Hansard

I thank my colleague Marie McNair for bringing this debate to the chamber, which she has now done for a fifth year. I also thank all members—both those who spoke and those who were not able to speak today—for their presence and thoughtful contributions. As Carol Mochan mentioned, it is also worth recognising members who previously contributed to these debates but who are not with us in this session of Parliament, including Richard Leonard, Bill Kidd and Jackson Carlaw. We are in a new session, but the fact that members who are no longer with us in the chamber have also spoken about the issue reflects the fact that it is not a new one. The issue of mesothelioma has not gone away, and it is now on all of us in this Parliament to continue the fight for truth and justice that so many have begun. In that light, I welcome the campaigners in the public gallery today, who have dedicated their lives to that fight.

The Scottish Government has proudly supported action mesothelioma day and has contributed to members’ business debates on the subject for several years. As the new Minister for Community Care, I am honoured to lend my voice to the much-needed awareness raising on mesothelioma and on the good work that is being done by people across Scotland.

As everyone has said, mesothelioma is a devastating disease that continues to affect individuals, families and communities across Scotland. It is a devastating and long-lasting part of our post-industrial legacy, not only in Clydebank and along the Clyde, as we have heard, but in different parts of the central belt and everywhere where there has been some degree of heavy industry. As others have mentioned, the issue has not gone away, due to the presence of asbestos in some buildings across Scotland. Therefore, awareness raising is vital in improving earlier diagnosis, helping people to access the care and support that they need and supporting new innovations in research and treatment.

It is well known that asbestos exposure is a major contributing factor in the development of mesothelioma. As well as seeking to prevent exposure to asbestos, the use of which, as Jackie Baillie mentioned, has been banned in the UK since 1999, and ensuring that appropriate medical care is available for those who are affected by asbestos exposure, the Scottish Government remains committed to protecting individuals’ rights to compensation. As many members have mentioned, the current law on limitation, which sets time limits for raising court proceedings, can create difficulties for people with mesothelioma. Through absolutely no fault of their own, they might find themselves unable to raise a case within the required timescales, which, in effect, denies them access to a legal remedy.

The Scottish Government and the Scottish Parliament have a strong record of supporting those who have been exposed to asbestos, whether through negligence or breach of a statutory duty. I am therefore pleased to be able to confirm that the Scottish Government intends to introduce a bill that will give effect to the Scottish Law Commission’s recommendations for reform of the law of limitation in relation to certain asbestos-related conditions. [Applause.]

I know that Marie McNair is among those who have campaigned for such a change and had asked the First Minister to include such a bill in the programme for the first year of this parliamentary session, so I am very pleased to be able to confirm that we will do so.