Hansard

The Presiding Officer (Sir David Steel): NPA

Our next item of business is a debate on motion S1M-2247, in the name of Susan Deacon, on the general principles of the Community Care and Health (Scotland) ...

The Minister for Health and Community Care (Malcolm Chisholm): Lab

There have been many significant developments in community care in this Parliament's lifetime, and the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Bill marks a furt...

Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP): SNP

I welcome the new minister to his post and wish him well in the job. I congratulate the two new deputy health ministers, although it is perhaps appropriate t...

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): Con

Does the member recognise that all 19 Conservatives voted in favour of free personal care? Will she endorse that fact?

Nicola Sturgeon: SNP

I accept that, but it was the 19 years that preceded those 19 votes that led to me to make that judgment about the Conservative party. The real threat to fre...

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): Con

I congratulate the new minister. That he has gone from being a member of the Health and Community Care Committee and back-bench rebel to Minister for Health ...

Malcolm Chisholm: Lab

I want to point out that that was not correctly transcribed because, if members think about it, what I said was that free personal care could be regarded as ...

Mary Scanlon: Con

My quote came from the Official Report.Page 67 of the Sutherland report states that personal care"falls within the internationally recognised definition of n...

Malcolm Chisholm: Lab

I am sure that the member will accept that clinics are hardly an institutional setting. Does she accept that not only the number of visits but their length a...

Mary Scanlon: Con

I welcome the minister's point about increases in funding, but as I think all members of the Health and Community Care Committee have said, we are looking fo...

Mrs Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD): LD

I welcome Malcolm Chisholm to his new job as Minister for Health and Community Care. As Nicola Sturgeon said, that is one of the most difficult jobs in Gover...

The Deputy Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid): SNP

We move now to open debate. Sir David announced that time would be tight, but some speakers have dropped out since then, so I shall allow up to five minutes ...

Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab): Lab

I record my congratulations to Malcolm Chisholm, Mary Mulligan and Hugh Henry on their appointments, and I look forward to working with them in the coming mo...

Tricia Marwick (Mid Scotland and Fife) (SNP): SNP

I congratulate Malcolm Chisholm on his appointment. We have known each other for a long time in different roles and I am sure that he will bring to the job h...

Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab): Lab

I echo the comments that have been made elsewhere in the chamber and offer my congratulations to Malcolm Chisholm and to the two new Deputy Ministers for Hea...

Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con): Con

When this matter was first debated, there was a consensus that the bill was an important piece of legislation. It is a sad fact that none of us is getting an...

Dorothy-Grace Elder (Glasgow) (SNP): SNP

I do not know why Bill Aitken is so worried about blank cheques. He knows perfectly well that one has been issued to pay for the new Parliament. Anything tha...

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): LD

I congratulate the new health team, wish them well in their work and pay tribute to Susan Deacon for her contribution as our first Minister for Health and Co...

Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab): Lab

I offer my congratulations to the new minister and his two deputies. I also extend my good wishes to Susan Deacon. As Margaret Smith said, two of the three m...

Alex Fergusson (South of Scotland) (Con): Con

I take part in the debate with great personal pleasure. That is partly because, as I am now on the wrong side of 50, I am keen to ensure that as much as poss...

Colin Campbell (West of Scotland) (SNP): SNP

I want to reiterate the point made anent the £20 million attendance allowances that are being held back by the UK Exchequer, to which the people of Scotland ...

Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con): Con

If Scotland was independent, will Mr Campbell tell us where he would find the £20 million? Whom would he tax to get the £20 million to provide free personal ...

Colin Campbell: SNP

We have already paid the money in tax to the United Kingdom Exchequer; it is sitting there as part of the totals that we have already paid in. Good try, Mr W...

The Deputy Presiding Officer: SNP

If members want their time to be extended, permission will gladly be given on this occasion.

Karen Whitefield (Airdrie and Shotts) (Lab): Lab

I add my congratulations to Malcolm Chisholm and his two new deputies. I wish them well in their new role. I pay tribute to the work of Susan Deacon, our for...

Mr Keith Raffan (Mid Scotland and Fife) (LD): LD

I welcome the minister to his new post. When I first became a spokesman on health, there seemed to be at least two health debates a week. I was thrown in at ...

Members:

Go on.

The Deputy Presiding Officer: SNP

Order. Carry on, Mr Raffan.

Mr Raffan: LD

A lot has happened since then, not least in the past few days—so that period is almost pre-history. We have come a long way since the Minister for Parliament...

Nicola Sturgeon: SNP

Will the member give way?