Chamber and committees

The Scottish Conservatives have already delivered in that regard. We were the first of Scotland’s parties to contribute detailed and credible proposals to the conversation. As Dr Gulhane said, for all our population—urban, rural and island—we would take a modern, efficient and local approach to healthcare reform that would increase capacity and address demand. We would introduce a 24/7 digital health service, through a “My NHS Scotland” app.

The cabinet secretary says that primary care is the bedrock of our NHS, but I say to him that primary healthcare is on its knees. We would deliver 1,000 additional GPs, investment of 12 per cent of the NHS budget in GP clinics and a new national standard that would guarantee patients an appointment within a week. We would establish maximum waiting times across all major NHS metrics.

Our NHS has reached a crisis point—

I will refer to SNP back bencher Christine Grahame in a minute.

There was denial when every SNP back bencher—I am coming to you, Christine Grahame—electioneered with anti-Westminster rhetoric. Even when one of our favourite SNP back benchers bangs on her grievance drum—

Thank you, Presiding Officer. That point has been made: it was not a point of order, as we hear constantly.

If Neil Gray is serious about reform, the SNP Government must step up, stop shirking responsibility and finally show some leadership.

I, too, thank Jamie Halcro Johnston for securing this evening’s debate on the banning of wood-burning stoves in new-build homes. It is an opportunity for MSPs to scrutinise the Scottish Government’s ill-conceived policy and, crucially, to raise constituents’ concerns about its impact.

Yesterday, as we heard, Gillian Martin announced a review of the guidance. A review is not the same as a reversal. It should not have taken a public outcry and pressure from the Scottish Conservatives—

Yes.

This cannot be deflected: people who have been referred to NHS Tayside’s neurology service face waits of up to 98 weeks on treatment for nerve damage, multiple sclerosis and a host of other serious conditions. The situation pre-dates the pandemic, when the board paid private clinics in order that it could just tread water. Now, NHS Tayside is being asked to shave an extra £16.5 million from its budget. Will the cabinet secretary outline how those unacceptable waiting times in NHS Tayside will improve?

Gillian Martin raised the word “knee-jerk”. I call that pot and kettle. It is evident that Gillian Martin has not even listened to her own back benchers or members of her own party. My point is that it should not have taken a public outcry and pressure from the Scottish Conservatives to sense-check this sorry episode.

The new build heat standard is not just an ill-conceived policy. It is another example of wokerati wine-bar politicians being totally blinkered to the needs of rural Scotland. It was crafted by a central-belt-obsessed SNP Government that was in hock to the Scottish Greens before Patrick Harvie was unceremoniously told to get on his bike by the former First Minister. The Government has shown utter contempt for rural communities the length and breadth of Scotland. It has totally disregarded the financial impact of the policy on the stove industry and the sustainable biofuel companies that rely on that.

The SNP has completely underestimated the realities of rural life. Need I remind the SNP Government of storm Arwen in November 2021, and the countless communities—some 4,000 people across the north-east—that lost power for days? One resident of Sauchen in Aberdeenshire said that the village was without power for a week.

“Luckily”,

he said,

“we have a wood-burning stove, so that kept us warm in one of the rooms.”

For thousands of people, such stoves are a feature of rural resilience. The SNP can try all that it wants to qualify, mitigate and dilute the policy, but when experts such as the Royal Incorporation of Architects in Scotland say that a

“more nuanced approach is needed, tailoring heating specifications to rural circumstances and real-world use scenarios”,

the SNP needs to act.

One stove industry representative from Angus said:

“When cars were deemed pollutants, no one suggested banning them, the industry was allowed to address the issues”

through improvement and innovation such as catalytic converters and hybrid technology.

The new build heat standard is a knee-jerk reaction.

Exactly. I hope that the minister is listening carefully. Members of the industry are in the public gallery. As other industries have that are transitioning as part of net zero, the stove industry must have the opportunity to evolve and adjust.

Regulations such as these are not simply a legacy of the disastrous Bute house agreement, as Kate Forbes would have us believe; rather, they are due to the way in which policy is made and imposed on rural and remote communities by the SNP Government.

As Scottish Land & Estates has called for, the Scottish Government must change its approach to policy making. It must take account of rural proofing and improve consultation and communication. In the meantime, the Scottish Conservatives will keep standing up for the interests of our rural communities.

I would like to ask a question. I welcome the spirit of what Gillian Mackay and the minister are saying about their willingness to engage on this important point. Are you open to looking at the issue with Rachael Hamilton and me? Do you have an open mind? How much wiggle room is there? Are you willing to look at the issue completely openly?

I would like Labour and everybody else to reconsider for the sake of clarity. Amendment 51 is important for clarity and enforcement. If there is no proper signage, it will be very difficult to enforce, and leaving it up to the health boards is not good enough.

The financial memorandum states:

“There is no requirement in the Bill for signage to be displayed outside a protected premises, and there is no expectation at present for signage to be required.”

I remember that, when the minister gave evidence to the committee at stage 1, we had a discussion about signage and how it would be on-going. Amendment 51 seems to give sufficient flexibility and it is not particularly prescriptive or onerous. I also note that it includes regulation-making powers for Scottish ministers. That is why I encourage the committee to reconsider and review the issue and put signage in the bill.