Seòmar agus comataidhean

We know that wealth protects and that poverty brings with it physical and mental ill health, which blights the prospects of some children even before birth, because the damage of poverty and inequality begins in the womb. It can also corral whole communities, as a postcode can determine people’s prospects in health, wealth and happiness.

Sustainable economic growth focusing on indigenous businesses, fair taxation and fair pay, together with a just benefits system, provides a foundation. However, it is simply that: a foundation. Therefore, it is what we build on that foundation that matters. Of course, we do not have power over the macroeconomy, over most areas of taxation or over some substantial benefits. Devolution dilutes not only radical progress in redistribution but the growth of a nation’s wealth.

Despite that, housing, education and health care are just some examples of where Scottish Government policies have and will improve the quality of life of those who currently cannot see the way forward for themselves and their children.

We need to accelerate the building of public sector homes. Currently, many of my constituency emails deal with housing issues: overcrowding; damp; people languishing on council lists for years; and people paying high rents in the private sector or stretching their income to breaking point with a mortgage. Yes, there is a place for home ownership, but that should be a choice, not driven by necessity.

That said, wellbeing starts with a decent roof over everyone’s head. In my book, if we want to increase the happiness, health and ambition of people, we should start with social housing. I welcome the measures that have been announced to bring empty homes back into use.

Then there is education, which is the key to having the opportunity to realise our potential. That happened for me. I was brought up in a council house, educated in state schools and had my university fees paid twice, through two degrees. Indeed, at one point, because of the family income, I had a full grant for living costs. I say to the Opposition that Brexit has impacted our university research and development.

I welcome the support for families. The uptake of the baby box is well over 90 per cent, and we have 1,140 hours of free nursery care for three and four-year-olds, with the prospect of that being extended to one and two-year-olds. In addition, there are no tuition fees. We also have free school meals for primary 1 to 5, which will be extended to P6 and P7 for those in receipt of the Scottish child payment.

I turn to health and social care. We do not pay for prescriptions. In England, the cost is well over £9 an item. Here, no one is worrying over the cost, or rationing which medication they can afford, if they can afford any.

For context—we must put some blame at the foot of the UK economy—the UK economy is at the bottom of the G7 countries in its recovery from Covid. It is doing even worse than Russia, which is waging an immoral and costly war. General inflation is above 10 per cent, and food inflation is about 18 per cent. This Parliament can do nothing about that.

It is a bit hypocritical for any Conservatives to argue that poverty in Scotland has nothing to do with Tory policies that we did not vote for. Part of the issue is being dragged out of Europe. No matter what spin Jeremy Hunt puts on it, the UK economy is, at best, stagnant, and teetering on the edge of recession.

Undertaking a house-building programme for social rented housing, as we did many decades ago, would benefit the economy, from the planners, architects, trades and suppliers to the shops that sell the takeaway bacon rolls. If I was to rank the three areas of housing, education and health, I would start with decent housing for anyone in Scotland who needs it.

It appears that the UK position on gender recognition in Scotland has shifted since 2018, when it was that

“Scotland can have its own system”.

I know that no amendments have been proposed by the UK Government. As a last resort, to truncate litigation, would the Scottish Government be sympathetic to a sist of proceedings, with the agreement of the UK Government and leave of the courts, to see whether the bill could be amended to both parties’ satisfaction, while still protecting the Scottish Government’s right to proceed if that does not happen?

It is brief. What impact has Brexit had on staffing levels in the care sector?

—too soon for my liking. Where did all those decades go? Thank you, Mr Whittle. The first comment that I will make is that not only are we—the “aged”—all individuals, but we represent a substantial age range, spanning five decades, so one cannot generalise.

I know that the challenges of ageing are not only physical but are, as the motion states, cognitive and social. I would expand that list to include the isolation and loneliness that were referred to by Alexander Stewart, who is very young. We have the research, but what can we, as politicians and individuals, do?

Older people are generally—I do mean generally—reasonably well catered for in respect of healthcare, for example with regular vaccinations, but it is when we are unable to care for ourselves that we are vulnerable, especially if we do not have savings or a decent pension.

That is why reform of the care sector and support for its workforce must be priorities. Too many people languish in hospital when aids and adaptations to their homes, care support at home, or access to a care home would not only free up hospital beds and the staff who service them, but keep people hale and hearty. Mental and physical wellbeing can soon disintegrate when a person is stuck in a bed far from the home where they should be. The creation of integration joint boards was a first step, but we need cohesion between the national health service and the care sector.

There is also the plague of isolation and loneliness. There are folk whose trip to the local shop or supermarket is the only social interaction that they have. Travelling on the bus with their pass is a bonus; it might be their only social life. The phone might be silent unless there is a cold call, and the front door remains locked, even in daytime, because there is no one coming to visit. Many people will not admit that they are lonely or that they have only the television or radio for companionship.

Retirement need not be absolute. For some people, continuing to work either whole time or part time, if that is compatible with the demands of the job, is a choice. I note that, with the diminishing workforce, many elderly people are returning to work, but doing so should be their choice and should not be done to prop up a poor state pension, for instance. Some 40 per cent of people who are entitled to pension credit, which is a UK benefit, do not claim it, and that percentage has remained unchanged during my entire time in Parliament.

For many people, especially very elderly people, there is a sense of being invisible and of melting into the background. Confidence erodes, as does the person’s sense of self-worth and their value. It need not be like that, however. In society, older people are too often regarded as a burden; they are patronised and they are not given the respect that age has earned them. I can report that age discrimination is alive and well, even in this building. It should be remembered that we were young once, too. We recognise the path that the young are treading, because we trod it before them. Perhaps only with age, however, do we appreciate time, because it is not on our side.

Other cultures value their elders, and we should do more of that in Scotland. I assure members that I will ensure that the Scottish Government does not ignore us.

On a point of order, Presiding Officer. I am having other technical problems this afternoon—now it is the mobile phone. I would have voted yes.

I am technologically intact.

Wellbeing starts—

I beg your pardon, Presiding Officer—I seem to have done something funny to my screen. Sorry about this, but can someone remove something from my screen, please? [Interruption.]

I have got a lot of funny stuff down the side of the screen.

I understand that the current system of packaging waste recycling notes will end when Circularity Scotland’s system kicks in. Who will benefit from the loss of PRNs? Who will experience a disbenefit?

The Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body is committed to providing accessibility support to enable members of the public to engage in parliamentary business. However, as the member is aware, cross-party groups are not a formal part of parliamentary business and, as such, the corporate body is not responsible for providing resources for them.

Nevertheless, as is set out in the members’ code of conduct, cross-party groups may use the Parliament’s facilities where those are available for public use. That means that MSPs and CPGs can access the interpretation infrastructure of our meeting rooms, which includes a portable set of equipment and headphones They can also access the advice and guidance on language support that is set out on the cross-party groups page of the Parliament’s intranet.

In addition, we are aware of a facility in Microsoft Teams to support remote interpretation for informal meetings. We are developing guidance for MSPs and committees on that facility, and we will also place the guidance on the CPG pages of the intranet.