::I remember that, during the gender recognition reform debate, I broke my maternity leave because it was important to me to vote on the issue. I had Charlotte in one arm and I was trying to vote with the other hand. It can work, but not in all circumstances, although I take Christine Grahame’s point.

Pregnant Then Screwed has announced its latest state-of-the-nation report, which is important to what comes next in terms of our childcare settings. It says that 66.1 per cent of childcare costs are the same or more than the parents’ income, and 34.5 per cent of those who responded found themselves agreeing with the statement “I often find myself choosing between paying for childcare and household essentials”. That shows that something is broken in the system.

We need to reflect on the policies that we have spoken about in this chamber. In 2023, the Scottish National Party made a commitment to expand funded childcare from nine months onwards. That never materialised and we do not know what happened to the pilot programmes. That lack of ambition has prevented us from pushing forward.

We need to be honest about delivery. My experience shows that choice and flexibility matter for parents. That is why we need to look at the private, voluntary and independent sector and at what is not working right now.

Presiding Officer, I know that I need to finish, but this is not a niche policy area for me. Parents sit at the kitchen table, working out affordability, every single week. They tour nurseries, asking about hours and flexibility. They worry about job stability and providing for their children. We owe it to them to do better than broken promises, better than half-hearted ambition and better than a system in which going to work leaves families barely breaking even.

Childcare will be an election priority for parents in May—

::The Scottish Conservatives have been calling for an inquiry for months, but there has been no urgency from the Government—none whatsoever. It was confirmed in November 2025 that we did not know the true scale and nature of grooming gangs. I even asked a question on it, and it has taken the Government four months to come to the chamber today to announce an inquiry. What concerns me more is that the cabinet secretary seems unable to tell Parliament what further information has come to light for the Government to change its mind.

The inquiry needs to be fearless and fully transparent and, most important, it needs to have victims at its heart. The Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee considered a petition that called for a national whistleblowing officer to be established. Will the Scottish Government now consider that, to give whistleblowers the confidence to come forward and stand up for victims, so that victims get the justice that they deserve?

The Scottish Conservatives have been calling for an inquiry for months, but there has been no urgency from the Government—none whatsoever. It was confirmed in November 2025 that we did not know the true scale and nature of grooming gangs. I even asked a question on it, and it has taken the Government four months to come to the chamber today to announce an inquiry. What concerns me more is that the cabinet secretary seems unable to tell Parliament what further information has come to light for the Government to change its mind.

The inquiry needs to be fearless and fully transparent and, most important, it needs to have victims at its heart. The Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee considered a petition that called for a national whistleblowing officer to be established. Will the Scottish Government now consider that, to give whistleblowers the confidence to come forward and stand up for victims, so that victims get the justice that they deserve?

The First Minister will be aware of the report on the unannounced inspection of Skye house in August 2025. I share the Government’s concerns about the report’s findings regarding culture, staff resourcing and the use of restraints and other cruel practices. However, the report does not address the journeys of young people and how they entered Skye house in the first place. I am concerned that, when parents and carers raise concerns about culture in our national health service and social work departments, they are being met with a defensive response and an attempt to shut down such concerns without any accountability or willingness to improve services.

Will the First Minister now instruct a review of child and adolescent mental health services, NHS boards and social work services to discover how many concerns have been raised in respect of culture, to prevent young people from being failed and, ultimately, put in institutions that risk causing more harm than good?

The First Minister will be aware of the report on the unannounced inspection of Skye house in August 2025. I share the Government’s concerns about the report’s findings regarding culture, staff resourcing and the use of restraints and other cruel practices. However, the report does not address the journeys of young people and how they entered Skye house in the first place. I am concerned that, when parents and carers raise concerns about culture in our national health service and social work departments, they are being met with a defensive response and an attempt to shut down such concerns without any accountability or willingness to improve services.

Will the First Minister now instruct a review of child and adolescent mental health services, NHS boards and social work services to discover how many concerns have been raised in respect of culture, to prevent young people from being failed and, ultimately, put in institutions that risk causing more harm than good?

The First Minister will be aware of the report on the unannounced inspection of Skye house in August 2025. I share the Government’s concerns about the report’s findings regarding culture, staff resourcing and the use of restraints and other cruel practices. However, the report does not address the journeys of young people and how they entered Skye house in the first place. I am concerned that, when parents and carers raise concerns about culture in our national health service and social work departments, they are being met with a defensive response and an attempt to shut down such concerns without any accountability or willingness to improve services.

Will the First Minister now instruct a review of child and adolescent mental health services, NHS boards and social work services to discover how many concerns have been raised in respect of culture, to prevent young people from being failed and, ultimately, put in institutions that risk causing more harm than good?

The First Minister will be aware of the report on the unannounced inspection of Skye house in August 2025. I share the Government’s concerns about the report’s findings regarding culture, staff resourcing and the use of restraints and other cruel practices. However, the report does not address the journeys of young people and how they entered Skye house in the first place. I am concerned that, when parents and carers raise concerns about culture in our national health service and social work departments, they are being met with a defensive response and an attempt to shut down such concerns without any accountability or willingness to improve services.

Will the First Minister now instruct a review of child and adolescent mental health services, NHS boards and social work services to discover how many concerns have been raised in respect of culture, to prevent young people from being failed and, ultimately, put in institutions that risk causing more harm than good?

Will the member take an intervention?

Will the member take an intervention?

I welcome that intervention from the cabinet secretary, and I agree. I am glad that we are having this discussion in the chamber today, where we are able to talk about it openly, and it will of course form part of the Official Report.

I again welcome the approach that the cabinet secretary has taken, and also the way in which we have discussed other ideas, such as extending our approach to cover different types of memorials and the review that he confirmed to me in a letter dated 26 January.

Although I remain absolutely committed to protecting war memorials and tackling the harm that is caused by desecration incidents, the Desecration of War Memorials (Scotland) Bill as drafted is not the most effective solution. Given the limited time that is left in this parliamentary session, and mindful that progressing the bill would require significant amendments, which have not been consulted on, I do not believe that it is right to push the bill to a vote today at stage 1. I do not want Parliament to be divided on what I believe is an important issue, especially when we are divided not necessarily on the principle but on the piece of proposed legislation that is before us.

I would much rather work with all parties to achieve the desired outcome. That is what our armed forces and veterans groups would expect from us, and I am keen to gather that consensus. I believe that, if the Scottish Government is true to its word and looks to legislate in this area—or if a Government of a different make-up chooses to legislate in this area—we could do something positive to reduce the number of attacks on our war memorials.

I will conclude by speaking directly to the armed forces and veterans groups who are the custodians of war memorials. Any attack on a war memorial, however large or small, is egregious, cruel, offensive and re-traumatising for everyone—for families who have lost a loved one in conflict and those who have served or are serving themselves.

The Desecration of War Memorials (Scotland) Bill might not be the answer today to prevent the mindless vandalism of war memorials across the country, but I will continue to work hard to ensure that better protections are put in place. The brave men and women whose names are etched into stone, who gave their lives for our freedom, deserve nothing less.

With that, Presiding Officer, I seek permission not to move the motion on the general principles of the bill. As soon as I return to my seat, I will write to the chief executive to withdraw my bill.