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Chamber and committees

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 21 July 2025
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Displaying 1537 contributions

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Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Child Poverty and Parental Employment Inquiry

Meeting date: 15 June 2023

Katy Clark

Keith Robson, do you want to come in?

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Child Poverty and Parental Employment Inquiry

Meeting date: 15 June 2023

Katy Clark

Would anyone else like to come in, particularly on any problems that the committee needs to be aware of that need to be addressed and on which there could be improvements in policy?

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Child Poverty and Parental Employment Inquiry

Meeting date: 15 June 2023

Katy Clark

I do not know whether anybody online has indicated that they want to come in. Obviously, we are particularly interested in child poverty. Being a student can be quite a difficult period, and formal education can be quite a difficult period for parents.

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Child Poverty and Parental Employment Inquiry

Meeting date: 15 June 2023

Katy Clark

I would like to ask about lifelong learning. What do you think the role of lifelong learning is in addressing child poverty? Is there an overlap with a just transition to net zero and training people for green jobs? Perhaps the witnesses in the room would like to respond first.

Social Justice and Social Security Committee

Child Poverty and Parental Employment Inquiry

Meeting date: 15 June 2023

Katy Clark

Project 12 in the national strategy for economic transformation includes:

“developing a stronger, simplified lifelong learning system, including support targeted at those who need it most.”

To what extent do you expect that low-income parents will be the main focus?

I do not know whether Kenny Anderson wants to come in on that.

Citizen Participation and Public Petitions Committee

Continued Petitions

Meeting date: 14 June 2023

Katy Clark

I am grateful for the opportunity to appear before the committee again.

I met both petitioners yesterday. Roseanna Clerkin is personally affected, as one of the individuals who has suffered from debilitating chronic pain and life-altering injury after undergoing a mesh procedure. Lauren McDougall’s mother, who has now passed away, was also affected, and I know that the committee has received testimonies from many other individuals who have been affected.

As the committee knows, the mesh used in hernia operations is different to transvaginal mesh, but many of the issues are similar, and they affect both men and women. However, there is a lack of data on the extent of the problem. That is why the petitioners are asking for an independent review; they want that data to be gathered, and the use of surgical mesh and fixation devices to be suspended until such a review has been concluded.

I have submitted freedom of information requests to every health board in Scotland, because I wanted to know the number of patients who were treated for hernias using surgical mesh and who had been readmitted to hospital following complications that arose from mesh. Most health boards did not provide information, but some did respond. NHS Ayrshire and Arran revealed that 8 per cent of all patients who were implanted with mesh to treat a hernia in its hospitals were subsequently readmitted due to complications arising from the mesh, while NHS Lanarkshire said that the figure was 10 per cent.

That data suggests that the petitioners are right to highlight the need for a review to explore the issue further, yet the Scottish Government continues to refuse to engage with them—indeed, the minister and the former minister refused to meet with the petitioners directly. Given that lack of engagement with the petitioners by Scottish ministers, I urge the committee to consider asking the Cabinet Secretary for NHS Recovery, Health and Social Care to appear before the committee and give evidence so that we can consider the issues further.

Meeting of the Parliament

Decision Time

Meeting date: 14 June 2023

Katy Clark

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I could not get connected. I would have voted no.

Meeting of the Parliament

Caledonian MacBrayne Services (Resilience Fund)

Meeting date: 14 June 2023

Katy Clark

I welcome anything that is done to alleviate the current situation, but, as the cabinet secretary well knows, islanders on Arran continue to have significant problems. However, I was focusing on a very specific issue that has been raised by islanders, who are asking that priority be given to essential goods such as food and to postal services, because there are repeated problems with such essentials when ferries are cancelled. I wrote to the cabinet secretary and her predecessors about the issue, and I suspect that others have done so.

CalMac’s socioeconomic report from 2020 showed that its services generated over £227 million in turnover and had a footprint of more than £350 million. A 2020 North Ayrshire Council and Fraser of Allander Institute report estimated that, for each day of ferry operation, there is a contribution of, on average, just under £170,000 to Arran’s economy. Of course, that figure will be greater now.

There is absolutely no doubt that functioning lifeline ferry services have a significant impact on the economies of island communities—that cannot be overestimated. Tourism businesses estimate that they lose tens of thousands of pounds every time one of the two ferries serving Arran is diverted to support services elsewhere.

Labour’s motion insists that the Scottish Government establish a resilience fund to help businesses that are affected by CalMac cancellations. Islanders are in this situation because of the decisions of politicians, which have meant that we have not procured the vessels needed for many years. I hope that Parliament will support the motion.

16:40  

Meeting of the Parliament

Caledonian MacBrayne Services (Resilience Fund)

Meeting date: 14 June 2023

Katy Clark

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak, particularly on behalf of my constituents on the Clyde islands of Arran and Cumbrae, who, like thousands of others, are regularly impacted by the on-going ferry crisis, which is causing chaos.

As we all know, when a ferry breaks down on a lifeline route, it affects islanders’ ability to attend hospital appointments, work, funerals and a wide range of other commitments on the mainland, as well as others’ ability to visit the island. The declining resilience of CalMac ferries has an impact on almost every aspect of island life and on the economies of island communities. It has a disproportionate impact on those producing goods with short shelf lives and on those trying to buy or sell such goods, such as food.

Over the festive period, many constituents were in touch with me—and, no doubt, with others in the chamber—about the empty food shelves in shops on Arran due to ferry cancellations. Unfortunately that is becoming a regular occurrence. Constituents on Cumbrae have been in touch about problems with postal services, as well as many other things, as a result of the problems with the ferry service there.

Significant problems have been caused on Arran and Cumbrae by the failure of CalMac to give priority to essential goods such as food.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Patient Safety Commissioner for Scotland Bill: Stage 2

Meeting date: 13 June 2023

Katy Clark

As I have indicated, I do not plan to press amendment 23 to the vote. However, I fear that this is not an issue that will go away, because the injuries that are suffered by the people who are affected are significant. The minister is, of course, the decision maker in this matter. I look forward to engaging further with her on the issue, and I strongly urge her to meet campaigners and to give further consideration to these matters.

Amendment 23, by agreement, withdrawn.

Section 12—Power to require information