Chamber and committees

I pay tribute to my colleague Marie McNair for securing today’s important debate. In Parliament, we—understandably—devote a lot of time to discussing women’s health issues, so I really welcome the opportunity to speak in a debate with a male focus, on testicular cancer.

As we have heard, testicular cancer is the most common cancer among men in the United Kingdom aged 15 to 45. A total of 2,400 men in the UK are diagnosed each year. In Scotland, 175 men were diagnosed with testicular cancer between October 2022 and September 2023. That represents a decrease from October 2021 to September 2022, when 183 men were diagnosed, but an increase from October 2022 to September 2021, when 161 were diagnosed.

Although more than six men are diagnosed each day across the UK, it is important to note that survival rates have risen every year since the 1970s. When testicular cancer is detected in its early stages, it is 96 per cent curable—the outlook is one of the best among all cancers. According to Cancer Research UK, around 95 out of 100 men survive their cancer for one year or more after they are diagnosed; around 95 out of 100 will survive their cancer for five years or more after diagnosis; and around 90 out of hundred men will survive their cancer for 10 years or more after diagnosis.

However, men should not allow those survival figures to act as a deterrent to regular checking, nor should they become complacent. While nearly all men survive testicular cancer, if the cancer has spread, the rate of survival for five years or more can reduce to 65 per cent, so checking is incredibly important.

The most common symptom is a lump or swelling in a testicle, or a dull ache, pain or heaviness in the scrotum. Usually, those symptoms are caused by nothing more than injury or infection. However, if you notice any of these signs or a combination of them, do not leave it to chance—speak to your general practitioner to make sure.

I, too, take the time to congratulate Cahonas Scotland—which is based in Marie McNair’s constituency, as we heard from her—on the work that it does to raise awareness of testicular cancer. As Scotland’s only dedicated testicular cancer charity, it has a range of resources to raise awareness, offer advice and support men through their cancer journey. On its website, men can input their mobile number and the charity will text them a monthly self-check reminder at no cost to them. Alternatively, men can sign up for the monthly newsletter for updates, also with a self-check reminder.

As is the case with so many men’s issues, men are often too uncomfortable to talk about testicular cancer and its prevention. That is why when men are brave enough to go public with a diagnosis, it can save lives by bringing renewed attention and focus to the disease.

Members across the chamber may remember, or be aware of, the former Celtic player Alan Stubbs, who was diagnosed with, and survived, testicular cancer twice. Although his cancer was initially detected through a post-match drugs test, he has been a strong advocate of men checking their testicles regularly for signs of disease. I am in no doubt that the increased awareness of testicular cancer as a result of people such as Alan Stubbs going public has helped men across the UK and saved their lives.

I thank the minister for that answer. It is reassuring that childhood vaccination rates remain high in Scotland, particularly as we know that the perceived minor illness that those vaccinations protect against can cause disabilities or even fatalities. However, misinformation and conspiracy theories in relation to vaccinations, often fuelled by social media, have become all too commonplace. Can the minister advise what the Scottish Government is doing to tackle the issue and ensure that parents and carers have the correct factual information that they require to protect children’s health?

I remind members that I hold a national health service contract with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

To ask the Scottish Government how it is supporting the uptake of childhood immunisations in NHS Lanarkshire. (S6O-04563)

So, in practical terms, why can you not do that?

I am just looking for specific examples. You say that you are starting to use those powers, too, so that is fine.

When I use the term “commission”, I am not targeting you personally. Do you think that the commission itself represents value for money? Can you justify your existence to the Scottish taxpayer?

I am sorry to interrupt you. I will come back in with other questions later, but my supplementary question was specifically about school attendance, which the committee has voiced its concerns about. I am concerned that you do not see that as an area that you should be looking at in depth. However, I will leave it there, convener.

I think that it was Gina Wilson—or it might have been you, commissioner—who said that children’s rights have been put at the heart of Government. You have also talked about children’s rights-based budgets. As it stands, the budget for 2025-26 is £1.78 million, which has increased by 20 per cent since 2022-23.

If you have achieved all that, why do we still need a children’s commissioner? You will be aware that another committee in Parliament—the SPCB Supported Bodies Landscape Review Committee—is scrutinising all the commissioners in Scotland, of which we have many more compared with countries with a similar population. I am keen to learn why we still need you, if you have achieved so much.

So, the danger of playing political games on this is that children go hungry.

An advocacy role, speaking up on behalf of those children? Am I wrong in that?

I am a bit concerned about what I am hearing about your not seeing this matter as a priority, given that education is one of your strategic priorities in your plan for 2024 to 2028. Do you not see yourselves as having a role in looking at school attendance in more depth, in the way that the Children’s Commissioner for England has done?