Chamber
Plenary, 14 Nov 2007
14 Nov 2007 · S3 · Plenary
Item of business
Stobhill Hospital <br />(Parking Charges)
I congratulate Paul Martin on securing this debate on an important matter. I apologise to him and to members that I will have to leave when I finish speaking, as I must attend the inaugural meeting of a cross-party group. I would have liked to stay for the whole debate.
Like Paul Martin, I was born in north Springburn. When I was nine, I moved to the Milton scheme; I lived there until I was 21, when I moved to Bishopbriggs. I have only recently moved from that area, so I am very familiar with Stobhill hospital. To this day, my doctor's surgery is in the Milton scheme. That is where my heart is. I might live somewhere else, but I come from Springburn. I know exactly the feeling that comes from Paul Martin's heart.
I heard what the Presiding Officer said before I rose to speak, but this goes for all hospitals: they are not happy places, in general. My experience of Stobhill hospital has not been happy. The things that happen to families that cause them to go to hospitals are usually traumatic, whether they involve injury, severe illness or death. However, we all have some affection for hospitals.
The last thing that I would have been thinking about when I was at the hospital, on any of my visits there, would have been parking charges. Further, the last thing that health boards should be thinking about is revenue from parking.
I must add a health warning. In my business, I see what can happen to cars that are parked in streets and uncontrolled areas. Unfortunately, in the age that we live in, hospital car parks are beginning to be such uncontrolled areas. The amount of vandalism and theft that takes place in those circumstances is enormous, and there is a price to pay for that. When a car is damaged, there is a penalty because the owner has to pay for it to be fixed. When I go to a football match and a wee boy comes up to me and says, "Mister, can I watch your car?", I pay him to do so. Actually, I usually pay half up front and half when I come back, because, sometimes, I can get a 50 per cent discount that way. That is why I do not grudge paying a small charge in a hospital car park, if there is someone on the ground who is looking after the cars.
My main message, however, is this: health boards should not seek to secure revenue from parking charges. All of us would like our cars to be protected, which is why I say that a small payment is acceptable. Revenue raising from parking charges, however, is not.
Like Paul Martin, I was born in north Springburn. When I was nine, I moved to the Milton scheme; I lived there until I was 21, when I moved to Bishopbriggs. I have only recently moved from that area, so I am very familiar with Stobhill hospital. To this day, my doctor's surgery is in the Milton scheme. That is where my heart is. I might live somewhere else, but I come from Springburn. I know exactly the feeling that comes from Paul Martin's heart.
I heard what the Presiding Officer said before I rose to speak, but this goes for all hospitals: they are not happy places, in general. My experience of Stobhill hospital has not been happy. The things that happen to families that cause them to go to hospitals are usually traumatic, whether they involve injury, severe illness or death. However, we all have some affection for hospitals.
The last thing that I would have been thinking about when I was at the hospital, on any of my visits there, would have been parking charges. Further, the last thing that health boards should be thinking about is revenue from parking.
I must add a health warning. In my business, I see what can happen to cars that are parked in streets and uncontrolled areas. Unfortunately, in the age that we live in, hospital car parks are beginning to be such uncontrolled areas. The amount of vandalism and theft that takes place in those circumstances is enormous, and there is a price to pay for that. When a car is damaged, there is a penalty because the owner has to pay for it to be fixed. When I go to a football match and a wee boy comes up to me and says, "Mister, can I watch your car?", I pay him to do so. Actually, I usually pay half up front and half when I come back, because, sometimes, I can get a 50 per cent discount that way. That is why I do not grudge paying a small charge in a hospital car park, if there is someone on the ground who is looking after the cars.
My main message, however, is this: health boards should not seek to secure revenue from parking charges. All of us would like our cars to be protected, which is why I say that a small payment is acceptable. Revenue raising from parking charges, however, is not.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Trish Godman):
Lab
The final item of business is a members' business debate on motion S3M-612, in the name of Paul Martin, on car parking charges at Stobhill hospital. The deba...
Motion debated,
That the Parliament notes with concern the proposal by NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde to introduce car parking charges at Stobhill Hospital later this year; r...
Paul Martin (Glasgow Springburn) (Lab):
Lab
I thank all the members who supported the motion and the thousands of people from my constituency and other constituencies who signed a petition in oppositio...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Lab
I ask members to check that their mobile phones are switched off.
Paul Martin:
Lab
I hear an allegation from Cathie Craigie that it might be my mobile phone that was interfering with the sound system, but it was definitely not mine.As we en...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Lab
Before I call other members to speak, I remind them that the debate is about parking at Stobhill hospital—the motion is quite specific.
Gil Paterson (West of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I congratulate Paul Martin on securing this debate on an important matter. I apologise to him and to members that I will have to leave when I finish speaking...
Patricia Ferguson (Glasgow Maryhill) (Lab):
Lab
I congratulate Paul Martin on securing the debate. Stobhill serves his constituency, but the wider area that it serves stretches into my constituency, too. I...
Bill Kidd (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
As we are all aware, Stobhill is only one of the hospitals where such car parking charges are being imposed. The charges are spread across Glasgow and the Bo...
Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab):
Lab
Like other members, I congratulate Paul Martin on bringing his motion to the Parliament for debate. I acknowledge the work that he has done over the years to...
Jackson Carlaw (West of Scotland) (Con):
Con
I, too, thank Paul Martin for giving us the opportunity to debate this issue. I appreciate that a review is under way. I have lodged motions in relation to S...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Lab
Given the number of members who wish to speak, I am minded to accept a motion under rule 8.14.3, that the debate be extended by up to 30 minutes.
Motion moved,
That, under Rule 8.14.3, the debate be extended until 6.31 pm.—Paul Martin.
Motion agreed to.
Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
This is my first speech in the Parliament that I have not written down, so it might be a wee bit more interesting than usual. However, I guarantee that my sp...
David Whitton (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (Lab):
Lab
I speak in support of the motion in Paul Martin's name. I have also supported the local petition that he organised. More than 300 of the signatures on the pe...
Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I pay tribute to Paul Martin for bringing the issue to Parliament's attention. The debate so far has been useful in shining a light on many of the problems t...
Duncan McNeil (Greenock and Inverclyde) (Lab):
Lab
I thank Paul Martin for giving us the opportunity to have this debate this evening. I start with a confession: I was not born at Stobhill, or even in Glasgow...
Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab):
Lab
I, too, congratulate Paul Martin on securing this debate. At the outset, I should make it clear that I recognise that the motion very much deals with Stobhil...
The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing (Nicola Sturgeon):
SNP
I could be unseasonal and suggest to Jackie Baillie that it was open to the previous Administration to tackle this issue before last Christmas and that it de...
Paul Martin:
Lab
I welcome the cabinet secretary's commitment to carry out a review in respect of a number of issues, but will she examine the fact that the green transport p...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
I will go on to talk about the review and about the timescale that I have deliberately set for it, because I understand that many car parking policies have b...
Meeting closed at 18:31.