Chamber
Plenary, 06 Feb 2002
06 Feb 2002 · S1 · Plenary
Item of business
Community Care and Health (Scotland) Bill
I, too, welcome the passage of the bill, which is an important piece of legislation. It represents a considerable improvement in the quality of life of carers and those in our society who require care.
The bill contains many provisions and we have debated them at every stage. The regulation of charging for home care services, the promotion of choice for users of care and the promotion of joint working between health bodies and local authorities are just a few of the important provisions that will be passed today. Inevitably, one provision stands out above the rest: the implementation of free personal care. As Henry McLeish rightly said, the implementation of free personal care is a victory for the Scottish Parliament. The victory is hard won, but it should stand the Parliament in good stead for the future. The concession by the Scottish Executive at stage 2 to provide a clear definition of free personal care in the bill is an important step. It will help to embed firmly the policy of free personal care in the legislative programme.
In our satisfaction that free personal care is now on the statute book—and we should take a great deal of satisfaction from that—we must remember that the Parliament still has an important job to do. It is our job to be vigilant. All members are committed to free personal care. However, there are enemies of free personal care out there and the Scottish Parliament has a duty to ensure that the policy that was hard won by us is not undermined by others. We know that there are forces in London that want to see the policy fail. Their decision to remove £23 million in attendance allowance has already resulted in a delay to the implementation of the policy. We know that there are others—particularly on the Labour side of the argument—who might want to undermine the policy in future. Our duty in the Scottish Parliament is to ensure that that does not happen. Unity of purpose is what has made free personal care a reality today. Unity of purpose on the part of the Parliament is what should ensure that no one in Scotland gets away with undermining the policy and our victory.
Today is a day for mentioning and congratulating those who have brought the policy to fruition. I have already mentioned the Parliament. Great credit must go to the pensioners and their representative organisations across Scotland—without their pressure, free personal care would not have become a reality. Many people have deservedly been mentioned during today's debate for the part that they have played in bringing about free personal care. I pay particular tribute to Kay Ullrich, my predecessor as SNP health spokesperson and an original member of the Health and Community Care Committee. She did much, particularly in the early days of the Parliament, to advance the policy and to ensure that we reached the point that we are at today.
Today is a time for rejoicing in free personal care. On behalf of a party that has consistently argued for that policy, I finish by again welcoming the passage of the bill.
The bill contains many provisions and we have debated them at every stage. The regulation of charging for home care services, the promotion of choice for users of care and the promotion of joint working between health bodies and local authorities are just a few of the important provisions that will be passed today. Inevitably, one provision stands out above the rest: the implementation of free personal care. As Henry McLeish rightly said, the implementation of free personal care is a victory for the Scottish Parliament. The victory is hard won, but it should stand the Parliament in good stead for the future. The concession by the Scottish Executive at stage 2 to provide a clear definition of free personal care in the bill is an important step. It will help to embed firmly the policy of free personal care in the legislative programme.
In our satisfaction that free personal care is now on the statute book—and we should take a great deal of satisfaction from that—we must remember that the Parliament still has an important job to do. It is our job to be vigilant. All members are committed to free personal care. However, there are enemies of free personal care out there and the Scottish Parliament has a duty to ensure that the policy that was hard won by us is not undermined by others. We know that there are forces in London that want to see the policy fail. Their decision to remove £23 million in attendance allowance has already resulted in a delay to the implementation of the policy. We know that there are others—particularly on the Labour side of the argument—who might want to undermine the policy in future. Our duty in the Scottish Parliament is to ensure that that does not happen. Unity of purpose is what has made free personal care a reality today. Unity of purpose on the part of the Parliament is what should ensure that no one in Scotland gets away with undermining the policy and our victory.
Today is a day for mentioning and congratulating those who have brought the policy to fruition. I have already mentioned the Parliament. Great credit must go to the pensioners and their representative organisations across Scotland—without their pressure, free personal care would not have become a reality. Many people have deservedly been mentioned during today's debate for the part that they have played in bringing about free personal care. I pay particular tribute to Kay Ullrich, my predecessor as SNP health spokesperson and an original member of the Health and Community Care Committee. She did much, particularly in the early days of the Parliament, to advance the policy and to ensure that we reached the point that we are at today.
Today is a time for rejoicing in free personal care. On behalf of a party that has consistently argued for that policy, I finish by again welcoming the passage of the bill.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Mr Murray Tosh):
Con
The next item of business is a debate on motion S1M-2678, in the name of Malcolm Chisholm, which seeks agreement that the Community Care and Health (Scotland...
The Minister for Health and Community Care (Malcolm Chisholm):
Lab
I am pleased to be opening a stage 3 debate for the first time. We may celebrate the new parliamentary procedures that have been working so well throughout t...
Shona Robison (North-East Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
On behalf of the SNP, I am pleased to support the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Bill at its third and final stage.I want to place on record my thanks ...
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
On behalf of the Scottish Conservatives, I support the bill. I thank all those who contributed to and supported the passage of the bill, including the witnes...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
I will break in to assure the members who are waiting their turn that I am confident that everybody will be called.
Mary Scanlon:
Con
I am on my final point. Perhaps you mean that I should take another 20 minutes, Presiding Officer.I welcome the introduction of direct payments, which will b...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
I should perhaps make it clear that, as we anticipate that we might require a motion without notice to bring forward decision time, I am reasonably relaxed a...
Mrs Margaret Smith (Edinburgh West) (LD):
LD
I am delighted to take part in today's debate and support the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Bill, which will provide a real improvement in community c...
Henry McLeish (Central Fife) (Lab):
Lab
I would like to say a few words at the conclusion of the debate on this bill. I would like to congratulate the Executive—Malcolm Chisholm and the new ministe...
Nicola Sturgeon (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I, too, welcome the passage of the bill, which is an important piece of legislation. It represents a considerable improvement in the quality of life of carer...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
I have been relaxed about the time until now. A couple of additional members have pressed their request-to-speak buttons and we are back on course—ordinarily...
Janis Hughes (Glasgow Rutherglen) (Lab):
Lab
I begin my contribution as a member of the Health and Community Care Committee by thanking the clerks and everyone involved with the bill. The clerks to the ...
Ben Wallace (North-East Scotland) (Con):
Con
The bill is indeed a good-news story for the Parliament. The Scottish Conservatives believe that free personal care represents not only socially just funding...
Mr Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD):
LD
Does Mr Wallace still believe that?
Ben Wallace:
Con
Oh yes. Mr Rumbles should not believe everything that he reads in The Scotsman.
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
I would not linger, Mr Wallace. Mrs Scanlon took up much of your time.
Ben Wallace:
Con
I hope that, as a result of the bill, we will see an end to the historical debates between—
Margaret Jamieson (Kilmarnock and Loudoun) (Lab):
Lab
Will the member take an intervention?
Ben Wallace:
Con
Yes.
Margaret Jamieson:
Lab
Ben Wallace has welcomed free personal care. Will he clarify whether that is the view of the Scottish Tories or the view of the UK Tories?
Ben Wallace:
Con
I would be delighted to clarify that. If Margaret Jamieson had read The Herald, she would have seen that Iain Duncan Smith is thinking of adopting the policy...
Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab):
Lab
Will the member give way?
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
Con
No, the member is finishing.
Ben Wallace:
Con
I also thank Henry McLeish for standing up against considerable opposition in his party to achieve the provision of free personal care. I say to him that est...
Mr John McAllion (Dundee East) (Lab):
Lab
I, too, welcome the bill and in particular the critical role that my good comrade Henry McLeish played in delivering it. I thought that his speech was the hi...
Dennis Canavan (Falkirk West):
*
I warmly welcome the bill and particularly the proposals for free personal and nursing care for elderly people, which are in accordance with the recommendati...
Bill Butler (Glasgow Anniesland) (Lab):
Lab
I am grateful for the opportunity to put on record my whole-hearted support for this progressive bill. It is obvious from the speeches of members of all part...
Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD):
LD
Like other members, I welcome the bill and pay tribute to the ministers, members of the Health and Community Care Committee, MSPs and people outside the Parl...
The Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care (Hugh Henry):
Lab
I thank everyone who has been involved with the bill over the past four and a half months. That includes a great many people. Within the Parliament, I thank ...