Official Report for This Meeting
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Meeting of the Parliament (Hybrid) Tuesday 8 September 2020 Session 5 © Parliamentary copyright. Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body Information on the Scottish Parliament’s copyright policy can be found on the website - www.parliament.scot or by contacting Public Information on 0131 348 5000 Tuesday 8 September 2020 CONTENTS Col. TIME FOR REFLECTION ....................................................................................................................................... 1 TOPICAL QUESTION TIME ................................................................................................................................... 3 Covid-19 (Increase in Cases) ....................................................................................................................... 3 School Leaders (Workloads) ........................................................................................................................ 5 Drug Consumption (Safe Facilities Report) .................................................................................................. 8 BARONESS CUMBERLEGE REPORT ................................................................................................................... 13 Motion moved—[Jeane Freeman]. Amendment moved—[Donald Cameron]. Amendment moved—[Neil Findlay]. Amendment moved—[Alison Johnstone]. The Cabinet Secretary for Health and Sport (Jeane Freeman) ................................................................. 13 Donald Cameron (Highlands and Islands) (Con) ....................................................................................... 18 Neil Findlay (Lothian) (Lab) ........................................................................................................................ 23 Alison Johnstone (Lothian) (Green)............................................................................................................ 26 Alex Cole-Hamilton (Edinburgh Western) (LD) .......................................................................................... 29 Alex Neil (Airdrie and Shotts) (SNP)........................................................................................................... 32 Brian Whittle (South Scotland) (Con) ......................................................................................................... 34 Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP) ........................................................................................... 36 David Stewart (Highlands and Islands) (Lab) ............................................................................................. 39 Clare Adamson (Motherwell and Wishaw) (SNP) ...................................................................................... 40 Annie Wells (Glasgow) (Con) ..................................................................................................................... 42 Joan McAlpine (South Scotland) (SNP) ..................................................................................................... 44 Alexander Stewart (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con) ...................................................................................... 47 Willie Coffey (Kilmarnock and Irvine Valley) (SNP) .................................................................................... 48 Pauline McNeill (Glasgow) (Lab) ................................................................................................................ 51 Rona Mackay (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) ..................................................................................... 53 Bob Doris (Glasgow Maryhill and Springburn) (SNP) ................................................................................ 55 Alison Johnstone ........................................................................................................................................ 57 Neil Findlay ................................................................................................................................................. 59 Jackson Carlaw (Eastwood) (Con) ............................................................................................................. 62 The Minister for Mental Health (Clare Haughey) ........................................................................................ 65 PERIOD PRODUCTS (FREE PROVISION) (SCOTLAND) BILL: FINANCIAL RESOLUTION ........................................... 70 Motion moved—[Ben Macpherson]. BUSINESS MOTION ........................................................................................................................................... 71 Motion moved—[Graeme Dey]—and agreed to. DECISION TIME ................................................................................................................................................ 73 ALCOHOL FOETAL SPECTRUM DISORDERS ....................................................................................................... 80 Motion debated—[Kenneth Gibson]. Kenneth Gibson (Cunninghame North) (SNP) ........................................................................................... 80 Brian Whittle (South Scotland) (Con) ......................................................................................................... 84 Stewart Stevenson (Banffshire and Buchan Coast) (SNP) ........................................................................ 85 Monica Lennon (Central Scotland) (Lab) ................................................................................................... 86 Rona Mackay (Strathkelvin and Bearsden) (SNP) ..................................................................................... 88 Alison Johnstone (Lothian) (Green)............................................................................................................ 89 The Minister for Children and Young People (Maree Todd) ...................................................................... 91 1 8 SEPTEMBER 2020 2 learned how precious life is and that all life Scottish Parliament matters. Tuesday 8 September 2020 When Aberdeen entered a period of local lockdown, I received nothing but words of solidarity and compassion from friends of [The Presiding Officer opened the meeting at Aberdeen and the cathedral church of St Andrew 14:00] from around the world. St Andrew’s cathedral in Aberdeen, the birthplace of the worldwide Time for Reflection Anglican communion and the Episcopal Church USA, had the audacity to say yes to life when life The Presiding Officer (Ken Macintosh): Good seemed impossible, more than three centuries afternoon, colleagues, and welcome. Before we ago. begin, I remind members that social distancing measures are in place throughout the campus, In solidarity with Mary, we say yes to life today. and I remind you to observe those measures when May God bless you in this chamber as you say you enter and leave the chamber. yes to life in Scotland. [Applause.] Our first item of business today is time for The Presiding Officer: Thank you very much. reflection. Our time for reflection leader is the Very Reverend Dr Isaac Poobalan, provost of St Andrew’s cathedral and chaplain at Robert Gordon University, Aberdeen. The Very Rev Dr Isaac Poobalan (Provost, St Andrew’s Cathedral, Aberdeen): Today, we celebrate the birth of Mary, the mother of Jesus. Mary said yes to life when life was full of uncertainty and the fear of the unknown. Mary’s audacity for life made Luke, the physician and historian, record her vision for her times and her people, which I believe is apt for us now. The manifesto of Mary, known as the Magnificat, inspired generations of composers and artists. Her voice of defiance against the dehumanising powers of her time can be heard echoing down the centuries. A version of that song was recorded specifically for the pleasure of this chamber, at the cathedral church of St Andrew in Aberdeen. It is available on the church’s website for you to hear at your leisure. Hear now a paraphrased version. My soul proclaims the greatness of life My spirit rejoices in the power of saying yes to that life. In the face of disease and death, life bursts out with beauty and splendour. It brings new life in pandemic and lockdown. This life is the light of humanity. It shines in the darkness and the darkness of death cannot overcome it. For saying yes to life, generations to come will call us “The blessed”. The life that we now live will do great things for us. Our audacity for life is most gracious and most merciful. This our choice for life humbles the conceited proud. It casts down the mighty from their thrones and lifts up the humble. Our “yes to life” will feed the hungry and send the rich away empty. The promise of life is for all life. We say yes to life as we emerge from a season of uncertainty and the unknown. We see signs of new life and new opportunities, and we have 3 8 SEPTEMBER 2020 4 Topical Question Time uppermost in the decision making of the Scottish ministers. Alison Johnstone: There have now been a 14:04 number of incidents of transmission in schools. A recent Educational Institute of Scotland survey Covid-19 (Increase in Cases) shows that social distancing is often absent in high 1. Alison Johnstone (Lothian) (Green): To schools. Is the cabinet secretary concerned about ask the Scottish Government what its response is the contribution that that could be making to the to the recent rise in Covid-19 cases to a level not resurgence of Covid across Scotland? What seen since May 2020. (S5T-02368)