Hansard

Thank you, Presiding Officer, for the opportunity to speak to the legislative consent motion on the Employment Rights Bill, as convener of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee. As members will be aware, on 10 June 2025, the committee published its report on the supplementary legislative consent memorandum as it relates to the bill. That was triggered due to the provisions in the bill regarding social care negotiating bodies, as well as various other amendments that fell under the health and social care remit. I am pleased to say that a majority of committee members recommended that the subsequent draft supplementary motion be agreed by Parliament. The Health, Social Care and Sport Committee recognises the importance of the bill and, more importantly, the need for comprehensive scrutiny of the provisions that require legislative consent.

Although employment law is a reserved matter, the provisions in the bill will have massive implications for Scotland’s workforce, particularly in social care. That is why we sought extensive evidence from stakeholders, both in written form and in oral evidence to the committee. To that end, I thank the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities, Glasgow City Council, Health and Social Care Scotland, Scottish Care, the Scottish Social Services Council and Social Work Scotland for their engagement on the matter. I give special thanks to the witnesses who gave oral evidence on 20 May.

Although I am unable to give a summary of the extensive evidence that was received regarding the supplementary LCM and the bill more generally, our report contains a comprehensive overview of the key points that were raised during those sessions. That said, one of the main themes that echoed throughout was the need for continued collaboration when it comes to creating an effective negotiating body for social care. As is highlighted in our report, members were keen to hear more about the on-going discussions with trade unions, as well as the work of the fair work in social care group. I am grateful to the then Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport, Maree Todd MSP, and her supporting officials for speaking to the supplementary LCM and addressing the points that were raised by stakeholders in evidence to the committee.

Although union membership in social care currently sits at around 20 per cent of the workforce, concentrated largely among local government employees, the committee nevertheless welcomes the minister’s commitment to promote increased union membership across the social care sector as a means of improving terms, pay and conditions. That said, we note the minister’s comments that time must now be spent bottoming out the Scottish social care sector’s preference, be that a voluntary arrangement or statutory underpinning. We strongly encourage the Scottish Government to continue to do its best to seek consensus with relevant stakeholders, so that we can achieve better and fairer work conditions for those in the social care sector, which are arguably long overdue.

On behalf of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee, I hope that the bill’s provisions will be a positive step in the right direction for Scotland’s social care workforce. I look forward to assisting further scrutiny in that area, where my committee’s remit is engaged.