Hansard

I am very pleased to speak in the final stage debate of the William Simpson’s Home (Transfer of Property etc) (Scotland) Bill. The committee recognised the bill’s importance to the future operation of William Simpson’s home, and I am delighted that it has reached the final stage.

There are two key elements to what the bill will mean to William Simpson’s home. First, as we have heard, it will allow the home to become a charitable company and to put in place modern governance arrangements. Secondly, as the committee’s convener has explained, it will allow the home to provide its services to a wider group of people across Scotland.

The committee was struck by the commitment to supporting vulnerable ex-servicemen that was demonstrated by Francis Simpson of Plean when he gifted a substantial part of his estate to establish the home in his son’s name. Francis Simpson’s vision was that there should be a place of all-encompassing holistic care for those men.

The chief executive of William Simpson’s pointed out that the home provides

“care for men who are very vulnerable and who are at risk if they are in the community, because of their alcohol-related dementia, which affects their short-term memory.”

The chair of the trustees, the Rev Gary McIntyre, feels that the home is in many ways unique and that it will continue to be so. He said:

“I have always been greatly impressed by the care that is shown to the clients, a number of whom I do not think would be included in another kind of home.”—[Official Report, William Simpson’s Home (Transfer of Property etc) (Scotland) Bill Committee, 27 April 2010; c 17.]

The committee is content with the assurances that were given by the trustees that the original intention and ethos of the home will be kept. The Rev Gary McIntyre put it well when he explained that the intention was to protect the “DNA” of the home.

However, as the convener has highlighted, the committee also heard evidence about the widening demand for the home’s services and the wish of the trustees and the chief executive to provide services for men and women of all ages. That has been a key component in the promoter’s wish to bring forward the bill for the Parliament’s approval.

Unfortunately, alcohol-related dementia is a growing problem in Scotland and current social trends mean that the home’s facilities are required by a much younger age group than is allowed by the home’s current constitution. Now, men and women as young as in their 30s need the facilities that the home provides.

We heard how the bill will help the home to meet the demand from client groups that councils have had extreme difficulty in placing—particularly women, who are still in the minority but who are increasingly becoming a demand area for the services offered by the home.

The home has made an excellent job of using its current facilities to serve its residents, but its care manager felt that it could do even better

“with more modern facilities for the future.” [Official Report, William Simpson’s Home (Transfer of Property etc) (Scotland) Bill Committee, 27 April 2010; c 21.]

One further positive outcome to be achieved by the home’s future development that was welcomed by the local authorities from which we took evidence is the development of the home’s outreach and rehabilitation services.

We were pleased to find out that placement at William Simpson’s home is made on the basis of social need and does not have any geographical constrictions.

Should the bill be passed today, William Simpson’s home will become a charitable company with a very different management structure from that which was established by the 1864 act. During its evidence taking, the committee examined how that would work in practice and how it would impact on the work and ethos of the home. The patron of the home, Dennis Canavan, felt that the restructuring to a charitable company would allow for “more of a link” between the local community, the families of service users and the home. It is felt that that development will mean that people will have more of a sense of ownership of the home.

The convener has set out the home’s continuing commitment to ex-servicemen and women. She has also set out the early principles and ethos of the home. In summing up, I will turn our attention to the future of the home and what the bill means for its current and future residents.

We are aware that robust financial management is required to support the home’s development programme and that restructuring to a charitable company supports that. That was drawn to our attention by a family member of a service user who pointed out that bringing the constitution up to date will help the home

“to maintain financial viability and stability for the future.”

He said that if that was established

“the organisation will continue to be very well run on a day to day basis ... this will give me and my family great comfort.”

We heard from an advocate who has represented particularly vulnerable users of the home and she informed us that

“there is a positive feeling about the future”.—[Official Report, William Simpson’s Home (Transfer of Property etc) (Scotland) Bill Committee, 27 April 2010; c 22.]

The bill will support the future of William Simpson’s home and we wish the promoter every success in developing such an important service.

I ask the Parliament to support the motion at decision time.