Hansard

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur) LD

The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-12882, in the name of Mark Griffin, on the Scottish Employment Injuries Advisory Council Bill at stage 1....

Mark Griffin (Central Scotland) (Lab) Lab

I make a voluntary declaration of interests as a member of the Union of Shop, Distributive and Allied Workers and Unite. I am absolutely delighted to speak ...

John Mason (Glasgow Shettleston) (SNP) SNP

There is a lot of agreement with what Mark Griffin says, in that we should be dealing with some of those issues, but am I right in saying that his bill does ...

Mark Griffin Lab

The bill would establish a council that would get the workers who are impacted by illnesses and injuries around the table to design the benefit. The budget t...

Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab) Lab

We have heard across the chamber throughout this session—indeed, at last—that we recognise the importance of the lived experience of people feeding into the ...

Mark Griffin Lab

Absolutely. It seems strange that we have a current UK industrial injuries system with a UK advisory council with medical experts, trade unionists and peopl...

John Mason SNP

Will the member give way?

Mark Griffin Lab

I am sorry, but I think that I am in my last minute. I would be happy to take another intervention in my closing speech. The time for action is now. The bil...

The Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice (Shirley-Anne Somerville) SNP

I thank Mark Griffin for his on-going commitment to people who have experienced an industrial injury or occupational disease, which is evidenced by the intro...

Daniel Johnson (Edinburgh Southern) (Lab) Lab

The cabinet secretary has just set out that the Government agrees with the principles that Mark Griffin has articulated. Given that stage 1 of the process is...

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

I agree with the principles underlying why Mark Griffin is introducing the bill, and I say the following with the greatest genuine respect to Mr Griffin, wit...

Michael Marra (North East Scotland) (Lab) Lab

The cabinet secretary says that it is more sensible to wait. Does she not realise that, for many people with life-limiting and debilitating conditions, whose...

The Deputy Presiding Officer LD

Cabinet secretary, I can give you time back for interventions.

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

Thank you, Presiding Officer. I appreciate that. I understand why there is frustration and impatience, but that is why I wish to be able to introduce the co...

Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con) Con

Will the cabinet secretary take an intervention on that point?

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

If I have time, Presiding Officer.

The Deputy Presiding Officer LD

Very briefly, Miles Briggs.

Miles Briggs Con

What will be the make-up of that advisory group?

The Deputy Presiding Officer LD

I would be obliged if you would start winding up now, cabinet secretary.

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

Certainly, Presiding Officer. I am happy to respond to Miles Briggs’s question in my closing remarks, but the group would particularly include people with l...

The Deputy Presiding Officer LD

There have been a number of interventions already. I would be grateful if, as well as asking for an intervention in the normal way, members would press their...

Collette Stevenson (East Kilbride) (SNP) SNP

I am pleased to contribute to the debate on behalf of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee. I thank everyone who sent submissions in response to ...

Jeremy Balfour (Lothian) (Con) Con

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak in the debate. As a member of the Social Justice and Social Security Committee, I have, over the past number of mo...

Mark Griffin Lab

The point has been made about timing. We are at the stage 1 debate; we still have stage 2, stage 3, royal assent and commencement to go. We are nowhere near ...

Jeremy Balfour Con

Again, I understand where Mark Griffin is coming from, but the point is that we need to undertake—with cross-party support, as we have done with every other ...

The Deputy Presiding Officer LD

Briefly, cabinet secretary.

Shirley-Anne Somerville SNP

I am happy to confirm that I wished to wait to see what would happen today because, quite frankly, there would have been no point in going through a consulta...

The Deputy Presiding Officer LD

Wind up, please.

Jeremy Balfour Con

I thank the cabinet secretary for that. As I said at the outset, Mr Griffin and his team have undertaken a lot of good work to get his bill to this point. H...

Paul O’Kane (West Scotland) (Lab) Lab

I am pleased to open on behalf of Scottish Labour in this stage 1 debate, and I am pleased to support the general principles of my colleague Mark Griffin’s b...