Chamber and committees

Will the forthcoming data strategy directly address the gaps that Audit Scotland identified in primary and community care data, or does the cabinet secretary think that that will be more of an overarching strategy?

I grew up in Grangemouth and I know how important a just transition will be for workers, the planet and the communities that surround the refinery. The community needs the Scottish Government to do everything that it can to deliver a just transition. Does the minister agree that the future of Grangemouth depends on a just transition away from fossil fuels that is led by the local communities and trade unions, which must be involved in future decisions around the plant and should be represented on the Grangemouth future industry board?

To ask the First Minister whether she will provide an update on what the Scottish Government is doing to support households through the cost of living crisis. (S6F-01051)

A Tory hard Brexit has hit food supplies, Tory social security cuts have hit household budgets and the Tory obsession with fossil fuels means soaring energy bills. People are struggling with a cost of living crisis that is entirely of the UK Government’s making, but we are doing what we can in Scotland to mitigate it.

I am proud that constructive and collaborative work by the Scottish Greens has led to free bus travel for young people, a more than doubling of the Scottish child payment, the biggest investment in energy efficiency in the UK and mitigation of the cruel benefit cap. Does the First Minister agree that constructive politics should be practised at all levels of Government, and that tomorrow voters should think globally and act locally by electing councillors who will work together to deliver more of that progressive agenda?

The benefits that walking and wheeling in the outdoors can have for mental and physical health are widely recognised. That was undoubtedly impressed on all of us during the pandemic, when we were not able to exercise and explore the outdoors as we usually would.

In that regard, it is worth noting that we are very fortunate to have the amount of green space that we have in Scotland and that, because of the passing of the Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003, we have the right of access to most land and inland water. It is vital that those rights are protected and upheld so that everyone can continue to benefit from Scotland’s rich natural environment.

I was proud that, as part of the Bute house agreement between the Greens and the Scottish Government, it was announced that there would be at least one new national park in Scotland, as one of the many ways in which we recognise the important part that experiencing, and exercising in, nature plays in people’s wellbeing.

People who spend quality time walking and wheeling in nature are happier and more likely to care about the local environment and climate change. Walking can also widen access to sport. Many sporting bodies have created walking versions of their sports, such as walking football, to encourage more people to take part, regardless of their age and fitness level. That can help to tackle social isolation, as well as helping people to get or stay active.

Recent data published in the Scottish household survey has shown that walking has grown in popularity—that is not shown only by Graeme Dey’s obsession with his Fitbit. It is encouraging that the survey found that 89 per cent of respondents aged 16 to 24 were likely to take part in walking as a recreational activity. Of those who were surveyed who had a disability, 61 per cent regarded walking or wheeling as their most common activity.

However, the survey also revealed stark differences with regard to areas of deprivation. It found that physical activity dropped by 20 per cent to 66 per cent in the most deprived areas, compared with 89 per cent in the least deprived areas. That must give us pause to reflect and ensure that public spaces and the natural environment are welcoming to all.

As I have said, the mental and physical health benefits of walking and wheeling outside are well known. Reflecting the point that Gillian Martin made, meeting many of the dogs around Callendar park in Falkirk undoubtedly boosts my mental health, but if people do not have a space or route nearby where they can walk or wheel while feeling safe and free from heavy traffic, pollution and blocked pavements, they will simply not do it. We have much work to do before Scotland’s streets are truly accessible.

The World Health Organization states that physical inactivity is the fourth leading risk factor in global mortality. Walking and wheeling might not be the silver bullet to fix poor health outcomes, but they can make an important contribution to maintaining and even improving health across the nation, and the removal of barriers must be prioritised.

During the pandemic, the importance of walking and other active travel infrastructure became clear to many of us. The continuation of measures such as the spaces for people scheme represents recognition that active travel, including wheeling and walking, must be an accessible option as part of our everyday lives. Such schemes simultaneously promote active travel and reduce our impact on the environment through having fewer polluting cars on the road, and can minimise congestion across Scotland’s towns and cities when they are applied well.

Supporting the development of 20-minute neighbourhoods will also reduce the need to travel and will ensure that people can walk, wheel or cycle to most places that they need to go to.

Going forward, we must prioritise measures such as reallocating road space to people and supporting the creation of low-traffic neighbourhoods, so that walking, wheeling and cycling are accessible, practical and significantly safer. Programmes such as the safe to school initiatives, which aim to ensure that every child who lives within 2 miles from their school is able to walk, wheel or cycle there safely, could be a catalyst for ingraining more walking and wheeling in the everyday lives of Scotland’s children.

In national walking month, it is important that we acknowledge and celebrate the many benefits that walking and wheeling can have for our mental, social and physical health, because there are many such benefits, but we must also renew our efforts to ensure that those benefits are felt by everyone across Scotland.

Good morning. I have spoken to football teams that have adopted a social responsibility approach to sponsorship and are moving away from associations with alcohol and gambling brands. That is laudable, but they are in the minority, and teams that are facing difficult financial circumstances will probably be less likely to take that step.

What are your thoughts about encouraging sporting teams to move away from alcohol sponsorship gradually versus an overall ban? Do you recognise that a ban is probably the best and fastest way to ensure the end of alcohol sponsorship? Is there a possibility of providing financial support to clubs, either in the event of a ban or to clubs that end alcohol sponsorship?

The framework commits the Scottish Government to making joint decisions about some food products that it would previously have had autonomy to regulate. Does the minister have any concerns about whether that will impact on the Government’s ability to regulate food products on public health grounds, for example?

Will you provide clarity about the dispute resolution process where differences occur? Are you satisfied that an effective process is in place?

In terms of specific measures, overprovision is one area where we could perhaps do a wee bit more. That obviously falls under some of the areas in the licensing arrangements that you just mentioned. Do you believe that there is a place for strengthening overprovision as a reason for refusing licences under one of the current areas that you outlined in your answer to Sandesh Gulhane?

We have heard from previous witnesses about the benefits of introducing a social responsibility levy on alcohol retailers. Alcohol Focus Scotland is in favour of an alcohol harm prevention tax, which would be linked to the volume of pure alcohol sales and could be used to offset the harms that are caused by alcohol. The Scottish Government has previously said that it will not implement measures such as a responsibility levy until the wider economic circumstances are right. Can the minister clarify what the right economic circumstances would look like? Does she recognise the benefit of an alcohol harm prevention tax?