Fiona McLeod: I rise to speak in the debate with little expertise in this subject, but with a great interest in it. That interest stems partly from my years as the chair of East Dunbartonshire children’s panel advisory committee. I note that Kenneth Macintosh and I are again speaking in a children’s debate, and I wonder whether there is an umbilical cord taking us both back to that very first...
Fiona McLeod: I will, but I probably will not understand Mr Macintosh’s point.
Fiona McLeod: I am a parent, like Ken Macintosh, and we never know when we might find ourselves vulnerable as a family. I do my absolute best as a parent, but that is not to say that it would not have been helpful for me and my son, who is now an adult, to have had someone to whom we could have turned.
Fiona McLeod: I know that we have plenty of time, but Mr Macintosh and I could end up having a debate across the chamber.
Fiona McLeod: You have been generous, Presiding Officer. That was a one-and-a-half-minute intervention. My comments were genuine—I do not understand Ken Macintosh’s point. I do my best as a parent and I have my support networks. However, I registered my child with a general practitioner not when he was ill, but so that there was a general practitioner to take him to if he became ill. For me, a named...
Fiona McLeod: 7. To ask the Scottish Government what action it is taking to promote carers’ rights day. (S4O-02648)
Fiona McLeod: Although the First Minister’s announcement of a carers’ rights bill at the carers parliament in October was very welcome, can the minister advise on the powers that can be used now to make councils such as East Dunbartonshire Council follow their duty to give carers their assessments?
Fiona McLeod: I am sure that, like me, the Deputy First Minister believes that democrats across the chamber and throughout Scotland will be incredibly excited by the opportunity that independence gives Scotland finally to have a written constitution. Given the historic and social significance of that, I ask her what thoughts have been given to making writing that constitution a truly participative process,...
Fiona McLeod: 7. To ask the Scottish Government what discussions the Cabinet Secretary for Finance, Employment and Sustainable Growth has had with the First Minister regarding the economic opportunities arising from his recent visit to China. (S4O-02588)
Fiona McLeod: With that impressive list, I presume that the cabinet secretary will agree with me that encouraging trade and investment links with China will be a boost to the Scottish economy.
Fiona McLeod: It is interesting that in this debate on transport infrastructure for the 21st century, so far almost everybody has referred to motorised transport, although I note that in his opening remarks the minister talked about the money that is going to the national cycle network. I want to talk about delivering safe streets for cyclists and pedestrians, because I believe that that is intrinsic to...
Fiona McLeod: It is fair to say that the guidance for setting 20mph limits can be confusing and requires much cross-referencing across a number of documents and traffic regulations. In 55 seconds I could not possibly list all the pieces of legislation that must be looked at. However, it comes down to focusing on whether physical or psychological calming measures are necessary in order to have 20mph zones....
Fiona McLeod: The ambition to have person-centred healthcare is not new, as I know from my many years as a health service librarian. More than 20 years ago, I worked in palliative care, and more than 14 years ago the centre for integrative care was opened in Glasgow on the Gartnavel hospital site. I warn members now that my speech is very much that of a health librarian—with evidence and references. That...
Fiona McLeod: It is extremely important that the minister talked about the fact that article 31 of the UNCRC mentions that every child has the right to play. That is the right way to start any contribution to the debate. The minister talked about the fact that play is also about learning, in that it can lead to young people being able to learn about independent choice, collaboration and co-operation, and...
Fiona McLeod: Following the minister’s remarks about the importance of local authorities, I bring to his attention just how many of my constituents come to me, as carers, never having been told that they are entitled to a carer’s assessment, never mind having had such an assessment. That is under the Labour-controlled East Dunbartonshire Council.
Fiona McLeod: I add my thanks to Claire Baker for bringing this important debate to Parliament. There have been a lot of interesting facts and figures from previous speakers but I come to the debate very much from the heart rather than from the head. I adopted my cat Sophie from the SSPCA in 2002 and we were not allowed to take her home without accepting that she would be microchipped. Two years later,...
Fiona McLeod: 4. To ask the Scottish Government what mechanisms are available to enforce nature conservation legislation regarding marine protected areas. (S4O-02355)
Fiona McLeod: Does the cabinet secretary believe that the development of new technology will play an important role in helping Marine Scotland and enforcement officers to ensure that there are continuously effective compliance and enforcement arrangements?
Fiona McLeod: I begin with a declaration of interests: I am a life member of Historic Scotland. Perhaps the fact that my life membership number is 555 reveals that the historic environment has been a passion for a long time in my life. I was one of the organisation’s very early members. My passion is the Scottish tower house. I could spend the rest of the debate enthusing members with that passion, but I...
Fiona McLeod: That was my husband’s reward. My passion for this area goes way back. I found it interesting to listen to Liz Smith. From yesterday’s coverage of the 500th anniversary of the battle of Flodden, there seems to be a bit of revisionism going on in relation to James IV and the idea that that was the end of Scotland as a cultural entity until the union. This is not meant to be a political...
