Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (John Scott) Con

The next item of business is a debate on motion S4M-15561, in the name of Jamie Hepburn, on the Carers (Scotland) Bill. I invite members who wish to speak in...

The Minister for Sport, Health Improvement and Mental Health (Jamie Hepburn) SNP

I am delighted to open the stage 3 debate on the Carers (Scotland) Bill. If the Parliament agrees to pass the bill, as I hope it will after the debate, today...

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab) Lab

That appears to contradict the view of the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Constitution and Economy, who has put severe limits on what local authorities can d...

Jamie Hepburn SNP

I am afraid that I do not agree with that. Given that we are talking about care today, I might reflect on the fact that we are providing a substantial packag...

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Lab

There are a large number of people whom I need to thank for their work on the bill over the past weeks and months. I thank our committee clerks and the legis...

Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con) Con

I endorse the thanks that have already been given to all those who have helped with the progress of the bill through its parliamentary stages. When I first ...

Joan McAlpine (South Scotland) (SNP) SNP

It gives me great pleasure to speak in the debate. Just before the debate, I met a group of carers who came to the Parliament with Enable Scotland to celebra...

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab) Lab

It is a privilege for me to be involved in the debate and, over the years, to have met and worked with carers, whether those in my family, those whom I knew ...

Joan McAlpine SNP

I appreciate what Johann Lamont says about care workers and their importance. Since she raises the issue, will she tell us whether she will be encouraging La...

Johann Lamont Lab

Absolutely. There is no doubt about the Labour Party’s commitment to the living wage and to respect for care workers. The point that I would make is that car...

Jim Hume (South Scotland) (LD) LD

I support the bill and I am pleased that it has reached and been amended at stage 3. I hope that it will provide a framework of support for the 745,000 adult...

Jamie Hepburn SNP

Mr Hume will have heard my remarks and I hope that he accepts them in good faith. We will monitor the efficacy of the approach that we have legislated for. I...

Jim Hume LD

I appreciate that the minister has put that on the record. I never doubted that he would mention the commitment to review the approach, which he made in good...

Christina McKelvie (Hamilton, Larkhall and Stonehouse) (SNP) SNP

Legislation can take a long time to work its way on to the statute books, but it is just the tip of an iceberg. Underneath it, a host of people and organisat...

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

There are almost 800,000 carers in Scotland. Although around 30,000 to 40,000 people stop caring for a loved one each year, the overall number hardly varies,...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Con

We move to the closing speeches. I call Jackson Carlaw—I can give you a generous four minutes. 16:47

Jackson Carlaw (West Scotland) (Con) Con

I might disappoint you, Presiding Officer, by not fully utilising them.

The Deputy Presiding Officer Con

That will be fine.

Jackson Carlaw Con

In an afternoon in which we draw all the deliberations on the Carers (Scotland) Bill to a conclusion, I acknowledge the bill’s importance. Throughout its pro...

Rhoda Grant Lab

This has been a good debate. Many of us can draw on our own experiences, as many of us have been carers at one point or another. However, we would not be her...

Jamie Hepburn SNP

On a point of information, that funding will go to health and social care partnerships, which are an integral partner of local government. It is important to...

Rhoda Grant Lab

It will indeed go to health and social care partnerships, but it is going through the health budgets, not the local government budgets, so the health boards ...

Joan McAlpine SNP

We have spent hours and years discussing health and social care integration. The care packages are delivered by people in the community and the joint boards....

Rhoda Grant Lab

Many of the joint boards will not be set up until this April, and the money is going to health boards, not to local government, as the Scottish Government ke...

Jamie Hepburn SNP

I thank all the members who have contributed to the debate; they have done so with genuine respect for Scotland’s carers. I welcome the insight that has been...

Rhoda Grant Lab

Given the number of concerns that people have about the resourcing of the bill and the costs of its delivery, if the money that is set out in the financial m...

Jamie Hepburn SNP

As welcome as it was, Ms Grant’s intervention was unnecessary. I will go on to say what I was going to say. I still consider the financial memorandum to be ...

Johann Lamont Lab

If COSLA comes forward with figures that confirm that there is a problem, will the minister give a commitment to look at them and change the financial memora...

The Deputy Presiding Officer Lab

Minister, could you begin to wind up, please?

Jamie Hepburn SNP

I can, indeed. What Johann Lamont said seems to be a case of reading between the lines. I have specifically said to COSLA that I am happy to take any figure...