Seòmar agus comataidhean

The fifth item on our agenda is consideration of two negative instruments, which were laid on Thursday 16 June and came into force on the same day. The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee considered the instruments at its meeting this morning. It decided to draw them to the attention of the Parliament on reporting ground (j) for failure to comply with laying requirements in section 28(2) of the Interpretation and Legislative Reform (Scotland) Act 2010. However, the DPLRC is content with the explanation provided by the Scottish Government for failure to comply with the laying requirements.

The first instrument is the National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) (Scotland) Amendment (No 2) Regulations 2022. It ensures that certain NHS services for any overseas visitor who requires diagnosis or treatment for monkeypox are provided without charge to that overseas visitor.

No motions to annul have been received in relation to the instrument.

As no member has any ?comments,?I propose that the committee does not make any?recommendations in relation to the?instrument.?Do members agree with that?

Members indicated agreement.

I want to further explore the policies and objectives that relate to addressing health inequalities. Last week, Professor Sir Michael Marmot, who has previously given evidence to the committee, provided compelling evidence about the measures that have been taken in England, particularly in Wolverhampton and Manchester, under his Marmot cities model. He uses six approaches that can make a difference—and which, on the basis of reports on those cities, have been shown to have made a difference.

Last week, I said that those things are not “rocket science”; we probably all recognise them as important things to do that make a difference. They are very often offered and supported by local government and the third sector. However, we know that their funding is reducing, which is challenging, so I am keen to get a sense of how we progress a Marmot cities agenda in Scotland, particularly in our city regions, and how we can sustain funding in the six areas that Professor Marmot has identified.

It is good to hear that that meeting is taking place today and that progress on that work is being made, because the committee felt very strongly about that evidence.

I want to ask about health inequalities that are driven by poverty. The committee heard evidence from many organisations that, to some extent, the only proven policy relating to poverty and its impact has been the child payment, given the progress that has been made in that regard. It has had an impact because income goes directly to the poorest families in our society. Would the minister support a further increase to the child payment in order to tackle inequalities?

Thank you very much. I will move on to questions from my colleague Emma Harper.

We move to questions on national strategy, which will be led by my colleague Evelyn Tweed.

I am sorry, but could you direct your comments through the chair?

We now move on to questions about the role of community link workers. I call Tess White to lead the questioning.

We come to questions on systemic inequality. Sandesh Gulhane will lead on that theme.

Our third item today is consideration of an affirmative instrument. The purpose of the regulations is to ensure that environmental health officers are able to issue fixed-penalty notices in respect of the offence of smoking in a no-smoking area outside a hospital building and the offence of failing to comply with signage requirements at entrances to hospital buildings, regarding the no-smoking areas outside those buildings.

The Delegated Powers and Law Reform Committee considered the instrument at its meeting on 21 June 2022 and made no recommendations in relation to the instrument.

We will have an evidence session with the Minister for Public Health, Women’s Health and Sport and a supporting official on the regulations. Once we have had all our questions answered, we will have the formal debate on the motion.

I welcome again to the committee Maree Todd, the Minister for Public Health, Women’s Health and Sport. I also welcome Jules Goodlet-Rowley, head of the healthy living unit in the Scottish Government, who is accompanying the minister online.??I invite the minister to make a brief opening statement.

My next question, which relates to some of my previous ones, is about support for local government. Local government will be at the forefront of the impending cost of living storm, which will be evident in services such as welfare rights and money advice. In all public health approaches, local government needs to do more, but it has been asked to do more with less; indeed, the Accounts Commission has pointed to a 4.2 per cent real-terms cut to local government budgets. Do you feel that it is sustainable for local government to deliver what we want to achieve with such cuts to budgets?