Hansard

I, too, thank Pauline McNeill for securing this important debate and pay tribute to the cross-party group on inflammatory bowel disease, of which Pauline is the convener and Clare Adamson the deputy convener, for its work on these important issues. There is a history of bowel disease in my family, so that work really is appreciated. I also thank Crohn’s and Colitis UK for its helpful briefing, as well as the constituents who have been in touch with me. I posted on Facebook that I was taking part in the debate and people have been in touch to share their personal experiences. I am grateful to them.

Scotland has the highest prevalence of Crohn’s and colitis in the UK, so it is important that we understand the impact on people’s everyday lives and ensure that our places of work and education and our public spaces are inclusive for people living with those conditions. People with Crohn’s and colitis can find themselves planning their days around the availability of toilets, so adequate provision can make a dramatic difference to their lives. The need to go to the toilet can come on very suddenly and, like Miles Briggs, I believe that access to toilets is a public health priority, especially for people with inflammatory bowel disease.

However, last year it was found that austerity-hit councils have had to close 161 public toilets across Scotland since 2010. Disability Equality Scotland described the declining number of public toilets as a health risk. I was shocked to learn from Disability Equality Scotland that some businesses, including well-known coffee shops, are locking their accessible toilets with standard keys and access codes. That practice must end.

One young woman with Crohn’s contacted my office about the facilities at Glasgow Central station. She is sometimes forced to make her way down two flights of stairs in pain, desperate to make the toilet while frantically trying to find the right change to get through the barriers. I was pleased when Network Rail confirmed to me that it would remove toilet charges at Edinburgh Waverley and Glasgow Central stations, but that has not happened yet—please, just get on with it.

Accessible public toilets can make a transformative difference and a great example of that is one that is provided in my area by a third sector organisation, the Larkhall lighthouse. However, it should not be left to charities to step in. Therefore, Scottish Labour was pleased to work on a cross-party basis with colleagues such as Alison Johnstone, Jeremy Balfour and Mary Fee on changing places toilets to ensure that toilets are not just an afterthought in planning policy and community provision.

Today I read that Kevin Stewart, the Minister for Local Government, Housing and Planning, is a wee bit upset and thinks that the Planning (Scotland) Bill now needs to be rescued because it places too great a bureaucratic burden on councils. I hope that he is not referring to the proposals on public toilets, because they are vital. Without them, people are left with no choice but to stay at home and not take part in community life because they cannot guarantee getting to the loo.

Crohn’s and colitis can be severely debilitating, or even life threatening but, as Clare Adamson said, people talk about not having visible symptoms, or about having invisible diseases. I pay tribute to Crohn’s and Colitis UK for its fantastic campaign entitled “Not every disability is visible”, which challenges that perception.

I have read about employers, including some in my area, such as call centres, timing staff members’ toilet breaks and even deducting pay for time spent away from their desks. That creates an unhealthy culture of stigma and anxiety about toilet use, which is particularly damaging for and discriminates against people who have inflammatory bowel disease.

Pauline McNeill talked about her niece and the impact of IBD on young people. Too often, young people in school have to seek permission to go to the toilet or access period products. We have to change that.

In conclusion, I again thank Pauline McNeill for securing the debate, and Crohn’s and Colitis UK for its fantastic work. I urge the Scottish Government to respond to the recommendations that are directed at it and our health boards.