Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) 02 March 2021
I thank Ruth Davidson for her very kind comments, and I look forward to welcoming in a matter of weeks the second Conservative leader—perhaps even the third Conservative leader—in my short spell as Labour leader.
I thank the First Minister for advance sight of her statement and extend my condolences to all those who have lost loved ones. This has been a difficult year for us all, and our thoughts and condolences go out to all those who have lost a loved one.
As the First Minister said, it is 12 months since the first Covid-19 case was identified in Scotland. In that time, we have seen our NHS staff, our social care staff and all our front-line workers continue to go above and beyond. We give our heartfelt thanks to every single one of them and their families.
The vaccine roll-out is the light at the end of the tunnel, and it is great to see the evidence of its efficacy giving us all hope. However, as the lockdown restrictions begin to lift, I urge the Scottish Government to focus also on our recovery. I will support all efforts by the Government to bring our communities together and to rebuild our nation. That must be the collective priority for everyone across the Parliament.
Parents throughout the country are worried about their children’s education and mental health. Can the First Minister confirm when her Government will set out details of a national recovery plan for Scotland’s pupils and our education system? Figures published today on child and adolescent mental health services show that more than 1,500 children on waiting lists have waited more than a year to be seen by a specialist and, in the last quarter, 25 per cent—one in four children—had their referral rejected. What more can the Scottish Government do to give support to children who need it right now, particularly in crisis services?
Finally, the Scottish Government has a target of 400,000 vaccinations a week, which is a target that I have welcomed and I support, but the numbers from the last week in February show an average of around 29,000 vaccinations per day and yesterday fewer than 23,000 people were vaccinated. Today, the First Minister has suggested that vaccinations could slow even further. When will that target of 400,000 vaccinations per week be met so that we can collectively get out of this crisis?