As an amendment to motion S6M-10343 in the name of Shirley-Anne Somerville (Equality within the 2023-24 Programme for Government), leave out from “to build” to end and insert “; welcomes the announcement to improve miscarriage care, so that women do not wait until a third miscarriage to receive support; further welcomes the Scottish Government’s intention to bring childcare policy in line with UK Government proposals of providing funded childcare from the age of nine months but calls, however, on the Scottish Government to do more to resolve outstanding concerns, including recruitment, retention and support for private, voluntary and third sector organisations; notes that the Scottish Government has failed to close the attainment gap and roll out free school meals by 2022 as originally promised in 2021, tackle violence in classrooms, or bring forward a new meaningful deal for teachers; further notes that the percentage of children in poverty is equal to that in 2007, and expresses concern over the record-breaking number of children in temporary accommodation; calls on the Scottish Government to declare a homelessness emergency and to find a new approach to children being placed in temporary accommodation; is dismayed that the Scottish Government has missed its deadline for transferring all benefits to Social Security Scotland and that certain benefits could be transferred as late as 2026; welcomes the UK Government’s £94 billion to help households navigate the global cost of living crisis, throughout 2022-23 and 2023-24, and the UK Government’s uprate to benefits by 10.1%; notes that, during the Scottish National Party’s time in government, health inequalities have worsened, with record numbers on NHS waiting lists, high A&E waiting times, unacceptable drug and alcohol death rates and a mental health crisis, and agrees that a health and wellbeing strategy must be at the forefront of the Scottish Government’s plan to tackle inequality.”
Submitted by: Shirley-Anne Somerville, Dunfermline, Scottish National Party, Date lodged: Tuesday, September 5, 2023
Supported by: Michael Matheson, Paul McLennan, Emma Roddick, Humza Yousaf
Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, September 6, 2023
Result 68 for, 54 against, 0 abstained, 7 did not vote Vote Passed
Submitted by: Paul O'Kane, West Scotland, Scottish Labour, Date lodged: Wednesday, September 6, 2023
Supported by: Jackie Baillie, Carol Mochan, Colin Smyth, Paul Sweeney
Current status: Taken in the chamber on Wednesday, September 6, 2023