Seòmar agus comataidhean

I will be voting against Michael Marra’s amendments 45 and 48. They are really problematic, in that they are very middle-class focused. We have to look at the variety of people who will come forward for a GRC. The amendments are not inclusive of people from various different backgrounds. Sometimes we have to be careful when we say the word “safeguarding” when, in fact, we are talking about gatekeeping. That is what I feel is involved in the amendments. It is certainly gatekeeping, and what is proposed is against all the principles of the bill. The purpose of gender recognition reform is to make the process more progressive and easier for trans people to obtain a gender recognition certificate. I do not believe that the amendments would do that, so I will vote against them.

No. I ask that the amendment goes to a vote, because I would like to see the committee’s conclusion at this stage.

I thank my colleague Emma Roddick for bringing the motion to Parliament for debate and for clearly setting out many of the issues surrounding mental health support in the workplace. It is quite apparent that I have a mental health condition; I have panic disorder due to post-traumatic stress disorder, as was apparent when I gave my first speech in Parliament and my legs did not work. I am therefore glad that we are talking about this issue today.

Stigma and discrimination can have a devastating impact on the lives of people with mental health problems. They can stop people reaching out for the right help and support and can leave people feeling isolated or living in fear of judgment and dismissal. The worry is always there that they might be thought of as being incapable of doing their job. I am certainly in that bracket but, like my colleague Emma Roddick, I am very capable. However, someone who discloses their personal mental health struggle will always have that underlying worry. That is the reality for many people.

The workplace is a huge part of our lives. Just as our home life and social interactions need to provide us with safety and security, our workplace should do the same, and we should take steps to improve working conditions.

Over the decades, there have been improvements in the workplace in relation to health and safety. That has mostly involved physical health and safety, but I think that we should also improve the situation with regard to mental health and safety. Providing much-needed support around prevention and intervention for employees that is easy to access is crucial. Reducing stigma and raising awareness in the workplace can be transformational, and education is key to addressing that. I feel empowered by giving this speech today, and I am grateful for the opportunity to do so. If we create a culture from the ground up, we ensure that employees are educated, and that helps to get everybody on board, which is, surely, vital. We cannot tackle mental health issues in the workplace without addressing bullying and ignorance. How we act in relation to one another is vital.

I have been encouraged by the outstanding work of See Me Scotland, and I warmly welcome its partnership involvement with vulnerable groups that, according to statistics, experience mental ill health the most. For example, its work to tackle mental health stigma and discrimination in the LGBT community is pioneering. It is important to note the holistic approach that is needed to tackle mental health stigma. Often, there are complex layers to the issue, so casting a wider eye over it is vital.

For example, I represent a coastal and rural constituency with unique mental health challenges being faced by farmers and fishers, and by people in those wider industries. I commend the work of NFU Scotland and the SeaFit programme, which work to protect the mental wellbeing of everyone who works in those industries and offer much-needed support and vital services. Work to reduce stigma must come from within those industries, as those organisations know their members best.

I want to take a moment to recognise the individuals who work incredibly hard to raise awareness and provide support. There are too many for me to mention all of them, but they work hard to amplify the message that we are sending today. Many of them have been impacted by mental health issues, either personally or in relation to someone they love.

I would like to mention one of my constituents, Danny Thain, from Fraserburgh, who will take to the streets of Aberdeen to sleep rough for a month, relying on the kindness of strangers for food and drink, to raise awareness of mental health issues and to raise funds for a mental health retreat, after his devastating experience of losing three close friends to suicide.

In conclusion, we must encourage and work with employers and other stakeholders to ensure that a workplace culture allows employees to prioritise their mental health and wellbeing without fear of stigma. I am proud that, in Scotland, we are moving towards a fundamental and progressive shift towards a human rights-based policy approach. Being much closer to complying with international human rights standards will address many of the issues that are raised in the motion. Of course, that alone will not help. We need that foundational cultural change as a priority, and it begins with all of us.

Amid the positivity of what the cabinet secretary has set out today, the elephant in the room—Brexit—is still there. Our trade in goods with the European Union was 12 per cent lower in 2021 because of Brexit and it has been reported that the cost of lost exports to the EU is more than £2.2 billion. The food and drink sector in Scotland has been blighted by the hard Brexit that has been pursued by the United Kingdom Government, and our agricultural industries are threatened by its consequences. How does the Scottish Government intend to provide certainty and clarity to those sectors, given the chaos that has been visited on them by the UK Government?

Is there anything in particular that the committee should be aware of with regard to keeping that alignment with EU regulations in the frameworks? Is there anything that should be a priority for us at the moment?

We have lost access to the EU scientific agencies. How does that affect the ability of the working groups to gain access to that scientific advice? What has been the fallout from that, and what can we do now?

We have spoken about the Scottish Government choosing to keep regulatory alignment with EU frameworks. I would like to dig into the reasoning for that. What are the benefits of doing that?

That is useful to know. Thank you.

I will follow on from your discussion with Pam Gosal about outreach work, minister. We find that those who are most marginalised in society are also those who feel most disenfranchised, so I am glad to hear that on-going outreach processes are in place.

What can we do to ensure that outreach does not take place only at the end of the budgetary process and that there is a system by which people can provide input all the way through, from beginning to end?

No, the member has said enough.

There is no doubt that the cost of remaining in the UK has pushed people into poverty, destitution and hunger and that Scotland needs the opportunity to break free. The differences are stark between the devolved Scottish Government and the UK Government, which seeks to destroy the wellbeing of our nation. We seek to build an economy with the wellbeing of our citizens at its very core. Even under the limitations of devolution, the ambition and compassion of the Scottish Government have seen us introduce the many mitigations that my colleagues have mentioned.

Those are the measurements of a Government that values the wellbeing of its population. Many of the witnesses the committee heard from welcomed so many of those actions from the Scottish Government. In the recent Scottish social attitudes survey, 74 per cent of adults reported that they trusted the Scottish Government to run Scotland’s affairs.

I have detailed some of the statistics and the steps taken to combat the damage that is being done. Behind each and every one of those statistics is a story of personal tragedy for individuals, families and children.

I conclude with a remark from a welfare officer who advises and supports people who are suffering from the unlevel playing field, who said:

“People talk about the ability to heat or eat. It is not an option any more. We are facing people that will suffer mentally and physically because they can no longer do either of those.”

We have the option of a better future, though. Scotland is a nation rich with energy, a world-renowned food and agriculture sector, and a sustainable fishing industry. We will do so much better with the powers that come with independence.