Meeting of the Parliament 08 May 2024
I am grateful for the opportunity to speak for the Liberal Democrats in this important debate. Although it is a sensitive matter, it is important that we debate such a substantial clinical review. Given that sensitivity, we should approach the issue with a sense of understanding, compassion and tolerance, which Dr Hilary Cass rightly pointed out as being profoundly absent from so much of the debate in our community. Each of us has a duty to model and uphold the values on which this Parliament was founded and, as parliamentarians, we have a duty to consider such matters soberly and to rely on reason underpinned by evidence. However, in undertaking that consideration, we must always remember the people—especially the young people—at the heart of the debate.
In her report, Dr Cass rightly underscores the impact of delays—I thank Paul Sweeney for his intervention on that—and she reiterated that point at committee. Delays can have a profound impact on mental health and can even lead to self-medication and self-harm. In addition, the stigma and toxicity of the debate can, as Dr Cass noted, have an impact on already vulnerable lives. We must heed her words and consider her review without the intolerance and invective that characterise so much of the debate in our communities.
Scottish Liberal Democrats believe that our focus should always be on ensuring children’s and young people’s wellbeing and preventing harm, that every young person should have as much agency as their age and capacity allow, and that their voice should be at the centre of every decision that impacts them. It is also essential that there is a scientific basis for everything that we do.
Scottish Liberal Democrats accept the clinical validity of the review. It is a substantial piece of work, and it is right that we take time to consider its findings and work through how each of the 32 recommendations might best apply to care pathways in Scotland. Ultimately, we think that it is right that decisions about the safety and efficacy of treatments are always made by clinicians and not by politicians. I say with respect to Meghan Gallacher that I do not believe that such a decision should ever have rested with Government ministers. It should always rest with people such as those who work at the Sandyford clinic.
In response to the recommendations of the Cass review—