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Seòmar agus comataidhean

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

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Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 13 February 2025
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Displaying 798 contributions

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Meeting of the Parliament

Portfolio Question Time

Meeting date: 8 May 2024

Jenni Minto

The Scottish Ambulance Service continually engages with health boards while optimising services including flow navigation centres and the integrated clinical hub, which provide care for patients at or near home, thereby reducing pressures on accident and emergency departments. The call before you convey protocol is being used, and cohorting areas have been established at challenging sites, ensuring that ambulance crews are freed up during high-demand periods.

Meeting of the Parliament

Portfolio Question Time

Meeting date: 8 May 2024

Jenni Minto

As an inhabitant of an island, I recognise the pressures that Alasdair Allan talks about. The Scottish Government recognises that more can be done to bring transport planning and health service planning together. However, the timetabling of commercial flights is a matter for the airlines involved.

In 2023, we prepared the draft transport to health plan and we have been working with regional transport partnerships and other partners to deliver the commitments. The Highlands and Islands Transport Partnership recently convened a meeting of health boards in its area to discuss the establishment of a health and transport action plan, and this issue is exactly the type of thing that the action plan should be considering.

Meeting of the Parliament

Portfolio Question Time

Meeting date: 8 May 2024

Jenni Minto

It was a pleasure to meet the member’s constituents, who have been campaigning hard for the re-establishment of their general practitioner surgeries. I will check to find out when the Evan Beswick report will be published. I will also chase up my diary, if I remain in this role, and hopefully get the meeting booked as soon as possible, as I have connections to Moray.

Meeting of the Parliament

Portfolio Question Time

Meeting date: 8 May 2024

Jenni Minto

I am concerned about what Rhoda Grant has reported with regard to access for elderly and less mobile constituents of hers. I would be happy to chase that up and respond to her in writing.

Meeting of the Parliament

Portfolio Question Time

Meeting date: 8 May 2024

Jenni Minto

I disagree with the premise of Willie Rennie’s question. The new fee system was introduced only in November, and we are still working through it. As the member will know, if all things remain equal, we will have a round-table meeting tomorrow in the Parliament to discuss dental services. It is important to recognise that the Scottish Government is also considering a range of workforce initiatives, including looking at how we can better utilise dental therapists to provide national health service care.

This is not just an issue that affects Scotland, so I have met my counterparts in other United Kingdom nations to discuss how we can improve the pipeline for overseas dentists to work in the UK. I am pleased that the Westminster Parliament is looking at the issue.

Meeting of the Parliament

General Question Time

Meeting date: 2 May 2024

Jenni Minto

We have long-standing arrangements to publish activity on national health service dental services through Public Health Scotland, and data on the reformed dental payment system will continue to be provided through those arrangements on a quarterly basis.

Published data provides information at both a national and regional level, which officials use to inform on-going, regular analysis in discussion with all NHS boards, including NHS Fife, on the impact of national reform on local care provision.

Meeting of the Parliament

General Question Time

Meeting date: 2 May 2024

Jenni Minto

I thank Roz McCall for her question and am happy to look at her initial suggestion.

We are working very closely with health boards on workforce initiatives because, as we were very clear at the start of payment reform, that was the first step on the journey. We are looking at things such as the direct access model, and I know that NHS Highland is keen to be involved in that.

I have also been working with the other United Kingdom nations and stakeholders to improve the overseas dentist pipeline, which I am pleased to see moving forward.

Meeting of the Parliament

Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 30 April 2024

Jenni Minto

As I set out in my opening remarks, I am privileged to support the bill.

As I explained when I gave evidence to the committee, I first encountered anti-abortion activity outside clinics during a trip to Oregon in the United States in the early 2000s. Since then, that type of activity has only spread. It is my sincere hope that the bill will send a clear message that women’s most personal choices are not up for public debate.

Once again, I thank the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, under the convenership of Clare Haughey, for its thorough consideration of the bill. I also thank everyone for their contributions today. As Carol Mochan and Lorna Slater highlighted, the tone of the debate is a tribute to the Parliament.

I acknowledge John Mason’s view. As Monica Lennon said, the Parliament and this country give us the privilege of being able to listen to opposing views.

I have been particularly struck by the consistently made point that everyone has a fundamental right to healthcare. The provision of health advice is for the health service. As Annie Wells noted, that can be done at a difficult time.

Rona Mackay and Tess White talked about the emotional and psychological impact on staff. That, too, has been central to the evidence that has been gathered when the bill has been debated.

It is important to recognise that the bill focuses on the needs of our healthcare infrastructure, so it is understandably different from the legislation for other parts of the country. We do not have stand-alone clinics; we have buildings that provide many different types of healthcare.

Sandesh Gulhane was absolutely right. I represent a rural constituency, and I can understand and reflect on the importance of safe and confidential care.

I appreciate Ruth Maguire’s comments. I do not think that polarised views help in an open and honest discussion. I note her points on the shift of power, perhaps, between Parliament and ministers. I also note her points on silent prayer and I would be very happy to meet her to discuss the issue.

Like Monica Lennon and many others, I would like to reflect on the courage of those who came to provide evidence. A lot of thought-provoking evidence was given to the committee. I note Monica Lennon’s point about loud chants or silent judgment, which is something that I have been considering. I thank Monica Lennon for the work that she has done in the cross-party group on women’s health and for her contributions to cross-party meetings that I have held, which I very much appreciate.

I have listened carefully to all the points that have been made this afternoon. Although time may not allow me to respond to every member, I will address as many as I can.

First, I turn to the call for safe access zones to be 150m in size rather than 200m, as is set out in the bill. I am not entirely sure that Tess White understood what I said. I reiterate that considerable work was undertaken between the consultation and the bill being introduced to ensure that that was the right size. We are working on that, and we will provide that information as we go on. I fear that, by reducing the zone size, we would fail to protect women and staff when they need it most. However, as I have just said, I reiterate my offer to meet members who wish to discuss that further.

One of the key things that we looked at when drafting the bill is the absolute point about balancing people’s human rights. Again, we have undertaken considerable work to ensure that the bill strikes the right balance on the protection of people’s fundamental rights. We believe that the bill strikes the correct balance between the rights of patients and staff and those of individuals who participate in anti-abortion activity outside healthcare facilities that provide abortion services.

Meeting of the Parliament

Abortion Services (Safe Access Zones) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Meeting date: 30 April 2024

Jenni Minto

What we have been very clear on is that “silent prayer” is not on the face of the bill; it is the issue of intent that is addressed. Meghan Gallacher also picked up on that point. It is important to remember that the approach of Police Scotland involves the four Es—engage, explain, encourage and enforce—and in each case individual facts around the reason for an event will be considered. Each case may present different or difficult decisions, but it is not unusual for Police Scotland to make that kind of judgment.

The other area on which there has been a bit of discussion is trade union activity. The exemption in the bill is in recognition of the fact that protest activity related to workers’ rights might unintentionally influence people’s decisions to access abortion services or impede access to them, but that its purpose is distinct from pro and anti-abortion activity. I underline the fact that the Law Society of Scotland noted in correspondence to the committee that the bill is drafted specifically to avoid capturing union activity or any other protest activity that is not related to abortion.

I am pleased that the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee has concluded that the restrictions that the bill imposes are proportionate to its aims. Women should be able to access abortion services without unwanted influence, harassment or public judgment, and the bill can make that a reality. I urge every member to join me in bringing that reality a step closer.

Meeting of the Parliament

Victims and Prisoners Bill

Meeting date: 30 April 2024

Jenni Minto

I thank members from across the chamber for their contributions to this short but important debate. I also thank members of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee for their contributions to the discussion on the issue this morning. I am grateful for all the useful questions and important points that have been raised today, and I welcome the committee’s proposal that it will write to the UK Government to set out some of the concerns that stakeholders have raised.

I know that all of us in the chamber want to put the needs of the victims of this terrible tragedy first. As a result, I hope that we can all agree that the right thing to do now is to make concrete progress on delivering the arrangements for compensation. Those who have been infected and affected have waited for far too long to see progress being made, and many of the relatives of those who have sadly died have so far received nothing or only relatively small amounts of financial support.

As I have set out, the main parts of the UK Government amendments deliver the key recommendation of the infected blood inquiry by setting up the infected blood compensation authority. That authority, which will be legally established on royal assent after passing of the Victims and Prisoners Bill, will deliver the infected blood compensation scheme. The amendments will also ensure that people in Scotland will have access to the compensation scheme on the same basis as those elsewhere in the UK and that many bereaved families will get the opportunity to receive interim compensation while the final scheme is being set up.

Much of the detail of the scheme will have to be set out in regulations. I know that that creates uncertainty for victims, but I will work to ensure that the regulations work for all infected and affected victims in Scotland. In response to Paul Sweeney, I note that I will raise with the Cabinet Office some of the points that members have raised today.

I ask members to support the motion that has been lodged in my name so that we can finally begin to make progress on providing compensation to all the people who were affected so badly by the terrible tragedy that took place.