Chamber
Plenary, 15 Jun 2005
15 Jun 2005 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Sexual Health
I have some sympathy with Fiona Hyslop. How much more can we say about this subject? I came to the debate thinking, "What on earth can I talk about this time?" because we have all aired our views. I decided to listen to what was said and comment on it—I suppose we could call this a closing speech halfway through the debate, so I apologise to Stewart Maxwell.
The first thing that I noted was that the minister was at pains to emphasise his point about a culture of respect and responsibility. It is right that we have to cultivate self-respect and personal responsibility, but what seems to be missing from the debate is the point that everyone should respect what other people decide to do with their lives. A culture of respect should work both ways.
A few members have mentioned choices. If people are making informed choices, which I believe should be the central tenet of any sexual health and relationship strategy, society should respect those choices, as long as their exercise is not harming or oppressing anyone else physically or mentally. I would like there to be more emphasis on mutual respect for people and their choices.
I was interested in the progress that the minister was talking about and the stakeholder events that were held in February and March. I was also interested to hear that the health boards have now submitted their clinical service plans. However, I am concerned about the need for additional specialists in the field and the fact that that need might not be met in all areas of Scotland. Some of my constituents talked to me recently about the lack of sexual health services in Lanarkshire and about their inability to be very vocal about that because of embarrassment about speaking out about such matters.
I am glad to hear that the health boards will have executive leadership. I am also glad that the national sexual health advisory committee has now been formed. I noted that it is going to be a group of stakeholders, and I looked at the membership published in the press release. Is there any room on that committee or on any of its sub-groups for people from civic Scotland and the voluntary sector in this field? I do not necessarily mean those who run Caledonia Youth or other services; I mean people with direct experience of using such services. Recently, I was on a radio programme talking about sexual health. There were two young girls on the programme, one of whom was a teenage mum and one of whom was not because she had exercised her choice for contraception. I was so impressed at the sense that was spoken by those two young girls and I wonder whether the minister agrees that there is room for that kind of representation on the committee or on one of the sub-groups. The minister said that he talked to young people when he was formulating plans for the committee so I am pretty certain that he will have picked up on that and I hope that he will think about it.
It is excellent that the minister has decided to chair the committee himself. That is a mark of its importance. I know that we are five or six years on from when the need for a sexual health strategy was first mooted and there are concerns about that. However, we are where we are and we should move forward.
Shona Robison mentioned the social aspects of the issue. That brings us back to the need for joined-up government. As Fiona Hyslop mentioned, we need to ensure that there is cross-departmental working on the issue with the Minister for Education and Young People, Peter Peacock. The social aspects involve low self-esteem and lack of choice and aspiration, especially among young women in some areas. Those are huge issues. Again, I hope that our social policy will reflect the needs that are highlighted as the sexual health strategy advances.
On the Tory amendment, I agree with Mike Rumbles—much though it goes against the grain to say so—in that I am concerned about the suggestion that we should have no national sexual health advisory committee and that we should publicly affirm the primary responsibility of parents. As other members have said, some parents are unable to address these issues and some youngsters find it difficult to talk to their parents.
The first thing that I noted was that the minister was at pains to emphasise his point about a culture of respect and responsibility. It is right that we have to cultivate self-respect and personal responsibility, but what seems to be missing from the debate is the point that everyone should respect what other people decide to do with their lives. A culture of respect should work both ways.
A few members have mentioned choices. If people are making informed choices, which I believe should be the central tenet of any sexual health and relationship strategy, society should respect those choices, as long as their exercise is not harming or oppressing anyone else physically or mentally. I would like there to be more emphasis on mutual respect for people and their choices.
I was interested in the progress that the minister was talking about and the stakeholder events that were held in February and March. I was also interested to hear that the health boards have now submitted their clinical service plans. However, I am concerned about the need for additional specialists in the field and the fact that that need might not be met in all areas of Scotland. Some of my constituents talked to me recently about the lack of sexual health services in Lanarkshire and about their inability to be very vocal about that because of embarrassment about speaking out about such matters.
I am glad to hear that the health boards will have executive leadership. I am also glad that the national sexual health advisory committee has now been formed. I noted that it is going to be a group of stakeholders, and I looked at the membership published in the press release. Is there any room on that committee or on any of its sub-groups for people from civic Scotland and the voluntary sector in this field? I do not necessarily mean those who run Caledonia Youth or other services; I mean people with direct experience of using such services. Recently, I was on a radio programme talking about sexual health. There were two young girls on the programme, one of whom was a teenage mum and one of whom was not because she had exercised her choice for contraception. I was so impressed at the sense that was spoken by those two young girls and I wonder whether the minister agrees that there is room for that kind of representation on the committee or on one of the sub-groups. The minister said that he talked to young people when he was formulating plans for the committee so I am pretty certain that he will have picked up on that and I hope that he will think about it.
It is excellent that the minister has decided to chair the committee himself. That is a mark of its importance. I know that we are five or six years on from when the need for a sexual health strategy was first mooted and there are concerns about that. However, we are where we are and we should move forward.
Shona Robison mentioned the social aspects of the issue. That brings us back to the need for joined-up government. As Fiona Hyslop mentioned, we need to ensure that there is cross-departmental working on the issue with the Minister for Education and Young People, Peter Peacock. The social aspects involve low self-esteem and lack of choice and aspiration, especially among young women in some areas. Those are huge issues. Again, I hope that our social policy will reflect the needs that are highlighted as the sexual health strategy advances.
On the Tory amendment, I agree with Mike Rumbles—much though it goes against the grain to say so—in that I am concerned about the suggestion that we should have no national sexual health advisory committee and that we should publicly affirm the primary responsibility of parents. As other members have said, some parents are unable to address these issues and some youngsters find it difficult to talk to their parents.
In the same item of business
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Murray Tosh):
Con
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-2958, in the name of Andy Kerr, on sexual health, and three amendments to the motion.
The Minister for Health and Community Care (Mr Andy Kerr):
Lab
As MSPs are aware, the Executive decided to produce a sexual health strategy because sexual health in Scotland is undeniably poor. The number of unintended t...
Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP):
SNP
In response to the statement made by the minister on 27 January this year, the Scottish National Party gave a broad welcome to the Executive's strategy and a...
Mrs Nanette Milne (North East Scotland) (Con):
Con
It is now 40 years since the advent of the contraceptive pill in the 1960s put women in charge of their reproductive lives. As a result, society has changed ...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green):
Green
Can Nanette Milne perhaps bring herself to mention any positive benefits that have come from women taking control of their reproductive lives?
Mrs Milne:
Con
I can indeed. As I have said, women have been given untold freedom. It is not all negative, but I am highlighting the downsides simply because we know that s...
Scott Barrie (Dunfermline West) (Lab):
Lab
I agree with Mrs Milne that parents have a key role to play in assisting in any sexual health strategy, but does she agree that her overemphasising of that r...
Mrs Milne:
Con
We know that there are parents who are not best equipped to educate their children, but we must look at giving them support. It is a multi-agency problem, an...
Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
Will Mrs Milne give way?
Mrs Milne:
Con
I have given way twice already. Sexual health education is a complex subject. It needs to help all children with their confidence and self-esteem—not just th...
Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD):
LD
Will the member give way?
Mrs Milne:
Con
I will take no more interventions.We want an assurance that the sexual health strategy will not undermine the authority of parents by providing a plethora of...
Patrick Harvie (Glasgow) (Green):
Green
I will try to follow that speech with a seriousness that it does not deserve.Yesterday, I talked at an event that the Telephone Helplines Association organis...
Mike Rumbles (West Aberdeenshire and Kincardine) (LD):
LD
The strategy and action plan for improving sexual health are all about ensuring that a culture of respect and responsibility based on sound values is at the ...
Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con):
Con
How would the member define "equitable"? Is there a role for parents in contributing to the decision-making process?
Mike Rumbles:
LD
Of course parents have a role to play, but we are talking about taking an equitable approach so that all school kids throughout Scotland have the same inform...
Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab):
Lab
Sexual health is a controversial subject on which people have deeply held views. However, given the rising rates of diagnosed sexually transmitted infections...
Fiona Hyslop (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
My question to the minister is, "Why are we having this debate?" Is it just to announce the formation of a committee? If that is the reason, it is a bit feeb...
Carolyn Leckie (Central Scotland) (SSP):
SSP
Fiona Hyslop asked why we are having the debate. She also asked many questions that I want answers to. One of the reasons why we are having the debate is tha...
Phil Gallie (South of Scotland) (Con):
Con
I think that Carolyn Leckie is being a bit hard on the Conservatives. There are at least two men on our benches, but there are no Scottish Socialist Party ma...
Carolyn Leckie:
SSP
That is because we bumped them out of the debate.There is a serious point to be made here. There is an element of right-wing reaction, particularly in relati...
Susan Deacon (Edinburgh East and Musselburgh) (Lab):
Lab
I am surprised that the question has been asked why we are having this debate. It is more than five months since the Executive published a major, long-awaite...
Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con):
Con
Given comments that were made earlier in the debate, I feel that I am the token male on the Conservative benches. However, I think that I have something to c...
Mike Rumbles:
LD
Alex Johnstone has missed the point. What members objected to in Nanette Milne's speech was the fact that she was advocating that people should be able to ve...
Alex Johnstone:
Con
I believe that Mike Rumbles has misunderstood what was said. I hope to address that in greater detail as I progress.The Parliament has become famous for the ...
Patrick Harvie:
Green
Bigots.
Alex Johnstone:
Con
Well, that is a fairly simple definition, and one that perhaps does not belong in the debate. That is not what we are talking about today.The truth is that I...
Linda Fabiani (Central Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I have some sympathy with Fiona Hyslop. How much more can we say about this subject? I came to the debate thinking, "What on earth can I talk about this time...
Alex Johnstone:
Con
Is the fact that so many parents are unable to fulfil that responsibility not one of the primary issues that we need to address?
Linda Fabiani:
SNP
The need to remove the stigma about such matters is an issue, as Susan Deacon explained very well. However, we also need to address reality: some parents are...