Mary Fee: Last year, it was revealed that more than 3,800 people who left prison between 2016 and 2018 identified as homeless to local authorities. Without a home, people with convictions struggle to register with general practitioners and to continue with the vital health and social care progress that was started while they were in prison. What measures will the Scottish Government take to ensure that...
Mary Fee: How much is the cabinet secretary going to have to pay the DWP to deliver the benefits, instead of spending that money to support severely disabled people? More broadly, what are the estimated costs of the agency arrangements with the DWP that will be in place until all devolved benefits fully transition to Social Security Scotland? That information was not included in Thursday’s statement.
Mary Fee: Presiding Officer, I thank the Scottish Conservatives for bringing this subject back to the chamber for debate, following a similar debate in October last year. At the outset, I state our support for the policy of the Scottish Government, as we have done in the past. The debate is not about opposing the ambition to deliver 1,140 funded hours; it is about expressing the level of confidence...
Mary Fee: There remains a significant link between material deprivation and life expectancy. Figures that were released in December 2018 revealed that a boy who is born in one of the most affluent areas of the country can expect to live more than 10 years longer than one who is born in one of the poorest. What specific steps will the cabinet secretary and the Government take to end the scandal of...
Mary Fee: Last week, the cabinet secretary responded to a question from my colleague Neil Bibby on infection control at the Royal Alexandra hospital in Paisley. She said that she shared his concerns about gaps in the domestic cleaning rotas. In light of that case and other tragic cases in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde, does the cabinet secretary have any plans to review and update the “National...
Mary Fee: 1. To ask the Scottish Government when the Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Infrastructure and Connectivity last met bus operators that serve Renfrewshire. (S5O-02899)
Mary Fee: I thank the cabinet secretary for his answer. McGill’s Bus Service Ltd, which is the main operator that runs as a monopoly in many parts of Renfrewshire, has recently announced changes to its services, including axing the 907 service that links Glasgow and Renfrewshire to Dunoon. The company originally proposed fare increases of up to 62 per cent for peak-time journeys between Erskine and...
Mary Fee: 6. To ask the Deputy First Minister, in light of it being children’s mental health week, what action the Scottish Government is taking to increase the provision of mental health support for young people. (S5F-03056)
Mary Fee: In its report in December, the Mental Welfare Commission for Scotland raised concerns about the lack of intensive psychiatric provision for young people, noting that “work to explore the issues” had “stalled”. Last year, the number of young people who were admitted to non-specialist wards rose to 90, and 14 young people were admitted to adult psychiatric care units. Does the Deputy...
Mary Fee: I begin by supporting the points that were made by my colleague Neil Bibby on the tragic case of Craig McClelland. I welcome comments that were made by other members from across Parliament showing support for Craig McClelland’s family. The family of Mr McClelland deserve answers, and the debate today should serve as a reminder to us all that management and monitoring of offenders are...
Mary Fee: 3. To ask the Scottish Government what the impact will be of the college capital spending plans in the draft budget. (S5O-02851)
Mary Fee: The minister will know that the Scottish funding council has estimated that up to £360 million of investment is required over the next five years to make college campuses wind and watertight. Does the minister not accept that the draft budget delivers nowhere near the investment that the Government’s own report says is needed?
Mary Fee: Thousands of qualified and highly trained staff are required in order to meet the ambition of the Government’s childcare expansion. Can the minister tell me what progress has been made to recruit the required staff and how many people are currently working in the sector?
Mary Fee: I welcome today’s debate and reaffirm our support for mainstreaming, for which all speakers have shown support. The presumption of mainstreaming is an important feature of our education system, benefiting children with additional support needs and creating a more inclusive system for all. I thank Inclusion Scotland and Enable Scotland for their informative briefings ahead of the debate. My...
Mary Fee: The cabinet secretary has said that there are plans to recruit to two new consultant posts, which remained unfilled after a recruitment round last year. What additional steps is the board taking to fill those posts? Does the cabinet secretary have confidence that those posts will be filled before the service opens in October? What impact will not filling the posts have on the service?
Mary Fee: I welcome the opportunity to take part in today’s debate. “Young or old, loneliness doesn’t discriminate ... it is something many of us could easily help with.” The words of Jo Cox serve as a reminder to us all to care for one another, regardless of circumstances. The connected Scotland strategy is an important piece of work for which the Scottish Government should be commended. In...
Mary Fee: Many private providers in nursery education regrettably cannot match the staffing costs of local authorities. If a partner provider pays the living wage, that could increase the cost of childcare over and above the 1,140 free hours, especially for children who are below the age threshold for a funded placement. What specific steps can the Scottish Government take to stop childcare costs...
Mary Fee: I welcome the announcement of guidance on mental health and wellbeing services to complement the previous announcement regarding counsellors in schools. Will the cabinet secretary tell Parliament when the first new mental health counsellor will be in a school? Will the implementation of the new counsellors be targeted at certain areas or schools?
Mary Fee: I, too, thank Colin Beattie for securing the debate and I wish the partnership between Midlothian Council’s lifelong learning and employability service and Melville Housing Association every success. The opportunity for lifelong learning must be universal, and it is fundamental to improving the lives of people across Scotland. The United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights states:...
Mary Fee: This is ridiculous.