Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 21 June 2012
21 Jun 2012 · S4 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Families
The member will accept that, in a speech of seven minutes, I cannot touch on every issue, but I am aware of the mental health problems that go along with drug use, which are beginning to be particularly evident in the older group of drug users. That is a big challenge for mental health services.
Scotland’s 30 alcohol and drug partnerships have the role of delivering on the agreed commitments that are articulated in “The Road to Recovery”. Through our investment in front-line care, treatment and recovery services and the commitment of our local partners, we are beginning to see some green shoots of that recovery across Scotland.
We are witnessing the growth of family support organisations throughout Scotland, some of which are funded jointly by us and the Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland’s partnership drugs initiative. Those include First Step in East Lothian; the family matters project in Fife; North United Communities in Glasgow; the Children 1st supporting families project in Aberdeen; the carer support service in Moray; the Armadale community families project in West Lothian; the kith ‘n’ kin service in Tayside; the lifeshaper project in the Western Isles; and, of course, the inspiration for this debate, the Grampian Family Support Forum, which in its own words is an example of using
“‘lived experience’ to make positive changes within our communities.”
I welcome the Parliament’s commitment to this area and the consensus on the importance not only of family support, but of support for families on the road to recovery, which means recovery for the individuals and their families. In turn, that will mean recovery for communities and for Scotland.
I move amendment S4M-03394.1, to insert at end:
“; further supports the direct investment of the Scottish Government in national organisations such as Scottish Families Affected by Drugs, the Scottish Recovery Consortium and the Scottish Drugs Forum, which support families in playing their vital role in building recovery communities across Scotland, and endorses the role of the Road to Recovery in putting the individual at the centre of care, treatment and recovery services and, in doing so, promoting the essential role of families and communities in supporting sustained recovery across Scotland.”
09:32
Scotland’s 30 alcohol and drug partnerships have the role of delivering on the agreed commitments that are articulated in “The Road to Recovery”. Through our investment in front-line care, treatment and recovery services and the commitment of our local partners, we are beginning to see some green shoots of that recovery across Scotland.
We are witnessing the growth of family support organisations throughout Scotland, some of which are funded jointly by us and the Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland’s partnership drugs initiative. Those include First Step in East Lothian; the family matters project in Fife; North United Communities in Glasgow; the Children 1st supporting families project in Aberdeen; the carer support service in Moray; the Armadale community families project in West Lothian; the kith ‘n’ kin service in Tayside; the lifeshaper project in the Western Isles; and, of course, the inspiration for this debate, the Grampian Family Support Forum, which in its own words is an example of using
“‘lived experience’ to make positive changes within our communities.”
I welcome the Parliament’s commitment to this area and the consensus on the importance not only of family support, but of support for families on the road to recovery, which means recovery for the individuals and their families. In turn, that will mean recovery for communities and for Scotland.
I move amendment S4M-03394.1, to insert at end:
“; further supports the direct investment of the Scottish Government in national organisations such as Scottish Families Affected by Drugs, the Scottish Recovery Consortium and the Scottish Drugs Forum, which support families in playing their vital role in building recovery communities across Scotland, and endorses the role of the Road to Recovery in putting the individual at the centre of care, treatment and recovery services and, in doing so, promoting the essential role of families and communities in supporting sustained recovery across Scotland.”
09:32
References in this contribution
Motions, questions or amendments mentioned by their reference code.
- S4M-03394.1 Families Motion
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick)
NPA
Good morning. The first item of business is a debate on motion S4M-03394, in the name of Nanette Milne, on families. I remind all members that time is extrem...
Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con)
Con
I begin by indicating that we are happy to accept both amendments.It is well recognised that Scotland still has an enormous problem with drug addiction, whic...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
I call Roseanna Cunningham to speak to and move amendment S4M-03394.1. Minister, you have no more than seven minutes.09:25
The Minister for Community Safety and Legal Affairs (Roseanna Cunningham)
SNP
I welcome the motion and the Labour amendment. Nanette Milne is absolutely right—the role of families is key to the success of our national drug strategy “Th...
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con)
Con
I have listened carefully to the minister’s comments about the recovery programmes, which I fully support, and I support everything that Nanette Milne said, ...
Roseanna Cunningham
SNP
The member will accept that, in a speech of seven minutes, I cannot touch on every issue, but I am aware of the mental health problems that go along with dru...
Neil Bibby (West Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I thank Nanette Milne for bringing forward this debate on supporting families who are affected by drugs. It is an important and challenging debate on an issu...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
We move to the open debate. I remind everyone that we are tight for time and that speeches will be no more than four minutes long.09:37
Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP)
SNP
I thank Nanette Milne for raising an important issue that, such is the scale of substance misuse in our nation, is—I am sorry to say—relevant to every member...
Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab)
Lab
The debate is likely to be consensual, which reflects the fact that under the previous minister in the previous parliamentary session agreement on the recove...
The Presiding Officer
NPA
The member needs to wind up.
Dr Simpson
Lab
We should praise Scottish Families Affected by Drugs, welcome the work that is done by the Scottish Drugs Forum and call on the Government to continue its co...
Maureen Watt (Aberdeen South and North Kincardine) (SNP)
SNP
I am glad that Nanette Milne managed to bring the topic to the chamber as a Conservative business debate this morning; it was originally going to be a member...
Liz Smith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
The debate has already shown that there is not an MSP in the chamber or anyone who is involved in making policy on children who does not believe that good-qu...
Mark McDonald (North East Scotland) (SNP)
SNP
I congratulate Nanette Milne on bringing this important debate to the chamber. I know that her original intention was to have a members’ business debate on t...
Kezia Dugdale (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
Not long after my election, I took on the role of co-convener of the cross-party group on drug and alcohol misuse, and through it I have learned a tremendous...
Sandra White (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP)
SNP
I thank Kezia Dugdale for her informative speech—I will certainly visit the cafe that is just around the corner from here. I also thank Nanette Milne for ini...
Alison McInnes (North East Scotland) (LD)
LD
I, too, thank the Conservatives for using their debating time this morning to highlight the role of families who are in recovery from drug abuse and—in parti...
Jenny Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
The debate has been very good, and it is timely and worth while. I thank Nanette Milne and the Conservatives for bringing the topic to the chamber. In the pa...
Roseanna Cunningham
SNP
I thank members for the many thoughtful contributions on a significant issue affecting families in Scotland. One of the essential values of the Scottish Parl...
Murdo Fraser (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
I thank Nanette Milne for moving the motion and allowing a debate on one of the biggest issues that Scotland faces today. As Richard Simpson said, the debate...