Chamber and committees

Thank you, Presiding Officer. I hope that you will be kind to me.

I stand in support of the Labour amendment in the name of Pauline McNeill.

I begin by expressing how humbled and honoured I am to be serving as a newly elected member of the Scottish Parliament. As is only right, I show my appreciation to the people of the Lothian region who have helped me to get here, and I promise to work hard on their behalf to repay that debt of gratitude.

My mother and I moved to the UK from Bangladesh in 1982, in order to join my dad and build a better life for our family. We settled initially in Manchester, before moving to Edinburgh—a city that I am proud to have called home for nearly 40 years; in which I have put down roots and am raising my family; and in which I am as proud to say that I am a member of the ethnic minority community as I am to say that I am Scottish and British.

Over the years, I have built on my father’s legacy, working hard to establish a thriving and successful business and create opportunities for employment in the city, and I will draw on my business background to help inform my work as an MSP.

My late father and my uncles took the opportunities that were available and became pillars of the community. As they were helped, they have helped others to gain a foothold by establishing and running an orphanage abroad and setting up charities at home. I was taught from an early age to help those who need a hand and to support and develop local communities. Those are the values that I gained from my parents and those are the values that I live by.

I have been involved with Edinburgh and Lothians Regional Equality Council for more than 20 years, chairing it for 11 years. I have advocated for equality and justice my entire adult life—not just for people from minority ethnic communities but for people who are economically disadvantaged. People from outside the area think of Edinburgh as a rich city in a rich country, but that belief hides the fact that some of our people are forced to live in inadequate housing and suffer from the injustice of poverty, and the quality of their lives is reduced as a result.

It is a shameful truth that often people in the most deprived areas of the city die years before others who live in more affluent areas. The Covid pandemic with which we are still struggling has highlighted poverty in our country, and the impact on some areas and communities has angered many. I have witnessed that hardship first hand when delivering food parcels to those who have been hit hard by this tragedy. It is not possible to exaggerate the seriousness of the situation that I have witnessed. I understand their suffering, having lost a close member of my family during the pandemic.

The debate is on the topic of justice. During Covid-19, as the chair of ELREC, I was aware of an increase in contacts from black and minority ethnic communities who had experienced being racially abused physically and verbally but who felt let down by the police and other agencies. In order to thrive, our local communities must feel safe and free from the fear of crime.

Many of us still have concerns following the centralisation of the police service with the creation of Police Scotland. Following Covid-19, we need to restore the connection between policing and local people, build trust and ensure that people in the community feel safe to come forward. We must also ensure that action is taken with other agencies, working together. Our communities need a police force that is from them and for them.

As a member of the BME community, I have experienced how cruel discrimination can be and how it can lead to feelings of isolation. I will use my position to speak up for those who are not adequately represented. I recognise the privilege of being elected as the first Bangladeshi-born Muslim MSP, just as other “firsts” have done before me, as have those elected at the same time as me. I hope to make my own contribution and will work to improve civic and political engagement among all minority groups, because that will serve to enrich and strengthen the lives of our people.

The Parliament must truly be a Parliament for all the people of Scotland. I am of the view that education plays an essential role in rooting out discrimination and making for a fairer and more just society. For example, the school curriculum should recognise historical injustice and it should be taught truthfully. As legislators, we have a special opportunity to ensure that our young people understand the truth of our country’s history, including that a significant part of its wealth was built on the exploitation of people of colour across the globe.

Last week, I was pleased to learn that the Welsh Parliament has passed legislation to integrate BME history into the curriculum. Why cannot we deliver the same in Scotland? I am delighted to have been appointed by Anas Sarwar as shadow minister for culture, Europe and international development. I look forward to working with Sarah Boyack, as a long-standing friend and comrade.

Finally, I pay tribute to my predecessor, Neil Findlay, whose vigorous campaigning saw enlivened debates in the chamber. He worked with many community organisations on issues such as the vaginal mesh scandal. He did pioneering work with trade unions on issues such as the treatment of striking miners. We will not forget his intervention relating to the terrible and sad consequences of discharging Covid-positive people into care homes. I wish Neil well for the future and I promise that I will continue his work of helping people who suffer injustice.

My promise to Lothian people is that I will contribute to Scottish Labour’s effort to restore public trust and confidence in our political institutions so that, together, we can foster a more diverse, inclusive and tolerant society. Every day, I will give a voice to those who feel that they are not heard in this place.

In January 2019, the Parliament agreed that the group should be set up. Two and a half years on, we have still not seen its conclusions. That delay is symptomatic of the Government’s indecision and inaction when it comes to setting out the future of post-common agricultural policy rural support.

When will the Scottish Government bring together the recommendations of the farming and food production future policy group and of the various farmer-led groups and set out the details of future support?

To ask the Scottish Government when the farming and food production future policy group will publish its report. (S6O-00013)

On a point of order, Presiding Officer, I could not vote. I had technical issues. I would have voted no.

I congratulate you on your new role, Presiding Officer.

With the spread of the new variant of Covid-19, the need to address low uptake of the Covid-19 vaccine among particular ethnic groups is crucial, especially for those who might be at higher risk. To do so, the programme must be accessible. Therefore, in which languages is information about the vaccine programme available in translation, and what targeted action is being taken to reach diverse minority groups in our communities?

made a solemn affirmation.