Seòmar agus comataidhean

To ask the Scottish Government what assessment it has made of how its budget 2026-27 delivers fair funding for health and social care services across the country, including in South Scotland. (S6O-05660)

The underfunding of health and social care is a systemic problem across Scotland. Local authorities face cuts year on year, services are being pulled and budget shortfalls have led to local communities’ care packages being cut. This year, East Ayrshire health and social care partnership, which is in my region, faced a financial overspend of more than £10 million, forcing the council to establish a health and social care emergency financial support fund, as a one-off to plug the funding gap. That is not sustainable. Does the cabinet secretary recognise the funding gaps and the direct impact that the cuts are having on communities right here, right now?

We will support all the amendments in this group. Scottish Labour’s approach to the bill has always been safety first. However, we consider that there are businesses, as Dr Gulhane mentioned, that are working very professionally, and we seek to ensure that there is that transition and support to businesses so that they can practise.

I place on record Scottish Labour’s support for both amendments in this group, which seek to strengthen the review of any support given. Amendment 24 would require HIS to publish information on the additional resources given to businesses, including advice, support and funding, and would ensure that providers are supported during the transition, and amendment 6 sets out, in great detail, the type of guidance that should be given to help businesses to comply with the law.

During the transition to greater regulation, guidance and information will be incredibly important in supporting compliance, ensuring understanding and avoiding confusion, which is why we support both amendments in the group.

I thank all of those who have participated in this debate for their cross-party working. I also thank the clerks and the bill teams for their work throughout.

As I mentioned in my opening speech, Scottish Labour’s approach to the bill has consistently prioritised patient safety. The growth in the non-surgical procedures industry has highlighted a worrying gap in essential regulation to protect people and providers who deliver professional and safe services. This is a growing industry and the public and professional bodies want that to be reflected. The bill offers a chance to introduce national standards and expectations and, in the long term, it will ensure that patient safety is prioritised.

We want all services to be as safe as possible. I take the opportunity to put on the record again that we in Scottish Labour recognise the good practice that currently exists in the sector. However, we currently have no way of identifying the good from the bad and there are clear cases of hygiene and safety standards not being met, which is why the bill is so important. The sector has grown rapidly and, given the fact that these services and procedures are so widely available and easily accessible, the legislation is welcome.

It is not for us to determine how a person chooses to present themselves, but the Parliament has a responsibility to ensure that public safety is protected and that necessary safeguards and regulation are in place. The bill will create an offence of providing procedures to people under the age of 18, which is welcome and long overdue. We know that such procedures are not suitable for young people and that they can have damaging and long-term consequences. The bill will improve accountability when things go wrong and give us an important opportunity to raise the public’s awareness of and educate people about the standards that they should be looking for before undergoing procedures with associated risks.

Although we support the bill, we also recognise the reservations and concerns that were expressed by those in the industry who support regulation but are seeking reassurance in support and guidance. Scottish Labour supported a number of amendments that sought phased implementation and review of the operation and enforcement of the act. We will continue to scrutinise the legislation in the sessions to come to ensure that its implementation and future regulations are balanced with support, training and guidance for the industry.

16:28

Scottish Labour’s approach to the bill is that patient safety should be our number 1 priority. We recognise that businesses in the sector provide services in a professional manner and in a professional environment, but the non-surgical procedures industry currently operates largely unregulated and has been in need of regulation for some time.

During its evidence gathering at stage 1, the committee heard of fizz and filler parties and of people being injected or given treatment in the back of taxis and in sheds. Premises that administer injectable procedures are not regulated in a way that the public should expect, and there is limited oversight of risk to consumers’ safety and wellbeing.

Right now, we rely on businesses to provide services in a safe and hygienic setting, but the reality is that those premises are not regulated and we have no way of distinguishing the good practices from the bad. The bill will correct that. Scottish Labour supports the regulation of the non-surgical procedures industry because it will bring the industry under the scope of HIS, ensuring oversight and regulation of premises.

The bill will strengthen not only standards across the sector, but accountability and safety. We are aware of the concerns that industry has raised about the impact that the changes will have on business models and operations. That is why we supported amendments that provide for a phased implementation and a review of the operation and enforcement of the act. We have also supported amendments to ensure minimum training and qualification standards for those who provide procedures as the bill comes into force, and we hope that the amendments that we supported are realistic and that their timelines are proportionate.

If the bill passes, it is hoped that existing providers will be able to adapt their practices to continue delivering their professional services, and I know that the minister is committed to that. It is important that future Governments ensure that current providers of non-surgical procedures have good access to training and support with a sufficient adjustment period, and amendments that were lodged by members from across the chamber have sought to ensure that.

These procedures are not risk free. We want fair and appropriate regulation to ensure the highest standards in patient safety. We also want to protect children and young people from both access to and the appeal of such services.

I welcome the bill, which takes important steps towards ensuring that regulation, enforcement and accountability are brought into the sector. If it passes, the bill must be balanced with support, training and guidance for the industry ahead of implementation. We thank colleagues for the cross-party work that has gone into the bill.

16:48

My amendment 27 seeks to add further detail to what the review of part 1 of the bill should include. The amendment comes from concerns about the support and guidance that will be given to the industry once the bill comes into force, and it touches on points that were made in the debates on the previous groupings.

Amendment 27 states that the review of part 1 should

“include an assessment of … support provided to providers of non-surgical procedures, including providers that are … independent, and … non-medical”.

It would also require an assessment of the

“training opportunities available to providers to assist them to upskill”,

including

“qualification and accreditation pathways for practitioners, including those who are non-medical”,

and of the

“guidance provided in relation to minimum training and competence requirements”.

During stage 1 of the bill, the committee raised concerns about provision in remote and rural areas and financial costs to providers. Therefore, a review must also consider those points. At stage 2, the Scottish Government was widely supportive of the principles of amendment 27.

I recognise that Stuart McMillan’s amendment 28 shares a similar objective to that of my amendment 27. It outlines what a review of the bill should include. Although I support amendment 28, I note that it lacks detail, particularly when considering the specific support that will be given to businesses and the guidance that will be given to the sector.

I turn to other amendments in the group. I support amendments 25, 26, 33 and 37 in the name of Sandesh Gulhane. They seek to introduce proper checks and balances regarding the available capacity of HIS, which will be enforcing the bill. During stage 1, the committee heard concerns about resources and enforcement challenges as HIS is given new powers to enter, search and seize in registered premises. Therefore, it seems reasonable to ask that a review of HIS capacity is carried out, because enforcement is a large part of the bill.

In my five years as an MSP, I have had the great honour of hearing directly from people across my region and across Scotland. Many of those people have experiences well outside my own, and I value all those interactions and take them very seriously. I therefore want to thank everyone who has contacted me about the bill.

I am here to serve, and that is exactly what I intend to do today. Few groups have affected me as much as those pleading with us to pass the bill. What I have come to understand is that choice at the end of life really matters. The experience is one that any of us might encounter in one way or another; however, until we do, it can seem like an abstract or far-off consideration. We cannot allow ourselves to imagine that we might have to consider assisted dying.

People who have had this experience, or who are having this experience as we speak, are watching us today, awaiting a vote that signals to them that their concerns have been heard and that their lives remain their own. Those same people watched last week as we constructively debated the issues and assessed the amendments—the longest such process that we have had, certainly in my time here at Holyrood. No one can say that the bill has not received serious and considered scrutiny, and I thank my fellow members for that.

I remind colleagues in the chamber that there is widespread public support for legislation on assisted dying. Are we, as parliamentarians in Scotland, going to simply ignore the fact that public opinion is moving towards such reform? I truly hope not. I believe that we need this legislation and that to turn our back once again on compassion and choice would be a grave mistake, driven by fear.

Polling suggests that around 76 per cent of people across my South Scotland region support legislating on assisted dying; indeed, the figure is broadly similar in every region. I want to be clear: this bill is about choice; it has strong public backing; and it has received unprecedented scrutiny and constructive debate. That is how democracy should work—it is the basis for good legislation that will stand the test of time. In that spirit, and in line with the principles that I have strongly held since I worked in the NHS, I will cast my vote today for the people who are suffering now, for those who will suffer in the future and for everyone who simply wants a fair and compassionate option in the likely final six months of a terminal illness.

I entered politics to help people and to empower them, and the bill does both. It might not be a comfortable or an easy subject—I accept that—but this is all about taking a compassionate approach that best serves the complex experiences of so many people across Scotland.

At times, I have been dismayed at how little meaningful legislation makes it through the chamber. A great deal of time, public funds and people’s hopes are invested in our democratic processes, and I fear that, due to excessive caution or needless delay, we do not provide the public with many examples by which they can measure our worth. Today, we can provide such an example.

I will close by offering my thanks to Liam McArthur MSP and his team, who have done such great work in navigating the bill through the Parliament. Without that steadfast and constructive approach, we would not be at this stage to begin with.

I urge my fellow MSPs to please not delay compassion or delay the ability to help others. Let us pass this historic bill and end this session having truly changed Scotland instead of just maintaining the status quo. Let us give dying people the chance to decide their last moment for themselves.

19:19

In my five years as an MSP, I have had the great honour of hearing directly from people across my region and across Scotland. Many of those people have experiences well outside my own, and I value all those interactions and take them very seriously. I therefore want to thank everyone who has contacted me about the bill.

I am here to serve, and that is exactly what I intend to do today. Few groups have affected me as much as those pleading with us to pass the bill. What I have come to understand is that choice at the end of life really matters. The experience is one that any of us might encounter in one way or another; however, until we do, it can seem like an abstract or far-off consideration. We cannot allow ourselves to imagine that we might have to consider assisted dying.

People who have had this experience, or who are having this experience as we speak, are watching us today, awaiting a vote that signals to them that their concerns have been heard and that their lives remain their own. Those same people watched last week as we constructively debated the issues and assessed the amendments—the longest such process that we have had, certainly in my time here at Holyrood. No one can say that the bill has not received serious and considered scrutiny, and I thank my fellow members for that.

I remind colleagues in the chamber that there is widespread public support for legislation on assisted dying. Are we, as parliamentarians in Scotland, going to simply ignore the fact that public opinion is moving towards such reform? I truly hope not. I believe that we need this legislation and that to turn our back once again on compassion and choice would be a grave mistake, driven by fear.

Polling suggests that around 76 per cent of people across my South Scotland region support legislating on assisted dying; indeed, the figure is broadly similar in every region. I want to be clear: this bill is about choice; it has strong public backing; and it has received unprecedented scrutiny and constructive debate. That is how democracy should work—it is the basis for good legislation that will stand the test of time. In that spirit, and in line with the principles that I have strongly held since I worked in the NHS, I will cast my vote today for the people who are suffering now, for those who will suffer in the future and for everyone who simply wants a fair and compassionate option in the likely final six months of a terminal illness.

I entered politics to help people and to empower them, and the bill does both. It might not be a comfortable or an easy subject—I accept that—but this is all about taking a compassionate approach that best serves the complex experiences of so many people across Scotland.

At times, I have been dismayed at how little meaningful legislation makes it through the chamber. A great deal of time, public funds and people’s hopes are invested in our democratic processes, and I fear that, due to excessive caution or needless delay, we do not provide the public with many examples by which they can measure our worth. Today, we can provide such an example.

I will close by offering my thanks to Liam McArthur MSP and his team, who have done such great work in navigating the bill through the Parliament. Without that steadfast and constructive approach, we would not be at this stage to begin with.

I urge my fellow MSPs to please not delay compassion or delay the ability to help others. Let us pass this historic bill and end this session having truly changed Scotland instead of just maintaining the status quo. Let us give dying people the chance to decide their last moment for themselves.

19:19

In my five years as an MSP, I have had the great honour of hearing directly from people across my region and across Scotland. Many of those people have experiences well outside my own, and I value all those interactions and take them very seriously. I therefore want to thank everyone who has contacted me about the bill.

I am here to serve, and that is exactly what I intend to do today. Few groups have affected me as much as those pleading with us to pass the bill. What I have come to understand is that choice at the end of life really matters. The experience is one that any of us might encounter in one way or another; however, until we do, it can seem like an abstract or far-off consideration. We cannot allow ourselves to imagine that we might have to consider assisted dying.

People who have had this experience, or who are having this experience as we speak, are watching us today, awaiting a vote that signals to them that their concerns have been heard and that their lives remain their own. Those same people watched last week as we constructively debated the issues and assessed the amendments—the longest such process that we have had, certainly in my time here at Holyrood. No one can say that the bill has not received serious and considered scrutiny, and I thank my fellow members for that.

I remind colleagues in the chamber that there is widespread public support for legislation on assisted dying. Are we, as parliamentarians in Scotland, going to simply ignore the fact that public opinion is moving towards such reform? I truly hope not. I believe that we need this legislation and that to turn our back once again on compassion and choice would be a grave mistake, driven by fear.

Polling suggests that around 76 per cent of people across my South Scotland region support legislating on assisted dying; indeed, the figure is broadly similar in every region. I want to be clear: this bill is about choice; it has strong public backing; and it has received unprecedented scrutiny and constructive debate. That is how democracy should work—it is the basis for good legislation that will stand the test of time. In that spirit, and in line with the principles that I have strongly held since I worked in the NHS, I will cast my vote today for the people who are suffering now, for those who will suffer in the future and for everyone who simply wants a fair and compassionate option in the likely final six months of a terminal illness.

I entered politics to help people and to empower them, and the bill does both. It might not be a comfortable or an easy subject—I accept that—but this is all about taking a compassionate approach that best serves the complex experiences of so many people across Scotland.

At times, I have been dismayed at how little meaningful legislation makes it through the chamber. A great deal of time, public funds and people’s hopes are invested in our democratic processes, and I fear that, due to excessive caution or needless delay, we do not provide the public with many examples by which they can measure our worth. Today, we can provide such an example.

I will close by offering my thanks to Liam McArthur MSP and his team, who have done such great work in navigating the bill through the Parliament. Without that steadfast and constructive approach, we would not be at this stage to begin with.

I urge my fellow MSPs to please not delay compassion or delay the ability to help others. Let us pass this historic bill and end this session having truly changed Scotland instead of just maintaining the status quo. Let us give dying people the chance to decide their last moment for themselves.

19:19