Chamber
Plenary, 26 Jun 2003
26 Jun 2003 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Carers
It was not my intention to speak in the debate, but it has been a privilege to listen to the compassion that has come from members on all sides of the chamber. I congratulate Irene Oldfather on securing the debate.
I will give members one little illustration, and will not take up my full time to do so. Mary contacted me recently. She was due to leave school when her mother took ill. She nursed her mother for 25 years, and then her mother died. She went out to work, but then her father took ill. She nursed him for 20 years. Then, as she reached 60 years of age, her father died. She applied for a pension, and the Government gave her one of 9p per week. She had not bought a stamp in her whole life and she did not realise that there was a facility whereby she, as a carer, could get some recognition for what she had been doing. If she had realised that, she would have been awarded a bit more of a pension.
We have to ensure that people are educated, so that they know that they should be entitled to more. Mary got only 9p a week because her father had left her £19,000. She was told to come back when she had only £8,000, and she would be put on to the minimum income guarantee of £102 a week. What way is that to thank a carer? Earlier today I was talking about means testing. That was the result of means testing for that individual. It is a very unfair case, but such cases exist. Perhaps we can do something to improve the situation.
I will give members one little illustration, and will not take up my full time to do so. Mary contacted me recently. She was due to leave school when her mother took ill. She nursed her mother for 25 years, and then her mother died. She went out to work, but then her father took ill. She nursed him for 20 years. Then, as she reached 60 years of age, her father died. She applied for a pension, and the Government gave her one of 9p per week. She had not bought a stamp in her whole life and she did not realise that there was a facility whereby she, as a carer, could get some recognition for what she had been doing. If she had realised that, she would have been awarded a bit more of a pension.
We have to ensure that people are educated, so that they know that they should be entitled to more. Mary got only 9p a week because her father had left her £19,000. She was told to come back when she had only £8,000, and she would be put on to the minimum income guarantee of £102 a week. What way is that to thank a carer? Earlier today I was talking about means testing. That was the result of means testing for that individual. It is a very unfair case, but such cases exist. Perhaps we can do something to improve the situation.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Trish Godman):
Lab
The final item of business is a members' business debate on motion S2M-110, in the name of Irene Oldfather, on valuing carers.
Motion debated,
That the Parliament recognises the hard work and dedication of Scotland's 115,675 unpaid carers, a workforce comparable to the total NHS workforce in Scotlan...
Irene Oldfather (Cunninghame South) (Lab):
Lab
I thank all the members who signed the motion and those colleagues who have stayed behind in this final meeting of Parliament before the summer recess. The m...
Ms Sandra White (Glasgow) (SNP):
SNP
I congratulate Irene Oldfather on securing the debate and on highlighting the fact that around 116,000 people in Scotland are unpaid carers—a fact of which m...
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
I am grateful to my ex-colleague on the Health and Community Care Committee, Irene Oldfather, for raising the issue of carers. She mentioned a lady whose son...
Donald Gorrie (Central Scotland) (LD):
LD
We have heard three excellent speeches from members who have real experience of this subject, know what they are talking about and care about it. I want to u...
Campbell Martin (West of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I am grateful to Irene Oldfather for securing the debate and allowing us all to make our contribution to the on-going debate about carers. Irene and I are bo...
Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con):
Con
I apologise for not being in the chamber at the start of the debate, but I did not get the message about proceedings being ahead of schedule. My comments wil...
Irene Oldfather:
Lab
The figure of almost 116,000 refers to unpaid carers who undertake more than 50 hours a week of work, which is comparable to a job in the health service. The...
Mrs Milne:
Con
I thank the member for that clarification. I was going to seek an explanation. I wondered whether the different figures reflected the lack of accurate knowle...
John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP):
SSCUP
It was not my intention to speak in the debate, but it has been a privilege to listen to the compassion that has come from members on all sides of the chambe...
The Deputy Minister for Health and Community Care (Mr Tom McCabe):
Lab
I thank Irene Oldfather and congratulate her on securing this debate. There has been a great deal of positive discussion on this issue, both here this evenin...
Meeting closed at 17:25.