Jackie Baillie: ...per cent increase in the number of people going private because they cannot wait any longer. Despite that and the warm words and promises of action, the number of people waiting is increasing. When Humza Yousaf took over as health secretary, 603,000 people were waiting for diagnosis or treatment; now, the figure is 175,000 higher. This touches every area, from failure to meet cancer...
Donald Cameron: ...precipice. All the groups that I referred to, and many others, need urgent support. Warm words about investment in resilience, as important as that is, simply will not cut it. I have asked this of Humza Yousaf, I have asked it of Kevin Stewart and I have asked it of Màiri McAllan. Now I ask Fiona Hyslop. We need a ferry compensation scheme right now. That is why we will support Labour’s...
Alison Johnstone: The next item of business is a debate on motion S6M-09508, in the name of Humza Yousaf, on the appointment of a junior Scottish minister. I invite members who wish to speak in the debate to press their request-to-speak button.
Kirsten Oswald: Last week, Scotland’s First Minister, Humza Yousaf, met Jagtar’s brother Gurpreet and pledged to do everything he can to bring Jaggi home. The First Minister is raising his concerns with the UK and Indian Governments, and the Scottish Government stand ready and eager to work with the FCDO to bring about Jagtar’s safe release. What engagement has the FCDO had with the Scottish Government...
Kirsten Oswald: ...Gibson) pointed that out very eloquently. They are the very people who should be able to expect their Governments to find ways to make life easier and support their rights. Our new First Minister, Humza Yousaf, set that out very well: “I am firmly committed to equality for everybody, because your rights are my rights regardless of who you are. My starting point is that I’ve been a...
Humza Yousaf: First and foremost, I recognise what disruption has been caused by the failure of that ferry—[ Interruption .]—which has been caused by the breakdown of the ferry in question. Nobody in the Government—certainly not I, as First Minister—is doubting the significant impact on the South Uist community. The former transport minister visited South Uist and, indeed, North Uist. He also spoke...
Humza Yousaf: I again give my condolences to Louise Slorance on the death of Andrew. Andrew Slorance was a colleague; I worked with him, particularly when I was Minister for Transport and the Islands, on the work that he did on resilience. On the back of a previous question that Anas Sarwar asked, I reached out to Louise Slorance, and I believe that we will be meeting shortly. I am happy to discuss with...
Humza Yousaf: On Tuesday.
Humza Yousaf: I am grateful to take the opportunity during carers week to thank all those who provide care for their loved ones and to recognise the invaluable contribution that they make to our communities. It is vital that appropriate support is available and accessible, which is why our recent national carers strategy is driving long-term change to improve support for our unpaid carers. We are investing...
Humza Yousaf: We value the important work that our countryside rangers do. We have already provided a package of up to £3 million to the national parks, NatureScot and Forestry and Land Scotland to support seasonal ranger activity in 2023. That includes running another round of the successful better places fund, which last year supported more than 100 local authority and community ranger posts. For this...
Humza Yousaf: We recognise and pay close attention to the comments that have been made by the UN committee, as well as recognising that young people in Scotland acquire a number of important rights at the age of 16. All marriages and civil partnerships must be entered into with the full consent of both parties, and there is existing legislative provision against forced marriage. We hope that, with the...
Humza Yousaf: I associate myself with all the remarks of my colleague Fiona Hyslop. This is the worst tragedy. Anybody who is a parent will know that there cannot be a worse fear or nightmare for a parent than losing a child. I cannot think what the family are going through, but I know that the whole community, including the school community, has been deeply affected. I echo Fiona Hyslop’s calls in...
Humza Yousaf: I agree with the underlying premise of Roz McCall’s question—that we have further to go and that we can and should be doing more to keep our promise to Scotland’s care-experienced young people. We know that care experience is a lifelong experience for people right across the entirety of their lifetime. I will, of course, engage with “The Adoption Barometer”. We will continue to...
Humza Yousaf: The Scottish Government’s position on the authorisation of pesticide products is based very much on the regulation and scientific evidence—which was where Jim Fairlie rightly put the emphasis in his question—provided by the Health and Safety Executive and the independent UK Expert Committee on Pesticides. As the United Kingdom’s regulator of pesticide products, the HSE is responsible...
Humza Yousaf: What has not helped public finances in Scotland is the rampant inflation that has been caused by the actions of Mr Lumsden’s party at Westminster. That is why the cuts that have been made to capital budgets over the years are having an impact on the ground here in Scotland. We will maintain our excellent record on investing in the NHS estate in communities up and down the country—[...
Humza Yousaf: We are taking a range of actions primarily to ensure that we have more oncologists and more members of the medical workforce who are able to provide those important services. For example, as I referenced in an earlier answer, since 2006 there has been a 60 per cent increase in the number of clinical radiology consultants. We now have 97 per cent more consultant oncologists as well. However, I...
Humza Yousaf: Yes, I agree that animal welfare should be at the heart of the Government’s agenda. I have made that clear in the first 10 weeks in which I have been in position. I know that that was a commitment that was made by my predecessor, as well. I am, of course, more than happy to look at how we can give further effect to Mark Ruskell’s ask. We have a good record when it comes to animal welfare,...
Humza Yousaf: The Minister for Higher and Further Education; and Minister for Veterans wrote to college principals just yesterday to reiterate the importance that the Scottish Government places on the use of fair work practices in the college sector. He made it clear that our absolute expectation is that every effort should be made, in consultation with campus trade unions, to protect jobs. I expect that...
Humza Yousaf: The reason why there has not been that authorisation from the Health and Safety Executive, of course, is that other Governments in the United Kingdom have not responded promptly in the way that the Scottish Government has. [ Interruption .]
Humza Yousaf: I agree, and Carol Mochan, the GMB and other trade unions are, of course, absolutely right to raise that issue. We have a proud track record of protecting our emergency workers, and I put on record my thanks to each and every single one of them. Attacks on anybody are disgraceful, of course, but attacks on our emergency workers—in the case of paramedics and ambulance staff, they are there...
