution that disabled people make to Scotland—to our communities, our economy, our culture and our public life, every day—and it is embodied in the work that they do.
For that, and because I believe that we all feel the weight of responsibility to leave the world a better place, I believe that we can, and will, advance social progress for disabled people, together.
We move to the open debate.
17:16
I congratulate Pam Duncan-Glancy on securing this members’ business debate to mark the international day of persons with disabilities. This year’s theme is fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress. That theme recognises something very simple: that, when we remove barriers and create equal opportunities, we do not just help disabled people—we strengthen our whole society.
For me, that is not abstract. I grew up as a child of a deaf adult—a CODA—and, from a very young age, I was painfully aware that the world was not set up for people like my dad, who is deaf. I watched bank staff, officials and people in professional positions speak over him and treat him as if he was a child without capacity, simply because he could not hear. Decisions were made around him instead of with him. That was not about his abilities; it was about other people’s assumptions and ignorance, and it was degrading.
Now, as a mum of neurodivergent children with additional support needs, I see those patterns in different ways. My children, like so many others, have too often been treated as problems to be fixed—as disruptors in classrooms that were never designed with them in mind in the first place. Children know when they are seen as an inconvenience, and they sense that they do not belong in the very place where they should feel the safest. That does real harm to their confidence, their wellbeing and their education.
The motion before us recognises those everyday exclusions. It acknowledges that disabled people still face
“barriers ... in employment, education, transport and access to public services”
and it rightly commends disabled people’s contributions to our communities, our economy, our culture and our public life. That contribution is immense, but too often it is made in spite of, not because of, the system.
As a constituency MSP, and as convener of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, I hear time and again that our world is still not fit for purpose for many disabled people. We have a society in which some of the best players are left on the bench, not because they lack talent but because the game is set at hard mode for disabled people. As the Scottish Human Rights Commission has reminded us, human rights need to be built into the way in which we design services from the very start, not patched on at the end when the damage is already done.
I thank Pam Duncan-Glancy for using her voice and her lived experience to challenge exclusionary structures and for bringing the motion to the chamber. I also thank the disabled people’s organisations, advocacy groups and charities across Scotland that fight, every single day, for equality and human rights, often while navigating the very barriers that they are campaigning to remove.
My hope, and my commitment, is for a Scotland where everyone can take part, whatever taking part means for them. For some, like Pam, that will be taking part in employment, politics or public life. For others, it will be living independently, travelling safely, learning in a classroom where they are understood and feel welcome or simply being part of their local community without facing a wall of barriers. All those things are equal and valid ambitions.
To my disabled constituents, and to disabled people across Scotland, I say this: you are not the problem. The problem is a world that has been built without you in mind. Let this international day of persons with disabilities be not just a date in our diary but a call to action that we answer with real, lasting, practical change.
17:20
I am pleased to speak in the debate, and I thank Pam Duncan-Glancy for bringing this important issue to the chamber.
The international day of persons with disabilities reminds us of our collective responsibility to uphold the rights, dignity and wellbeing of disabled people across all areas of life and all aspects of society. It is important that Parliament acknowledges this day, and I congratulate Pam Duncan-Glancy and the societies, groups and organisations that all play a part.
I welcome the UN’s chosen theme for this year, which is fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress. That theme reflects a simple truth, which is that the whole of society benefits when we support disabled people to thrive by removing barriers and widening access for them.
When I engage with organisations in my region, including employment services and third sector groups, it is clear just how much those organisations, and individuals with disabilities in the area, contribute to the communities that they work in every day and ensure that those communities thrive.
Pam Duncan-Glancy’s motion rightly speaks about some of the challenges that disabled people continue to face. Those challenges include barriers to accessing education, securing stable employment and accessing public services, which remains difficult for disabled people.
Of all those challenges, employment remains one of the most significant. From 2013 to 2019, we saw positive change on that issue, and the proportion of disabled people in employment increased from 43 to 54 per cent. Despite some progress, however, we know that the disability employment gap remains stubbornly high. Recent figures have shown that the disability employment rate is 53.1 per cent, which is nearly 30 percentage points lower than the rate for those who are non-disabled. We also know that employment rates for disabled people fell during the pandemic, and that, overall, the proportion of disabled people in employment has not increased since 2019.
While we recognise the progress, there is a lot of work to do. We have to ensure that much more work is done. For example, we need to ensure that workplaces are genuinely inclusive, that disabled people have access to the correct support and that employers are able to make any necessary adjustments to enable them to work.
The previous United Kingdom Government doubled spending on the access to work programme between 2016 and 2024, and that provision helped to deliver employment support for more than 67,000 individuals in 2023-24. As we go forward, it is important that there is a continued commitment to supporting disabled people to seek work where possible, so that further progress can be achieved.
Inclusion should be not just an aspiration but an essential part of a fairer Scotland, which we all want to see. It is therefore important that we ask the Scottish Government to continue to engage constructively with Parliament’s forthcoming disability summit. I look forward to seeing what can be achieved from that.
The United Kingdom Government also has a key role to play in the process, as most aspects of equalities and employment law are still reserved matters. We must ensure that UK-wide disability rights legislation remains robust and effective and that Governments work together to make employment practices more inclusive. Disabled people deserve a system that works for them across all parts of the United Kingdom and at all levels of government.
In conclusion, I hope that members on all sides of the chamber can work together to make that vision a reality, because disabled people want nothing more than for the Parliament to work with them to achieve the goals that they rightfully deserve to reach.
17:24
I thank my colleague, Pam Duncan-Glancy, for bringing this important debate to the chamber. I am delighted that I will be joining the Parliament’s 2026 disability summit, which is mentioned in the motion; I am looking forward to working with the young people who will be co-chairing the sessions.
I will, if I may, start by talking a little bit about my colleague, Pam Duncan-Glancy, who is an inspiration not only to me, but, I know, to many others in the chamber. My colleague, who is sitting beside me, has worked tirelessly throughout her career on this cause, and I know that she will continue to fight for the rights and wellbeing of disabled people.
If there is one thing that I have learned about Pam Duncan-Glancy, it is that she has plenty of fight. She and others, such as Karen Adam’s father, have faced challenges and barriers that I cannot even imagine. She has shared those experiences with us in the chamber, and across the community, to ensure that the voices of many disabled people can be heard. She is generous with her time on these issues and shows great determination to change the trajectory for every disabled person that she can.
Over my five years in Parliament, I have realised that Pam Duncan-Glancy is a great ally and wonderful friend. She is also very funny and—I probably should not say this, Deputy Presiding Officer—we have had very many laughs and funny moments just sitting here in the chamber beside each other.
However, I want to make the point that Pam Duncan-Glancy is a very able parliamentarian. If we can bring more people with her experiences and background to Parliament, to professional jobs and to a whole variety of workplaces, we will have a far healthier and happier economy and society, and much better public service provision. I say that not just to talk up my friend, but to say to society that if we can make changes, we will all benefit. Disabled people should be our friends, neighbours and work colleagues. That would benefit us all.
Despite knowing how valuable disabled people are to our society, however, we know that the true picture—as we heard from Alexander Stewart—is that they face restrictions and their opportunities are often taken away. The employment rate for disabled people has been consistently lower than the rate for non-disabled people. People who are recorded as having additional support needs are less likely to achieve the qualifications that they should, and when they leave school, they are less likely to have a positive destination. We know that poverty rates remain much higher among households where someone has a disability. That is unacceptable, and we must continue to fight it.
The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic demonstrated that if someone has a disability, the inequalities that they face are more likely to be exacerbated. People with disabilities have the right to work and to be part of our society, and it is incumbent on Government to ensure that the world of work is a welcoming and suitably adjusted environment. The Equality Act 2010 offers disabled people a lot of protection from workplace discrimination, but in order to ensure that that protection is realised, the Government must take the issue seriously. I am sure that we will hear the Minister for Equalities, in her closing remarks, speak about how we must continue to push to ensure that the 2010 act is complied with.
We must allocate resources and ensure that education and workplace projects are properly funded. We need to see much better representation of disabled people across society: in our media, our public services and our representative bodies. I hope that, as a result, other people will have the great privilege of meeting great work colleagues and friends, just like we in Parliament have in Pam Duncan-Glancy.
17:28
I am grateful to Pam Duncan-Glancy for securing the debate. It is only right that we recognise in our Parliament the international day of persons with disabilities.
I will focus on social security, as it has the power to foster an inclusive society, or to marginalise and exclude. The devolution of powers over disability benefits promised one of the most important developments in the rights of disabled people in the history of the Parliament. After years of cuts and austerity, years of successive UK Governments stigmatising disabled people who require support, and years of policies being forced through despite disabled people’s concerns, the Parliament finally had the opportunity to do things differently and to show compassion, care and respect to disabled people.
Respect is especially important—it is part of Social Security’s Scotland strapline, “dignity, fairness and respect”. However, three years into the new system, I am not sure that we are fully delivering on that promise. After a promising start, we have seen huge falls in the success rates of those applying for adult disability payment. A total of 54 per cent—more than half—of those who have applied for ADP have been rejected, with the figure for the most recent financial year rising to 63 per cent. The rejection rate is now worse than it was for the personal independence payment. That is not just my analysis—the Institute for Fiscal Studies, the Scottish Fiscal Commission and the independent review of ADP all say the same.
What about the ambition to get decisions right first time? In ADP’s short history, almost 60,000 people have asked for a second opinion on their decision. It is positive that, in about half of those cases, Social Security Scotland has admitted that it was wrong and has changed the decision—that is a higher rate of changes than elsewhere. However, some people have to go to court to get what they are owed. More than half of all claimants who go through the stress of appealing to the tribunal win their cases, having already gone through an internal review and been rejected for a second time. Too often, Social Security Scotland is not getting it right the first time or the second time. Instead, it is being forced by the courts to do the right thing and pay up. That is not dignified for disabled people, nor is it fair or respectful.
Looking across the statistics, almost every measure is going in the wrong direction. There are more rejections, more appeals and fewer people getting the highest rates. What is going on? If there has been a deliberate shift in assessment practice, we need to know, and the Scottish Government must be held accountable. I ask the minister to address those concerns in closing, if she can.
The independent review of ADP has now reported, making a range of helpful recommendations, such as scrapping the 20m rule that it inherited from PIP, which deliberately makes it harder for people with mobility needs to get support. The review also suggested a more automated system, in which people with particular conditions can access benefits without making a full application. Having a social care package, receiving money from the independent living fund or having a blue badge could all confer automatic eligibility. That approach is not just theoretical. After a trial by Transport Scotland, blue badges are now subject to a streamlined process for those with motor neurone disease, using a sign-off from an MND nurse, so it can be done.
Data also shows that ADP uptake among black and minority ethnic communities is lower than average. Why is that, and what do we need to do to change it to make the system genuinely fair for everyone?
When the Scottish Government responds to the review, I hope that it grasps the opportunity to right the wrongs that are faced by too many disabled people in this country. I hope that next year, when we again recognise this important day, we will have a better story to tell.
17:32
Like others, I congratulate Pam Duncan-Glancy on securing the debate. I also thank her for highlighting the summit that will take place in February. It was a pleasure this afternoon to meet some of the young people who are in the gallery, and I am sure that the day will be a success.
I found Pam Duncan-Glancy’s speech quite uplifting. Perhaps it will be the other side of the coin to what I want to say tonight, because, although this Parliament often talks about disability and accessibility, the reality is that, often, there are warm words but very little action coming out of those discussions.
Let us look at what the political parties are doing, or are not doing, on issues affecting disabled people. One party is not even here to speak in the debate, so I will turn to the Scottish National Party, which forms the Scottish Government. It has done almost nothing to deal with the disability employment gap. We hear lots of warm words about how we need to close the gap—we have heard that from speakers already tonight—but we know that the figure has not moved at all. We must ask the Scottish Government and the UK Government what they are doing to close the gap, rather than talking about it.
The Scottish Government has dragged its feet on the changing places toilets fund. It has taken almost the full session of Parliament for that fund to come forward. Last week, I held a meeting with about 15 disability charities and asked them what one thing they would like to happen. The answer was that they want to see the Government deliver a manifesto commitment, because it still has not abolished non-residential social care charges. I ask the minister: will that happen before this session of Parliament comes to an end in the spring of next year, or was the commitment simply words on a bit of paper?
To Scottish Labour members, I say gently—or maybe not so gently—that they need to speak to their colleagues down south. We all know that the health element of universal credit is still in the pipeline and that it will make life harder for disabled people. It is easy to come up with something that will make for a cheap headline, as Labour did last week in relation to the motability scheme in a move that saved not one penny of taxpayers’ money but was simply designed to mimic Reform policies.
I say to my former colleagues on the left of me—their position in the chamber is the only thing about them that is to the left of me—that they should look at their website. The last time that it was updated with anything on social security was in September 2021. That is how seriously the Scottish Conservatives take social security. From my time in the party, I can say that they have no real understanding of how social security works, and they have no policies coming forward for disabled people.
My final point is that, earlier this year, this Parliament chose to deny disabled people the champion that they deserve. A disability commissioner would have helped to reverse decades of neglect, and it would have driven meaningful change—change that would have transformed the lives of some of the most vulnerable people in our society. However, this Parliament decided that a disability commissioner was one commissioner too many—a decision that was made just weeks after passing legislation to create a commissioner for victims and witnesses.
That decision captures the attitude that I think exists across the chamber. Parties are very good at talking the talk, but when it comes to action, disabled people are too often sidelined in favour of other priorities. I do not think that that is good enough. Disabled people deserve better.
Although I welcome the Parliament’s marking the international day of persons with disabilities, I am afraid that it rings hollow with many disabled people while parties continue to ignore us and ignore the chance to bring about real change in our society.
17:37
I congratulate Pam Duncan-Glancy on securing this debate. To put it mildly, she knows far more than I do of the difficulties of those with physical disabilities, although she never lets her circumstances impinge on her contributions. She is clever, articulate and a fearsome parliamentary adversary—but enough of that praise.
Disabilities take many forms. We had a debate last week on Tourette syndrome, which is a much misunderstood disability. We have had members with hearing impairments and we had Dennis Robertson, who was blind. This place of work has tried to provide facilities to suit those individual needs, but, even here, the arrangements for accessing spaces in a wheelchair or, in my case, a mobility scooter needs improvement. People cannot travel from the public area to the garden lobby without accompaniment and the use of a lift. Doors have to be held open by someone else and the lift is small and hidden. I have to say, however, that I have followed Pam Duncan-Glancy, who has exposed hidden accessible routes, which I now use.
I say “now” because, until fairly recently, I would not admit to being in a minor way disabled. My disability is minor, but it has opened my eyes to what others have had to accept in how they access places and transport. Some people have been kind, some experiences have been annoying and some experiences have been, frankly, hilarious—at least, that was the best way to react. My mobility scooter is now regularly seen as I navigate the Parliament. However, in a world in which a mobile phone has to be scanned all the time, I find myself having to shout all the time to clear a pathway, because my horn is sadly pathetic.
Recently, when I was out with my walking stick, I found that I had to step aside to let others pass, not the other way round, even though, as is the case for others, pain is always my unwelcome companion. That lack of consideration makes me angry.
I will talk about annoyances, such as having to rely on others to, for example, simply pass through entrances. Doors here and elsewhere in public areas should open easily and comfortably for those with mobility aids. Lift doors should be timed to stay open long enough to allow people with mobility issues to enter safely. Able-bodied folk filling lifts when there is no need for them to do so, leaving disabled people to wait, is simply wrong.
The experience of being an assisted passenger at railways and airports is also annoying. Waverley station is a mixed bag. On one occasion, my assistance, which had been booked, did not make an appearance, but I managed to capture a member of staff to help me to my distant carriage. Edinburgh airport has an assisted passenger desk, but that is well away from the entrance, so people have to struggle to it before they are allocated the most basic sort of wheelchair, which feels as if it and its user will part company quite easily. At the gates, the assisted passenger must wait conspicuously with others for their rickety transport to be placed on a lorry-like platform, which raises them up like a wheelie bin on to an even more rickety vehicle, which then deposits them on the plane.
At the end of the flight, they are, of course, the last to come off. At Halifax airport in Nova Scotia, I was offloaded and abandoned for some time, waiting for some poor soul to locate me and deposit me at customs. It is all a bit rough and ready and undignified, unless one is prepared to see the funny side of it. My walking stick was suspiciously and scrupulously examined at customs in Canada on account of its having a place for a light at the end. The whole shebang took so long that my poor family—complete with “Welcome, Granny Scotland” banners—had to wait 45 minutes before I appeared, now with walking stick, to an all-but-empty airport foyer.
However, there are kind people who offer help, even if someone is trying to do something for themselves, such as getting luggage on to the rack. On balance, in my case, such actions have, so far, outweighed the lack of consideration.
On accessibility, improvement is much needed, because, all too often, there are only stairs, which means that there is no access at all.
I thank the member for securing this debate. There are, of course, far more serious obstacles than those that I have met, but even having this recent but permanent taste of what is involved in simply getting from here to there while maintaining one’s dignity and, importantly, one’s individuality has been a lesson for this politician, and I am still learning.
17:42
I thank all members for their thoughtful contributions. I pay tribute to Pam Duncan-Glancy for lodging this important motion, which shows our shared commitment to equality and inclusion. I will try to refer to as many points as possible, but, as usual, there has been a wide variety of comments. If there is anything that I do not mention, I am quite happy for people to follow that up with me.
I will also take a moment to acknowledge the loss of two remarkable individuals. Etienne D’Abolville has been mentioned and remembered by Pam Duncan-Glancy, and I would also like to pay tribute to Alan Dick. Both were powerful and dedicated advocates for independent living and tireless champions of disabled people’s rights. We honour their legacy and, of course, I extend our condolences to all who knew and loved them. They give us a reason to keep going. They fought, and I see that Pam Duncan-Glancy is carrying on that fight.
Pam Duncan-Glancy spoke of her accomplishment in being the first permanent wheelchair user to be elected to the Scottish Parliament, and I know that she will make sure that she is not the last. From a personal point of view, speaking as the first woman of colour to be elected to the Parliament, I can say the same. We are not the ones who will pull up the ladder behind us—in fact, I would say that we would both get rid of the need for that ladder in the first place.
In the meantime, I will highlight the access to elected office fund, which opened again on 6 May. Having originally started as a pilot in 2017, it provides practical and financial support and is now on a statutory footing, following the Scottish Elections (Representation and Reform) Act 2025. Of course, it goes without saying that the fund does not help with any political messaging; it just provides practical support. So far, the fund has helped more than 100 disabled candidates who have stood for election.
Comments were made on fair work, and our ambition is to at least halve the disability employment gap by 2038. The estimated disability employment rate gap has decreased, from 37.4 per cent between January and December 2016 to 31.5 per cent between January and December 2024, according to Office for National Statistics records. Clearly, that figure is still too high, and there are challenges there that we will address, but we are making progress in that area.
Accessible transport was also mentioned. The vision is that disabled people will be able to travel with the same freedom, choice, dignity and opportunity as other citizens. Launched in 2016, the 10-year accessible travel framework was co-produced with disabled people. The 2024 to 2026 delivery plan covers delivery for the final two years of that framework, and work on that is progressing. There are regular consultations with representatives from disabled people’s organisations, to hear about what more can be done.
I was very pleased to launch the pilot to provide concessionary travel on public transport for companions of those who are blind and visually impaired. That was a further achievement.
Since, in 1992, the UN designated 3 December, which is tomorrow, as international day of persons with disabilities, the aim has been clear—to champion the rights of disabled people and to ensure their full participation in every aspect of life. However, we know that barriers remain in education, employment, transport and public services, leaving too many at risk of poverty and exclusion.
I hear the points that were made by Jeremy Balfour. Although I understand and share his concerns about not moving fast enough, I do not completely agree with the narrative that he painted. I engage fully with disabled people’s organisations, and I launched the improving access fund, with a significant contribution of £1.5 million. That was very warmly welcomed by disabled people’s organisations, because it provides practical help that will assist people in their daily lives.
This year’s theme—fostering disability-inclusive societies for advancing social progress—means that equality is not optional. We know that it is essential to tackling poverty and building a fairer Scotland. Participation is the foundation of progress. We want to make sure that the disability equality plan, which was co-designed, has a focus on three priorities: strengthening financial security, bolstering inclusive participation, and improving mental health and wellbeing.
I am mindful of the time, so I will finish by saying that we are also embedding disability competence across Government, so that policies are not only designed for disabled people but shaped with them, making inclusion a starting point.
A fairer Scotland is possible only when equal rights are secured for everyone. That requires more than this debate; it requires more than good intentions—I know that. It also demands action, determination and a shared responsibility. Together, we will continue to dismantle the barriers and build a Scotland where equality is lived and not just imagined.
Thank you, minister. That concludes the debate.
Meeting closed at 17:49.Previous
Decision Time