Due to changes made to the official Scottish Parliament website at the start of 2011, our parser that used to fetch their web pages and convert them into more structured information has stopped working. We’re afraid we cannot give a timescale as to when we will be able to cover the Scottish Parliament again. Sorry for any inconvenience caused.
Regulation of Care (Scotland) Bill: Stage 1
2:34 pm
Susan Deacon (Labour)
I regret that, in the interest of time, I am unable to give way. The deputy minister will respond at the end of the debate and will pick up on points that have been made.
I stress that we must announce the number and location of the remaining regional offices shortly, as that will allow lease negotiations to begin and individual staff to start planning their futures. If, in due course and in the light of experience, the commission wishes to expand—or, indeed, to reduce—the regional structure, it will be able to do so.
In the time available to me today, I have endeavoured to cover some of the major points that have arisen during the early consideration of the bill. As I said, we are grateful to everyone who has contributed thus far, including many members who are present. We look forward to further considered debate as the bill progresses through the Parliament. We believe that the bill represents a significant step forward and that it will deliver real benefits for many tens of thousands of Scots. We are proud to introduce it and look forward to detailed discussions with the Health and Community Care Committee during the debate this afternoon and at stage 2 on the points that it has raised in its report.
I move,
That the Parliament agrees to the general principles of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Bill.