Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott) Con

Before we move to the next item of business, which is a debate on motion S4M-13358, in the name of Shona Robison, on making progress on changing Scotland’s r...

The Cabinet Secretary for Health, Wellbeing and Sport (Shona Robison) SNP

Scotland’s relationship with alcohol has—rightly—concerned the Parliament deeply over the past decade and a half. We know that alcohol use is one of the top ...

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab

One of the provisions that the Parliament passed in 2010 gave local authorities the potential to impose a social responsibility levy. The Government had to p...

Shona Robison SNP

The short answer is that the decision was made because of economic considerations and the economic climate of the day. Members have heard John Swinney respon...

Jenny Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab) Lab

I thank the Scottish Government for bringing this important debate to the chamber. Presiding Officer, I respect your initial remarks on the sub judice issue...

Jackson Carlaw (West Scotland) (Con) Con

I have pointed out before that Scotland’s very sharp deterioration in its relationship with alcohol in terms of hospital admissions and deaths can be traced ...

Dr Simpson Lab

I accept the findings of the MESAS report. Nevertheless, the decline in deaths began in 2003, which was a time of minimum unemployment—indeed, there were the...

Jackson Carlaw Con

The report acknowledges the point that Richard Simpson makes. Nevertheless, if the increase was directly related to affordability, it may be that part of the...

Shona Robison SNP

We can certainly look into that, but I get a sense—anecdotally, but I am sure that the evidence base exists—that people are just not taking the risk anymore....

Jackson Carlaw Con

I hope that that is the case, that the encouraging figures that we have seen for one year are sustained, and that, if the policy is seen to be successful, it...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Con

A little longer.

Jackson Carlaw Con

I thought that what Simon Stevens said yesterday was interesting. It touched on something that Hugh Henry, Duncan McNeil and others have mentioned, which is ...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Con

We move to the open debate. We have a little time in hand for interventions. 15:15

Jim Eadie (Edinburgh Southern) (SNP) SNP

It is indeed a pleasure—if not a source of rejoicing—to follow Jackson Carlaw, whose insight and wit was on characteristic display. It is self-evident that ...

Hugh Henry (Renfrewshire South) (Lab) Lab

I was struck by Jim Eadie’s comment that Scotland is not an anti-alcohol nation; it is an anti-alcohol-abuse nation. That chimed neatly with the cabinet secr...

Christian Allard (North East Scotland) (SNP) SNP

I thought about that point and looked at the figures. Funnily enough, the figures for 15-year-olds show that boys and girls are drinking the same amount of a...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Con

I will give you a little extra time, Mr Henry.

Hugh Henry Lab

Mr Allard’s comments just prove what I am saying. When I look back—again, I will use my mother’s generation—I see that the alcohol consumption figures for ma...

Bob Doris (Glasgow) (SNP) SNP

The title of this debate—“Scotland’s Relationship with Alcohol”—is central to tackling alcohol abuse. Many people are reluctant to discuss their relationship...

Gil Paterson (Clydebank and Milngavie) (SNP) SNP

As a former member of the Health and Sport Committee, I am pleased to participate in the debate. I sat on the committee for a number of years, and I was heav...

Jayne Baxter (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab) Lab

Scotland’s problems with alcohol are deep rooted. The statistics demonstrate that, and as we have heard, I imagine that the lived experiences of everyone con...

Christian Allard (North East Scotland) (SNP) SNP

I thank the Scottish Government and the cabinet secretary for bringing the debate to the chamber. The motion is entitled “Scotland’s Relationship with Alcoho...

Sandra White (Glasgow Kelvin) (SNP) SNP

I see Jackson Carlaw shaking his head. The lager is called Hee Haw because there is hee haw alcohol in it. I thought that I would just explain that. I must a...

Jenny Marra Lab

I want to clarify Sandra White’s reflection of the point that I made, which I do not think was completely accurate. I said that the new group of representati...

Sandra White SNP

Absolutely. I agree with Jenny Marra. I took on board what she said. There is a slight interpretation issue, but I absolutely agree with her. I said that the...

Anne McTaggart (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab

I am pleased to have the opportunity to contribute to this debate, as alcohol is a matter of great and on-going concern to many of the constituents of all me...

Dave Thompson (Skye, Lochaber and Badenoch) (SNP) SNP

Scotland’s relationship with alcohol is as well known as it is complex. We drink far more now than we did a generation ago, and alcohol consumption is almost...

Mary Fee (West Scotland) (Lab) Lab

I welcome the opportunity to speak in the debate. I have listened with great interest to the contributors from around the chamber. I will focus most of my sp...

James Dornan (Glasgow Cathcart) (SNP) SNP

I stopped drinking about 20 years ago, for a number of reasons. I did not like the person that alcohol sometimes made me, although many of my friends did. I ...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Elaine Smith) Lab

I am sorry, but I have to stop you for a minute, Mr Dornan. I ask Labour’s front-bench members to listen to the last bit of Mr Dornan’s speech.