Skip to main content

Language: English / Gàidhlig

Loading…

Seòmar agus comataidhean

Official Report: search what was said in Parliament

The Official Report is a written record of public meetings of the Parliament and committees.  

Criathragan Hide all filters

Dates of parliamentary sessions
  1. Session 1: 12 May 1999 to 31 March 2003
  2. Session 2: 7 May 2003 to 2 April 2007
  3. Session 3: 9 May 2007 to 22 March 2011
  4. Session 4: 11 May 2011 to 23 March 2016
  5. Session 5: 12 May 2016 to 5 May 2021
  6. Current session: 12 May 2021 to 23 December 2024
Select which types of business to include


Select level of detail in results

Displaying 595 contributions

|

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Health Inequalities

Meeting date: 31 May 2022

Gillian Mackay

Yes, I will do that—I will try to anyway. Earlier, we touched on the issues of services and intersectionality. Everyone on the panel has expertise in different areas. Perhaps I should direct my question to Claire Sweeney. Given the increasing cost of living, what would you point to as one of the biggest interventions that we could make on health and poverty?

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Health Inequalities

Meeting date: 24 May 2022

Gillian Mackay

On the whole-systems approach that we have been talking about, should we be embedding work to tackle health inequalities across all statutory services, and not just in health? To what extent is that happening?

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Health Inequalities

Meeting date: 24 May 2022

Gillian Mackay

We have been talking a lot about income. To what extent would panel members support a universal basic income, a minimum income guarantee or something like that as a way of tackling income inequality, and therefore the health inequalities that result from it?

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Social Care

Meeting date: 17 May 2022

Gillian Mackay

Good morning, minister. One of the criticisms of the public consultation on the NCS was that there needs to be more public engagement and more involvement from clients and other people who access care and support. We have touched on the matter a lot already this morning, but what is your response to that, and what work is being done to ensure that more people are involved during the consultation and implementation processes?

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Social Care

Meeting date: 17 May 2022

Gillian Mackay

Another issue that was raised by respondents to the consultation was that the paper focused on organisational restructuring and did not focus as much on the transformative cultural change that is needed, which would prioritise person-centred services. What is your response, and how will you ensure that structural change is matched by the cultural change that is needed?

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Subordinate Legislation

Meeting date: 17 May 2022

Gillian Mackay

The Genetically Modified Food and Feed (Authorisations) (Scotland) Regulations 2022 authorise nine GM food and feed products, making them available for consumption in Scotland. The Scottish Greens have long-standing concerns about the environmental impact of genetically modified crops, which are not properly addressed in the regulations. Our concern is that our status as a GM-free country will be eroded by the decision.

I also note our strong concern about the constitutional implications of the regulations and, indeed, other decisions about GM products. Scotland should have the power to make the decisions that it sees fit to protect the environment and the public. However, the reality is that it does not matter what decision we make about the regulations or any future authorisations for GM food or feed. Even if we were to withhold authorisation, that would have no material impact, because the UK has already allowed access to such products and, as a result of the United Kingdom Internal Market Act 2020, the Scottish Parliament cannot choose a different path.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Audit Scotland Report: “NHS in Scotland 2021”

Meeting date: 10 May 2022

Gillian Mackay

What will the strategy do to improve data on health inequalities? We have heard in other pieces of work issues around data specifically relating to different minority ethnic groups for example. I am quite keen that we continue to work on that area to ensure that everybody’s healthcare matches the reality of their lives.

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Audit Scotland Report: “NHS in Scotland 2021”

Meeting date: 10 May 2022

Gillian Mackay

Will the forthcoming data strategy directly address the gaps that Audit Scotland identified in primary and community care data, or does the cabinet secretary think that that will be more of an overarching strategy?

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Tackling Alcohol Harms

Meeting date: 3 May 2022

Gillian Mackay

In terms of specific measures, overprovision is one area where we could perhaps do a wee bit more. That obviously falls under some of the areas in the licensing arrangements that you just mentioned. Do you believe that there is a place for strengthening overprovision as a reason for refusing licences under one of the current areas that you outlined in your answer to Sandesh Gulhane?

Health, Social Care and Sport Committee

Tackling Alcohol Harms

Meeting date: 3 May 2022

Gillian Mackay

We have heard from previous witnesses about the benefits of introducing a social responsibility levy on alcohol retailers. Alcohol Focus Scotland is in favour of an alcohol harm prevention tax, which would be linked to the volume of pure alcohol sales and could be used to offset the harms that are caused by alcohol. The Scottish Government has previously said that it will not implement measures such as a responsibility levy until the wider economic circumstances are right. Can the minister clarify what the right economic circumstances would look like? Does she recognise the benefit of an alcohol harm prevention tax?