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When the parliamentary session began back in 2021, there was a genuine enthusiasm about the prospect of a national care service. Only three years later, the enthusiasm is simply dead in the water. The conclusion of today’s debate can only be that the blame for that must lie solely at the feet of the Scottish Government. I wish that we could have heard a bit of reflection on the Government’s part.

Of course, if it is brief.

In short, absolutely—I know that we are tight for time.

If the minister is actually in charge, she must show leadership. The poor performance from the minister in this matter cannot be overstated, and the discussion in committee demonstrated that.

To date, pursuing the bill has cost the taxpayer £30 million—money that has been wasted due to the incompetence of the minister and the SNP. Contrary to the minister’s assertions today and over the past few weeks, the bill does not deliver the Feeley recommendations—it has never touched on delivering them. The minister would not take advice on that. We have seen no commitment to do that or to progress anything with real urgency.

The Government simply does not listen. Not only has it wasted millions of pounds, but it has used up hours of parliamentary time. Most important, it has let down vulnerable and disabled people, as well as their unpaid carers and staff. Yesterday, eventually, in reply to my colleague Paul Sweeney at committee, the minister said that many of the recommendations in the Feeley review can be implemented without primary legislation.

My colleague Jackie Baillie has, over many months, and again today, outlined the legislative vehicles for fixing social care now. We could move forward on collective bargaining, on the essential Anne’s law and on the right to breaks, but what does the cabinet secretary do, and what does the minister do in committee? They talk. The Government talks; it does not deliver. Our communities would like to see action from this tired and out-of-touch Administration. For change to happen, the wheels need to be in motion now—in fact, they should have been in motion for the past few years.

The UK Labour Government budget has delivered £789 million of health-related consequentials this year and will deliver £1.72 billion for our NHS and social care next year. This Scottish Government must decide how it will deliver change in Scotland.

I will close on this point, Deputy Presiding Officer, as I know that we are tight for time. People’s care packages are being cut, delayed discharges are at a record high and staff are leaving in their droves. That is not about the UK budget, and it is not about the actions of another Parliament; it is about this Scottish Government in the here and now.

I would have liked to have said more, Deputy Presiding Officer. The reality is that we must work to get this right for the people in our communities, but it does not appear that this Scottish Government can deliver.

We on the Labour benches have tried and tried to work together with the Government. However, as we have heard today, the Government proposed a national care service that was so unfit for purpose that nearly every stakeholder in the country—trade unions, councils and health boards—flatly rejected it. Conservative members opposite reminded us that four committees raised concerns. On top of that, the vast majority of carers whom we have spoken to simply do not recognise—

I will start with how proud I am to say that I grew up in, live in and now represent a coalfield community. I therefore thank Richard Leonard for securing this important and heartfelt debate, which recognises the impact that the 1984-85 strike had not only on miners but on their families, wider communities and Scotland itself.

The strike has been defined as the greatest industrial dispute in post-war Britain and its significance cannot be overstated. To this day, the echoes of that brutal Thatcher Government are felt in so many towns and villages across our country.

I strongly disagree with Stephen Kerr. The pit closures were used as an insult to the miners, who contributed so much to Scotland’s culture and economy. Communities such as the one that I live in faced job losses and deprivation, and miners and their families were vilified and criminalised for their fight to save their livelihoods and their communities. The injustices that were felt by miners and their communities remain rife across modern Scotland.

Although it is unlikely that full amends can ever truly be made, I do recognise the Miners’ Strike (Pardons) (Scotland) Act 2022 as a step in the right direction. However, much more must be done and we must all fully support an inquiry into policing at that time. We must continue to find the truth, which miners and other striking workers deserve.

My region, South Scotland, is home to so many mining villages and communities, such as Cumnock, Dalmellington and my home town of Mauchline. Like others across Scotland, those communities have faced and continue to have unimaginable struggles as a result of the pit closures.

I will, if it is brief.

I will make progress.

They do not recognise the current plans as anything close to the promises that were made. They feel let down, and rightly so. I say to the cabinet secretary that that is the message that members in the chamber are getting. The loud and clear message is that we need delivery of a national care service. I ask the Government: what is power if it cannot deliver? The Government certainly cannot deliver.

We have heard from many members today, including the minister, that

“the status quo is not an option”.

Members across the chamber are saying that, but the Scottish National Party has had 17 years to fix our social care. It has had more than three years to get the bill right, and it has simply failed to do so. Yet, today, there is no reflection on that at all. The Government brushes it aside and seeks to blame others.

Despite many Scots being in urgent need of social care, after three years, three cabinet secretaries and three First Ministers, there is nothing to show for it. Now is the moment to get to work and take immediate action to start fixing Scotland’s fundamentally broken social care sector. The minister—

I think that people will find that answer quite helpful, because we get asked about the agency.

I have a more general question, if you do not mind my asking it. I have been listening carefully to the points that you have been making, in your leadership role as the minister for the national care service. When you make your recommendations to the Cabinet, do you emphasise that we should stick to trying to get agreement on the national care service, or do you give advice on three or four things that we know that we can do now and that we should be moving forward with? I am interested to know what balance you give, as the leader in that area, when you speak to your colleagues.

I accept what you say about the outcome that you are looking for. My question is, do you think that, at this point in time, you should be doing some of the things that can be done now quickly? Would that benefit the whole group that you have said you want to get outcomes for?

Thank you.