Chamber
Meeting of the Parliament 06 November 2024
06 Nov 2024 · S6 · Meeting of the Parliament
Item of business
Keeping the Promise
On reflection, I wonder whether I have been in the Parliament for too long, because I find debates such as this one quite hard. I do not want to sour the tone of the debate, but sometimes when we discuss topics such as this, we go round in circles and go through the motions, and we pay lip service to the Promise.
I do not doubt that the minister is committed in this area. I have listened to members speak of the progress that has been made, and I have read a number of the briefings that have come in. There are things to welcome, but I look round the chamber and see that colleagues are not here for the debate. All 129 of us should be pretty ashamed of the situation that still persists when we hear some of the points made by Willie Rennie and Gillian Mackay. We are not keeping the Promise. The amount of action does not match the commitment that we have collectively made, and I worry about the chronic implementation gap that Claire Burns from the University of Strathclyde talked about.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Liam McArthur)
LD
The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-15205, in the name of Natalie Don-Innes, on keeping the Promise. I invite members who wish to participate...
The Minister for Children, Young People and The Promise (Natalie Don-Innes)
SNP
Thank you, Presiding Officer, for the opportunity to bring the debate to the chamber. As minister for the Promise, I have seen progress, listened to heart-wa...
Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
The definition of “care experience” is becoming one of the most important elements, and it is right that that definition is developed with people with care e...
Natalie Don-Innes
SNP
We are consulting on that matter, which will be considered in anticipation of the bill. In August 2023, I was very proud to introduce the Scottish recommend...
Roz McCall (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con)
Con
I thank the minister for bringing this important debate to the chamber. I welcome the opportunity to reaffirm the commitment of Scottish Conservative members...
Martin Whitfield (South Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I am a proud member of the Children’s Parliament “unfearties”; I stand with children to make rights real in day-to-day life. Today, as part of that journey, ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
Thank you very much indeed, Mr Whitfield. I call Gillian Mackay, who joins us remotely. 15:19
Gillian Mackay (Central Scotland) (Green)
Green
I, too, thank the minister for holding this hugely important debate. Like others, I reaffirm the Scottish Greens’ commitment to achieving the Promise. I d...
Willie Rennie (North East Fife) (LD)
LD
Of course, we in the Liberal Democrats recommit ourselves to the Promise, which is why we will support the Government’s motion this afternoon. However, we wi...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
LD
We move to the open debate. 15:32
Kevin Stewart (Aberdeen Central) (SNP)
SNP
I am pleased to speak in the debate. Hard as it may be for folks in the chamber to recognise, I was first elected to Aberdeen City Council in May 1999—some 2...
Oliver Mundell (Dumfriesshire) (Con)
Con
On reflection, I wonder whether I have been in the Parliament for too long, because I find debates such as this one quite hard. I do not want to sour the ton...
Natalie Don-Innes
SNP
I do not think that anybody is arguing that we have kept the Promise; we are on a journey to keep the Promise by 2030. I welcome hearing about the challenges...
Oliver Mundell
Con
If the minister was listening, she would have heard that I did say that there are some things that we can be pleased with. However, although I do not want to...
Clare Haughey (Rutherglen) (SNP)
SNP
It is easy to forget what a powerful statement it was when the Promise was launched and voices across the Parliament and our public services used the word “l...
Katy Clark (West Scotland) (Lab)
Lab
I welcome the news that the much-needed Promise bill will be introduced during this session of Parliament. That will be a relief to care-experienced campaign...
Rona Mackay (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP)
SNP
Children and young people across Scotland deserve the very best that there is to offer in all aspects of their lives. It is our job as members of Parliament ...
Foysol Choudhury (Lothian) (Lab)
Lab
Four years have passed since the introduction of the Promise. Although I was not a member of the Scottish Parliament then, I was pleased to see parties unite...
Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow Southside) (SNP)
SNP
Few, if any, issues matter more to me than this one. I know that that is true for the minister, too, and I commend her for her leadership on this mission. T...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Annabelle Ewing)
SNP
We move to the closing speeches. I call Gillian Mackay to close on behalf of the Scottish Greens. Ms Mackay joins us remotely. 16:16
Gillian Mackay
Green
It has been a good debate—it has been a challenging debate for us all, but it has certainly been a good one. I absolutely agree with the minister that we ne...
Pam Duncan-Glancy (Glasgow) (Lab)
Lab
I am pleased to close today’s debate on the Promise on behalf of the Scottish Labour Party. We have heard from colleagues today, including the minister, Rona...
The Deputy Presiding Officer
SNP
Thank you, Ms Duncan-Glancy. Miles Briggs will close on behalf of the Scottish Conservatives. 16:28
Miles Briggs (Lothian) (Con)
Con
I thank the organisations that have provided helpful briefings for us ahead of the debate and I welcome to the public gallery representatives from them. As t...
Natalie Don-Innes
SNP
I thank all members for their considered contributions throughout the debate. I am encouraged to hear that cross-party support to keep the Promise remains st...
Kevin Stewart
SNP
How are we going to spread good practice across Scotland? Quite often, we hear about amazing things going on in one place but find that, in the next-door loc...
Natalie Don-Innes
SNP
“Plan 24-30” is a good example of how that can be done. The more that develops and the more good practice is shared in that regard, the more we will be able ...
The Presiding Officer (Alison Johnstone)
NPA
That concludes the debate on keeping the Promise.