Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Christine Grahame) SNP

The next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-12706, in the name of Alex Cole-Hamilton, on health. 14:42

Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD) LD

It is a great privilege to lead the debate for my party and to move the motion. In her first speech in the chamber after the 2016 election, the First Ministe...

Neil Findlay (Lothian) (Lab) Lab

Last week, during carers week, I met a group of young carers, to speak about their lives. Ten out of 14 of them told me that they had had to be referred to C...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

I will give you a little time back, Mr Cole-Hamilton.

Alex Cole-Hamilton LD

Thank you, Presiding Officer. I agree with Neil Findlay absolutely, and I think that what he said underscores the group who are most vulnerable, who are alr...

Clare Haughey (Rutherglen) (SNP) SNP

Will the member give way?

Alex Cole-Hamilton LD

I will not; I am just coming to the end of my remarks. It is a human tragedy that is visited on the north shore of my constituency every single week. My par...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

I now call the minister, Maureen Watt. You have six minutes, minister. 14:51

The Minister for Mental Health (Maureen Watt) SNP

Thank you, Presiding Officer. Six minutes is a rather short time to address these important issues, but I will do my best. As stigma around mental health ha...

Jenny Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab) Lab

Will the member take an intervention?

Maureen Watt SNP

I am in my last minute. The next programme for government will deliver a further step change in both ambition for and investment in mental health. I move a...

Annie Wells (Glasgow) (Con) Con

I thank the Liberal Democrats for bringing this extremely important topic to the chamber today. Last week’s figures for mental health waiting times showed ...

Anas Sarwar (Glasgow) (Lab) Lab

I thank the Liberal Democrats for bringing this timely and important debate to the chamber. I say right at the outset that we will be supporting their motion...

Tom Arthur (Renfrewshire South) (SNP) SNP

Mr Sarwar referred to CAMHS waiting times and workforce. As he will be aware, staffing for CAMHS has increased by 69 per cent since 2007. Clearly he thinks t...

Anas Sarwar Lab

Consultant vacancy numbers are going up, not down. There has been a failure to plan adequately for the workforce, which is why we have had to launch our own ...

Alison Johnstone (Lothian) (Green) Green

I am pleased that one of the amendments that have been selected for debate today—the Labour amendment—acknowledges that the prevalence of mental health probl...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

No. I am sorry, but you must conclude. You have made your point.

Alison Johnstone Green

Thank you.

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

It is now the open debate. I am afraid that speakers have a strict four minutes. 15:10

Liam McArthur (Orkney Islands) (LD) LD

Scottish Liberal Democrats have, over the years, consistently sought to keep the spotlight on mental health. We have repeatedly used the time that is availab...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Linda Fabiani) SNP

We are very tight for time, so I will have to be strict. 15:15

Tom Arthur (Renfrewshire South) (SNP) SNP

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in the debate, which takes place at a time of significant change in attitudes to mental health. Here in Scotland, ...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

You must close, please.

Tom Arthur SNP

I will just say that there is common ground and that, if we work together constructively, we can achieve the vision that we all share. 15:19

Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con) Con

I welcome this important debate on mental health, and I thank the Liberal Democrats for using their debating time to have it. The motion rightly refers to t...

Jenny Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab) Lab

There are thousands of stories behind the children’s mental health waiting times statistics. Each child has their own story of how their name came to be on t...

Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) SNP

Alex Cole-Hamilton’s motion says that the “hard-working staff do not have the resources and support that they require to deliver the service that they woul...

Alison Johnstone Green

Will the member take an intervention?

Stewart Stevenson SNP

No. The first comment is about Aberdeen royal infirmary: “I attended A&E during a mental health crisis. From the start, reception staff were really pa...

Alex Cole-Hamilton LD

Will the member take an intervention?