Hansard

I congratulate Rhoda Grant on bringing this important debate to the chamber, and I join her and other rural MSPs in welcoming the Scottish Human Rights Commission’s spotlight report.

Although the project’s findings are specific to the Highlands and Islands, they resonate deeply with us in Dumfries and Galloway. The report, which has been widely praised by community groups, charities and organisations, highlights the pervasive issues of rooflessness, hunger and limited access to healthcare—issues that we in Galloway are all too familiar with.

With rooflessness and homelessness remaining a pressing concern, many individuals and families continue to struggle with inadequate housing. That impacts not only on their physical safety but on their mental and emotional wellbeing. In rural Galloway, we have seen the devastating effects of rooflessness on our communities, so it is imperative that we take concrete steps to provide safe and affordable housing for all our residents. Sadly, the current target for house building in rural Scotland is an arbitrary figure that does not address the unique challenges that we face, and that is another factor that drives depopulation.

The issue of hunger is equally critical across Scotland. Given that we are a country that is rich in agricultural resources, it is unbelievable that food insecurity remains a reality for many. The report’s findings serve as a stark reminder that we must do more to ensure that everyone has access to nutritious and affordable food. That is a matter not just of survival but of dignity and equality.

The report highlights access to healthcare as another significant challenge. In Dumfries and Galloway, just as in the Highlands, there are long waiting times and limited availability of services, which are barriers to the care that our residents need. That is not only a violation of their rights but a threat to their health and wellbeing. We need increased investment in healthcare infrastructure to ensure that everyone, regardless of their location, can access the medical care that they require.

The report’s finding that

“not a single human right”

that was examined

“meets all the conditions of adequacy under international law”

is deeply concerning. That highlights the urgent need for policy reforms and renewed efforts to uphold and protect those fundamental rights. The Scottish Government must act on the report and review its current policies to address the deficiencies that have been identified.

Dr Gordon Baird, who is a retired GP and an influential medical expert, commented to me on the SHRC’s findings of

“inaccessible health care services that fail to meet minimum core obligations”

and, more worryingly, of

“a lack of a cohesive or coherent strategy to fulfil these obligations”,

as well as

“policies that should be adaptable to the specific needs of remote and rural areas”.

In west Galloway, the main town of Stranraer is 75 miles west of the administrative hub of Dumfries and 85 miles south-west of Glasgow, which is where the closest tertiary medical centre is located. In 1999, the editor of the BMJ reported that

“Dumfries looks on Stranraer as a ‘wild west’ town that makes much too much fuss and won’t accept that it’s a rural backwater”.

It seems to me that that attitude towards rural residents persists across rural areas, with health board managers often dismissing areas as out west—such as in my case—or as a problem. The situation is now worse than ever, with the main issues being maternity care, cancer, step-down care and cottage hospital facilities. Deprivation compounds the effects, too.

The report identifies that

“Some of the most critical issues ... are the apparent failure to meet the most basic international obligations”

and finds that

“Another area of concern is the apparent regression or deterioration of rights”,

which is being

“exacerbated by decisions on budget reductions or indeed the complete elimination of previously existing services, without sufficient mitigating measures.”

Across rural Scotland, we can draw valuable lessons from the spotlight project. By acknowledging the shared challenges, we can work together to find solutions that can benefit all.

We commend the Scottish Human Rights Commission’s spotlight project for its critical insight, but our response must extend beyond recognition—we must commit to taking tangible actions on all the issues that it has identified. The Scottish Government must review and revise its policies to ensure the realisation of economic, social and cultural rights for all the residents of all of rural Scotland, not just the Highlands and Islands. It must not wait for the commission to look into the same issues in the south of Scotland. Across the chamber, we must strive to build a more just and equitable Scotland, where everybody’s individual rights are respected.