Seòmar agus comataidhean

Police Scotland has said:

“We know criminals will exploit any opportunity for their own gain and COP26 will be no different.”

Ahead of COP26, the Scottish Business Resilience Centre is advising businesses to take steps to protect themselves physically and online. As part of national discussions about resilience, is SEPA giving advice around the table, so that we can learn the lessons and apply them quickly, ahead of COP26?

The discussion so far has been fascinating. Indeed, I have had the privilege of taking part in some Zoom events with climate assembly members and I have met some of the children involved here in the Parliament.

I have so many questions to ask, but I suppose that I have to start somewhere. I was struck by Jocelyn Richard’s earlier comment that people want to do the right things and that we need to tackle climate change in a way that is fair to everyone. Can you give me a sense of some of the barriers that were discussed by the assembly? I know that the 100 or so people involved in the assembly came from different backgrounds but, aside from education and perhaps knowledge, what other barriers are people facing in making these behavioural changes? How concerned are people about the affordability of some of the proposals and the possible impact on people who are already experiencing, for example, fuel poverty, which has been mentioned?

Perhaps Jocelyn Richard can start. I am happy for others to answer, too.

Thank you, Jocelyn. I wonder whether Katie Reid has anything to add from the children’s perspective. I remember a previous chat that we had when I learned that some of the children who came to Parliament had never been on public transport before and that politicians are in danger of making assumptions about people’s living standards and knowledge. How do we ensure that everyone can play their part in tackling climate change and that issues such as poverty and lack of awareness are not holding young people back?

I was just briefly reflecting on how, when we met some young people at the Parliament, some of them said that that had been the first time they had been on a train, and I suggested that we often make assumptions about people’s living standards and backgrounds. How do we ensure that this activity is really inclusive and that all children can participate? We have talked about the importance of education, but what else can we do?

Good morning to the minister and his officials.

The policy is very welcome, but what is the Government’s response to the everyone aboard campaign, which is led by the Poverty Alliance and supported by 120 organisations and seeks to expand this scheme to everyone under 25 and people in receipt of benefits? Is that the direction of travel that the Government wants to go in? At what point will the scheme be reviewed after it comes into force next January?

We are all concerned about biodiversity loss. I have heard that organisations are concerned about the loss of expert biodiversity officers and staff from local government. Are you aware of that? Is the workforce available to advise local government on biodiversity declining? If not, what can be done to address that?

Yes. I thank colleagues for their considered thoughts. Tess White helpfully mentioned work that is being done on suicide prevention and distress brief interventions. For young people, I am troubled that CAMHS waiting lists are at their highest-ever level. To say, “Well, it’s a pandemic,” is not a good enough answer; we need to know what plans are in place.

Today’s discussion has been important, because people are contacting the Parliament to look for action and support. As I said, we are talking not about sympathy and warm words but about how we deliver system change. If the Health, Social Care and Sport Committee has an interest, too, that will be welcome. I appreciate this committee’s insight and interest today.

Good morning. I thank the committee for the opportunity to speak in support of PE1871.

Karen McKeown is a constituent of mine in Central Scotland. As I explained to your predecessor committee, she has become a friend through the most tragic of circumstances. Karen emailed me on 30 December 2017, just hours after Luke had taken his own life in the family home, with the children in bed. Members will have read in Karen’s submission that what happened was not through a lack of speaking out. We are all encouraged to speak out and to be open about our mental health. We hear that it is okay not to be okay. However, Karen and Luke tried to get help multiple times—about eight times, I think.

Sadly, Luke is not here, but Karen is still fighting, and not only for herself and her family. The outcome for them will never change, but when I spoke to Karen two minutes ago from outside the committee room, she impressed upon me that what happened to her family is not unique. I do not need to tell the committee that; we are all MSPs who represent communities and have our own mental health.

Karen is looking not for sympathy but for system change and action. She has become the go-to person for many other people who have sadly gone through the same tragic loss that she has gone through. Karen is supporting another constituent of mine—I will not give the person’s name—whose son was suicidal and was very vocal about how he felt. When he went to the crisis team, he was given a leaflet. That boy is not here today. That is why Karen’s petition is so important.

I acknowledge that the Scottish Government understands how serious the issue is and that it is a priority, but we are not getting things right. It is not just about putting more money into the system—although there are parts of the system that need more resource. There is a workforce crisis.

There are areas where crisis support does not exist, risk assessments are not being carried out, people do not have safe plans and pathways are not fully in place. We know from speaking to colleagues in Police Scotland that they are under increasing pressure. For someone who is in crisis or experiencing psychosis, it is not really the most helpful thing to have the police coming through their door. It is a tough job for the police, too.

I am grateful for the opportunity to speak to the petition today and to echo some of Karen’s sentiments. The issue is a national crisis, and it is really important. Clearly, it was an issue before the pandemic, and Karen’s petition predates Covid-19. The harms and issues around isolation, mental health and alcohol and substance use must all be considered. We need to give a space in the Parliament for people to share not just their experience but what they believe to be the solutions. We are fortunate that there are people in Scotland who care deeply and who support one another in their communities, and we should hear from people on the front line.

I am very concerned about the mental health and wellbeing of people who work in our national health service, in community services and in the police. They have to turn people away with leaflets, and that brings them their own stress and anxiety. Sadly, a young doctor in Lanarkshire completed suicide recently, and following that I received a lot of emails from doctors and other people in the health service.

I will make one last point. Our general practitioners have been doing and continue to do a wonderful job during the pandemic, but the video or telephone consultation does not work for everyone with complex mental health needs, and we need to consider that in any review of mental health services.

I hope that colleagues will take this opportunity. It is not about sitting here and criticising ministers or the NHS, as everyone is trying really hard, but we are not getting it right, and people are losing their lives.

I reiterate my support for the petition, which I hope provides an opportunity for people to contribute their thoughts and solutions so that we can get this right and save lives in Scotland.

Given that the fund is well established and involves a huge amount of money, how can the public be confident that the bank is not investing in funds that are making money for those who are already wealthy? How does that particular investment contribute to a just transition for Scotland?

Finally, I have a more general question for Scottish Enterprise. COP26 is just around the corner. What do you see as Scotland’s main opportunities to attract investors at the conference?