Hansard

The Minister for Parliamentary Business (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP Chamber

01 Jun 2016

Parliamentary Bureau Motion

Members should be aware that the Presiding Officer, on behalf of the Parliamentary Bureau, will write to the Standards, Procedures and Public Appointments Committee, once it is established, to ask it to consider extending the remits of four of the mandatory committees. The com...

The Minister for Parliamentary Business (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP Chamber

01 Dec 2015

St Andrew’s Day

I am delighted to respond to what has been an interesting and informative debate, and I thank Michael Russell for bringing it to the chamber. I also thank him for his history and geography lesson on St Andrew’s day. We will have to look at the Official Report to see whether he...

The Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP Chamber

06 Feb 2019

Scottish Powerchair Football Association

I join other members in congratulating Jeremy Balfour on securing this evening’s important debate. Before I move on to talk specifically about powerchair football, I will say a few words about disability sport in general. A number of members raised that subject. First, Bruc...

Joe FitzPatrick SNP Committee

25 Feb 2020

Subordinate Legislation

You might remember that, last November, the committee had a useful discussion about the Public Health Scotland Order 2019. That order constituted public health Scotland as a new national special health board, which will begin to exercise its full range of functions from 1 Apri...

The Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP Chamber

05 Sep 2019

Drug-related Deaths

My statement provides an update on the action that we are taking to tackle the continued rise in the number of drug deaths in Scotland. The situation that we face is a public health emergency. The latest figures from National Records of Scotland show that 1,187 people lost the...

The Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP Chamber

18 Nov 2020

Pancreatic Cancer Awareness Month

I, too, thank Clare Adamson for securing this important debate and for her continued dedication to raising awareness about this uniquely aggressive form of cancer. I am very pleased that John Scott is here to take part in the debate this year, and I thank him for sharing his ...

Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee City West) (SNP) SNP Chamber

01 Mar 2012

Living Wage

I start by thanking the committee clerks for their diligent work during the inquiry, which resulted in the important report—“Report on the Living Wage in Scotland”—that we are discussing today. I also recognise the input of Kezia Dugdale and Mark Griffin, who are no longer mem...

Joe FitzPatrick SNP Chamber

19 Jun 2018

Scottish Crown Estate Bill: Stage 1

Stewart Stevenson has made a good point. The bill makes specific allowance for that, and for the importance of maintaining and potentially enhancing the assets that we have, which are assets for Scotland. Outwith the bill, we are committed to distributing to island and coasta...

The Minister for Parliamentary Business (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP Chamber

26 Jun 2018

National Health Service 70th Birthday

Presiding Officer, I am sure that members will be surprised to see me closing tonight’s debate. I know that I am. Laughter. However, as I am sure every MSP does, I recognise the precious value of our NHS and the skill, dedication and compassion of its staff. I know that I spea...

Joe FitzPatrick SNP Chamber

05 Sep 2018

University of Stirling (University for Sporting Excellence)

I am sure that that is correct. That goes two ways: all other students at the university benefit from the presence of those international students. In 2012, the university opened its high-performance sports science and sports medicine facility, which was another great milesto...

Joe FitzPatrick SNP Chamber

18 Sep 2019

Portfolio Question Time · Trans and Non-binary People (Healthcare)

I agree with the comments of the First Minister and with what the Scottish Trans Alliance said about those waits being unacceptable. The service is currently managed by the national services division of NHS National Services Scotland. It commissions national managed clinical n...

Joe FitzPatrick SNP Chamber

25 Jun 2020

Portfolio Question Time · Chronic Pain (Resumption of Treatment)

I am aware that some people have made that decision to travel to England for private healthcare. During lockdown, the national health service was on an emergency footing, and it remains so in phase 2. Emergency and urgent care has been and is being provided, including treatmen...

The Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP Chamber

23 Sep 2020

Heart Valve Disease Awareness Week

I am delighted to respond to the debate on behalf of the Government. I thank David Stewart for lodging the motion, and I congratulate him on securing cross-Parliament support for it. I echo James Kelly’s recognition of David Stewart’s long-standing commitment to raising such i...

The Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP Chamber

06 Oct 2020

Miscarriage

I am grateful to Shona Robison for bringing the motion to the Parliament and giving members the opportunity to hear about her campaign and discuss this important topic. I thank all members for their contributions, but particularly those who talked about their experiences. I kn...

Joe FitzPatrick SNP Committee

24 Sep 2024

National Care Service (Scotland) Bill: Stage 2

My questions are on the national care service charter, to give you an opportunity to say something about that. What are your thoughts on the co-design process and whether the charter will be effective? I am keen to hear, too, whether you think that it might be good for the cha...

Joe FitzPatrick SNP Committee

02 Sep 2025

National Good Food Nation Plan

Regarding that engagement, there is no point having local plans if they are only carbon copies of the national plan—there has to be a difference—but it is clearly important that the local plans do not go counter to the national plan and can work together with it. From the init...

Joe FitzPatrick: SNP Chamber

05 Jun 2008

Scotland's Infrastructure (Investment)

The Government took the decision that the quickest way of moving a few of those schools forward was to continue with the existing system. Where possible, they were transferred to the NPD model. I am confident that, in future, we will get much better value for the public pound ...

Joe FitzPatrick: SNP Chamber

04 Sep 2008

SCOTTISH EXECUTIVE · National Conversation

During the recess, the Scottish National Party directly connected with people to seek their views on Scotland's constitutional future. I was very encouraged by the responses that I received in my constituency of Dundee West and in John Mason's Westminster constituency of Glasg...

Joe FitzPatrick: SNP Chamber

24 Sep 2009

Child Protection

The member will be aware that I was responding to an attack by him on the SNP Government. My point was that it was not an issue of party politics. We should not put blame on any particular party. I believe that everyone in the Parliament is responsible, and we all have the int...

Joe FitzPatrick: SNP Chamber

19 Nov 2009

Clostridium Difficile

Yes. The ward in question was for the care of elderly patients, many of whom had problems that required the very antibiotics that Dr McKee talked about earlier. Also, we must be careful when using percentages when we are talking about single-figure numbers, because a single in...

Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee West) (SNP) SNP Chamber

16 Sep 2010

Scottish Food and Drink Fortnight

When members think of Dundee in a culinary debate, they can be forgiven for thinking of pies—or pehs, as eh wid ca them. There are some very good pies that come out of Dundee, but the city might not be your first thought when looking at what Scotland has to offer in terms of f...

The Convener SNP Committee

05 Oct 2011

Draft Budget 2012-13 and Spending Review 2011

Given that capital money will be moved from local projects into national projects because local government can borrow whereas the national Government cannot, it would be useful to know what general assessment—not in relation to specific local authorities—has been undertaken of...

Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee City West) (SNP) SNP Chamber

06 Oct 2011

First Minister’s Question Time · Secretary of State for Scotland (Meetings)

I was recently contacted by a constituent who has stage 4 melanoma that is unresponsive to traditional cancer therapies. There is, however a new immunotherapy drug called Yervoy, which could radically transform my constituent’s prospects. Yervoy has been approved by the Food a...

Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee City West) (SNP) SNP Chamber

08 Jun 2011

Taking Scotland Forward: Health, Wellbeing and Cities Strategy

Philosophers and historians through the ages have often concluded that a society can best be measured by the respect and care that it gives to its most vulnerable citizens. The case of Mrs V in 2008, which a Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland report recently highlighted, i...

The Convener SNP Committee

21 Feb 2012

Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

Are you suggesting that we should have a national police service and a national fire service, for which the 32 local authorities would have to come to an agreement on how much they should pay?

The Convener SNP Committee

21 Feb 2012

Police and Fire Reform (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

We now have the final panel of witnesses for today’s lengthy evidence session. I am pleased to welcome Councillor Bob Band from the Scottish fire conveners forum; Alex Clark, chair of the Chief Fire Officers Association Scotland; and John Duffy, Scottish secretary of the Fire ...

Joe FitzPatrick SNP Committee

11 Jun 2015

Scottish Elections (Reduction of Voting Age) Bill: Stage 2

Amendments 2 and 3 relate to individual applications for registration. Amendment 2 concerns the current requirement for an applicant to select the age group that applies to them if they do not know their date of birth. Under current rules, an individual in such circumstances w...

Joe FitzPatrick SNP Chamber

18 Jun 2015

General Question Time · Forestry Commission Scotland (Land Transactions)

There is no specific limit on the area of land or woodland that Forestry Commission Scotland can sell without community involvement and consultation. However, I assure Rob Gibson that the majority of sales that are carried out by Forestry Commission Scotland are part of its re...

Joe FitzPatrick SNP Chamber

21 Jun 2017

Freedom of Information Requests

No. Requests are all prepared by Scottish Government officials. Special advisers have a role in assessing draft responses for accuracy. Laughter. As discussed in Parliament last week, I recognise the interest of the media in the operation of the Freedom of Information (Scotl...

The Minister for Parliamentary Business (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP Chamber

13 Dec 2017

Heads Up for Harriers Project and the Role of Species Champions

I congratulate Mairi Gougeon on securing this opportunity for Parliament to help to raise the profile of the hen harrier and the challenges that that iconic bird faces, and for allowing our other species champions to raise awareness of their species. It is important to note, a...

Joe FitzPatrick SNP Chamber

26 Jun 2018

National Health Service 70th Birthday

That is a very good point. In dealing with just about any aspect of government, we need to look across the whole of Government and consider how we can make differences to outcomes. The approach of considering how we can join things up and make a difference to outcomes in peopl...

The Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP Chamber

04 Oct 2018

Women and Girls in Sport Week

I want to acknowledge the great and many successes that we have seen at the highest level in women’s sport this year, including the success of the Scottish national women’s football team in getting to the world cup 2019 finals, the success of athletes including Laura Muir and ...

Joe FitzPatrick SNP Chamber

24 Oct 2018

Portfolio Question Time · Invictus Games

The member makes a strong point about the value of sport for our veterans. I was privileged to spend some time at the national centre for sport in Largs to see its para facilities. It is the first fully inclusive national sports centre, and it is second to none in the United K...

Joe FitzPatrick SNP Committee

22 Jan 2019

Subordinate Legislation

A large number of the recommendations have been implemented, and I think that 22 recommendations will be implemented on 4 April, along with the regulations that we are considering and some other regs. Of the remaining recommendations, I think that five have been implemented bu...

The Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP Chamber

26 Feb 2019

Human Tissue (Authorisation) (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1

I am pleased to open the debate on the Human Tissue (Authorisation) (Scotland) Bill. Before discussing specific elements of the bill, I will talk about the bigger picture, which it is always important to remind ourselves of when talking about organ and tissue donation and tran...

The Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP Chamber

30 Apr 2019

Parkinson’s in Scotland

I am pleased to be able to respond on behalf of the Government, and to add my congratulations to Miles Briggs on securing this debate. The Scottish Government wants people with Parkinson’s to be active citizens, to participate in and contribute to our society, and to maintain...

The Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP Chamber

06 Jun 2019

General Question Time · NHS Tayside (Drug Deaths)

I understand that the Tayside drug death review group plans to publish its annual drug death report this month. That will include information on all drug-related deaths that occurred in Tayside in 2018. National Records of Scotland is expected to publish its annual report on n...

The Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP Chamber

12 Jun 2019

Lung Health

I am delighted to be able to contribute to this important debate by responding on behalf of the Government. I thank Miles Briggs for lodging the motion and I thank members for supporting it and allowing it to be debated. The debate provides us with an opportunity to reflect on...

The Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP Chamber

18 Sep 2019

Portfolio Question Time · Trans and Non-binary People (Healthcare)

The Scottish Government expects everyone, including trans and non-binary people, to be to be treated fairly and equally and with respect when they seek healthcare. That was set out in the charter of patient rights and responsibilities that was published under the Patient Right...

Joe FitzPatrick SNP Chamber

18 Sep 2019

Children’s Hospice Association Scotland

We have a good relationship with CHAS. We work with CHAS as partners, and that is a good way to continue working. Government officials and CHAS frequently get around the table to make sure that we are doing everything that we can to complement each other’s role and to find out...

The Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP Chamber

03 Oct 2019

General Question Time · Non-prescribed Benzodiazepines

That is an issue not just in Glasgow but in communities across Scotland, and it is one of the matters that the drug deaths task force will consider as part of its work. Earlier this year, the Glasgow health and social care partnership put in place a number of measures on so-ca...

The Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP Chamber

21 Nov 2019

Portfolio Question Time · Breastfeeding

Since 2011, we have provided more than £18.1 million directly to national health service boards for the implementation of the maternal and infant nutrition framework, of which breastfeeding support is a key component. More recently, we have provided an additional £3.7 million ...

Joe FitzPatrick SNP Chamber

05 Dec 2019

Disability Sport and Participation

I am pleased to confirm that the ice arena in Stirling has very firm ice. There are many other fantastic examples of people who have been real advocates for disability sports, including Neil Fachie in cycling and Toni Shaw in swimming. Brian Whittle was right to say that it i...

The Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP Chamber

10 Dec 2019

Miscarriage

I thank James Dornan for lodging the motion and the members who signed it, which helped to ensure that it secured time in the chamber for debate tonight. I also thank members from across the chamber for their contributions, particularly Fulton MacGregor and Michelle Ballantyne...

The Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP Chamber

06 Feb 2020

World Cancer Day 2020

I thank Monica Lennon for securing this important debate, in which we have made it clear that tackling cancer remains an absolute priority that is at the forefront of all our minds. It makes me immensely proud to join other members in wearing a unity band, which shows the soli...

Joe FitzPatrick SNP Chamber

18 Feb 2020

Social Prescribing

No: it highlights the fact that all our agencies, and sportscotland in particular, are focusing their efforts. I will come to a few examples of where that focused effort tries to break down the barriers that we all know exist. There is no point in our pretending that those bar...

The Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP Chamber

28 May 2020

Portfolio Question Time · Diabetes (Deaths from Covid-19)

We know that this is a worrying time for people who live with diabetes. Their safety and the continued provision of care and treatment remain a priority for the Scottish Government and NHS Scotland. Our analytical partners across the Scottish Government—National Records of Sco...

Joe FitzPatrick SNP Chamber

15 Sep 2020

Migration and Care Workers

I am not directly aware of the outcome of today’s judgment. However, as well as looking at the cash value of people’s salaries, it is important to look at their terms and conditions. I think that, on balance, we have some of the best terms and conditions for the social care wo...

The Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP Chamber

27 Oct 2020

Student Paramedics (Bursary Support)

I thank Liam McArthur for lodging the motion and commend him for his commitment to highlighting the issues. I am grateful for the opportunity to respond on behalf of the Scottish Government and for the contributions from all the speakers. As Liam McArthur said, paramedics ma...

The Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP Chamber

10 Nov 2020

World Stroke Day and Stroke Care (Covid-19)

I am delighted to respond to the debate on behalf of the Government. I thank Alexander Stewart for lodging the motion to secure the debate and members of all parties for their speeches. Mr Stewart is absolutely right about the importance of raising awareness of stroke and I ...

Joe FitzPatrick SNP Chamber

19 Nov 2020

Youth Football

The debate has emphasised how important football at all levels is to Scotland. As members’ contributions have highlighted, most of us are football fans and we all want our national game to flourish. I thank Willie Coffey in particular for his helpful contribution, which was gr...

Joe FitzPatrick SNP Chamber

24 Nov 2020

Supply and Demand for Medicines

Indeed—I was just about to make a point about the discussions that we have with the UK Government. It is absolutely for the committee to set out its remit. My point was that perhaps the report goes beyond the remit as stated. The Government and others engaged with the committ...

The Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP Chamber

15 Dec 2020

Drug-related Deaths

Presiding Officer, 1,264 of our fellow citizens lost their lives to drugs in 2019. That means that, on average, every week, 24 families in Scotland are holding funerals for loved ones who have died due to substance use. The scale of the deaths and the wider harms that are caus...

The Minister for Public Health, Sport and Wellbeing (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP Committee

15 Dec 2020

Subordinate Legislation

I am pleased to join the committee to discuss the regulations. It remains the Scottish Government’s clear position that the interests of Scotland would best be served by remaining in the European Union. The devastation to the worldwide economy that has been caused by Covid-19 ...

Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee City West) (SNP) SNP Chamber

09 Mar 2022

Scottish Human Rights Commission (Appointment)

As a member of the cross-party selection panel that was established by the Presiding Officer under our standing orders, I am delighted to speak to the motion in my name, which invites members to agree to nominate Ian Duddy to Her Majesty the Queen for appointment as the chair ...

The Minister for Local Government Empowerment and Planning (Joe FitzPatrick) SNP Chamber

24 May 2023

Portfolio Question Time · Planning (Scotland) Act 2019 (Implementation)

We have recently implemented substantial elements of the 2019 planning act to strengthen Scotland’s plan-led planning system. That included the adoption, on 13 February, of national planning framework 4. Just last week, regulations came into force that implemented the new appr...

Joe FitzPatrick SNP Chamber

01 Nov 2023

Portfolio Question Time · Local Authorities (Sport and Leisure Facilities Funding)

The Scottish Government places great importance on sport and leisure facilities, which are vital in supporting the physical and mental health of the nation. Sportscotland, our national agency for sport, is working with local and national partners to help it to assess the impac...

Joe FitzPatrick (Dundee City West) (SNP) SNP Committee

10 Sep 2024

National Performance Framework (Proposed National Outcomes)

Briefly, on the point about tracking the spend to ensure that we get the outcomes that we hope for, should we look to any international examples to see whether other places do this better? There will be differences, but can we learn something from them that will help Scotland ...

Joe FitzPatrick SNP Committee

10 Sep 2024

National Performance Framework (Proposed National Outcomes)

Is the data on what is spent not in the outturn accounts that the finance secretary puts out every year?

Joe FitzPatrick SNP Committee

10 Sep 2024

National Performance Framework (Proposed National Outcomes)

I will pick up on the idea of preventative spend, preventative work and monitoring what is and is not working. This Parliament is responsible for outcomes around health and care, but we do not have control of all the inputs. Decisions that are made in another place—such as the...