Chamber and committees

There is a significant shortage of accessible housing in Mid Scotland and Fife, which impacts disabled individuals, particularly those who require wheelchair-accessible homes. Although some local authorities have committed to building more accessible homes, the current rates of construction are insufficient to meet the growing demand. What further action can be taken to achieve a resolution to this crisis?

I thank Emma Harper, my fellow co-convener of the cross-party group on lung health, for bringing her members’ business debate to the chamber. As the motion states, the theme of this year’s world asthma day, which takes place on Tuesday 6 May, is “Make Inhaled Treatments Accessible for ALL.” Asthma charities have long called for that. They encourage the use of preventer inhalers for everyone with asthma, emphasising their importance in preventing airway inflammation and reducing the risk of asthma attacks. They also promote alternative reliever inhalers, which appear to be safer and more effective options than the traditional blue ones.

If we take a look at the detail of the recommendations, it becomes apparent why they make such good sense. Asthma and Lung UK highlights the evidence that shows why prevention is important: it manages inflammation and reduces the risk of asthma attacks.

We have heard about the difficulties that individuals have to manage because of air quality. Asthma and Lung UK advocates for moving away from the common blue reliever inhalers in favour of anti-inflammatory reliever inhalers or maintenance and reliever therapy inhalers, which offer real benefits to individuals.

The importance of correct inhaler technique cannot be stressed enough; it is vital to ensure that the medication reaches the user’s airways correctly and provides the most benefit. We have heard from patients, consultants and healthcare professionals about the techniques that require to be supported.

There are support groups in my region of Mid-Scotland and Fife, such as Breathe Easy Clackmannanshire Community Group and the breathe easy groups in Dunfermline, Glenrothes, Leven and Kirkcaldy. All those groups support people who have asthma or COPD, and offer support, encouragement and coaching for people in using their inhalers, to make sure that they are effective, which is important.

It is also essential that access to treatments is discussed. The subject has been brought up time and again at our cross-party group meetings by patients and health professionals, and the Minister for Public Health and Women’s Health has been present to discuss that. However, some individuals still struggle to obtain access to even the most basic of treatments in some parts of the region. We have heard about the FeNO test, which needs to be looked at and progressed. I look forward to hearing what is being consulted on.

I strongly agree with many of the recommendations. The Scottish Government must, as a basic duty of care, ensure that the pathways are available for everyone. We have touched on pathways, but not all areas of Scotland have the same pathways, as has been reported. It is vital that we deal with that.

In 2023, we saw the highest number of asthma deaths recorded in Scotland in more than 30 years. That is a major issue. We have talked about air quality, people’s living conditions and people’s attitudes, but there needs to be clarity on how we manage the issue across our regions. It is clear that the matter should be urgently tackled. I look forward to hearing from the minister about positive work that the Scottish Government has attempted to do when she sums up, but many areas require progress.

The cross-party group has been doing exceptional work, and I again pay tribute to my co-convener Emma Harper and Asthma and Lung UK, because we are challenging this on a regular basis. We continue to move things forward. It has been inspirational to meet and discuss the issue with clinicians, professionals and the individuals who suffer from these conditions, because they tell us about the real world that they live in day to day. It is vital that we take on board all their concerns.

I am grateful for the opportunity to contribute to the debate. I will be supporting the amendment in the name of my colleague Murdo Fraser.

The Scottish Conservatives are always happy to champion the needs of Scotland’s industrial and manufacturing sectors, and these are undoubtedly challenging and turbulent times. Right across the United Kingdom, those industries face the stark reality of challenges, such as rising energy costs because of the on-going war in Ukraine, which continue to have a significant impact on prices for businesses across Scotland and the United Kingdom.

As Scottish industry faces turbulent times, it is also facing uncertain times. The announcement from Grangemouth today confirms that. The loss of jobs and of the refinery in that location will have a massive impact on Scotland and its economy. In addition, disturbances of international trade and distribution that are taking place because of tariffs have made conditions more difficult for Scotland’s exporters, even though Brexit has allowed the UK to avoid the worst of those tariffs.

As Murdo Fraser’s amendment highlights, decisions that have been taken by both of Scotland’s Governments have made the situation even more difficult and volatile, including decisions that were taken by the Labour UK Government in its autumn statement. Labour’s broken promise on national insurance contributions will inevitably have a huge knock-on effect in the form of difficulties for businesses in hiring and retaining staff.

I would also like to talk about the difficulties around decisions that are made within industry. The CEO of PP Control & Automation has warned that tax hikes will burden the manufacturing sector at a time when it is already dealing with high operational expenses and skill shortages. We have skill shortages in many sectors, and the national insurance contributions rise will only exacerbate them. The director of S&P Global has warned of the impact that it will have on manufacturing: it will ensure that jobs are lost

“at a rate not been seen since the pandemic months of mid-2020”.

The Labour Government has said that it wants to make growth a priority. If it does, its actions need to make that the reality. Instead, the reality is that its decision to raise taxes will make growth more difficult to achieve for industries across Scotland and the whole of the UK. The fact that the tax increase is happening at the same time as Labour’s new Employment Rights Bill is before Parliament will only make a bad situation worse.

It is evident that the reforms are already causing instability, falling confidence and further uncertainty for the businesses community across Scotland. It is also clear that aspects of the reforms will have a real impact in practice. The Law Society of Scotland has said that the new provisions around zero-hours contracts are

“overly complicated and lack clarity”.

That alone will cause real issues for individuals. Furthermore, Labour’s own impact assessments suggest that the reforms could cost businesses an extra £4.5 billion across the United Kingdom and will impact industry in every sector.

However, for businesses in Scotland, the biggest challenges have been created by the SNP. Perhaps the most obvious example is the high-tax agenda that the Scottish Government continues to follow. On that issue, leading economists have warned that the SNP’s approach to income tax is “not working” and that tax divergence from the rest of the UK risks shrinking the Scottish tax base. Higher Scottish taxes are making it more difficult for leading industries to attract and retain top talent, which is a difficulty in the heavy industry and manufacturing sectors. According to Scottish Government data, the average salary in the Scottish manufacturing sector is significantly different from the average in Scotland, which means that workers are far more likely to fall into the SNP’s higher tax rates and lower thresholds. Given the importance of the sector to the Scottish economy, the Scottish Government should be careful that its policies do not end up clipping the sector’s wings.

The motion is right to talk about the turbulent times that industries face right across Scotland. Although the Scottish Government can see the problem, it is not always offering real solutions. Scottish industry should not be dealing with the higher tax burden or with lower long-term growth, which has taken about £800 million out of the Scottish budget. Businesses need a sense of common purpose and commonsense policies that aim to grow the economy and empower business, so that all sectors can thrive. Instead of increasing the contributions that we receive from hard-working Scots, the SNP should listen to the calls to cut taxes and reduce the burden that people are having to endure.

It is time for both of Scotland’s Governments to invest in a competitive pro-business environment that empowers Scottish industries to survive and thrive for the future. We are truly capable of achieving that and will do so if that is offered.

To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking in response to reports of criminals using drones to infiltrate prisons. (S6O-04558)

A recent survey of participants in the access all arts fund, which benefits children and young people, found that 92 per cent of recipients experienced a positive impact on their mental health and wellbeing, while 82 per cent said that receiving funding helped them to overcome barriers to the arts.

Given the importance of that funding to enable children and young people to flourish in the arts and creative industries sector, what action is being put in place to ensure that that funding continues in coming years?

Information obtained from prisons shows that criminals are increasingly using state-of-the-art technology to avoid security. One drone was found to be full of mobile phone SIM cards, syringes and needles, together with tablets and suspected drugs. Violence among inmates will be an inevitable consequence of drone deliveries. What action can be put in place to ensure that the lives of hard-working prison officers are protected?

I am pleased to take up the opportunity to participate in the debate, and I thank Jackie Dunbar for bringing it to the chamber. Indeed, I contributed to a similar debate when I was my party’s shadow minister for older people.

Generational working together is, and continues to be, a major issue. It is encouraging to hear that, from humble beginnings, the global intergenerational week event has now grown to an international level in just a few years, and now addresses the international issues that make such a difference to the generations. The campaign is a good chance for us to celebrate local opportunities to bring different age groups together to form friendships, to work together, to learn and to make progress.

As members know, I am a co-convener of the Scottish Parliament’s cross-party group on Malawi, and I was delighted to learn recently that the Malawi Network of Older Persons Organisations has taken on the role of Malawi’s country lead for global intergenerational week. As a consortium of civil society organisations working on ageing issues in Malawi, MANEPO is completely dedicated to promoting and protecting the rights of older people across that country.

The motion highlights this year’s theme of intergenerational learning and highlights the findings of the World Health Organization’s “Global Report on Ageism”. The report outlines the negative impact of ageism on society, states that education is a key strategy for addressing it and focuses on the vital progress that has been made. Although it is very much the case that the Government must focus on how we deal with ageism and on how older people are managed, it is vital that we think about how those issues work on an international and intergenerational stage.

It is also important that we look at what the Scottish Government has done in the past. We know that there have been concerns about how the issues of isolation and loneliness are being tackled. There has been some progress in that regard, but we still have a long way to go in order to make the necessary changes. If nothing else, it gives us the context for where we are with regard to our ageing population.

Age Scotland’s report, “The Big Survey 2023”, which contains the results of a survey of people over 50 in Scotland, highlights many areas that need to be addressed and highlighted. Furthermore, a study by the Scottish Fiscal Commission that the BBC highlighted recently has found that issues with people’s health become much more apparent as they get on in years, and discusses how that can be looked at. It says that we face “significant challenges” as a country when it comes to managing how individuals from different generations are supported

As for financing what needs to be done, we are well aware that, over the next 20 years, the spending required could have major impacts on what can and will be achieved. The commission’s study talks about several indicators that relate to the decline in the health of the Scottish population, and we have already talked about how, in the past, health inequalities, isolation and loneliness have been big issues. Since 2012, Scotland’s progress has very much stagnated, and there has been a general decline in healthy life expectancy. There has been a rise in mental health issues, too, as we are, sadly, all aware.

However, it is important that we also consider the positives that can be achieved. Significant health inequalities indicate not only where we are with regard to intergenerational issues but ways of supporting older people to feel part of the process. In saying all this, I echo the words of the Scottish Fiscal Commission’s chairman, Professor Graeme Roy, who has said that

“Scotland faces a real challenge in terms of its overall fiscal sustainability”

when it comes to its ageing—and its unhealthy—population.

I am anxious to hear what the minister will say in her summing-up speech, when she will talk about where we are. However, there is a real opportunity for us to work together, to train together and to engage in projects together, all of which will make a difference when it comes to intergenerational issues.

The issue that the minister just talked about is not being covered by many health boards, as we have seen at the cross-party group. There still seems to be a postcode lottery when it comes to individuals receiving the care and attention that they require. Having a disease action plan for the heart is vitally important. Clinicians and practitioners have come to the cross-party group to express their concerns. I have heard what the minister has said so far, but I am still not convinced that that action plan and the way forward are going to be addressed in the short term.

Labour cannot achieve those things in the absence of the growth in the economy that is required to make them happen. Labour knows that, and it is not achieving it.

The FSB has also said that the Government’s proposals will

“deter small employers from taking on new staff”.

That is the case. Small businesses are being deterred from taking on staff, which is a disaster for economic growth.

The Office for Budget Responsibility has made it clear that the full impact of the reforms is hard to predict because “insufficient detail” has been provided. That means that the growth that is forecast for the coming year could be even lower than has been predicted. The OBR has also highlighted that North Sea oil and gas revenues could fall by more than half by the end of the decade, from £5.4 billion to £2.3 billion. That is partly a result of the anti-investment policies of the UK and Scottish Governments, which are slowly turning their backs on an industry that supports 100,000 jobs.

We cannot go down that road. We must not put such strain on our economy. We must ensure that everything that we do supports the environment for businesses in our community.

The SNP should not forget that its legacy on success in respect of the economy is not good, either. The actions and deeds of the SNP Government are still causing difficulties for the economy. As has been discussed, the Scottish budget is missing out on £800 million as a result of the SNP’s failure to grow the economy.

Conservative members have long called for the SNP Government to use its powers over tax and spending to cut taxes for hard-working Scots, to pass on business rates relief in full and to create a pro-business and pro-innovation environment across Scotland. That is what we want, but we are seeing the opposite. Labour policies have already damaged the UK’s economy, but because of the SNP, the damage in Scotland continues.

We will continue to champion policies to ensure that we can provide well-paid jobs and have a growing economy and effective and efficient public services. That is exactly what the Scottish public expects from both Governments. However, the spring statement is bad for the economy, bad for business and bad for consumers.

Last summer, many of us warned about the economic damage that would ensue if Labour was to form the next United Kingdom Government. Since Labour came into power in July, we have seen many of those fears become reality. Inflation is increasing once again, and UK growth stalled in the second part of 2024. The latest forecasts predict that, in 2025, growth will be half of what was previously predicted.

Although that is bad news for the British economy, none of it is too surprising. The UK Labour Government is a high-tax, high-regulation Government that is undermining the confidence of business across the whole of the UK, but businesses here in Scotland also have to deal with a second high-tax agenda—that of the SNP Government.

Labour’s spring statement was, in effect, an emergency budget that needed to signal a change of direction to get the economy back on track, but that did not happen. With the prospect of tariffs coming, which we have known about for some time, we would have hoped that there would have been improvements to provide certainty. Once again, however, such certainty is lacking.

In the light of the continued uncertainty in Europe, Labour’s decision to increase defence spending can be welcomed, but from the point of view of growth and long-term investment in our economy, the spring statement failed to deliver the clarity and certainty that are needed for taxpayers and businesses across Scotland.

Although the Labour Government says that growth is its number 1 priority, that was not reflected at all in the spring statement. The increase in national insurance contributions alone will have a significant impact on staffing decisions for businesses across the country. Even though that increase will not come into effect until later this week, many companies have already frozen recruitment and increased their prices, and we know that that tax increase will cost jobs and slow economic growth. The only question is by how much it will do so.

However, it is not just the jobs tax that is creating uncertainty in the labour market. The Government is also pressing ahead with its workers’ rights reforms, which are opposed by employers of every shape and size the length and breadth of the country. Not content with charging companies more for the privilege of employing people, the Labour Government also wants to tie up employers with red tape. The Federation of Small Businesses has said that the reforms are

“rushed ... clumsy, chaotic and poorly planned.”

They are not what business needs to hear from the new Government by way of support.