Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Christine Grahame) SNP

The next item of business is a debate on motion S5M-20635, in the name of Joe Fitzpatrick, on drugs and alcohol: preventing and reducing harms. I call Joe Fi...

The Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP

November 2018 saw the publication of two key strategy documents that were aimed at reducing the harm that is associated with alcohol and drugs. Those documen...

Neil Findlay (Lothian) (Lab) Lab

Will the minister take an intervention?

Joe FitzPatrick SNP

I am going to make some progress, but I will come back to the member. Tackling the harms has to include addressing the underlying reasons for those addictio...

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

Will the minister take an intervention?

Joe FitzPatrick SNP

I am going to make some progress. I will come back to the member if there is time. Understanding and addressing the impact of adverse childhood experience...

David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) Lab

Will the minister give way?

Joe FitzPatrick SNP

As I said, I will make progress and, if there is time, I will give way once I have got through the important matters that I have to cover. On Tuesday, NHS H...

Jenny Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab) Lab

Will the minister give way on that point?

Joe FitzPatrick SNP

As I said, I want to make progress. I want to update the chamber on the task force’s work, which is the next item that I will cover. I asked the Young Scot ...

Neil Findlay Lab

Will the minister take an intervention?

Joe FitzPatrick SNP

As I said, I will outline some of the work of the task force, which I know members are keen to hear about. There will be plenty of time for debate later. Th...

Alex Cole-Hamilton LD

Will the minister take an intervention?

Joe FitzPatrick SNP

Time is limited, and I am covering the actions of the task force—there is a lot to get through.

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Actually, there is some time in hand—for all members—for interventions.

Joe FitzPatrick SNP

I think that time is going to be tight for my speech. If there is time—

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Do not look so pleased, Mr Cole-Hamilton.

Joe FitzPatrick SNP

We continue to develop initiatives to enable people—

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Bear with me, minister. It is a matter for members, but I do not want members all round the chamber to feel that they are under time pressure, because there ...

Joe FitzPatrick SNP

Presiding Officer, that is good, but my challenge is to get through the range of actions that the task force is taking, because that is what I want to update...

David Stewart Lab

Will the minister take an intervention?

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

No, the minister—

Joe FitzPatrick SNP

I am really tight for time.

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

Bear with me. Minister, you really must conclude.

Joe FitzPatrick SNP

I am almost there, Presiding Officer. We need to get that mapping done and get evidence of the demand, as we need to know that we are using resources in the...

The Deputy Presiding Officer SNP

I am sorry, minister, but you must move the motion. You are over time by nearly two minutes.

Joe FitzPatrick SNP

In moving the motion, I emphasise that the harms of alcohol and other drugs impact on us all. It is really important that we work together on this vital work...

Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con) Con

Last year, 1,187 people died. I say to the minister that that is the evidence. The last time that the issue of drugs was debated in Parliament in the Govern...

Monica Lennon (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab

I wish that we did not need to have this debate. Nothing that we can say will heal the hearts of people who are affected by the harms and losses that we are ...

Alex Cole-Hamilton LD

I agree with everything that Monica Lennon has said so far. Does she agree that the delays that are being witnessed as a result of the toxicology reports bei...