Chamber
Plenary, 21 Mar 2007
21 Mar 2007 · S2 · Plenary
Item of business
Rights of Relatives to Damages (Mesothelioma) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 3
I declare a technical interest, in that I am the beneficiary of an insurance company pension. I am sure that this is the first time that anyone in the Parliament has declared an interest on an issue that is more likely to cost them money rather than ensure that they gain money over the years. As I have said before, I intend to make the most of my pension, which is a privilege that is not granted to the sufferers of mesothelioma.
The bill is a good piece of legislation. I am the last to wallow in self-satisfaction or—as the minister can, no doubt, confirm—to offer congratulations to the Executive, but I think that the bill reflects well on the Parliament.
When John Swinburne spoke about his experiences—I was grateful to him for reminding me that there is someone in this chamber who was working before I was born—he highlighted the issues that were relevant in previous years. There was a complete lack of health and safety and a cavalier approach was taken to issues that were a threat to health. I do not accept that that was born of any particular malevolence; I think that it was born out of ignorance—people simply did not know. However, as a result of that ignorance, at least two generations have suffered.
The bill seeks to ease the predicament of those who suffer from this condition. They and their families must have faced the ultimate dilemma. The ability to choose the direction in which to go was, in many ways, constrained by the economic circumstances of the family. The bill will prevent that cruel dilemma from arising.
There is not much more that needs to be said. Congratulations go to the campaigners, in the first instance, because they made their case in a moderate, persuasive and reasoned manner, assisted by high-quality legal representation. Congratulations must also go to the Executive. Let us acknowledge its success. It would be churlish and quite unjust were we on this side of the chamber not to allow the Executive this moment of praise.
As other members have said, the bill reflects well on the Parliament, which has dealt with this matter thoroughly and expeditiously and with a degree of sympathy, which we all have for those who find themselves in the situation with which the bill is concerned. The legislation is, indeed, a justification for the existence of the Parliament. Everyone can take credit for the way in which the matter has been dealt with and will, today, be disposed of.
The bill is a good piece of legislation. I am the last to wallow in self-satisfaction or—as the minister can, no doubt, confirm—to offer congratulations to the Executive, but I think that the bill reflects well on the Parliament.
When John Swinburne spoke about his experiences—I was grateful to him for reminding me that there is someone in this chamber who was working before I was born—he highlighted the issues that were relevant in previous years. There was a complete lack of health and safety and a cavalier approach was taken to issues that were a threat to health. I do not accept that that was born of any particular malevolence; I think that it was born out of ignorance—people simply did not know. However, as a result of that ignorance, at least two generations have suffered.
The bill seeks to ease the predicament of those who suffer from this condition. They and their families must have faced the ultimate dilemma. The ability to choose the direction in which to go was, in many ways, constrained by the economic circumstances of the family. The bill will prevent that cruel dilemma from arising.
There is not much more that needs to be said. Congratulations go to the campaigners, in the first instance, because they made their case in a moderate, persuasive and reasoned manner, assisted by high-quality legal representation. Congratulations must also go to the Executive. Let us acknowledge its success. It would be churlish and quite unjust were we on this side of the chamber not to allow the Executive this moment of praise.
As other members have said, the bill reflects well on the Parliament, which has dealt with this matter thoroughly and expeditiously and with a degree of sympathy, which we all have for those who find themselves in the situation with which the bill is concerned. The legislation is, indeed, a justification for the existence of the Parliament. Everyone can take credit for the way in which the matter has been dealt with and will, today, be disposed of.
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Mr George Reid):
NPA
The next item of business is a debate on motion S2M-5628, in the name of Cathy Jamieson, that the Parliament agrees that the Rights of Relatives to Damages (...
The Deputy Minister for Justice (Johann Lamont):
Lab
The Rights of Relatives to Damages (Mesothelioma) (Scotland) Bill is a short but significant piece of legislation that will help a small group of people who ...
Mr Kenny MacAskill (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
I apologise, as I will have to leave the debate before the conclusion of the final speeches to go to a meeting of the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body.T...
Margaret Mitchell (Central Scotland) (Con):
Con
It is a pleasure to speak in support of this short and unusual bill. It is a measure of the unanimity of the support for the bill that there were no stage 3 ...
Mike Pringle (Edinburgh South) (LD):
LD
I am pleased to speak at stage 3 of the Rights of Relatives to Damages (Mesothelioma) (Scotland) Bill.I have been in the Parliament for only four years, wher...
Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab):
Lab
I think that the member is correct. I cannot recall a previous occasion on which there were no amendments to a bill at stage 3—although I am sure that I will...
Mike Pringle:
LD
Absolutely—without question.The non-contentious nature of this bill was clearly evident in the shortest ever briefing from the Law Society of Scotland. I was...
Mrs Mary Mulligan (Linlithgow) (Lab):
Lab
I, too, am pleased to speak in the debate. As members said, many people should be congratulated on their support for the bill: my Labour colleagues Des McNul...
Shona Robison (Dundee East) (SNP):
SNP
As I have said before, we whole-heartedly welcome the bill as a means of bringing some justice to those who are affected by mesothelioma and their relatives....
Eleanor Scott (Highlands and Islands) (Green):
Green
In my brief speech, I will record my party's support for the bill. This is a short, circumscribed but very important bill, which, because it has received sup...
Frances Curran (West of Scotland) (SSP):
SSP
The Scottish Socialist Party very much welcomes and supports the bill. Politics is about power: who has it and how they use it. Although I am part of the con...
Pauline McNeill (Glasgow Kelvin) (Lab):
Lab
Members know that there has been a long history of tackling the injustice of mesothelioma. The Parliament has attempted to use its powers to reform the law, ...
John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP):
SSCUP
By the law of averages, I have no right to be standing here, because I worked in the shipyards. In 1947—60 years ago now—I worked in the city of Johannesburg...
Mike Pringle:
LD
The Deputy Minister for Justice set out all the essential details of the bill, so I will not go over them again. She made an extremely good point about an is...
John Swinburne:
SSCUP
I think that it was not so much that the employers did not know, as that they did not care. That is the difference.
Mike Pringle:
LD
I agree almost entirely with that point. That shows how irresponsible some of our industries were, given that the facts were known a long time ago.This is a ...
Bill Aitken (Glasgow) (Con):
Con
I declare a technical interest, in that I am the beneficiary of an insurance company pension. I am sure that this is the first time that anyone in the Parlia...
Stewart Stevenson (Banff and Buchan) (SNP):
SNP
It is no great secret that we have some fairly confrontational debates in this place from time to time and that, although we speak this afternoon in a spirit...
The Deputy Minister for Communities (Des McNulty):
Lab
I am delighted to have the opportunity to wind up this debate on the Rights of Relatives to Damages (Mesothelioma) (Scotland) Bill, which takes forward the w...