The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.
The Official Report search offers lots of different ways to find the information you’re looking for. The search is used as a professional tool by researchers and third-party organisations. It is also used by members of the public who may have less parliamentary awareness. This means it needs to provide the ability to run complex searches, and the ability to browse reports or perform a simple keyword search.
The web version of the Official Report has three different views:
Depending on the kind of search you want to do, one of these views will be the best option. The default view is to show the report for each meeting of Parliament or a committee. For a simple keyword search, the results will be shown by item of business.
When you choose to search by a particular MSP, the results returned will show each spoken contribution in Parliament or a committee, ordered by date with the most recent contributions first. This will usually return a lot of results, but you can refine your search by keyword, date and/or by meeting (committee or Chamber business).
We’ve chosen to display the entirety of each MSP’s contribution in the search results. This is intended to reduce the number of times that users need to click into an actual report to get the information that they’re looking for, but in some cases it can lead to very short contributions (“Yes.”) or very long ones (Ministerial statements, for example.) We’ll keep this under review and get feedback from users on whether this approach best meets their needs.
There are two types of keyword search:
If you select an MSP’s name from the dropdown menu, and add a phrase in quotation marks to the keyword field, then the search will return only examples of when the MSP said those exact words. You can further refine this search by adding a date range or selecting a particular committee or Meeting of the Parliament.
It’s also possible to run basic Boolean searches. For example:
There are two ways of searching by date.
You can either use the Start date and End date options to run a search across a particular date range. For example, you may know that a particular subject was discussed at some point in the last few weeks and choose a date range to reflect that.
Alternatively, you can use one of the pre-defined date ranges under “Select a time period”. These are:
If you search by an individual session, the list of MSPs and committees will automatically update to show only the MSPs and committees which were current during that session. For example, if you select Session 1 you will be show a list of MSPs and committees from Session 1.
If you add a custom date range which crosses more than one session of Parliament, the lists of MSPs and committees will update to show the information that was current at that time.
All Official Reports of meetings in the Debating Chamber of the Scottish Parliament.
All Official Reports of public meetings of committees.
Displaying 3405 contributions
Education, Children and Young People Committee
Meeting date: 30 November 2022
Sue Webber
Our next item of business is to invite the minister to move motion S6M-06432.
Motion moved,
That the Education, Children and Young People Committee recommends that the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974 Exclusions and Exceptions) (Scotland) Amendment (No. 2) Order 2022 [draft] be approved.—[Clare Haughey]
Motion agreed to.
Meeting of the Parliament
Meeting date: 30 November 2022
Sue Webber
The Scottish Government has described the current process for obtaining a gender recognition certificate as overly medicalised, and it is proposing to remove the requirement for medical evidence to change one’s legal gender through the Gender Recognition Reform (Scotland) Bill. The Sandyford gender identity clinic in Glasgow is currently offering initial appointments to patients who registered three to four years ago. Does the minister agree that the real problem that is facing trans people is a lack of timely medical care support? What does the Scottish Government plan to do about those sky-high waiting times for patients who are experiencing gender dysphoria?
Meeting of the Parliament
Meeting date: 29 November 2022
Sue Webber
I thank Clare Adamson for bringing the debate to the chamber and for her speech, which was full of emotion. It brought some harsh realities of the disease to the chamber, but it was also full of hope. I also thank members of the public who are in the gallery for taking the time to come along this evening to hear us speak.
November is pancreatic cancer awareness month, and I welcome the chance to speak in the debate to show my support. It is a fantastic chance for the pancreatic cancer community to come together to raise awareness and funds, and to remember loved ones who have, sadly, died of the disease.
Across the UK, 10,000 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year, yet only one in four people who are diagnosed survive beyond a year. Pancreatic cancer is the deadliest form of cancer in Scotland, with about 900 people dying of the disease each year. More than half of those who are diagnosed will die within three months, and only 7 per cent will survive for more than five years.
My life before I came to the Parliament allowed me unparalleled access to the surgical treatment of this deadly cancer. I worked alongside upper gastrointestinal surgical consultants across the country, and I know at first hand of the complex nature of the surgery that is needed to treat pancreatic cancer. Those specialist surgeons are committed to adopting innovative techniques to reduce surgical operative time, even by the slightest margins, and to seeking new ways to reduce risk, including surgical risk, and the number of post-operative complications. That all serves to make survival rates better and people’s lives as liveable as possible. Those surgeons all work collaboratively across the NHS to do all that they can to increase the five-year survival rate of their patients, but the outcomes following the potentially life-saving surgery are still a long way from being acceptable.
There has been barely any improvement in pancreatic cancer survival rates in the past 50 years, and the survival gap between pancreatic cancer and other cancers has doubled during that time. The likelihood of surviving other cancers beyond five years is 50 per cent, while it is just 7 per cent for pancreatic cancer.
There can be no progress without change, and the need to improve pancreatic cancer diagnosis and outcomes in Scotland is urgent. After all, pancreatic cancer is the fifth biggest cancer killer in the UK. However, as Clare Adamson rightly said, it receives only 3 per cent of the annual UK cancer research budget.
Raising awareness is key, because two thirds of people in the UK cannot name a single symptom of pancreatic cancer. In October, Pancreatic Cancer Action Scotland completed a national awareness survey, which produced some concerning results. It found that 62 per cent of people in Scotland know “almost nothing” about pancreatic cancer. Pancreatic cancer has vague and non-specific symptoms, and it lacks a simple test for detection. That is what makes it hard to diagnose and, unfortunately, about half of pancreatic cancer patients visit their GP with symptoms three times before being referred to hospital.
Although those stats paint a bleak picture of the disease, pancreatic cancer can be survived with early diagnosis. For those who are diagnosed in time for potentially life-saving surgery, the five-year survival rate increases to about 30 per cent. That presents an opportunity for intervention to allow people to be diagnosed earlier and to live longer, with a far better quality of life.
A diagnosis of pancreatic cancer can affect every aspect of life, bringing emotional, financial and practical problems that can last long after the treatment ends. If anyone is in such a position and is listening to the debate, I direct them to the practical, emotional and financial support that is available from Macmillan Cancer Support. As a first step, they can call its telephone line—the Macmillan support line—on 0808 808 0000, which is open seven days a week, from 8 am to 8 pm, or they can go to Macmillan’s website for help.
I reiterate my thanks to Clare Adamson for bringing the debate to the chamber and helping to raise awareness of pancreatic cancer.
17:22Criminal Justice Committee, Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, Social Justice and Social Security Committee: Joint Committee
Meeting date: 24 November 2022
Sue Webber
Indeed. Thank you, minister.
Criminal Justice Committee, Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, Social Justice and Social Security Committee: Joint Committee
Meeting date: 24 November 2022
Sue Webber
Thank you for that, minister. I am glad to hear what you say about joining the dots, which is the intention and ambition of what we are doing. We have had a discussion around a constituency case in which the individual found their situation very challenging, having first tried to access services in February but not gaining a space in rehabilitation until September. Again and again, we hear about people who seek services being treated like a pinball in a pinball machine: they are pinged about, and they follow the route that the service wants them to follow, rather than it being centred around them. We often hear about person-centred care, but I do not get a sense that the service is really delivering for people in that way.
As regards the no-wrong-door approach, we are not getting a sense that what is happening on the ground is the same as what is being stated in documents, by ministers and by civil servants. What can we do to address that implementation gap to ensure that there is no wrong door for people to go to and that they get help quickly, rather than having to wait six or seven months before they can access it?
Meeting of the Parliament
Meeting date: 24 November 2022
Sue Webber
Under the Scottish National Party, the numbers of drug-related deaths have spiralled out of control. The SNP’s current strategies to help those who are struggling with addiction are failing. Despite multiple SNP action plans, Scotland’s drug death rate is still the highest in Europe, and it is 3.7 times higher than that of the UK as a whole. That scandal is Scotland’s national shame, and we cannot go on like this. Lives are being lost, and families are being torn apart.
Everyone is unique, with a specific set of circumstances and a background that may or may not have been involved in triggering their addictive behaviour.
Time and again, when speaking to constituents, patient advocate groups and families whose loved ones are desperately trying to access rehabilitation and recovery services, I hear at first hand about the implementation gap. That gap between the aspirations and plans that have been laid down by the Scottish Government and what has actually been delivered is vast.
We do wrong by persistently and consistently having static services, unclear care, complex pathways, and processes that are clunky and anything but flexible. Flexibility is key if we are to truly have person-centred care, with the person genuinely at the heart of the delivery of services.
Constantly, I hear of frustration, exasperation and the harsh realities of the difficulties, barriers and walls that are put in people’s way, preventing them from receiving quick access to rehabilitation services for alcohol or drugs. As the minister stated in her opening remarks, that reinforces stigma.
We must be clear. In March, Audit Scotland’s “Drug and alcohol services: An update” found that only 35 per cent of the 60,000 people with drug problems in Scotland are in treatment, compared with 60 per cent in England. A report from drug campaigners and recovery experts claims that Scotland’s politicians have “forgotten” about the drug death crisis. I want to make it clear that I have not.
The Faces & Voices of Recovery UK one-year report, published this week, states that there has been “almost no progress” towards reducing the rate of drug deaths in Scotland—the worst rate in Europe. FAVOR’s “Blueprint to Save Lives” makes six key recommendations to improve the current addiction, recovery and treatment system. The recommendations are:
“Introduce a clear definition of a residential rehabilitation place ... Introduce a centralised referral and funding system to end the postcode lottery to residential rehabilitation ... Introduce guidelines to ensure that psycho-social and mental health support is provided alongside substance management and pharmaceutical treatment ... Introduce statistics to measure the number of people waiting more than six months, 12 months and 24 months for residential rehabilitation places”.
Meeting of the Parliament
Meeting date: 24 November 2022
Sue Webber
Thank you, Presiding Officer.
I understand the minister’s point about it being a very complex environment and the fact that it takes time to get people in that position to come to such facilities. However, my point stands. Given the long period before Harper house opened, I would have hoped that a few more families would be benefiting from the critical service that it provides, which will save lives.
There continues to be an ever-widening gap between the SNP’s warm words on the drug deaths scandal and the reality of how little action it is continuing to take. As I have said, the gap between what is said and what is delivered when it comes to the processes that people have to go through to access such critical services is widening. The Scottish Conservatives believe that a different approach is needed to help people who are suffering from addictions, and we hope that the SNP Government will finally start listening to the front-line experts and back our proposed right to addiction recovery bill, which would guarantee treatment for those people who need it most.
I move amendment S6M-06924.1, to leave out from “calls” to end and insert:
“notes that FAVOR UK’s report, One Year Report—Blueprint to Save Lives, published on 21 November 2022, highlights significant challenges faced by those affected by a drug addiction, including many individuals being required to wait for years to access vital treatment; is concerned that, despite multiple action plans, Scotland still has the highest drug death rate in Europe, and 3.7 times higher than the UK as a whole; expresses concern that stigma is especially problematic amongst those with hepatitis C, with 90% of new hepatitis C infections occurring through sharing contaminated injecting equipment; urges the Scottish Government to implement the recommendations of the Scottish Drug Deaths Taskforce, particularly in regards to the ‘no wrong door’ approach, which will stop people struggling with drug use being turned away from service providers, and calls on the Scottish Government to back the Proposed Right to Addiction Recovery (Scotland) Bill, which would enshrine in law a right to treatment, so that all those affected by addiction in Scotland can get the support they need.”
15:25Meeting of the Parliament
Meeting date: 24 November 2022
Sue Webber
Yes. In the opening part of my speech, I said that everyone is unique. All individuals need tailored packages so that they are not left jumping through hoops to get support.
The fifth recommendation is:
“Introduce a Right to Recovery Bill to ensure that the Scottish Government MAT Standards are actually implemented”,
and the sixth is:
“Return to community not centralised services.”
FAVOR Scotland’s chief executive officer, Anne Marie Ward, said:
“We hoped government investment and the introduction of new guidelines would improve things but unfortunately, the system remains as broken today as it was a year ago.”
Although there has been a slight decrease in the number of drug-related deaths, it should shock us all that a disproportionate number of women are included in the drug-related deaths, and that that number is increasing. Often, those women have children, which can stop them seeking help, as they do not want to be stigmatised or risk having their children taken away. A system to enable people to access services that suit their family circumstances has been poorly developed, but that is essential if we are to save the lives of those women.
Harper house in Saltcoats, North Ayrshire, was officially opened by the First Minister this week. Last year, it was awarded more than £8 million in Scottish Government grant funding to establish a family rehabilitation service that accepts referrals from across Scotland. The facility means that parents with problematic drug or alcohol use can now enter residential rehabilitation without the fear of being separated from their children. However, only two of the 20 beds have been filled, despite the facility opening for referrals on 5 October this year. The bed numbers at the facility were pitifully low to begin with, but for only one tenth of them to be used almost two months on is deeply concerning.
I would have expected that such a service would, in advance of opening, be well publicised to alcohol and drug partnerships across the country, and that those organisations would already have identified those most in need of the services. We would expect there to be a queue at the door, not an almost empty facility.
It seems that the SNP has learned nothing from its previous grave errors in cutting the number of rehabilitation beds across Scotland. Families whose loved ones are continuing to struggle with addiction are being let down at every turn by the SNP Government, which continues to take its eye off the ball. The implementation gap needs to be tackled urgently. The SNP needs to urgently back the Scottish Conservatives’ plan for a right to recovery bill, which would guarantee access to treatment for everyone who needs it.
It is all too easy for Nicola Sturgeon and Angela Constance to visit that facility, spin some nice rhetoric and take some photos, rather than take the bold action that is required to tackle the record numbers of drug deaths that have occurred on their watch. There continues to be an ever-widening gap between the SNP’s warm words on the drug deaths scandal and the reality.
Criminal Justice Committee, Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, Social Justice and Social Security Committee: Joint Committee
Meeting date: 24 November 2022
Sue Webber
That is fine—I just wanted to check.
The Drug Deaths Taskforce has recommended that the Scottish Government prioritises intervention at an earlier stage, tackling the root causes of drug dependency, and that links between work on poverty, structural inequality, education and children and young people and work on drug policy be made clearer. Those are things that we hear about across all committee portfolios in relation to early intervention. Will the minister outline what early intervention should look like in this policy area? What steps will she be taking to ensure a more joined-up approach to tackling all the root causes of drug dependency? I note that Mr Briggs mentioned housing issues earlier.
Criminal Justice Committee, Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, Social Justice and Social Security Committee: Joint Committee
Meeting date: 24 November 2022
Sue Webber
Where does accountability for that lie?