Chamber
Plenary, 14 Jan 2004
14 Jan 2004 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Sexual Health and <br />Relationship Strategy
I begin by paying tribute to the expert group's work in producing the report. The incidence of sexually transmitted infections continues to increase in Scotland, while our teenage pregnancy rates remain among the highest in western Europe. In response to growing concerns about Scotland's sexual ill health, the Executive rightly set up the expert group to report on a strategy for improving Scotland's sexual health.
Of course, this is not the first time that the Executive has considered strategies to deal with our nation's sexual health. In 1999, Susan Deacon, when she was Minister for Health and Community Care, spoke of
"helping our young people to grow in maturity and self-confidence"
and having
"a culture that is not about ignorance, low self-esteem and furtive sex."
On the Executive's targets, she argued:
"We will not meet these by not talking about this, we will not meet them by sticking our heads in the sand, silence is not a solution—we will only meet them if everyone—healthcare workers, parents, politicians, churchleaders and young people face up to these hard issues openly and honestly. We need to respect each other's views but different views mean we should HAVE the debate not avoid it."
I could not agree more. Now we are having that debate. Unfortunately, it is five years on from when those comments were made, and we will have to wait some time before we see what the Executive proposes, which is the important aspect of the debate. We will have to consider that when it is produced.
The report contains a number of important recommendations, some of which I will touch on. The link between deprivation and sexual ill health, to which the minister referred, is a key element of the report and we believe that examining that is crucial in developing the sexual health strategy, as is how to communicate the message. The mass communication strategy that the minister mentioned is important in getting the message across, removing the stigma and stressing the importance of contraception to reduce the number of sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies.
The expert group's call for the Executive to fund a consistent approach to implementing the strategy throughout all health boards is crucial in ensuring that, no matter where someone lives in Scotland, they can access sexual health services. The group's call for resources to be provided so that health boards can implement the strategy is, of course, the litmus test in all this, because there is no point in developing a strategy if it is not going to be funded adequately. We have yet to hear any of the detail of how much money the Executive is prepared to invest in making the strategy work.
It is not just about money; it is about agencies talking to each other and working together to provide the best services. It is right that, as the report recommends, all children in Scotland have access to sex education and sexual health services and that current links between schools and sexual health services are improved in order to achieve that.
We agree on much in the debate and I am sure that there will be much consensus this afternoon, but I want to turn to the three areas about which I am concerned.
The minister has had problems supporting the expert group that he set up; in some ways he has tried to distance himself from it.
Of course, this is not the first time that the Executive has considered strategies to deal with our nation's sexual health. In 1999, Susan Deacon, when she was Minister for Health and Community Care, spoke of
"helping our young people to grow in maturity and self-confidence"
and having
"a culture that is not about ignorance, low self-esteem and furtive sex."
On the Executive's targets, she argued:
"We will not meet these by not talking about this, we will not meet them by sticking our heads in the sand, silence is not a solution—we will only meet them if everyone—healthcare workers, parents, politicians, churchleaders and young people face up to these hard issues openly and honestly. We need to respect each other's views but different views mean we should HAVE the debate not avoid it."
I could not agree more. Now we are having that debate. Unfortunately, it is five years on from when those comments were made, and we will have to wait some time before we see what the Executive proposes, which is the important aspect of the debate. We will have to consider that when it is produced.
The report contains a number of important recommendations, some of which I will touch on. The link between deprivation and sexual ill health, to which the minister referred, is a key element of the report and we believe that examining that is crucial in developing the sexual health strategy, as is how to communicate the message. The mass communication strategy that the minister mentioned is important in getting the message across, removing the stigma and stressing the importance of contraception to reduce the number of sexually transmitted infections and unintended pregnancies.
The expert group's call for the Executive to fund a consistent approach to implementing the strategy throughout all health boards is crucial in ensuring that, no matter where someone lives in Scotland, they can access sexual health services. The group's call for resources to be provided so that health boards can implement the strategy is, of course, the litmus test in all this, because there is no point in developing a strategy if it is not going to be funded adequately. We have yet to hear any of the detail of how much money the Executive is prepared to invest in making the strategy work.
It is not just about money; it is about agencies talking to each other and working together to provide the best services. It is right that, as the report recommends, all children in Scotland have access to sex education and sexual health services and that current links between schools and sexual health services are improved in order to achieve that.
We agree on much in the debate and I am sure that there will be much consensus this afternoon, but I want to turn to the three areas about which I am concerned.
The minister has had problems supporting the expert group that he set up; in some ways he has tried to distance himself from it.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on the subject of developing a sexual health and relationship strategy for Scotland.
The Minister for Health and Community Care (Malcolm Chisholm):
Lab
I welcome this debate and the opportunity that it provides for members to contribute to the development of a national sexual health and relationship strategy...
Rhona Brankin (Midlothian) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome the healthy respect project, part of which is in my constituency. Will the minister give an undertaking that funding will be available long enough ...
Malcolm Chisholm:
Lab
First, funding is available for the continuation of healthy respect. Secondly, it is being evaluated. That is important and was always part of the idea of th...
Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP):
SNP
I begin by paying tribute to the expert group's work in producing the report. The incidence of sexually transmitted infections continues to increase in Scotl...
Malcolm Chisholm:
Lab
I do not know whether Shona Robison was listening to my speech, but I made it absolutely clear—I did this intentionally in view of the allegations that are b...
Shona Robison:
SNP
I will come on to say a little bit more about that. The minister has tried to distance himself from the expert group, because he obviously wants to decide wh...
Mr David Davidson (North East Scotland) (Con):
Con
I join the minister in thanking the expert group for the work that it has done, albeit under the direction of the minister. I agree with one thing that the m...
Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab):
Lab
Will the member acknowledge that we must trust the teachers who work with youngsters? The idea that only parents can work with their children is nonsense. We...
Mr Davidson:
Con
Let me reassure the member that I said that parents should be able to approve the materials that are used in schools and the type of education that is delive...
Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD):
LD
This is an unusual debate, in that, instead of addressing a specific motion that requires a decision, we are straightforwardly examining the issues, as we do...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green):
Green
I, too, generally welcome the strategy and the debate. I ask members to welcome to the gallery some of the members of the cross-party group in the Scottish P...
Mr Davidson:
Con
I probably did not express myself very clearly. What I am saying is that parental responsibility means parents being responsible for educating children for w...
Patrick Harvie:
Green
It was certainly implied that parents should be allowed to veto resources. At heart, we must endorse the sex-positive approach. Sadly, however, we live in a ...
Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab):
Lab
I am not sure how to follow Green theories on lust, but I will try my best.It may be an unfortunate coincidence that Glasgow's clinic for the treatment of se...
Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I am pleased to take part in this discursive debate. The first of the issues that I want to touch on is probably the most obvious—the reduction in the number...
Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP):
SSP
Does the member agree that there is a danger of hypocrisy on this issue? Perhaps some of the most titillating images and experiences are to be found in the m...
Christine Grahame:
SNP
I share that view. In programmes such as "Top of the Pops", some of the camera angles leave little to the imagination. However, "Top of the Pops" is on at 7 ...
Patrick Harvie:
Green
Does the member accept that it would be extraordinarily difficult for the expert panel to include a representative who could reflect the broad range of paren...
Christine Grahame:
SNP
With regard to practicalities, perhaps a questionnaire could have been sent to parents who wished to take part, to elicit data on their views without—
Patrick Harvie:
Green
It is an expert panel.
Christine Grahame:
SNP
I know that it is an expert panel. However, why are parents not considered to be experts in their own way? There is a range of opinion among experts in any f...
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
I am delighted to speak in the debate and to be able to raise an issue about which I take every opportunity to speak—low fertility rates in Scotland. The reg...
Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab):
Lab
I welcome today's debate and the publication of the draft sexual health strategy, which is an important milestone. Like other members, I welcome the strategy...
Jeremy Purvis (Tweeddale, Ettrick and Lauderdale) (LD):
LD
It is a pleasure to follow Susan Deacon, who has been a consistent and passionate advocate on the issue and who does credit to the debate.I will focus my rem...
Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP):
SSP
I welcome the speeches that have been made, with the exception of one or two. David Davidson is no longer in the chamber, but I will come back to him later.I...
Cathy Peattie (Falkirk East) (Lab):
Lab
Women of my age or my generation will recall the sexual advice that they received when they reached a particular age. We got a pack that contained Dr White's...
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton (Lothians) (Con):
Con
I welcome the tone of Cathy Peattie's speech. I cannot help recalling a time some years ago when I visited the home of the late Nicholas Fairbairn and saw wh...
Mike Rumbles:
LD
The proposal to the Scottish Executive states:"NHS Boards have a duty to ensure that all young people have easy, open and confidential access to holistic hea...
Lord James Douglas-Hamilton:
Con
I accept the principle that there should be easy, open and effective access to health services. This afternoon, however, I am dealing with education, a subje...