Hansard

Today’s debate on Scotland’s partnership with the third sector is welcome. I hope that we can have an open and collaborative discussion on the best approach to strengthening Scotland’s partnership with a sector that is vital to the economy and society.

The third sector is at the forefront of efforts to tackle poverty, build social cohesion and protect the environment. From grass-roots groups to health and social care organisations, communities depend on the sector for support and advice. These charities and organisations can make a real and lasting difference to families and individuals right across Scotland, and they deserve to be respected and seen for the contribution that they provide.

Scottish Labour welcomes the Government’s motion and its commitment to establish a third sector partnership agreement. Formalising the relationship between the third sector and the Government is long overdue. Scotland is the only part of the UK not to have an established formal partnership with the voluntary sector. Although the approaches taken in Wales and Northern Ireland and by the UK Government are all different, it was welcome to hear the Cabinet Secretary for Social Justice and Housing speak about the Welsh approach. We hope that we can learn lessons from some of those agreements, which might help us to take forward some of the points that we want to action.

The agreement presents an opportunity to reset the relationship with the sector, align priorities and deliver on some of the sector’s long-term asks, such as its calls for the introduction of multiyear funding arrangements, which we have all touched on. That is why Scottish Labour has lodged an add-on amendment that makes it clear that multiyear funding should be “foundational” to the agreement. Multiyear funding not only provides more certainty for the sector and allows for better planning but enables charities and organisations to take preventative measures, and it provides long-term savings by removing the costs of repeatedly having to apply for single-year funding—I think that we all recognise that. The sector has consistently asked for multiyear funding, and I hope that the Government will agree that delivery of that should be a top priority and an essential part of the agreement.

Our amendment asks that a greater requirement for due diligence on fair work principles be embedded in the framework. We discussed that in the previous parliamentary session. Given the precariousness of third sector funding, workers often have shorter contracts and less job security. If we are serious about strengthening the Government’s relationship with the sector, consideration of workers’ rights, job protection and proper pay and conditions must be at the forefront. I know that the cabinet secretary accepts that point, and we, on the Labour benches, will do what we can to work with the Government on it.

That is why it is also crucial that the third sector is involved in co-designing the agreement. I welcome the commitment in the Government’s motion to ensure that stakeholders are involved in, and not omitted from, the design process. Current experience from within the third sector tells us that organisations often feel that they do not have a strong relationship with public bodies and that their experience is sometimes not positive. Last week’s debate about the public service reform agenda showed that the Government believes that the third sector will be key to that work, which means that working together is essential. Mutual respect and shared recognition must be at the forefront of the partnership agreement, so I really welcome the commitment from the Government and the cabinet secretary to include the third sector in the co-design process.

As in any partnership, the detail and delivery will be fundamental to success. The partnership must be supported by clear accountability mechanisms and there must be strong leadership at the forefront to drive ambitions and delivery. I have heard about some of that from the cabinet secretary today, and I hope that we can work together on it. The key asks from the sector include the setting out of a clear timetable and road map for developing and implementing the agreement, with clear lines of accountability within the Scottish Government.

There is also the question of who will be subject to the agreement and how smaller independent organisations will be represented and heard. I heard about that from some third sector organisations when I was a member of the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee. In my experience, some smaller organisations punch above their weight, so we need to include them.

In the past, we have raised the question of how public funds are distributed to the third sector. Are they used effectively? How do we ensure that local charities are prioritised instead of funding always going to national charities or lobbying groups? Perhaps the cabinet secretary or the minister could provide more detail on that during their closing remarks. How do we focus on the grass-roots organisations that are right on the front line? I would welcome the Government’s thoughts on how we can go beyond the larger groups that we usually engage with.

The Liberal Democrat amendment refers to the fact that smaller charities can find that engagement more “difficult”, and Scottish Labour will support that amendment today, because we agree that some of the smaller grass-roots organisations often miss out on funding. We must be clear about whether that is because of the time and effort required to apply repeatedly for funding or whether it is because some of the larger organisations just tend to be favoured. We need to understand that.

I again welcome the Government’s motion and the commitment to the third sector, which has faced precarious short-term funding and has criticised Parliament for that. Today’s motion and many of the amendments look towards a more financially sustainable approach. As others have said, third sector organisations often fill gaps in statutory services. In the light of the public sector reform agenda, the value and role of the third sector must be part of our conversation and part of the development and delivery of the partnership agreement that we have been talking about.

I thank everyone for their contributions to the debate and hope that we can work together to establish a really good working relationship with the third sector, because that will, in turn, mean that our communities will do better.

I move amendment S7M-00356.1, to insert at end:

“; and believes that multi-year funding and stronger due diligence on fair work principles should be foundational to a new Third Sector Partnership Agreement.”

16:03