Mike MacKenzie: Will the minister comment on whether the enhanced public transport provisions are being effective?
Mike MacKenzie: I am pleased to speak in this important debate. I know from the opposition parties’ amendments that the core of their argument seems to be about allocation of resources: they want more resources to be allocated to primary care. I agree with them—it would be good to allocate more resources to primary care. It would be good to allocate more resources to healthcare in general; in fact, it...
Mike MacKenzie: No, thank you.
Mike MacKenzie: No, thank you. However, thanks to the democratic deficit in our constitutional arrangements—Smith or no Smith, Scotland act or no Scotland act—we are stuck with austerity. I remember that in the last Scottish election, the Scottish National Party Government made a manifesto commitment to ring fence health spending—something that Labour, which is the main Opposition party, refused to do....
Mike MacKenzie: In noting that, I urge patience, because all will become clear. The Labour Party refused to commit to ring fencing the health budget, but neither did it promise to increase it; the Labour Party amendment is therefore disingenuous. With regard to primary healthcare, very good arguments can be made for increasing resources.
Mike MacKenzie: No, thank you. There are also good arguments that can be made to increase funding for every other aspect of healthcare. However, what the Opposition members fail to do—as always—is say where the cuts will fall in order to fund increased allocation of resources to primary care.
Mike MacKenzie: No, thank you.
Mike MacKenzie: Perhaps later, but not just now. Against that background of austerity, falling public budgets and cuts to our block grant, I am pleased and proud that the Government has maintained health spending. I am pleased that it has been possible to increase primary care spending by almost £80 million and I am pleased that we have recently announced a further £60 million for the primary care...
Mike MacKenzie: No, thank you. Primary health care is important. Health care is important. As we move increasingly towards patient-centred delivery of health care, it is important to realise that the patient, too, has a role to play in remaining healthy and maintaining a healthy, active lifestyle. In terms of healthcare, we are fortunate to be living in the 21st century. Looking back, many of the big...
Mike MacKenzie: Most of all, we must recognise that the biggest current threat to better public health outcomes is rising inequality. We must renew the fight against austerity which—with cuts falling, as always, on the shoulders of those who are least able to bear them—inevitably has the effect of increasing inequality and all the health problems that go along with it.
Mike MacKenzie: Will the member take an intervention?
Mike MacKenzie: Will the member take an intervention?
Mike MacKenzie: With the greatly increased number of commuters travelling by rail or bus, what discussions has the minister had with local authorities on relaxing parking restrictions or increasing the parking available?
Mike MacKenzie: Will the member take an intervention?
Mike MacKenzie: I find myself in the curious position of disagreeing with Mr Russell and agreeing with Mr Scott. Mr Russell does not represent the greatest number of ferries in Scotland; I do.
Mike MacKenzie: I shared Mr Scott’s concerns when Serco took over NorthLink Ferries, but I am forced to concede that, as he said, the service that it has been providing is excellent. That is not my view; my view is not as important, perhaps, as those of my constituents on Orkney and Shetland. When I was on Orkney last weekend and Shetland a couple of weeks ago, I discovered that my constituents there are...
Mike MacKenzie: I say to Mr Finnie that, while I was aboard the MV Hamnavoe, I took the opportunity to speak to a number of staff. Most of them seemed to feel that their worst fears had not materialised.
Mike MacKenzie: No, I am sorry, but I am pressed for time. There is no doubt that CalMac, as the company is now known, has a place in the affections of all islanders, including me. My grandfather worked for CalMac and my father worked for CalMac as a young man. In their days, the company was known as Caledonian MacBrayne. Even Para Handy worked for CalMac for a time, although in his time with the company, it...
Mike MacKenzie: No, thank you. When I tap into that memory, I hear recollections that each of the changes in name and structure has been preceded by a sense of foreboding and communal angst. In each case, all the fears have failed to materialise. I am reminded of Mark Twain’s wisdom. Near the end of his life, he said: “I am an old man and have known a great many troubles, but most of them never...
Mike MacKenzie: No, thank you—I am in my last minute. As an islander myself, coming from a long line of islanders—
