Chamber
Plenary, 12 Dec 2007
12 Dec 2007 · S3 · Plenary
Item of business
Health Strategy
I thank the minister for an advance copy of her statement.
I have one note of significant disappointment—although there are perhaps a few others—that ministers have yet again made a statement rather than introduce a debate. It is curious that in the past few weeks we have had three debates on European Union reform and not one on health. I hope that that does not indicate the significance of health to this Government's agenda.
The minister will be aware of widespread concerns that the Scottish National Party is not maintaining the high levels of spending on health that Labour had when we were in power and that it is not maintaining the drive to tackle health inequalities in Scotland. She must be aware that many question whether the SNP has struck the right balance between universal and targeted services. That was reinforced recently by the First Minister telling us that a report on poverty will be issued, I think, next month. That report has clearly not been used to inform the action plan or the budget. Put together with the fact that there are no inequality targets in the national reporting framework that was published with the budget, that raises serious questions about the Government's determination to tackle health inequality.
Given the scale of the concerns, will the minister bring forward in Parliament an early debate on the action plan that affords MSPs an opportunity for wider debate and more detailed examination? She must know the importance of health to the people of Scotland. Given their views, it is vital that the Parliament has that debate. When are the life begins health checks due to be implemented, and are they to be funded out of existing allocations? When will the SNP manifesto commitment to double the number of school nurses be implemented, and how will it be funded? Finally, will she produce targets to tackle health inequality in Scotland, as we had before?
I have one note of significant disappointment—although there are perhaps a few others—that ministers have yet again made a statement rather than introduce a debate. It is curious that in the past few weeks we have had three debates on European Union reform and not one on health. I hope that that does not indicate the significance of health to this Government's agenda.
The minister will be aware of widespread concerns that the Scottish National Party is not maintaining the high levels of spending on health that Labour had when we were in power and that it is not maintaining the drive to tackle health inequalities in Scotland. She must be aware that many question whether the SNP has struck the right balance between universal and targeted services. That was reinforced recently by the First Minister telling us that a report on poverty will be issued, I think, next month. That report has clearly not been used to inform the action plan or the budget. Put together with the fact that there are no inequality targets in the national reporting framework that was published with the budget, that raises serious questions about the Government's determination to tackle health inequality.
Given the scale of the concerns, will the minister bring forward in Parliament an early debate on the action plan that affords MSPs an opportunity for wider debate and more detailed examination? She must know the importance of health to the people of Scotland. Given their views, it is vital that the Parliament has that debate. When are the life begins health checks due to be implemented, and are they to be funded out of existing allocations? When will the SNP manifesto commitment to double the number of school nurses be implemented, and how will it be funded? Finally, will she produce targets to tackle health inequality in Scotland, as we had before?
In the same item of business
The Presiding Officer (Alex Fergusson):
NPA
The next item of business is a statement by Nicola Sturgeon on the Scottish Government's health strategy. The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for...
The Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing (Nicola Sturgeon):
SNP
I am delighted to publish today our new action plan for health and well-being. "Better Health, Better Care" sets out a clear vision for the national health s...
Margaret Curran (Glasgow Baillieston) (Lab):
Lab
I thank the minister for an advance copy of her statement.I have one note of significant disappointment—although there are perhaps a few others—that minister...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
I thank—or at least I think that I should thank—Margaret Curran for those questions. It is slightly depressing that although I have just published a wide-ran...
Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con):
Con
I, too, thank the cabinet secretary for the advance copies of her statement and the action plan. I put it on the record that the Scottish Conservatives ackno...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
I thank Mary Scanlon for her questions and for asking them positively. I accept that all members will want more time to read the action plan—on recent eviden...
Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD):
LD
I, too, thank the cabinet secretary for the advance copy of her statement and action plan. Like others who received them, I thought that the 3,328 words of t...
The Presiding Officer:
NPA
Before I call the cabinet secretary to reply, I remind members that they may refer to her in many ways—as "cabinet secretary", as "minister" or as "Nicola St...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
That is better than how members sometimes refer to me outside the chamber—at least, it is better than how Margaret Curran sometimes refers to me.Ross Finnie ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer (Alasdair Morgan):
SNP
A large number of members have pressed their request-to-speak buttons, so questions should be brief and focused. I call Christine Grahame.
Christine Grahame (South of Scotland) (SNP):
SNP
I do not know why that is always said just before I get up to ask a question, but there we are.Quite rightly, the cabinet secretary stressed the commitment t...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
I thank Christine Grahame for asking perhaps the most important question that could be asked about the action plan. She will recall that when the Cabinet Sec...
Helen Eadie (Dunfermline East) (Lab):
Lab
The cabinet secretary has focused on making waiting times shorter for people to get into hospitals, but I have evidence of a sudden increase in patient waiti...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
I assure the member that this Government gives absolute priority to tackling delayed discharges. Indeed, we have spent a long time discussing the topic in th...
Helen Eadie:
Lab
Absolute nonsense.
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
Order.
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
That administration then set a budget to bring the overspend down to nil. That is the reality of what the new administration in Fife inherited—Interruption.
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
Order.
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
I know that the member might not like hearing the truth, but she might do well to listen. That is the reality of what the new administration inherited, and i...
Ian McKee (Lothians) (SNP):
SNP
It is clear from the cabinet secretary's speech that the Scottish Government is looking for an NHS that is responsive to people's needs and available at the ...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
Order.
Ian McKee:
SNP
What I would like to say—if I am allowed to—is that, as a former GP, I am interested in and agree entirely with the cabinet secretary's proposal to extend GP...
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
I thank Ian McKee for those questions. I would have to come into the chamber wearing earmuffs in order not to hear the moans and groans of the Labour Opposit...
Cathie Craigie (Cumbernauld and Kilsyth) (Lab):
Lab
The cabinet secretary's 25-minute statement to Parliament contained little more than we already knew, apart from new words for the principle—already accepted...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
There should be a question, Ms Craigie.
Cathie Craigie:
Lab
When will the Government initiate a debate on health? The SNP supported Bill Butler's member's bill on direct elections to NHS boards in the previous parliam...
The Deputy Presiding Officer:
SNP
The member has spoken for long enough. Minister, will you answer, please?
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
Cathie Craigie is absolutely right that my party supported Bill Butler's bill on direct elections. Unfortunately, her party did not, which is why the bill fe...
Cathie Craigie:
Lab
No, you haven't.
Nicola Sturgeon:
SNP
Let me give her a few highlights of what we have done on health since the election in May.