Hansard

I join members in congratulating Iain Gray on securing this debate to mark world toilet day 2015. I reiterate the point that others have made that there was potential for cynical commentary on the fact that we are holding this debate—indeed, there might still be. That would be a matter of regret, because the issue is important, as members’ thoughtful speeches have demonstrated.

Each speaker has in their own way raised awareness of the need for access to proper sanitation and the important contribution that that makes to gender equality, health, dignity, security, and social and economic development across the world. Many of us here in Scotland take that access for granted, although members have rightly raised issues about the domestic scene, which I will respond to in a few moments.

I will first reiterate the point that Iain Gray made about the sustainable development goals, which were agreed in September this year and which include the critical target of ensuring access to water and sanitation for all. I am sure that we all whole-heartedly support that goal. Around 2.5 billion people do not have access to adequate and safe sanitation. That is a global shame, and it presents a challenge that we must step up to and meet. World toilet day raises the issue and highlights the need for action today—action that cannot wait.

The global context is that water scarcity affects more than 40 per cent of people around the world, which is an alarming figure that is projected to increase with the rise of global temperatures as a consequence of climate change. Although much progress has been made—around 2.1 billion people have gained access to improved water sanitation since 1990—far too many, as I have set out, still do not have safe water or adequate sanitation.

That manifests itself in many negative ways. Every two minutes, a child dies of diseases that are related to diarrhoea and that could be prevented by improved water, sanitation and hygiene. In 2014, 159 million children worldwide were stunted due to malnutrition. One of the main causes is water-related disease such as diarrhoea that prevents the proper absorption of nutrients from food. Some countries lose as much as 7 per cent of their gross domestic product as a result of inadequate sanitation leading to water-related diseases that cause missed days at work due to illness or people caring for sick relatives. Every year, children take 443 million sick days because of water-related diseases, which means that they are missing out on their much-needed education. The problem is a major one that impacts on every continent. It is a problem for us all and it is therefore incumbent on us all to respond.

If we are to ensure universal access to safe and affordable drinking water by 2030, we will have to invest in adequate infrastructure, provide sanitation facilities and encourage hygiene at every level. The Government is proud to be active in this area of global concern. Through our Scotland the hydro nation programme and our international development activity, we can try to make a difference.

We recognise that Scotland has much knowledge and expertise to offer the world in a range of key water resource management areas. Therefore, one focus of our hydro nation strategy in the years ahead will be on where Scotland can add value and contribute to solving global water issues. The sustainable development goal on water and sanitation will help to provide the global political context for our activity, as we work hard to deliver on our vision of Scotland as the world’s first hydro nation—a nation that manages its water environment to the best advantage and employs its knowledge and expertise effectively at home and internationally.

So far, the climate justice fund has been supported by hydro nation funds of £6 million and has delivered 11 water adaptation projects in Malawi, Tanzania, Rwanda and Zambia. Scottish Water has been a long-term supporter of WaterAid and has raised money and taken part in practical work and will continue to do so. Earlier this year in May, we hosted the 15th International Water Resources Association congress in Edinburgh, at which in the region of 1,000 delegates discussed ground-breaking research and the key global issues relating to water and sanitation.

We will continue to deliver practical projects on the ground and host and participate in the global discussions on water and sanitation issues. We will work with Governments such as the Government of Malawi to ensure that we support work that is appropriate for each country, has the engagement of local communities and makes a difference on the ground. For example, we have provided funding of just over £390,000 to support a project that aims to improve the health and wellbeing of impoverished families in Bihar in India. It aims to deliver health and hygiene workshops and will provide loans to clients to enable the installation of toilets, water systems and biogas stoves.

Of course, there is a domestic angle to the debate as well, and I will respond to some of the issues that were raised. The PAMIS changing places campaign was cited by Jenny Marra and Mark McDonald. As he will recall, I have met Mr McDonald to discuss the issues that the campaign has raised. As he mentioned, changing places toilets are recognised in “The keys to life”, the Scottish learning disability strategy, as an essential part of community facilities. Indeed, they are the key to community inclusion for people with complex needs.

There are now 120 accessible changing place toilets in Scotland. That is significant progress, but we still have further to go. In response to Jenny Marra’s point, I re-emphasise my support for the campaign and the further roll-out of facilities. We need to ensure a better geographic distribution of changing place facilities, and I accept that we need to work with some of the locations that can expect a high number of visitors to ensure that more of them have such facilities, too.

I welcome Grace Warnock to the public gallery. I congratulate her on her outstanding and imaginative awareness-raising campaign to secure better door signs for accessible toilets in Scotland. I am sure that Mr Gray is proud to be her MSP and rightly so. She has reminded us of the important fact that some conditions are hidden from view and, therefore, that accessible toilets are not only for people who use wheelchairs.

Mr Gray wrote to my colleague Maureen Watt about that matter, although Margaret Burgess responded. That facilitated a meeting for Grace with Heather Fisken, the project manager of the independent living in Scotland project. That has now moved forward, so that there is some work under way in South Lanarkshire, as Mr Gray mentioned. He also mentioned the work that is under way in East Lothian.

Mr Gray also made a request of me as the minister to consider how the Scottish Government can further promote accessible signage. I am certainly happy to examine the experience in South Lanarkshire to find out what lessons can be learned from that. Even before we reach that stage, I am also happy to find out what further steps we can take. I will consider the matter and come back to Mr Gray on it so that he can keep Grace up to date on the progress, because her campaign has undeniably made significant progress.

I congratulate Iain Gray on securing the debate. I join him in welcoming the significant progress that Grace Warnock has already made with her campaign. I note the vital importance of providing adequate and equitable access to sanitation in Scotland and around the globe.