Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 28 March 2019
28 Mar 2019 · S5 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Disabled People
I am pleased to speak in the debate because it means so much to me. Disability is part of my life. I feel a fraud in saying that, because, as members know, it is my wife Stacey who has the disability. Until we were married, access to buildings and services for those living with disability—let alone access to employment—was not my number 1 priority, as it is not for many people in Scotland. However, given how Stacey’s disability has progressed over the years of our marriage, due to multiple sclerosis, all of that has become a major priority for me.
In the Scottish Parliament, we do not have an elected member who is disabled. My sister was part of the Government-supported campaign—[Interruption.]
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Christine Grahame)
SNP
The next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-16593, in the name of Christina McKelvie, on progressing towards a fairer Scotland for disabled people. T...
The Minister for Older People and Equalities (Christina McKelvie)
SNP
It is my great pleasure to open this debate. I welcome the disabled people who join us in the public gallery, and I thank the British Sign Language interpret...
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab)
Lab
Although I welcome the refreshed framework, does the minister acknowledge that it is quite late in the day and the majority of the recommendations in the key...
Christina McKelvie
SNP
I know that Jackie Baillie has a commitment to this issue, but in my experience at the national involvement network the other day and at the framework launch...
Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con)
Con
I thank the minister and the Government for bringing this timely and important debate to the chamber this afternoon. It is fair to say that we have seen sig...
Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
LD
Sarah Newton, the UK Minister of State for Disabled People, Health and Work, resigned two weeks ago and has not been replaced. It emerged yesterday that Ther...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
I have some time in hand for interventions, so you will get your time back, Mr Balfour.
Jeremy Balfour
Con
First, I put on record my appreciation for the good work that Sarah Newton did across the UK. In my meetings with her, she really understood what the disable...
Mark Griffin (Central Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I thank the Presiding Officer and the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body for again making the Parliament an exemplar in the provision of access to people ...
The Cabinet Secretary for Social Security and Older People (Shirley-Anne Somerville)
SNP
I thank Mark Griffin for the opportunity to respond, because I will not close the debate. I believe that I will discuss the consultation with the Social Secu...
Mark Griffin
Lab
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Andy Wightman (Lothian) (Green)
Green
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The Minister for Business, Fair Work and Skills (Jamie Hepburn)
SNP
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The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Minister, I understand why you turned sideways to intervene, but I think that it could be quite hard for the BSL interpreters to interpret your comments when...
Andy Wightman
Green
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Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD)
LD
I thank the Government for making time for today’s debate and I thank the minister for the tone that she set at the top of the debate. The motion commands th...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
We come to the open debate and speeches of six minutes. We have a few minutes in hand for interventions. If a member intervenes, their request-to-speak butto...
George Adam (Paisley) (SNP)
SNP
I am pleased to speak in the debate because it means so much to me. Disability is part of my life. I feel a fraud in saying that, because, as members know, i...
Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab)
Lab
Will the member give way?
George Adam
SNP
I will take an intervention—if Mr Lyle is still having a conversation.
Daniel Johnson
Lab
I want to give the member the opportunity to recognise, first, that Mr Balfour is present and, secondly, that many people have disabilities that might not be...
George Adam
SNP
I was speaking as the chief whip for the Scottish Government and about the SNP group, in particular. I was looking at the people I work with on a day-to-day ...
Oliver Mundell (Dumfriesshire) (Con)
Con
I am pleased to speak in this important debate. We have already heard very interesting speeches from across the chamber, and different issues have been raise...
Daniel Johnson
Lab
Did Mr Mundell find some of the conclusions of “Not included, not engaged, not involved: A report on the experiences of autistic children missing school” sho...
Oliver Mundell
Con
I would probably go further than saying that I found those conclusions shocking; the situation that the report describes is a downright disgrace. Daniel Joh...
Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP)
SNP
The Scottish Government, the Parliament and society must recognise the rich and valuable contribution that disabled people make to all aspects of public and ...
Jeremy Balfour
Con
As Mr Gibson will be aware, from last week’s debate, disabled people have to renew their concessionary bus pass every three years. The constituent that he me...
Kenneth Gibson
SNP
I refer Mr Balfour to the very detailed response that Michael Matheson, the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity, gave him a week...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Linda Fabiani)
SNP
I give members notice that I might have to cut the length of the final speeches. I call Jackie Baillie, to be followed by Mark McDonald. 15:51
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab)
Lab
That is clearly bad timing on my part, Presiding Officer, but I welcome the opportunity to take part in the debate. Judging from the briefings that we receiv...