Meeting of the Parliament 13 January 2016
As the first member to speak after Lesley Brennan being sworn in, I welcome her to the chamber. Up to now, I was the newest member in the chamber, but it is now Lesley. I congratulate her. [Applause.]
I hope that, in the weeks and months ahead, in the lead-up to the Scottish general election in May, we can have a big debate in Scotland about the most pressing challenges and issues that we face moving forward.
My motion today is on “Social and Economic Success for all of Scotland”. My desire and ambition throughout my life has been to live in a society in which we no longer have the haves and the have-nots but in which everyone, no matter what family or circumstances they are born into, has an equal chance of achieving their full potential. It would be a society in which, if people were unable to work and provide for themselves, there would be a social security system to support them with a minimum income. It would be a society in which, if someone was able to work, they would work and would earn a fair pay and be treated with dignity and respect in the workplace. I do not think that that is an awful lot to ask for; yet, in Scotland in 2016, we are far removed from that kind of society and, despite what the Tories will say today, the situation is getting worse.
That is why we need a more open and honest debate about the state that we are in. What needs to be done to bring about a more fair, just and equal Scotland? I have no objections to the amendment that Alex Neil has lodged on behalf of the Government. Indeed, I remain proud that it was Labour in Fife that brought about the free bus pass for pensioners—the first time that it had been introduced anywhere in the United Kingdom. It was then another Fifer, a Labour Chancellor of the Exchequer, who rolled out that policy across the UK. It was also Labour in Fife that first brought about free nursery education for three and four-year-olds, which is another massive tool for tackling poverty and inequality, as the Scottish Government now clearly recognises.
Although I do not disagree with the measures that are outlined by the Government, some of which were brought about by the Scottish National Party and some by the Labour Party, I have to say that they will not on their own create the fairer society that we all want. Indeed, despite the measures being in place, matters are getting worse for many families, particularly those who are on lower fixed incomes. There is a legitimate debate to be had about how we target resources to reach those who are in the greatest need.
The Government’s own poverty tsar has flagged up issues around universalism. I hope that we are able to debate such matters in a more open, honest and transparent way. For now, let me give members the example of the Cottage Family Centre in Kirkcaldy. Five years ago, the cottage provided Christmas parcels for 100 children. In 2014 that figure was 500, and this Christmas it had risen to 780. Therefore, this year nearly eight times as many children needed help at Christmas than was the case five years ago. In contrast to five years ago, when the need was for extras and toys for the kids that families could not afford, this year the urgent need was for the basics—the food that families could not afford to put on their table at Christmas.
The Tories suggest in their amendment
“that levels of poverty are at historic lows”,
but that is simply not the case. While I am on the subject of the Tories, yesterday’s proposal by the Prime Minister that families should be encouraged to save money in a bid to tackle poverty shows just how out of touch those people are with real life.