Meeting of the Parliament 20 May 2014
I join others in warmly congratulating Dennis Robertson on the progress that he has made with the bill so far. All the speakers have rightly pointed out that although it is a small bill, its significance should not be underestimated. I thank the Local Government and Regeneration Committee for its work to date on the bill.
Mark Griffin was right to set the bill in a wider context. I certainly understand Sandra White’s frustrations over her bill. I know that a precursor to her bill was brought forward by my colleague Ross Finnie, so the issue has been in the pipeline for some time. Jackie Baillie’s efforts in relation to the misuse of disabled parking bays are also worth noting in the context of this debate.
I was not involved in the committee’s deliberations on the bill, but I welcome, from two perspectives, the chance to participate in this debate. The first perspective is that of personal interest, as I am the brother of a wheelchair user who is a blue badge holder. I recognise very much the frustrations that Cameron Buchanan, Dennis Robertson and others have outlined about the abuse of blue badges and the impact that that has on the individual blue badge holder.
The second perspective is that of my constituency casework, from which I know about the issues that can arise with the malfunctioning of the current system and the need for improvements of the sort that Dennis Robertson is bringing forward in his bill and the proposals that Sandra White has under review.
I was very grateful to the minister for his response when I raised the issue of the administration of the current scheme. I know that a number of constituents are concerned about the 20-page form and the possible half-hour assessment that are involved in securing a blue badge. One constituent approached me on behalf of her parents, who are over 80. She made it clear that
“it is hugely stressful to get through all these procedures, so much so that they would rather forfeit their badge than go through all of this.”
She went on to ask whether a more streamlined process might be possible when eligibility is obviously not in question and is supported—as happens in some cases—by evidence from general practitioners and nurses. I put on record my gratitude to Orkney Islands Council for the way in which it has responded to the concerns that I have raised, but there seems to be a case for more discretion or a fast-track process in some instances.
On the enforcement provisions to which other members have referred, I am aware of COSLA’s evidence. Like others, I have concerns about the withdrawal of traffic wardens in my area, and about the possible implications for already stretched police resources. I think that the issue will have to be looked at in more detail at stage 2. Likewise, in relation to the confiscation of badges, I recognise that there is a balance to be struck when we try to bear down on fraud, but if we are at risk of creating additional problems for those who rely heavily on their blue badge, we might need to look again at confiscation. I note the comments that have been made about the speed of redress when mistakes have been made but, in light of Inclusion Scotland’s evidence, I think that more work needs to be done in that area.
As I said, this is a small bill but it is hugely significant for those who rely on blue badges, which enable people to lead more independent lives. I welcome the progress that has been made on the bill and I wish Dennis Robertson all the luck in the world as the bill proceeds through stages 2 and 3.
I confirm that the Liberal Democrats will support the bill at decision time.
17:03