Seòmar agus comataidhean

My question is quite specific and is on an issue that was raised by Alison Kerr of the Royal College of Occupational Therapists, Fanchea Kelly of Blackwood Homes and Care, and Henry Simmons from Alzheimer Scotland. It is about the rights of people to have rehabilitation as part of the national care service. Those experienced people indicated that they thought that that should be in the bill. Will the minister commit to considering that?

It has been answered.

No—that is perfect. Thank you.

With reference to my colleague Claire Baker’s amendment 94, I feel that it is important to raise the serious concerns that many parents have raised with me, and which young people have, regarding this section of the bill. That is especially the case considering how poor the current support for young people is in this country, despite the fact that they are perhaps the group in greatest need of support. It is essential that young people can access the same level of psychological and social support as any person before making such a decision, and I do not see that that support is available at all.

In amendment 94, my colleague quite rightly asks for a pause to this section of the bill. As she has highlighted clearly and very well, that would not prevent 16 or 17-year-olds from socially transitioning. I cannot think of many pieces of transformative legislation that would be passed before something as important as the Cass review had published its conclusions. Although the review is not focused specifically on NHS Scotland, it clearly has great relevance to Scotland, and we should have the opportunity to consider its findings before we change the age.

I will take an intervention from Emma Harper.

That answer is disappointing, but I cannot say that I am surprised by the news that the appointment will not be made before Christmas. In June, the First Minister promised that the appointment would be made during the summer; in September, the Minister for Public Health, Women’s Health and Sport told me that the announcement would be made very soon; and, in October, the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care advised that the appointment was imminent.

Given that health inequalities disproportionately impact on women from deprived areas, that women’s health matters are not being considered and treated with respect in the workplace, and that diagnosis rates for cancers that specifically impact on women remain stubbornly high, we need a women’s health champion—we have needed a women’s health champion—timeously. The First Minister knows that the delay is unacceptable. Will she commit to personally ensuring that the appointment is one of her first actions in 2023?

Absolutely. I knew that the member would have visited the Usual Place, which is an experience that all members should have. It has a very high success rate and it should be supported.

The value of Unison’s initiative is clear and it shows the power of a union to raise such important issues up and down the country. I thank Unison and other unions for their support and work to preserve and protect disabled workers. I join Pam Duncan-Glancy in asking disabled workers to join a union. Finally, I repeat my thanks to Pam Duncan-Glancy for allowing us to debate the issue and keep fighting.

To ask the First Minister, further to her commitment in June that a women’s health champion for Scotland would be appointed in the summer, whether such an appointment will be made before Christmas. (S6F-01648)

I, too, thank my colleague Pam Duncan-Glancy for bringing this important debate to the chamber. I know that she has worked tirelessly throughout her career on this cause, and that she will continue to fight for disabled workers and alongside the trade unions that represent them. If there is one thing that I know about working in this place, it is that Pam Duncan-Glancy has plenty of fight.

Unison’s year of disabled workers is a year-long campaign across the UK to improve the working lives of disabled people. As we have heard, the campaign was developed in Scotland following a motion from a Scottish branch, which was then rolled out as a national campaign and supported by the wider trade union movement. That is a real achievement by the Scottish branch. I congratulate Unison on its initiative and on its work throughout the year. Its work to find ways to support and celebrate the diversity of workers in the workplace shows unions at their best.

Before moving on, I must mention the scale of the problem, which my colleague Paul O’Kane spoke about. Unison has provided us with a briefing on the detail, and it is important to know the detail to understand the changes that we need to make. The situation is clear: in Scotland today, disabled people are less likely to be in employment, education or training; they are more likely to have low or no qualifications at Scottish credit and qualifications framework level 4; they are less likely to have a degree or equivalent qualification; they are more likely to be in part-time employment; they are more likely to face additional barriers; they are less likely to work in higher managerial positions; and they are less likely to work in professional occupations. I do not think that any of us is shocked by that, but we should be, because it is absolutely unacceptable.

In my life before coming to the Parliament, I was lucky enough to have a job that allowed me to support and work with many disabled people, the bulk of which was working with adults with learning disability. That group of people inspired me, motivated me and taught me a lot about life, and I am ever grateful for the time that I spent working in that area. I mention that because, looking back, it strikes me just how few of the people who I supported had paid work. That is a sad and unnecessary situation, when I consider how capable, reliable and keen to work those people were.

I am saddened that the employment rate for people with learning disability across the UK has fallen to a low of just 4.8 per cent. It is shocking that only 4.8 per cent of a group of people who are motivated, reliable and want to work are in employment. People with disability have the right to work and it is incumbent on the Government to ensure that the world of work is a welcoming and suitably adjusted environment. The Equality Act 2010 offers a range of protections to disabled people, but workplace discrimination still affects many people across the UK. We must all do more.

I recently visited an impressive social enterprise in my region called the Usual Place. When I clicked on its website, a message said:

“Did you know ... we are a Disability Confident Leader with 70% of our staff force having a disability”.

That is a claim to be proud of. I invite everyone to visit the Usual Place, which provides a cafe, shop and conference facilities that are truly excellent. I recommend a visit. It is in a beautiful setting and has excellent staff and tasty food. The preparations there are about providing real experiences for people.

Emma Harper (South Scotland (SNP) rose—

Will the member take an intervention?