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We will go back to Maggie Chapman.

I am really pleased to speak in the debate and to focus, in particular, on Scotland’s world-class seafood, which is not just a product that we sell; it is part of who we on the coast are. For generations, our coastal communities have been built around the fishing industry, with ports such as Peterhead and Fraserburgh landing some of the finest seafood in the world. It is not just delicious; it is a sustainable, low-carbon source of protein that is rich in omega 3 and vitamins, which are essential for a healthy diet. It is something that we should be immensely proud of.

With 70 to 80 per cent of our seafood being exported, our produce is recognised worldwide for its quality, and our shellfish and white fish are sought after in some of the finest restaurants in Europe, Asia and the middle east. Industry leaders such as Jimmy Buchan of the Amity Fish Company are taking our seafood to new markets, and they recently showcased Scotland’s produce in Dubai. At the Gulfood trade show, the largest food expo in the world, Scottish companies secured more than £1.5 million in new business, thereby proving that there is huge demand for our seafood. Every new restaurant in Paris or Dubai that serves Scottish seafood strengthens our industry back home.

The industry contributes billions of pounds to our economy and supports thousands of jobs in fishing, processing and logistics. Strengthening the sector means ensuring stable livelihoods for coastal communities that have relied on the sea for generations. Scottish seafood is not just in demand in high-end restaurants abroad; it is also making its way into major retailers and emerging markets. That diversification helps to shield our industry from economic uncertainty and trade disruptions. Expanding our global reach helps to ensure long-term sustainability, but it also means that we must push for more support from the UK Government and work closely with producers to remove unnecessary barriers and provide the right support to maximise opportunities worldwide.

That international reputation is built on hard work and innovation. However, to keep it growing, we need to make sure that our seafood industry gets the support that it needs. That means supporting exporters and making it easier to get Scottish seafood on to plates around the world. It means making sure that our ports, markets—

Yes, I will.

I had not heard of that comment, but I am happy to discuss it. When I was first elected to the Parliament, I noted that there was a space that needed filling for fishers and the offshore wind industry to come together to have discussions on the blue economy. That is why I set up the cross-party group on fisheries and coastal communities, which I convene.

Crucially, building that international reputation means investing in the next generation of fishers, so that our industry continues to thrive for years to come.

Although our seafood is a huge success internationally, we should also be eating more of it ourselves. Fish is one of the healthiest, most sustainable and tastiest foods that we have access to, yet many Scots do not eat the recommended amount, which is two portions a week—in case anyone needs to know that. Part of the solution is to make sure that people can access and afford Scottish seafood. It is a strange reality that, in a country surrounded by the sea, we do not eat as much of it as we should.

We need to make sure that we are holding retailers to account so that they properly support and promote our world-class produce. Supermarkets play a huge role in that; they decide what is visible on the shelves, what is promoted and what is priced competitively. Right now, 37 per cent of supermarket promotions are for unhealthy, high-fat, high-sugar products, while fresh produce—including fish—is far less visible. That has to change.

When Lidl and Aldi invested in marketing Scottish seafood, they saw higher sales and increased market share, thereby proving that when local produce is given prominence, people will buy it, so let us get all the major supermarkets on board to stock and label Scottish fish prominently and to run special offers on it, just as they do with imported produce. We must make sure that our local food is properly supported by Scotland’s biggest food retailers.

The issue is not simply about what is in our shops; it is also about ensuring that our young people are taught about this wonderful food source. The seafood in schools programme has been brilliant in introducing young people to the benefits of Scottish seafood and showing them where their food comes from.

If we want our seafood sector to continue to thrive, we need to support it in any way possible. Investing in our seafood infrastructure and upgrading ports, markets and processing facilities will keep our sector strong, as will tackling workforce shortages. We should encourage more Scots to eat Scottish seafood by launching public information campaigns and working with supermarkets to make our produce affordable and visible.

By doing that, we can send a clear message that we believe in Scotland’s seafood and are committed to it, both at home and abroad. Scotland’s seas are rich, but let us make sure that we not only celebrate but sustain what they offer.

I will come on to that later in my speech. That is why I chose this specific topic. I will get to it after a couple more paragraphs.

Technology can now track menstrual cycles, which is flagging early signs of conditions such as endometriosis and polycystic ovary syndrome. We are already spotting heart disease and cancer earlier than we were previously. Remote monitoring services, such as the connect me programme, allow women to track their blood pressure and symptoms from home, thereby cutting down on unnecessary appointments and ensuring that intervention happens sooner, not later.

This is where I come on to the solution that I spoke about. Technology alone will not solve everything; rather, it has to be embedded in a system that actively includes women in its design. Women’s symptoms do not always fit the textbook definitions for common conditions, which has real-world consequences, from delayed diagnosis to treatments that do not fully meet women’s needs. We must ensure that innovation is developed with women in mind from the start—they must not be an afterthought. That means increasing their representation in clinical trials, ensuring that female-specific conditions receive the attention that they deserve and integrating women-focused research into every stage of healthcare innovation.

Let us not forget the economic case. Investment in innovation is not just about better health outcomes. It is also about future proofing the NHS workforce by reducing the strain on hospitals and freeing up staff to focus on complex cases. Innovation helps to make our healthcare system more sustainable overall.

Scotland is already advancing rapidly in health innovation. Now, while pushing forward, we must ensure that advancements reach the people who need them most. If I have a specific ask, it is that women benefit from being included from the very start, because when we design healthcare solutions for everyone, we will build a healthier and stronger Scotland for all.

Often, before I write my speeches, I like to have a discussion with people around me just to see what they think about the topic. I am very lucky to have a friend who works in research, development and innovation in the NHS: it has been helpful to get some links from her.

Overall, there was a perception among people whom I spoke to that healthcare innovation is a bit of a luxury item, that it is way off in the future and that they would only ever see it in the likes of “Star Trek”. However, the opposite is true, and many great advances in healthcare technology are happening in Scotland right now.

Take the NHS Grampian’s GEMINI—Grampian’s evaluation of Mia in an innovative national breast screening initiative—project, which is a perfect example of such an advance. It was developed with the University of Aberdeen and Cairn Technology. It is changing how we detect breast cancer by using artificial intelligence to improve screening accuracy. Its AI tool—Mia—has helped radiologists to detect 10.4 per cent more cancers than standard screenings, while reducing their workload by 36 per cent. That is not some futuristic idea—it is a real working example of how technology is improving patient outcomes today and reducing the burden on our NHS workforce, thereby freeing it up to focus more on patient care. It is exactly the kind of technology that ensures efficiency without compromising on quality by allowing healthcare professionals to dedicate more time to patients than to processes.

The accelerated national innovation adoption pathway is making sure that, when research-backed advancements emerge, they do not get stuck in trials for years, but are adopted by our NHS fast. That is making healthcare safer, faster and more effective overall.

Although such advances are transforming many areas of healthcare, we also have to ask who is benefiting from them most. If innovation is to work for everyone, we need to make sure that it is reaching those who have historically been unserved—for example, in women’s healthcare.

A few nights ago, I chaired the cross-party group on heart and circulatory diseases, and we focused on women’s health. Let us be honest: we all already know the problem, and we do not need more reports telling us that women are more likely to be misdiagnosed when they have had a heart attack, or that menopause and menstrual health are still not treated as the serious medical issues they are.

This is personal for me. My mother died of heart disease when she was only 49 years old. That was 25 years ago, but women are still saying that they do not feel that they are listened to when it comes to their health. Perhaps this is where empowering patients with innovative systems to monitor and track their own health can help—not just in helping with physical health but by ensuring that women feel that they are being heard.

I thank Paul O’Kane, my colleague on the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee, for securing this important debate. I know that the subject is close to his heart and that he is passionate about promoting the voices of young carers in the Parliament. I extend a very warm welcome to the young carers who have joined us in the gallery. It is truly an honour for us to have them here.

It was a privilege for me to secure the debate on young carers action day last year, as my colleague Evelyn Tweed noted. I was prompted to do so by young carers in my constituency, and their courage, resilience and determination have left a lasting impression on me. It is because of them and the thousands of young carers across Scotland that we are here again today, ensuring that their voices are heard.

Jeremy Balfour spoke about his lived experience at home, which prompted me to score out some of the lines in my speech and to speak from the heart. I have children with additional support needs. As my other children grew up, they had to support them and me in the home. Often, we wonder what it is like to be a carer. If we were to ask someone what that looks like, we might imagine a carer physically helping someone by feeding them, changing them and caring for them, but, a lot of the time, caring might not be like that at all.

A young carer or sibling carer might need to quickly vacuum the living room after some kind of messy explosion while the parent nips out to clean up and fix up the child who has the additional support needs. Sometimes, the sibling might need to run to grab a pair of socks, because the child needs to be dressed, or to do other wee errands around the house.

We do not often acknowledge that that is what caring can be or look like. A young carer might have to stay up through the night, because their sibling is restless and making noise, and then go to school very tired. They might have to miss out on days out and trips, because their sibling has additional needs, but still find patience and kindness at home. It can mean that their parents’ time is shared unevenly. Being a carer, specifically a young carer, means a lot.

This year’s young carers action day theme—“give me a break” or “geezabreak”—could not be more fitting. It highlights two critical areas of support that young carers desperately need: time for themselves to rest and greater understanding and flexibility from schools, colleges, universities and workplaces.

I am here today in the chamber because the young carers who supported me in caring for their siblings when they were growing up are now, as adults, keeping things ticking over at home. Young carers do not stop caring; they grow into adult carers. That is what usually happens. It is up to all of us to ensure that their voices are heard.

Young carers in my constituency hold me to account. This week, one emailed me to make sure that I was doing something for young carers action day. I say to my constituent: I am here and I am keeping your voice going. I say to the young carers in the gallery and to those who could not be here today: we see you, we value you and we recognise everything that you do. What you do matters more than you will ever know.

Thank you very much to all the panel members. We now move to questions from Maggie Chapman.

Good morning, and welcome to the seventh meeting in 2025 of the Equalities, Human Rights and Civil Justice Committee. We have no apologies.

Our first item is to agree whether to take in private item 4, which is consideration of our approach to the civil legal aid inquiry. Do members agree to take item 4 in private?

Members indicated agreement.

Pam, do you have any more questions before we move on?