Chamber and committees

I support Dr Allan’s motion. I want to highlight the impact that the UK Government’s choice of allocation for the UK EU coastal growth fund has had on our smaller inshore fishing communities in the south-west of Scotland. My colleagues Alasdair Allan and Kenneth Gibson outlined really well the Barnett formula percentages and how, with the allocation of the £360 million, a huge amount is going to English fishermen while the Scottish fishermen are landing most of the quota. In the south-west of Scotland alone, there are about 400 jobs directly involved in landings and fishing, to say nothing of the jobs in the supply chains behind that and in the local food and drink sector.

As the cabinet secretary has touched on, the largest contributor to rising construction costs is the Tories’ botched Brexit.

Will the cabinet secretary expand on the impact that Brexit, which is now backed by Labour, is continuing to have on the construction industry?

Absolutely. The twisting of the information is just a distraction from what is happening: the money is going predominantly to English fishermen when most of the quota is landed in Scotland.

A total of 9,000 tonnes is landed annually at South Scotland ports. That might be a small amount in comparison with some of the big ports, and I absolutely agree with Karen Adam when she describes how the allocation is going to impact the north-east. However, it is still an issue in South Scotland, as fishing in the south-west contributes a massive amount to the local economy and to the few jobs that we have.

We need to impress on the UK Government that the policy must be changed. It is a policy choice and it harms all our communities across Scotland, including those in Dumfries and Galloway.

Michelle Thomson mentioned cross-portfolio working. Repopulation is really important, including for Dumfries and Galloway. Will the Government maintain its commitment to that work after May 2026?

I represent communities that are served by both the A75 and the A77, so I welcome the cabinet secretary’s announcement that work will progress to adjust speed limits for HGVs on single and dual carriageways. I have raised that issue previously with transport ministers. Will the cabinet secretary outline an indicative timescale for that work? Does she anticipate any changes being implemented on the trunk roads?

I am happy to support and speak to the motion, and I congratulate Rona Mackay on securing this debate on aphasia, which is a hidden communication disorder that affects many lives in Scotland, as Rona Mackay highlighted well in her opening speech. I, too, welcome everyone to the gallery.

Aphasia arises when the language centres of the brain are damaged, most commonly due to stroke but also through brain injury or neurological disease. It impacts a person’s ability to speak, understand, read or write and text, yet it leaves intelligence intact, which leads to misunderstanding and stigma.

In Scotland, the incidence of aphasia following someone’s first stroke varies across regions and affects approximately 54 people per 100,000 each year in NHS Borders. Given that a third of stroke survivors have aphasia, there could be as many as 128 new cases in Dumfries and Galloway annually. That means that, across the country, thousands are entering a world of sudden silence. Nationally, an estimated 350,000 people in the United Kingdom live with aphasia: nearly two-thirds of stroke survivors, which is more than those who are affected by Parkinson’s disease, multiple sclerosis or cerebral palsy. However, nine out of 10 people have never heard of the condition, which is exactly why we are here today, so it is worth having this debate.

I have heard of aphasia, because I have been a registered nurse since 1988. In my work, over many years, I have looked after many people with aphasia and I have witnessed not only the challenges that are faced by the person who is affected but challenges to my ability to interpret and provide the best care.

Without visible signs, many people with aphasia are dismissed as confused or even drunk, as Rona Mackay has stated. However, all that they need is for us to have patience and take a wee bit of time to understand them.

The consequences of aphasia can be profound and include isolation, loss of confidence, difficulty in work and relationships and mental health challenges. After my close friend Mike—who we sadly lost a couple of years ago—had a severe stroke, he was left without speech. We could see how frustrated he was, because he knew what he wanted to say, but he could not get the words out.

A research report that was published by Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland describes the devastation that is felt by people who are not able to communicate, which leads to feelings of isolation and loneliness and to mental health issues. We can and should do better. Thankfully, inspiring initiatives are emerging here and across the UK. Last June’s rocking aphasia campaign saw painted pebbles left in public places, with each stone holding a story, urging finders to learn more, speak slower and listen with intent. Similarly, City St George’s, University of London collaborated with Aphasia Re-Connect to use music in storytelling concerts, underscoring how much remains behind the silence.

What can we do in Scotland? First, we must raise awareness. We must share aphasia facts, such as the fact that the condition affects up to a third of stroke survivors and that society often misjudges those experiencing aphasia. We need public education campaigns during stroke and dementia awareness weeks. We can promote the use of simple communication tools, which include picture boards, written cues and supportive care packs, such as those offered by the Stroke Association.

Secondly, we must support speech and language services. Organisations such as the Aphasia Alliance, Chest Heart & Stroke Scotland and Dyscover provide essential therapy and specialist aphasia support and run community groups. Funding those services must be a priority, particularly in rural and island communities where provision is uneven, including Dumfries and Galloway and the rest of the south-west of Scotland.

Thirdly, we need community inclusion. Councils, transport providers, retailers and public services can take simple steps to adopt aphasia-friendly practices, such as using slower speech in announcements and displaying appropriate written signage. A wee bit of patience can transform lives.

Finally, we must listen to lived experience. People with aphasia know best what helps, which can involve everything from adaptive therapy sessions to everyday social events. They should be at the heart of policy conversations.

Let me leave members with this: aphasia is not rare. It is common, disabling and deeply isolating. However, with education, training, support and inclusion, we can give voices back to those who are silenced by aphasia.

Can the First Minister advise how the Scottish National Party Government is working to deliver our health service in Scotland, continue to drive down waiting times, and invest in a well-funded and well-supported NHS for those who need it?

The evidence is clear that Scotland’s NHS is turning a corner, with downward trends across nearly all waiting list indicators. To suggest otherwise does a huge disservice to our fantastic NHS staff. I suggest that Jackie Baillie and her colleagues think twice about the impact of their scaremongering about our health and social care system in Scotland and the effect that that is having on the wider population—and perhaps also reflect on the dismal record of their colleagues in Wales and England before turning to our record. [Interruption.]

I had a good long conversation with a member of the senior leadership of West Coast Sea Products in Kirkcudbright, in your constituency, convener, which is part of my South Scotland region. I learned about how shells are being transported to the Netherlands for poultry farming and to Ireland for freshwater filtration. There are uses for them, but there is a lot of detail in the amendment. I am not opposed to it, but I am interested in finding out more about how those measures would be taken forward, especially if further consultation and affirmative legislation were needed.