Hansard

I thank all the members who have contributed to this afternoon's debate. Karen Gillon has already given thanks and appreciation to the list of all the folk who worked on the bill. As Ian Jenkins said a few minutes ago, it is also worth thanking Karen Gillon for her work in stewarding the bill and ensuring that it was going in the right direction. She brought her personality and enthusiasm to the task and took time to speak to the young people when they were gathered here in the chamber. The way in which she established a rapport with the young people is worth noting.

A number of members commented on the role of the Parliament's committees. Brian Monteith suggested that the way in which the bill has been handled should be a model for future committee bills. As others have noted, committee members worked well together. There were areas on which we did not agree, but we managed to find common ground and to work together in a spirit of consensus to progress the bill.

I hope members will forgive me for what I am about to say but, although the Parliament's committee system is important, I believe that the bill would never have reached the stage that it has reached today were it not for the fact that 37 per cent of MSPs are women. Some of the legislation that has been passed and some of the debate that we have had have happened because we women are here. We are good for everyone else. I hope that the percentage of women will rise above 37 per cent following the election.

I turn to the issues that members have raised and I thank them for their contributions. Nicol Stephen said that the commissioner will challenge attitudes about children. That is important, because we have a negative attitude towards our children. Our society seems to fear its children and we must do something to change our attitudes in relation to children and young people.

Irene McGugan praised young people for gathering evidence. There are young people in the gallery today and they have been with us through every discussion on the children's commissioner. They have told us what they want to be included in a children's commission.

Many children and young people, voluntary organisations and others have been involved in giving us their ideas of what should happen with a children's commissioner. I do not think that we would have reached this stage without their help, particularly the help of the voluntary organisations that ensured good participation with young people. They ensured that young people were not herded in and talked at for a few hours in the spirit of consultation, which seems to be the norm for consultations in this country. We managed to change some of that and we can use that good practice in future consultations.

The children's commissioner will be a new, significant and unique office, providing a focused approach to the promotion of the rights of young people and children. The office will be significant, because the commissioner will be in a position to influence decision making at the highest level. The office will be unique, because the commissioner will combine breadth of remit, independence and statutory status. It will cover all children and its work will be informed by children and young people. It will also have powers to conduct investigations. The commissioner will be a focal point for children's issues for the media and policy makers and will be able to make a real difference to the lives of young people in Scotland.

As I said, we live in a society that seems to be afraid of children and young people. Many are happy to discuss youth justice, and that is often quite right, but such discussion means talking about a small minority of children and young people. We have to get beyond talking about young people to a stage where we are talking with them and listening to what they have to say.

The commissioner will build networks with those organisations that have an interest in children and young people. More important, the commissioner will build communication links with kids in our country. All children, including those who are harder to reach, should have a voice.

As Jackie Baillie said, children today are open to all kinds of exploitation—political and from the media, the private sector, the internet and drugs. Our children are facing all those issues. We must give them a voice and an opportunity to have that voice heard. As has been said, the commissioner's role will be not just to speak up for children, but to help them to speak up for themselves. That is one of the most important parts of the bill.

As Mike Russell said, we are at an historic stage. We are implementing new and positive legislation that will promote the rights of children and young people in this country.

I thank all members for their support and I urge them to support the bill. With their support, there will be a commissioner for children and young people in Scotland.