Hansard

The Presiding Officer (Tricia Marwick) NPA

The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-07787, in the name of Michael Matheson, on the new learning disabilities strategy, “The keys to life”.I p...

The Minister for Public Health (Michael Matheson) SNP

The new learning disabilities strategy, “The keys to life: Improving quality of life for people with learning disabilities”, was published in June of this ye...

Stewart Maxwell (West Scotland) (SNP) SNP

The minister will be aware that the Education and Culture Committee has undertaken an inquiry into looked-after children and some of the outcomes that follow...

Michael Matheson SNP

The member has raised a very important point. I am aware of those concerns.I was going to touch on the transition between services, particularly for those wh...

Neil Bibby (West Scotland) (Lab) Lab

Scottish Labour is committed to improving the quality of life for people with learning difficulties, and we welcome the debate and the opportunity to examine...

Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) SNP

I am very much in tune with what the member says about the needs of people who have learning disabilities. Does he also agree that those who have learning di...

Neil Bibby Lab

As I have been saying and will go on to say, people with learning disabilities should be involved and consulted on the services that they need. That is cruci...

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con) Con

We welcome the debate on the new learning disabilities strategy. We agree with and will be supporting the Government motion. I quote part of it:“Scotland can...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith) Lab

We come to the open debate. We have a bit of time in hand, therefore I can give all members up to seven minutes. 15:01

Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP) SNP

Thank you, Presiding Officer. I welcome the publication of “The keys to life”, which is the second 10-year strategy for tackling learning disabilities and en...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Lab

Although I can be generous with seven-minute speeches, if members go much over that, I am afraid that the time will have to drop back down later in the debat...

Malcolm Chisholm (Edinburgh Northern and Leith) (Lab) Lab

In welcoming the comprehensive learning disabilities strategy, we should also remember, as Mary Scanlon did, that great policy document from the Parliament’s...

Bob Doris SNP

I was going to intervene earlier, but I wanted to let Mr Chisholm finish telling his constituent’s story.I agree with Mr Chisholm about the co-production com...

Malcolm Chisholm Lab

I do not want to get into that controversy; I was just giving the views of my constituent. I think that the general thrust of policy has been towards more in...

Joan McAlpine (South Scotland) (SNP) SNP

I am delighted to speak in the debate. The subject of learning disability is of considerable personal interest to me because I have a younger sister with Dow...

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab) Lab

I very much welcome the transitions to employment project. There is no difference between us on that front. It will ensure that more people have positive out...

Joan McAlpine SNP

Well, £250 million is a significant sum of money. It is important that the cabinet secretary has listened to what Enable Scotland and the Scottish Consortium...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Lab

I am afraid that you have run out of time.

Joan McAlpine SNP

I want to draw attention to the GP contract. Some people who have a learning disability have communication difficulties, so it is important that they get lon...

Stewart Maxwell (West Scotland) (SNP) SNP

I thank everyone who has been involved in developing the new learning disability strategy, “The keys to life”. In particular, I thank citizens of Scotland wh...

Margaret McCulloch (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab

This Parliament and this country have a strong track record of promoting social inclusion, diversity and equality of opportunity. The European convention on ...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Lab

I call Dennis Robertson, to be followed by Jim Eadie.15:37

Dennis Robertson (Aberdeenshire West) (SNP) SNP

Thank you, Presiding Officer. When you extended the time for speeches to seven minutes, I put my hand in my pocket and took out my throat lozenges. I certain...

Jim Eadie (Edinburgh Southern) (SNP) SNP

I am grateful for the opportunity to take part in this debate and to follow a number of very impressive contributions on the quality of life of people with l...

Ken Macintosh (Eastwood) (Lab) Lab

It does not quite seem that 13 years have passed since the last time we discussed a strategy to support people with learning disabilities. I admit that that ...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott) Con

The member should be closing now.

Ken Macintosh Lab

I will follow the example of Jim Eadie and my colleague Malcolm Chisholm, and mention a forthcoming event. At lunch time on Wednesday 9 October I will host a...

George Adam (Paisley) (SNP) SNP

I welcome the debate and the strategy, “The keys to life”, which builds on the strategy, “The same as you?”, which was published in 2000. I agree with Mary S...

Dennis Robertson SNP

Mr Adam mentioned recommendation 3 and his support for it. We were talking about enabling, empowering and giving a voice to people with learning disabilities...

George Adam SNP

I would not like to answer that myself, but that is what I was trying to say. We need to ensure that we speak in a language and package information in a way ...